"House", the Medical Show We Want To Still Love

Tonight is the season premiere of House.

I want to care. I want to be excited. I want to count down to 9 p.m.

I can’t.

House fell off the wagon in the fourth season. It started to pick up, but after the end of last season, it has nowhere to go.

I started watching House in the middle of the third season. I fell in love with the rich cast and compelling cases. It was a medical show that wasn’t too “soap opera-ish.”

When Foreman quit, House fired Chase and Cameron resigned, I knew we were in trouble. From a story perspective, it makes sense for the three to leave. All three returned the next season and eventually worked for Dr. House again. What, exactly, was the point of the firing? And for that matter, what was the point of writing off Cameron later on if some new temporary doctor was brought in?

During the fourth season, we witnessed a ridiculous process of elimination for a new team. Kutner was killed off (because the actor left). 13 disappears often so Olivia Wilde can make movies (though, if someone told me I could be in a Harrison Ford movie, I’d say yes) and Taub is boring.

The past several seasons have had their moments. When Wilson disconnected the life support keeping Amber alive, the show reached a new high. Even House’s “clean” life worked for the show. For a while, it felt like House was back.

Last season, to the joy of “Huddy” fans everywhere, House and Cuddy finally got together. It was a breath of fresh air, a true step forward for the show. This all came crashing down when Lisa Edelstien left the show. The entire show pushed on their coupling. We’ve been left high and dry.

Based on the synopsis provided by Fox, tonight’s episode takes place one year after the events of the season finale. Where is the show supposed to go? Cuddy is gone, removing that key component to the show. Without Cuddy, we have no workplace politics. House can’t try to manipulate her to get what he wants.

With a year passing, I find myself wondering about the rest of the team. Taub’s life is probably still a mess. That tends to happen when you impregnate two different women. Taub isn’t an interesting enough character for this storyline to matter, though. It’s more of a passing wondering.

In addition, what about 13? Huntington’s doesn’t improve. Will we see her in worse shape or is she going to be the same as before?

I’d wonder about Foreman, but when has anything interesting happened to him? I believe the last time was in season two when he almost died.

Chase and Wilson will undoubtedly stay the same, while Cuddy fades into our memories.

The main problem with House is that it’s no longer a medical show. Remember when the cases mattered? When we were more worried about the patients that if Taub would divorce his wife? House drew us in by being a show about a sarcastic doctor. His drive to find a cure was much clearer and compelling. It’s become a soap opera with just enough medicine to qualify as a medical show.

I will watch the new episode tonight and I hope that I am pleasantly surprised. If not, well, I will continue wishing that House had ended last season.