House - TV Fanatic

House Calls It: Drama to End Eight-Year Run in May

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:19:38 EST

Coming off its best episode of the season, yet also coming off a couple subpar season, House will air its series finale in May.

A joint statement by Hugh Laurie and executive producers David Shore and Katie Jacobs confirmed the expected news. It reads:

After much deliberation, the producers of House M.D. have decided that this season of the show, the 8th, should be the last. By April this year they will have completed 177 episodes, which is about 175 more than anyone expected back in 2004.

The decision to end the show now, or ever, is a painful one, as it risks putting asunder hundreds of close friendships that have developed over the last eight years – but also because the show itself has been a source of great pride to everyone involved.

Since it began, House has aspired to offer a coherent and satisfying world in which everlasting human questions of ethics and emotion, logic and truth, could be examined, played out, and occasionally answered. This sounds like fancy talk, but it really isn’t. House has, in its time, intrigued audiences around the world in vast numbers, and has shown that there is a strong appetite for television drama that relies on more than prettiness or gun play.

But now that time is drawing to a close. The producers have always imagined House as an enigmatic creature; he should never be the last one to leave the party. How much better to disappear before the music stops, while there is still some promise and mystique in the air.

The producers can never sufficiently express their gratitude to the hundreds of dedicated artists and technicians who have given so generously of their energy and talent to make House the show it has been – and perhaps will continue to be for some time, on one cable network or another.

The makers of House would also like to thank Fox Broadcasting and Universal Television for supporting the show with patience, imagination and large quantities of good taste. The Studio-As-Evil-Adversary is one of the many clichés that House has managed to avoid, and for that the cast and crew are deeply grateful.

Lastly, the audience: some have come and some have gone, obviously. This is to be expected in the life of any show. But over the course of the last eight years, the producers of House have felt immensely honored to be the subject of such close attention by an intelligent, discriminating, humane and thoughtful – not to mention numerous – audience. Even the show’s detractors have been flattering in their way. Making the show has felt like a lively and passionate discussion about as many different subjects as could possibly be raised in 177 hours. The devotion and generosity of our viewers has been marvelous to behold.

So, finally, everyone at House will bid farewell to the audience and to each other with more than a few tears, but also with a deep feeling of gratitude for the grand adventure they have been privileged to enjoy for the last eight years. If the show lives on somewhere, with somebody, as a fond memory, then that is a precious feat, of which we will always be proud.

Everybody Lies.

House Review: Fault Lines

lisabethpalmer@gmail.com (Lisa Palmer) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST

Above all else, House values being right. He is confident that his methods work. He knows that breeding conflict fosters ideas. And his methods have an extremely high success rate.

However, in "Nobody's Fault," his methodology is placed under scrutiny and, to the observer, it's deeply flawed. How can House be both right about his patients but wrong in the way he solves each diagnostic mystery?

The episode opens to a red hand print on a hospital room wall, a bloody spattered patient chart and hospital equipment turned upside down. In a format similar to season six's "Baggage", we're shown the patient's story through House's interviews with Dr. Cofield, Foreman's former mentor. Let me pause and ruminate on this character's name: Cofield. Co-field. He shares Foreman and House's expertise, but practices medicine in a much more conventional way. I digress.

This isn't the first time that House has been criticized for his practices, but it is the first time House's actions and leadership could cost him his job and his parole. In last week's episode, we watched House enjoying his freedom at various locations. He is finally untethered to his mistakes of the past and just as he is beginning to enjoy himself, disaster strikes.

So what happened exactly, Dr. Cofield wants to know. Whose fault is it? We watch as everyone recounts the case. As usual, House is unwilling to take any of the blame for the events leading up to Chase's stabbing. As we begin to hear details of the case, we find out that House slipped orange dye into Dr. Adams' shampoo to confirm that Chase and Adams are in fact sleeping with one another. Of course, he doesn't reveal this to Chase until much later. As usual, the pranks escalated and throughout the differentials, Chase attempts to get House back for his joke.

