(Season Two, Episodes 1 – 3)

So, last week I lied to you. I told you I was done with taking a look back at the beginning of House. Then, I realized as much as I liked the show, there was no good reason I could come up with for not rushing out to Target to pick up the second season. Or, I could just say that Deb told me to. But, she’s a pretty smart lady, and I’m already thanking her. The first couple of episodes we see a period put to the end of the sentence that was the Cameron/House relationship, more good stuff with House and Wilson, and Cuddy truly begins to come into her own as a great character on the show.

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(Season One, Episodes 20 – 22)

I have got to say I’ve been quite impressed with the first season of House. The good doctor is interesting to watch as he goes through his machinations. The team around him is fun, though I do think Chase is a bit of a weak link. While the show follows a stagnant formula, it’s not afraid to break out of it from time to time, and overcomes this generalized downside by great characterization and strong dialogue writing.

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When Once and Again aired between 1999 and 2002, I was freelancing for an editor at a regional magazine, and every morning after the show, we’d email each other to gossip and rag on it. “Did you see what Eli did? And what the heck’s going on with Jessie?” It was just that sort of chick-flicky show that begged to be talked about the next day.

It was sort of a hipper version of thirtysomething, with Sela Ward and Billy Campbell playing two divorcees who meet and become involved, thus entangling everyone else in their lives, including kids, ex-spouses and co-workers.

When I think about Once and Again, the first thing that comes to mind is the incredible actors involved with the show, and none of them were hard to look at either. I had the biggest crush on Billy Campbell — oh, sorry, he likes to be called “Bill” now — and Sela Ward became a household name because of her role as Lily.

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Appearing on House can be good for your career, even if you’re just a fellow who got fired during Season 4. Actors don’t get cast on House because they’re lame. Even though obviously people like Dave Matthews have lucrative careers outside of House, what about other minor characters, especially those who have had recurring roles? What happens after House?

This weekend, I was watching House re-runs with some friends when one of them told me that Edi Gathegi (Big Love) also appeared in the movie Twilight. The conservative doc traded in his stethoscope for dreadlocks and a sexy torso to play semi-evil vampire Laurent. As Laurent, he is completely unrecognizable. I usually have a pretty good memory for work actors have done, but I thought my friend was wrong until I looked it up.

Anne Dudek, who played Amber (aka Cutthroat Bitch) has also continued working. She has appeared on both Mad Men as Francine Hanson and Big Love as Alby’s first wife, Laura. Of course, my first love is Amber, but I am always happy to see her working. I think Anne Dudek really deserves her own show. Read the rest of this entry »

When House’s original team all either quit or were fired, and the new team was subsequently hired (after much ado!), I really thought it was only temporary. We’d get a few short story arcs with some of the new characters, then some monumental, simultaneous “Ah-ha!” would happen to House and his former team, and they’d all reunite with warm fuzzies.

Since I’ve been waiting almost two seasons, it may be time to give up the thoughts of a reunion. What I can’t figure out is what was wrong with the formula in the first place. Am I too set in my ways? Not for every show, I think, but I hate it when they shake things up on House.

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Fox

Perhaps Dr. House has just hit his lowest point of meanness, after his mean-spirited jabs at Cuddy’s short stint at motherhood last week. I was so uncomfortable — and even a bit angry — watching House hurt Cuddy where it hurts the most for her. Why, oh why, does he do it? For the same reasons he tortures Wilson, taunts his staff and alienated his former staff.

Part of the reason is because that’s who he is, and we viewers, though we complain, probably wouldn’t want to watch a kinder, gentler House. Most of the time, his complete lack of compassion for others is pretty funny (even though there wasn’t a whole lot to laugh at in his interactions with Cuddy last week).

Let’s take a closer look at who House is and why he is such a mean bastard. Maybe it will help us understand him a little bit better ….

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