Tuesday, September 22, 2009

House is in the House


For the first time in months I sat down and watched a TV show.

Two Hours!

The only person who could make me do that and love it is Hugh Laurie as House.

"Broken" is the two-hour season six premiere. House voluntarily checked himself into a psychiatric hospital at the end of last season. But if he wants to get his medical license back he has to stay. The opening scene shows House ridding himself of the vicoden he's been addicted to for most of the previous seasons. Audiences know that's not likely to stick for more than a minute, or, we hope, this time maybe he means it? Because that's what addicts do. Lie.


House continues to manipulate the patients and the doctors. Because, as usual, he's smarter and more devious than most of the people around him. Andre Braugher plays his psychiatrist brilliantly in a performance that holds its own with the brilliant Hugh Laurie.


House ends the show with a smile - but we know that won't last - or will it? Just as Gregory House plays mental gymnastics with his costars, the writers play mind games with the audience.


You can keep your Survivor and Dancing with the Stars. This is what television should be every night - powerful, surprising and a little crazy.

3 comments:

Kelly Boyce said...

I love House. My sister and I often argue about which one of us gets to run off with him.

Unknown said...

LOL - Kelly, I only want him for a week-end though. All that angst and drama would wear me out. And there'd never be a HEA.

Julia Phillips Smith said...

I'm with you on Survivor and Dancing with the Stars. I want to watch incredibly compelling drama when I watch TV. House is that and more - but I agree that to be near a true House personality would be wearying in the extreme.