Some of this episode really worked for me. All of House evaluating his actions and his methods was fun to watch. Any time House is forced to turn his genius back onto himself, I know I am in for a strong episode. House rarely lets anyone in on his true thoughts; he's far too closed off emotionally, which is why his actions confuse those around him, with the exception of those he's worked with for years and years, like Chase, Foreman and Wilson.

So when Cofield comes in and asks questions regarding House and his bedside manner, I roll my eyes. I've been watching House for a long time now and I don't need to be debriefed on just how much of an ass House can be and how strange it is. House is a man who should only be analyzed by his motives, not by his actions.

Why did he push to find out Chase's personal business? He wanted to be let in to his life. Why does he push his team to the point of breaking down? He knows he can get their best ideas. House has always been emotionally stunted in some ways. He's risked letting those around him in on his vulnerabilities and look what happened. He felt connected to a number of people throughout the series. Cuddy, Cameron, Stacy, Amber, Thirteen, Kutner and Lydia all come to mind. He let them all in and they all left. The only people House has left to confide in and lean on are Wilson, Foreman and Chase.

The rest of his team is too new. Or too short.

In order not to lose Chase, House clings to the idea that they're friends, so he pushes Chase to confide in him in a completely backwards way, which indirectly(?) led to Chase's stabbing. So whose fault is it? Chase's for disagreeing with House about a diagnosis and going around him by bringing a scalpel into the patient's room? Or House's for breeding the type of environment that respects those on his team who disobey him?

Cofield assesses this type of environment as dysfunctional. House's team is aware of this, of course. But why would they work for someone like House if they didn't believe in his methodology? In truth, they enable House's behavior and while Cofield may agree that the environment House has created is completely destructive at times, he can't ignore the end results, such as an unhappy family member who thanks House in the end because House was, above all else, right. And the end result saved the patient. And also saved House's freedom, despite House throwing Cofield's hypocritical decision in his face.

But what about Chase? Doesn't Chase want to blame House for nearly paralyzing him? Chase knows that he enables House to act like he does. He may even remember that House indirectly played a part in the demise of his relationship to Cameron. Perhaps he remembers House's allegiance to him during the Diabola debacle. The relationship between Chase and House may not be as prominent in the series, but their relationship is arguably the most interesting. As a character, Chase has grown more than anyone else on the series.

He started off as a spoiled rich kid who was only out for himself, someone who betrayed House. He's matured considerably since then and he's learned to make his own decisions. Which is why he tells Cofield that it's nobody's fault and that House not being there for him really means that he can't handle being there for him. I wonder how much longer House can show he cares without showing he cares without being fully rejected by those around him in the end. Remember how difficult it was for him to show up for Cuddy's surgery? Remember when he told Wilson he wouldn't be there after his surgery because he didn't want to face dying alone?

House is nothing if not selfishly emotional when the life of someone close to him is threatened.

But when Chase is finally facing House at the end of the episode, he wonders to House, why couldn't House have just asked him what was going on? Why the tricks to tell Chase to stop being late to work when a straight forward conversation could have occurred? And this is how House works. He does talk to Wilson in a more straightforward way, but their relationship is one of escalating pranks, immaturity, and neediness.

What, Chase wonders, is the need to inject the indirectness of House's actions to get to the real question. For House, it was about fun. Chase quickly points out, "None of this is fun." Finally, we see House take ownership for his actions to the one person he needs to.

"They decided that you being stabbed was nobody's fault. They're wrong. I'm sorry."

After an intense look between them, Chases asks if there's anything else. And House, holding his gaze, says no, that was it. Between Chase's physical pain and House's guilt, I am hopeful that the next couple of episodes could move the series forward in a positive way. I'm uninterested in people's shock over House's bedside manner. What I am interested is what this episode began digging into: House's style of interactions with those close to him and the consequences of these interactions. Him accepting responsibility for Chase's stabbing was a step forward for House, but as House preaches, "People don't change."

