Monday, January 17, 2011

House-Season So Far

House and his team treat a patient. Credit: FOX
Another show I will be covering sparingly-basically when I have something to say about the episode is House. Its midseason premiere is tonight and my thoughts on this show's season so far are after the jump.

My thoughts on this season of the series can be summed up in one word: disappointing.

House is a shadow of the show it used to be. It was one of the best dramas on television, a standout show. Now it's a show with decent procedural plots and great acting. To see a show decline like this is awful, although the decline is not as bad as some other shows (*cough* The Office *cough*) it's still noticeable in aspects of the show. 

The writers are clearly spinning the wheels on the medical cases. No case from this season has stood out as interesting in any way. That part of each episode has been boring. I see them trying to hype up the drama and it usually doesn't work. The one episode where it did work was the smallpox episode. That case clearly stands out as the best of the year, but that's not saying much.

One thing that House has done well and continues to do well is the character work, and that is generally expressed this season in the House and Cuddy relationship. This is the plot that the show is using as an ongoing storyline. I tend to enjoy these scenes. Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein have great chemistry and make their scenes together fun to watch. Although I rolled my eyes at the continued use of lying as a plot  device, this plotline has saved the show from becoming an average procedural.

The cast of the show continues to do great work. Hugh Laurie is giving a master class with every episode. He is one of the best actors on broadcast television and has six Emmy nominations to prove it. Lisa Edelstein has been doing a great job with Cuddy. She makes her character's love for House believable. Robert Sean Leonard has been awesome as usual as Wilson. He knows the character well at this point so he knows how to play him.

The dynamic on the show was changed this year, with Olivia Wilde taking a leave of absence (although she will be back later this year) and Amber Tamblyn coming in to take her place. Tamblyn has done a great job and has created a new dynamic that is very interesting and that keeps my interest in the show.

I don't expect to be reviewing this show often, my thoughts are usually what's expressed in this post. If an episode stands out as either really good or really bad I'll write about it. I'll also do another post in May after the season finale.

Anyone else have anything to say on the show?

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