I’ve very much enjoyed watching House this season. Many of the overarching issues that have dominated the show since its inception — House’s addiction, Cameron’s naggy prissiness, Foreman’s insufferableness, and so forth — have been resolved, as least for now. The decks have been cleared for some different approaches, and the show has taken advantage of that opportunity.
Hugh Laurie and Amber Tamblyn
The writers are venturing into new territory for all of the characters, and they are coming up with interesting story arcs. How would House behave in a serious relationship? What kind of mother would Cuddy have? Wouldn’t Taub’s and Chase’s serial philandering eventually have consequences? How would House deal with Cuddy’s child? And although most of the characters are familiar, two significant new characters have been introduced to help keep things fresh. Amber Tamblyn plays a brainiac medical student with Cameron-light preachiness, and Candice Bergen has burst onto the scene as Cuddy’s outspoken Mom. Watching Hugh Laurie and the rest of the talented cast deal with all of these new plot threads and characters has been a joy.
I think this is the funniest season of House, ever. The writers have mined the new situations for real comedic gold, while leaving House true to his ultra-logical, sarcastic aloofness. Only House would reason that the best way to deal with the unpleasant dinner-time hectoring of Cuddy’s Mom would be to drug her — and Wilson, to boot. Only House would try to help Cuddy’s little girl get into the best pre-school by applying dog training techniques to teach her how to ace the evaluative games.
Most TV shows that have been around for multiple seasons get stale and predictable. So far this season, at least, House has avoided that fate.
Webner House 