But perhaps House can show some growth. And even though Chase is not fully receptive to House's admission right now, it could be enough to open a line of communication in the future and enough to make House more cognizant of the consequences of his actions, even indirectly.

I'm reminded of Amber's death here and how it was indirectly House's fault that she died, even though Wilson admitted after awhile it wasn't. But it is the type of relationship that House and Wilson have that enabled House to make that call and expect a rescue from Wilson.

But back to "Nobody's Fault." My main concern about this episode is that the series will drop the themes and forget about them. I know there's an upcoming episode featuring House's green card wife who I couldn't care less about.

I'm quite curious to see where the ideas presented in this episode go. Don't let me down, House!

Fox Programming Notes: More Alcatraz, Less House

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:24:25 EST

In a move that bodes well for Alcatraz, but less well for House's chances of landing on the Fox schedule again this fall, the network has revamped its March lineup.

Alcatraz Promo: "Guy Hastings"

Hugh Laurie and company have been removed entirely next month in order to make room for one week of twice the Alcatraz; and two weeks of an Alcatraz/Touch pairing, as Fox likely wants to see how these two rate together before making any decisions for 2012-2013.

Here is a look at the new schedule:

Monday, March 5
8:00/7:00c - Alcatraz (Back-to-Back Episodes)

Monday, March 12
8:00/7:00c - Alcatraz (New Time Period)
9:00/8:00c - Touch (Encore of Pilot)

Monday, March 19
8:00/7:00c - Alcatraz
9:00/8:00c - Touch (Season Premiere)

Monday, March 26
8:00/7:00c - Alcatraz (Season Finale)
9:00/8:00c - Touch

Mondays (as of April 2)
8:00/7:00c - House
9:00/8:00c - Touch

House Episode Teaser: "Nobody's Fault"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:47:56 EST

Spoiler Alert: We've seen next Monday's new episode of House, and it's terrific.

Coming off yet another disappointing installment, the drama moves forward with "Nobody's Fault," a special hour that features Jeffrey Wright as Foreman's past mentor and House's current... judge?

Indeed, following a violent incident, House and the team are reviewed by Wright's neurology chief, Dr. Walter Cofield. Each physician then recounts the details of the incident to him, leading to Cofield comparing the squad's unusual type of collaboration against their life-saving skills.

Watch the official Fox preview now:

House Promo: "Nobody's Fault"

House Review: Nothing Ever Changes

lisabethpalmer@gmail.com (Lisa Palmer) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST

Taub is bored by his children. House has a patient (Callie) he seems to relate to. Dr. Adams is self-righteous. And Foreman's affair comes to an end.

And other than those items, "Runaways" was for the most part a filler episode. If an episode is going to be a filler, it needs to be humorous. It can't rely on boring stories about Foreman and Taub that most viewers aren't all that interested in. Remember the season six episode, "The Down Low?" It's the one where Wilson is trying to date his neighbor and House pretends he and Wilson are gay so he can get the girl?

That one was a complete filler, but so hilarious and memorable! Don't waste the comedic potential, please. It's too vast.

We didn't learn anything new tonight and the most positive thing I have to say about this episode is that I enjoyed the patient because she reminded me of other patients I liked. Remember the CIPA patient from "Insensitive," in season three? She couldn't feel any pain and jumped off the balcony in the lobby? She was spunky and fun and fought with her mother.

There was also the daughter from season four's "It's a Wonderful Lie." Also spunky. Also with mother issues. If there's anything that this show likes, it's teenage girls that have a little sass, which I can definitely appreciate. House certainly seemed to take a liking to this one. But why?

House always respects those people that make the harder choices he considers right. He tells Callie's mother, "Your daughter is better off without you. So let her be better off without you."

