House, M.D.: Season 1

What became clear to me as I watched Season One of "House, M.D.," is how the show walks a tightrope. There are few shows on television that are as formulaic as this one, where a patient with an unknown medical malady is brought into the hospital and Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), an infectious disease specialist, has to figure out the medical puzzle to save the patient from dying. Working with his team of young doctors, House spends most of a typical episode eliminating possibilities, which is a nice way of saying he is usually the wrong diagnosis until the final act. For example, in "Fidelity" a woman is brought in dead asleep and everything from tumors to breast cancer to rabbit fever is considered before House pulls African sleeping sickness out of his hat.Obviously, if House walks in and is able to make the diagnosis much earlier than that, then they do not that much of a story. Still, there are episodes where the diagnosis is arrived at early on and the dramatic concern is getting the patient (or the hospital, etc.) to accept the treatment. In "Fidelity" the problem ends up being that somebody has to admit to having an affair to confirm the diagnosis. A better example of this type of episode is "DNR," where a legendary jazz musician is diagnosed as dying from ALS and House violates the DNR order to save the man's life. But even these variations on the theme ultimately just show how dominant the formula is here.What makes "House" work is that the central character is so compelling, which is why my favorite episode is "Three Stories," which is the one that is most about House, even though he pretends it is not. House is a brilliant diagnostician but he is also rude, acerbic, and condescending in the extreme (and that is one a good day). I was thinking that House is one of those colorful characters, like Columbo or Monk, who has their own unique way of doing what they do, except that House is not as loveable. But then I have to admit there is something rather attractive about somebody who does not put up with the rules when they get in the way, who takes pleasure in finding interesting ways to insult people to their face, and who is able to get away with everything because he is so good at what he does.But I got tired of Columbo after a few years and House is more like Monk in providing a supporting cast for the title character to play against. In terms of his team of clinicians they are all on House's bad side to begin with because they are young and inexperienced, but each is presented as pushing a particular button for House: Dr. Allison Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) is female, Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps) is black, and Dr. Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer) provides a double dip by being both rich and English. Not that House has a prejudicial bone in his body (just the bad one in his leg and a need to get under people's skin). Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) rubs House the wrong way because she is (technically) his boss, but the chief fun there is bouncing back and forth between demeaning her as a doctor and as a bureaucrat. Then there is Dr. James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), who is literally House's only friend in the world on the strength of being able (and willing) to stand toe-to-toe and argue things out.The introduction of billionaire Edward Vogel (Chi McBride) as the clinic's new Chairman of the Board ("Control") was an unnecessary major subplot in Season One because giving more system for a guy who bucks the system to buck is just overkill and adding obstacles that can only kill people gets old quickly. Vogel's attempt to get House to fire one of his doctors ("Heavy") was interesting because it revealed that his team are pretty interchangeable; for some reason I was thinking that it would make more sense if each had their own specialties, but then I decided that does not make sense, either in terms of how you treat an expert in infectious diseases or having writers understand who is responsible for what in each script.Another thing that Season One proved is that House's romantic life is not in the present, but in the past. Cameron's attempt to force a date with House ("Love Hurts") was painful, while the arrival of ex-flame Stacy Warner (Sela Ward) for the last two episodes simply proves House's sex appeal is as man of mystery. Hints that there might be an actual human being behind that facade are all that are going to work, and as another person who knew House before he needed a cane, Warner allows a few more looks behind the mask. The main thing is that the writers have as much fun coming up with nasty things for House to say as Laurie has declaiming them with an American accent.

I really didn't "get" this show at first. It had to grow on me, as I did not instantly warm up to the main character, Dr House...at least, not at first. He seemed egotistical, downright rude and pretty offputting.I also couldn't figure out (at first) if this show was a medical drama, medical mystery (kind of like the CSI of diseases) or a character-driven series. Turns out it is all three, along with some of the best one-liners on television, the kind of dialogue that made me chuckle in surprise, when I wasn't laughing out loud at the humor and cleverness of the writers.After I stuck with the first couple of episodes,that was it...by then, I'd become a true addict of the show, alternately fascinated and repelled by "House," a doc who is a true rebel but one with enough genius to be (barely) tolerated by his patients and associates.Then there is the medical info, which is always interesting, especially since the show uses a the technique where viewers see very authentic interior views of bodies as they react to diseases, medicine and lifesaving techniques. If you're squeamish about such things, be forewarned.This show dares to push the envelope and you may find yourself hard-pressed to understand why ANY hospital would keep a doc like House around, someone who seems to be a major liability, upsetting patients and using unorthodox techniques (and "unorthodox" is putting it lightly). He should have standing appointments with legal counsel and he generally pops into the hospital's legal administrator once or twice an episode. Luckily, she maintains some grudging affection for him.House's associates, beleagured and badgered as they are by him, are also good counterpoints to his intense, often "over the top" persona. They reflect the world of the normal, something House can only glance at from a distance, being so far from normal that it is probably only a speck in the distance, if he even perceives normality at all. What truly keeps House from being overly irritating are signs that his enormous ego and incredible rudeness mask some deep insecurities and even some sensitivity. Could he actually be a romantic at heart? Or is that just another manipulative guise of his, one of many he uses as needed (ethics isn't his strong suit).Each episode is far from predictable. Just when I think I have the "formula" for the show figured out, they throw a curve ball, whether it is introducing Sela Ward as a possible love interest, ramping up the chemistry between other characters or watching House 'treat" a patient by hitting him with his cane in....well...some very sensitive areas. He even befriends a rat just before his cane comes down on the animal, simply because the rat tips his head, a tipoff to some peculiar biochemistry that may tie in with another patient's diagnosis. It is these odd little moments that help make the show a standout.

There are dozens of reasons not to like House - it is outrageously formulaic, ludicrously far-fetched and often overly contrived and laboured - it is also one of the most wonderful television shows I have had the pleasure of watching. The pithy dialogue, thoughful direction and most of all, the beautifully measured acting of the central cast more than make up for any shortcomings. Hugh Laurie delivers a tour-de-force performance as the flawed genius - proving my long held theory that genuinely great dramatic performances are best achieved by casting comedians. The supporting cast, whilst always playing second-fiddle to Laurie, are equally competent performers and the will-they-won't-they relationship between House and Dr Cameron (the gorgeous Jennifer Morrison) provides a welcome romantic subplot - although is strangely remensicent of the Grissom/Sara relationship in CSI. All-in-all this show is (almost despite itself) captivating and I challenge anyone to not be so obsessed with its protaganist that by the penultimate episode - easily the season's best - they will be aching to know more about what makes this man tick. I absolutely recommend without question this genius piece of television gold.

Dr. House provides much entertainment as well as valuable medical education.

As Usual House is very entertaining. However viewers may not like his sense of humor or his style. he has a very gruff approach to things.

A little bit rough around the edges but apart from that, the quality is great and the CDs are impeccable!

Good