With the House, M.D. season seven premiere less than a month away (September 20 on Fox), now is a perfect time to catch up on or re-watch season six. And to accommodate, Universal Studios Home Entertainment has put together a treasure chest of delights in the House Season Six Blu-ray High Definition Box set, available August 31.
Season six is a year of transition for our antihero House (Hugh Laurie). His narrative moves forward into a new realm, beginning with a serious attempt at finding an alternative to Vicodin for his chronic pain, and entering therapy to address his considerable emotional issues. Likewise the other characters move on as well—for better or worse, all amid the weekly medical zebras taken on by House and his team of fellows.
In some ways, the season seemed a bit off kilter: House is no longer living in his apartment; Cuddy becomes involved (and then engaged) with man-child Lucas Douglas; Wilson renews his relationship with his first wife. And as the season goes on House begins to wonder if psychotherapy, antidepressants, and trying to reconnect with humanity is really worth the sacrifice—a season of transition.
The season’s bookends are among the series’ best episodes. The season premiere “Broken” (for which Hugh Laurie is in contention for an Emmy Award), is House’s journey on the road back to sanity. Featuring powerhouse performances by Laurie and guest star Andre Braugher as House’s psychiatrist, House spends two months as a patient at Mayfield Psychiatric Hospital to emerge on the rather shaky road to recover. And at the end of this road we find “Help Me,” the season six finale, where House may, finally, at long last, begin to find what he seeks so hard during season six: happiness. In between, there are assassinations, divorces, reconnections, loves won and lost, black holes, noble knights and even karaoke.
For the first time this year, Universal Home Media is releasing its House, M.D. DVD box set in Blu-ray in addition to the usual standard definition version. Admittedly, House is not a really a big effects show. Most episodes feature a lot of talking, walking and thinking; it is, at its heart, a character study. So, you might wonder, why Blu-ray? There are actually several very good reasons.
Over the seasons, the series directors have created a few effects-laden sequences that would rival much of what you might see on the “big screen.” Most of the time, those expensive and expansive sequences are reserved for season premieres and finales. Shot almost as if they are independent two-minute mini movies, they are usually quite separate from the episode’s main action, and important only in that they set up the episode’s medical case and patient. But in season six, several episodes feature elaborate effects sequences, and viewed in high definition they are even more memorable.
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Article comments
1 - El Bicho
Curious that they call it Season Six as opposed to The Complete Sixth Season. That usually indicates that there have been edits since the programs aired. Is anything missing or changed, say like music used?
2 - Janice
Now I want to change my pre-order to Blu-ray. Sounds great!
3 - barbara barnett
Bicho--
The only thing I can tell that's been altered at all is that "Broken" was originally classified as a two part episode 6x01 and 6x02. Now it's 6x01. Instead of 22 episodes, therefore, it's only 21.
4 - Luigi Bastardo
Looking forward to this. Thanks for the review, Barbara!
5 - DebbieJ.
Ok, now I'm off to my Amazon account to see if I preordered the Blu-Ray or regular version! Thanks for the review, Barbara!
6 - Cathy
Thanks for the review, Barbara. Finally broke down and bought a Blu-Ray player when I heard about this release! :)
7 - ruthinor
A question, can Blu-Ray players be used to view non-Blu-Ray discs?
8 - barbara barnett
ruthinor--yes, Blu-ray players can play standard def discs.
9 - ruthinor
I don't have a Blu-Ray player and was looking around at reviews. It's all pretty confusing. If anyone here can recommend a reasonably priced player which will be used only with my HDTV (SONY) and to play CDs, I would appreciate it. I don't need all the bells and whistles. I understand that at least some players can upgrade non-HD DVDs to near-HD quality (is this correct?). I would appreciate any input. Thanks.
10 - bennet c.
Definitely gonna get the blu-ray for those extra features... they have a few previews of some of the features up on youtube, if anyone is still on the fence about grabbing this!
looks AWESOME.
11 - Flo
I don't have any blu-ray players.
I happened to have my hands on some of the features and I must say i was disappointed in the commentary of "5 to 9". As usual, the commentaries are useless. Very, very few real informations about how the episode was written, directed, made etc. Just a bunch of people who like to say how much they like and admire each other and to throw some joke or talk about something else.
Not very informative. Too bad.
The rest seems more engaging.
12 - ruthinor
I watched the commentary on "Help Me" and it was all about how they set it up, photography, etc. I actually thought it was repetitive and boring. There was very little about the story itself.
13 - barbara barmett
Ruthinor. When I first started listening to the Help Me commentary I was incredibly disappointed as well, but (I think) five or 10 minutes into it, Greg got more into the emotion of the episode and how it worked on that level, it completely changed my mind about the Help Me commentary.
14 - DebbieJ.
Barbara, I just wanted to thank you for this review. If I had not read it, I never would have considered buying the Blu Ray version, even tho I have a blu ray disc player in my rec room. The sound and picture quality are amazing. I had some reservations about seeing everyone in hi def as I know it sometimes isn't flattering to an actor's appearance. But I have not found that to be the case. Everyone looks amazing, stunning. And I didn't think Olivia Wilde could look anymore gorgeous than she already is, but the hi def definitely does not diminish her beauty; it enhances it. (How dare she? ;)
I haven't watched any of the episodes' commentaries yet but loved all the other extras on Disc 1, and I especially enjoyed seeing how they put together the video game sequences in Epic Fail. That was truly amazing! The other extra were awesome, seeing how they put together Broken and Mayfield.
But one thing that bothers me about this box set. Who in the world designed the casing? Every time I attempt to pop a disc out of it or back into it, I'm afraid the disc is going to break! Whose idea was that? I don't expect you to know the answer, but I just wanted to vent! LOL