While Dr. Adams seems to disagree with this choice, House sees himself in the young girl. Or would like to. I also wonder if the writers had Cuddy leaving House in mind when they wrote this. Could be totally wishful thinking, but Cuddy left House in part because he couldn't handle real pain and was addicted to Vicodin. It was a tough choice, and in the writers' minds, the right choice to leave House and move forward. Doubt they would appreciate the Cuddy/patient homeless parallel, though (Cuddy's house is wrecked by House's car, patient chooses not to live anywhere...see? It's not a stretch at all). I digress.

During the rest of the episode, Taub returns with both of his Sophias and not much else. I'm glad he's learning to be a better father, but I think his airtime can be better spent. Perhaps be House making more short jokes? Although, without this storyline, we wouldn't have seen Chase's peek-a-boo.

And Foreman. Now that this so-called easy, breezy, risky relationship is over, he wants nothing to do with her? That's so...male. And so not Foreman from what we've seen. I'm not so sure I like that House considers him and Foreman to be similar people. How are they alike? Stubborn, smart, attractive...I'm out! If they take Foreman's need for risk somewhere, I'll be interested, but only if it goes somewhere other than another relationship.

Does that leave us with only more about the patient left? I'm having trouble finding depth in this episode. In the end, even though Callie knows her mother is sober now, she leaves, choosing her homeless life over the more painful one of dealing with her mother's (inevitable?) relapse, thus reinforcing House's continued mantra of "People don't change."

As far as next week's episode goes, you'll love it. I've seen it and it's by far the best of this season, which yes, I know, doesn't mean all that much to some of you, but it is format-breaking and informative and dramatic, pretty much the polar opposite of this week's. I'll be thrilled if they stick with the more serious tone and dig deep into House's psyche, something I feel has been lacking from the current season.

Same time, same place for next Monday.

House Review: Sex, Lies and Memory Loss

lisabethpalmer@gmail.com (Lisa Palmer) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:21:00 EST

I realize we're well into January, but it's only right I mention one of my House New Year's resolutions: I must be kinder to the series with which I was once very much in love.

Instead of writing reviews in hopes the episodes I watch will be like the old ones I treasured, I will try and view the drama as though the past doesn't exist. I will not compare the new characters to former ones who I believe have more depth. And, lastly, I will attempt serenity when the series may not measure up to my expectations. Ah, deep breath...

After a two-month hiatus, House returned with "Better Half," an episode dealing with a theme the series has delved into a number of times: sacrifice. Luckily, it's a theme House almost always manages to explore well, and the show got off on the right foot. Let's start with the patient of the week: a man in his forties who has Alzheimer's and a wife (Natalie) willing to stick by him through the most debilitating part of his disease: the forgetfulness, the mood swings, all of it.

So what if she's giving up rest, her sex life, and her career. Or is she?

Enter Alzheimer's hot best friend, who Natalie is clearly sleeping with. The show didn't try to make it much of a mystery, which felt appropriate. Rather than attempting to trick us with a predictable outcome, we basically knew from the get-go that Natalie was doing the guy. But the real question is if she's in the wrong for such an action. Adams is offended, confirming that she is as straight-laced as she seems, but also clearly scarred from her husband's infidelity. Chase appears more realistic, or cynical - take your pick - about Natalie's situation. She's sacrificing enough, says the Chase school of thought. But Adams believes that "Commitment is not conditional."

I'd like to believe that Adams is right, but I believe more in what Chase has to say. I doubt Natalie's husband would want her to give up everything that makes her happy. Her relationship with Josh (?) could be what allows her to focus on her husband's condition and care. Why deprive her of a reward for her loyalty? Even if the reward is cheating?

Meanwhile, in Hilson territory, another bet on a clinic patient is made. House is unwilling to believe Wilson's clinic patients are asexual and he (of course) unearths proof that the husband has a medical condition that hinders the libido. The best part about this unsurprising twist is that it parallels the A storyline so beautifully. Natalie is willing to give up her flower shop and the majority of her days to care for her ill husband. But, and this is a big but, she can't let go of her sexual drive.

