Gregory House: world-renowned doctor, diagnostician, teacher, genius, self-important, manipulative, anti-social, asshole. And much to my dismay – fictional.
House is the main character of the medical drama, “House MD”, known for his cynicism, Vicodin addiction, and walking cane. Running for eight seasons from 2004 to 2012 and taking place at the fictional Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, this binge-worthy series centers around House, his diagnostic team, his love-hate relationship with his boss Lisa Cuddy, and his tumultuous friendship with James Wilson, the hospital’s best oncologist.
“House MD” touches on sensitive themes including addiction, mental health struggles, and complex ethical dilemmas. To balance the more solemn and intense moments of the series, House utilizes a form of dark humor – breaking the tension through jokes that solely punch down at every person he comes into contact with.
The soundtrack of this show is remarkable – never misses. From Pete Yorn’s “Lose You” after the death of one of House’s fellows to Radiohead’s “No Surprises” while he detoxes from Vicodin, I have not heard one song on this show that doesn’t match the moment.
I really like the vast majority of the characters. I think the chemistry between the cast is good and as realistic as possible for a TV drama, especially following season four. I wouldn’t necessarily want to be friends with most of them, as they are all debbie-downers, however they function perfectly as a humorous and entertaining team. As the show progresses, you can tell that the actors have grown closer, therefore the characters interact more naturally.
“House MD” brilliantly utilizes cameo appearances, including Dave Matthews, Meat Loaf, James Earl Jones, and most notably, Lin Manuel Miranda.
While I acknowledge that I hold this series up on a pedestal, I really only have one negative comment about it: how the show has portrayed and written the female characters. I have spent a lot of time contemplating whether or not the writers have written nearly every lead female character to just be insufferable, or if it’s a level of internalized misogyny that is causing me to dislike all of them. The show is largely male-dominated. Out of the seven or so recurring female characters, I can confidently say that I only like and enjoy two of them. The other five have a moral compass so strong that it comes off as annoying, hence why I think this could just be a misogynistic mindset that I’ve been trying to unlearn.
Outside of that, I think this show is perfect. I’ve watched it over four times all the way through, so I would know. The story line progresses naturally, well-balanced between routine and the occasional plot twist, but never too much at once where it could be deemed “jumping the gun” or confusing to follow. Furthermore, the show wraps up nicely. The writers decided to end the show when they felt it had run its course, which leaves the viewer feeling satisfied.
I highly recommend watching “House MD”. It’s entertaining enough to keep you focused, but is also a casual watch. From a family favorite to a sick-day binge watch, House and his team engage in ethical dilemmas that cause you to think about the world around you, and I can honestly say that this show has made me a better person.
10/10, 5 Stars, 100% rating in my book.
