My list of favorite House moments could go on and on. I will watch any scene with House and Wilson. I can watch the Stacy kiss, jealously cringe at the Cameron kiss, and laugh at the Cuddy ass-grab. But just as I know when to watch, I also know what to avoid. That pretty much encompasses any scene with the self-important Vogler or the sinister Tritter. Their story arcs were interesting and the resolution of their conflicts genius, but every time one of these men was on the screen, I got a stomach ache. My physical reaction to their antagonism just goes to show how emotionally vested in House that I have become. It’s a little scary.
I am elated now that relief from the unbearable ennui of encore performances is in sight. New episodes of House will begin on Tuesday, January 29, at 9:00 ET, with a Christmas episode, entitled “It’s A Wonderful Lie.” It is like a long overdue present from FOX. On behalf of all House fans, I’d like to say thank you.
In this new episode, a mother (played by Janel Moloney, who viewers might remember from The West Wing) suddenly becomes paralyzed at an indoor rock-climbing wall. As a result of the paralysis, the woman fails at spotting her daughter, who becomes injured as well. House’s new team has to treat both mother and daughter while looking for the cause of the paralysis. As usual, House thinks the woman is withholding information. As the team runs tests, the woman loses her eyesight and her system begins to shut down.
In the meantime, and in the spirit of a major theme of season four, we are treated to yet another game from the master game player himself. House lets his team participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange, with a special House-like twist. It will be fun to get a glimpse of House’s skewed view of this holiday tradition.
The next new episode, “Frozen”, will air after the Super Bowl on February 3. Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino plays a psychiatrist trapped at the South Pole and the research station's only doctor. After she becomes ill, House and his team are forced to treat her via webcam, leading her through a series of tests that she must perform on herself. This story seems ripped directly from the headlines, inspired by the true story of Dr. Jerri Nielsen, who treated her own cancer while trapped at the South Pole.
Article comments
1 - Amanda
Cindy, I'm reading your article and it's ME saying all the things that you are saying!!
All except the part about being jealous of the kiss between House and Cameron. I don't see them together ever....or at least I hope not.
I see Stacey coming back to House in the finale episode (Many many years from now) and them both living happily ever after. The series CAN NOT end with HOUSE still being misrable.
2 - Susanne
I have been very dissappointed with this season. The newbies are boring, it was good for the first three ep but after the end of "97 seasonds" it just went all over the shop for me. Cuddy has become a walking doormat compare to the last two seasons what's going on there? Jealousy cringe is that a good thing or bad thing? Being a woman in my 50s I love the cameron/house relationship and I can see them together but not Stacey. For that relationship to work I think one or both people had to change because two people cannot be the alpha dogs in a relationship. I think that stacey was there to reveal more about House and let House finally have some closure in his life and that's all. So I do not see him with stacey at the end even though I have my preferred relationship I would have been fine with cuddy/house until saw how degraded she has become and the fact that House uses her whenever he pleases and treats her like crap and very little repect leaves me saying "How in Earth can she be in a relationship with him?"
I will watch the last three eps but I'm not really jumping for joy about it, I actually have some paperwork saved up. To me survivor arc was a waste of time and a waste of good characters. It wasn't a solution to their old/boring problem it was a distraction, they are just going to go back to the old formula. Wht happens if they get boring, put those three on the side and then hire another 40 people and go through it all over again? In my opinion they won't get very far until they open up the door and start exploring cuddy, wilson, cameron, chase and foreman individually. They can take a page from Grey's Antomy who is named after the lead but actully put emphasis on their supporting characters and use he talent and let their characters grow wheres with house the characters are stuck at one note, two note with hardly any growth, except for chase at the end. I watched the reruns and actually enjoyed them wheres with these new eps I find myself extremely dissapponted.
Great review by the way, I'm not looking foreward to these eps though but I am holding on I may be in denial. I hope the new ducklings go because so far they haven't really made an impact and don't expect them to especially when one is more likely to be seen on a sitcom and one is perfect Mary sue which is not interesting for a TV character.
3 - Tammy
I have enjoyed every House episode for the past three seasons. But this new season is a different story. I do not enjoy how House has been written completely differently to every other episode in previous seasons. It used to be clever and interesting, now it has become boring and crude.
The survivor arc was only interesting in the first couple of episodes but after that it became obvious that the actual NEW characters weren't going to be chosen. Instead they chose the three most boring and bland characters that bring nothing to the show. I mean where are Cameron and Chase? We keep hearing that they will be back in full force, but the question still remains, WHEN?
I will watch the next three episodes, but I'm up for watching repeats of the first three seasons because that's the House that I grew to love and enjoy.
4 - CindyC
Amanda - I don't like to speculate on how the series will end, but I don't forsee anything in the shape of House living a "happily ever after" with anyone. I think that would go against the premise of the original concept. I can envision House walking into the sunset with Wilson by his side (friends) in the same vein as the end of Casablanca -- or House sitting alone in his apartment, playing the piano, with a cigar burning in an astray and a glass of scotch -- and he's perfectly content to be that way. Of course, only time will tell.
Susanne -- I have to agree to disagree with you about Cameron -- as a woman approaching my 50's, I had major problems with the "I'll come back if you go on a date with me" story, and I never really liked her since. I thought it was totally inappropriate and immature. And because I have enough issues dealing with my middle years, I don't really like the idea of House and a younger woman. That is jealously speaking of course, because I'm still working through my issues that come with what I feel is the passage of youth. I'll get over it eventually. Like I said, I will agree to disagree, because I don't want this to turn into a forum for shippers debate.
Tammy -- I agree that this season does not live up to the promise of seasons past, but I am willing to give the writers the benefit of the doubt as to the direction the season was heading. I think that the writers' strike has had a negative impact in that we will not get the chance to see where they were headed with the story, nor have we had the opportunity to explore the depths of the new characters. I like the choices made for the new team and I was hoping for the chance for Kal Penn to shine as Kutner. I have found respect for him as an actor after watching The Namesake.
I'm also wondering, given the abbreviated nature of the season, if the DVD release of Season 4 will have a lower price tag, and/or lots more special features. An in-depth interview with Hugh Laurie woud be great.