Pretty blonde clinic patient claims to be asexual and we discover she's lied to her husband about her sacrifice because she knew she wanted to be with him with or without sex. Does either lie to either husband mean more than the other? Yes, Natalie has been unfaithful to her husband. If she told him the truth, it may devastate him, albeit momentarily. As for the blonde clinic patient, her lie kept her husband with her. Would he have stayed if he knew that sex was something that she wanted? Is it fair game to lie in either case? And who is really giving something up? The wives or the husbands?

Close up on Foreman, House's boss who predictably is ready to interfere in a case and show off his manly dark muscles. House is ready for him and does what he does best: takes the least direct route to getting what he wants; in this case, he wants his ankle monitor (training wheels) removal approved and he fights an un-winable fight to stroke "Cuddy Dark's" ego. Although Foreman becomes hip to House's methods of getting what he wants, he realizes that House does move better without training wheels and agrees to unshackle him. I liken this unshackling to Chekhov's gun. House is bound to "go off" and do something horrible before season's (series?) end because Foreman approved the unshackling. Although I'm sure he could do something terrible with or without an ankle monitor present.

Finally, we're introduced, albeit over a phone call, to Chase's sister, someone he's resented for a number of years because of her dependance on alcohol and because she has served as a constant reminder of the pain Chase went through over the loss of his mother.

Viewers are reminded of Chase's past wounds, which I'm surprised he shared so willingly with Adams. Remember before they went on hiatus and Park asked Chase out? I have a strange curiosity of how that went, especially in light of Park's admission of her magic number. Thirty plus? Please say that wasn't a joke. I'm all over it. And, yes, I'm sure the two pretties (Chase and Park) will be bumping uglies sooner or later, but I would love it if the show went in a totally different direction with Chase's love life. Even just temporarily.

Good start, House. Let's keep it up. New episode next week. Same time, same place.

Fox TCA Rundown: No Glee Spin-Off; Renewals for Fringe, Terra Nova, House?

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:15:55 EST

Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly was at the center of a barrage of questions from reporters today, as he took the stage at the Television Critics Association winter press tour.

How will Glee handle season four? Will there be a Fringe season five? Read on for answers to these questions and more...

Glee will graduate its seniors. However, "there will not be a Glee spinoff,” Reilly said. “But those characters will graduate and it’s led to a very interesting idea that I think is going to really give us something cool to dig into next season.”

Reilly confirmed Lea Michele would be back, but wouldn't commit to Chris Colfer, simply adding that the expanded ideas for season four are "cool" and "different" and, ultimately, "a good thing for the show."

Will House conclude this season? Reilly has not yet met with creator David Shore, but plans to soon and said: "It [is] going to be a close call."

A decision will also be made soon on Terra Nova, which Reilly acknowledged "was hunting for itself creatively through the season." The show would need to go into production within the month if it is picked up.

As for Fringe, Reilly was blunt in his assessment of a fifth season: "We lose a lot of money on the show. At that rating, on [Friday] night, its impossible to make money. We’re not in the business of losing money... [But] I’m not doing the soft cancel here. That’s another decision we will have to make."

Michael B. Jordan to Play Patient on House

matt@tvfanatic.com (TV Fanatic Staff) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:06:54 EST

A TV Fanatic favorite will soon check into Princeton-Plainsboro.

The Hollywood Reporter confirms that former Friday Night Lights star, and Parenthood recurring player, Michael B. Jordan will appear on a future episode of the Fox drama as a Patient of the Week.

Jordan will portray a blind character on the 14th episode of the season.

House returns on January 16 and you can get a look at the 2012 premiere via this official promo.

House to Return with Turtle Racing, Hot Sex and Undead Patients

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:16:00 EST

He has no heartbeat. He's not breathing. How can he not be dead?

