When House returns with new episodes on January 17, he'll have something even more daunting than a confusing medical case with which to deal.

Candice Bergen debuts on that date as Cuddy's mother, Arlene. The veteran actress describes this character as "a gentile who would prefer to be a Jew," adding that she won't take it easy on her daughter's new man.

What can producer producer David Shore tell us about Arlene? He tells TV Guide that she's "a tough-as-nails woman who's very hard on Cuddy. They love each other, but boy, do they drive each other crazy."

Speaking of crazy, can you relate to that feeling with a lack of new episodes for nearly a month? Perhaps our ever-updated section of House quotes can get you through these tough times.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.