It's a good question, and it's one that will be answered on January 23, when House finally returns after a two-month hiatus.

The winter premiere will be titled "Better Half" - ironic, some viewers might say, considering the disappointing opening set of season seven episodes - and feature a patient who, as the quote above details, ought to be deceased. It will also give us a deeper look into Foreman's new relationship, along with a turtle race.

Really. Check out the official Fox promo to see for yourself:

House Promo: "Better Half"

House Review: En Garde

lisabethpalmer@gmail.com (Lisa Palmer) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:00:00 EST

No immediate weekly theme to House jumped out on "Perils of Paranoia," but 'll take a stab and say the episode was about breaking out of one's comfort zone.

Let's start with Foreman, just to get him out of the way. Congrats, House writers and producers for giving Foreman a storyline. Granted, it's another one in a series of storylines that don't make women look so great, but so what? He's got more screen time! And a hot skinny former America's Next Top Model runner-up as a girlfriend!

I'll try to give the show the benefit of the doubt here and say that Foreman is definitely stepping out of his comfort zone to date/sleep with this married woman. And that for Foreman, maybe that's a step in a positive direction. He's not exactly the riskiest of guys, which is how he earned his "Boreman" nickname.

So if this House was about stepping out of one's comfort zone, perhaps Park might have also been victorious. Throughout the hour, she went to House to discuss the others in her differential clique and if they liked her. Park wants to be respected, and is just that, but is she liked?

By the end of the episode, she doesn't seem to be swayed either way necessarily, but she does seem to accept her colleagues' treatment, so much so in fact, she flat out asks Chase out right in front of Dr. Adams. Gasp! One of the only times I laughed tonight was when Chase was attempting to weasel his way out of a date with Dr. Park. Turns out Chase's game isn't good enough to get him out of an unwanted date, and I couldn't help but enjoy Dr. Adams' discomfort in being bested by her awkward coworker.

Not sure if that elevator shot was accidentally made to look like Chase and Adams were Park's parents, but it did.

But where does the patient fit into this? Everyone except for Park assumed he was paranoid. Instead, he had a disease that easily could have been prevented with a vaccine. So not-really-paranoia plus idiot-who-didn't-get-vaccinated equals...? Again, going out on a limb here and saying that this man's wife wanting them to leave their home without protection (arsenal) and the patient coming with her showed us that the patient is leaving what is safe to him.

Are we supposed to recognize that everyone should leave what's comfortable at times? If so, I can accept that message, even if it was muddied up with some rather bizarre Hilson hijinks this week.

I know that House and Wilson have their own relationship and that everything they put the other through typically has a deeper meaning. And, by the way, Wilson in that net was the other moment that made me laugh aloud. But is there a deeper meaning to House saying he doesn't have a gun, Wilson saying he does, and then pranking each other repeatedly to find/hide said gun? By the time these two had finished torturing one another, Wilson produced a gun that House owned. But it was a prop; it wasn't real. So House isn't "protected?" Or House is actually being smart and not risking owning a real gun on his parole?

Was pulling out the sword at the end of the episode showing us:

He misses his father, the former owner of the sword?
He misses Cuddy, since the last time we saw this sword was when House used it to destroy that bottle of champagne last season in "Now What?"
He is outside of his comfort zone, owning a sword (weapon) that could put him back in jail?
He feels safer with the sword around?
None of the above?

Honestly, this was the House fall finale? What are we supposed to be excited to come back to? Park and Chase's awkward date? Foreman's infidelity? House's sword? I sincerely wish the people over at House would have laid out some kind of arc for House at the point. Instead, I feel like I have no idea where he is mentally or physically.

It was a weak ending to a mediocre eight episodes. Bring back the laughs. Give me some kind of window into House's soul beside him staring indiscriminately at a sword owned by his father. And give Adams and Park personalities I care about. Stop drawing on their opposing looks for substance.

I'll be back in January. And I'm ready to be impressed. So please try this time, House.