House (sometimes known as House, M.D.

) is an American television medical drama that

originally ran on the Fox network for eight seasons, from November 16, 2! to "ay 21,
212# $he show%s main character is &r# 'regory (o)se (()gh *a)rie), a +ain medication,
de+endent, )nconventional, misanthro+ic medical geni)s who leads a team
of diagnosticians at the fictional -rinceton.-lainsboro $eaching (os+ital (--$() in New
/ersey# $he show%s +remise originated with -a)l Attanasio, while &avid 0hore, who is
credited as creator, was +rimarily res+onsible for the conce+tion of the title character# $he
show%s exec)tive +rod)cers incl)de 0hore, Attanasio, Attanasio%s b)siness +artner 1atie
/acobs, and film director 2ryan 0inger# 3t was filmed largely in 4ent)ry 4ity#
(o)se often clashes with his fellow +hysicians, incl)ding his own diagnostic team, beca)se
many of his hy+otheses abo)t +atients% illnesses are based on s)btle or controversial
insights# (is flo)ting of hos+ital r)les and +roced)res fre5)ently leads him into conflict with
his boss, hos+ital administrator and &ean of "edicine &r# *isa 4)ddy (*isa 6delstein)#
(o)se%s only tr)e friend is &r# /ames 7ilson (8obert 0ean *eonard), head of the &e+artment
of 9ncology# &)ring the first three seasons, (o)se%s diagnostic team consists of &r# 8obert
4hase (/esse 0+encer), &r# Allison 4ameron (/ennifer "orrison), and &r# 6ric
Foreman (9mar 6++s)# At the end of the third season, this team disbands# 8e:oined by
Foreman, (o)se grad)ally selects three new team members; &r# 8emy <$hirteen<
(adley (9livia 7ilde), &r# 4hris $a)b (-eter /acobson), and &r# *awrence 1)tner (1al -enn)#
1)tner makes an a++earance late in season five and then rea++ears in season = e+isode
22# 4hase and 4ameron contin)e to a++ear in different roles at the hos+ital )ntil early
in season six# 4ameron then de+arts the hos+ital, and 4hase ret)rns to the diagnostic team#
$hirteen takes a leave of absence for most of season seven, and her +osition is filled by
medical st)dent "artha "# "asters (Amber $amblyn)# 4)ddy and "asters de+art
before season eight> Foreman becomes the new dean of medicine, while &r# /essica
Adams (9dette Annable) and &r# 4hi -ark (4harlyne ?i) :oin (o)se%s team#
House was among the to+,ten rated shows in the @nited 0tates from its second thro)gh
its fo)rth season# &istrib)ted to 66 co)ntries,House was the most watched television
+rogram in the world in 2=#
A1B
$he show received n)mero)s awards, incl)ding
five-rimetime 6mmy Awards, two 'olden 'lobe Awards, a -eabody Award, and
nine -eo+le%s 4hoice Awards# 9n Febr)ary =, 212, Fox anno)nced that the eighth season,
then in +rogress, wo)ld be HouseCs last#
A2B
$he series finale aired on "ay 21, 212, following
an ho)r,long retros+ective#
Contents
AhideB
1 -rod)ction
o 1#1 4once+tion
1#1#1 8eferences to 0herlock (olmes
o 1#2 -rod)ction team
o 1#D 4asting
o 1#! Filming style and locations
o 1#E 9+ening se5)ence
2 0eries overview
D 4haracters and story arcs
o D#1 "ain characters
o D#2 8ec)rring characters
! 6+isodes
E 8ece+tion
o E#1 4ritical rece+tion
E#1#1 4ritics% to+ ten lists
o E#2 @#0# television ratings
o E#D Awards and honors
6 &istrib)tion
F "erchandise
= Footnotes
G 4itations
1 8eferences
11 F)rther reading
12 6xternal links
ProductionAeditB
ConceptionAeditB
3n 2!, &avid 0hore and -a)l Attanasio, along with Attanasio%s b)siness +artner 1atie
/acobs, +itched the show ()ntitled at the time) to Fox as a CSI,style medical detective
+rogram,
ADB
a hos+ital whod)nit in which the doctors investigated sym+toms and their ca)ses#
A!B
Attanasio was ins+ired to develo+ a medical +roced)ral drama by The New York Times
Magazine col)mn, <&iagnosis,< written by +hysician *isa 0anders, who is an attending
+hysician at ?ale,New (aven (os+ital (?N((), and -rinceton,-lainsboro $eaching
(os+ital (--$() is modeled after this teaching instit)tion#
AEB
Fox bo)ght the series, tho)gh the
network%s then,+resident,'ail 2erman, told the creative team, <3 want a medical show, b)t 3
don%t want to see white coats going down the hallway<#
A6B
/acobs has said that this sti+)lation
was one of the many infl)ences that led to the show%s )ltimate form#
A6B
<7e knew the#network was looking for +roced)rals, and -a)l AAttanasioB came )+ with this medical idea that
was like a co+ +roced)ral# $he s)s+ects were the germs# 3 mean, germs don%t have motives#<
H&avid 0hore to Writer's Guild magaIine
AFB
After Fox +icked )+ the show, it ac5)ired the working title Chasing Zebras Cir!ling the
"rain
A=B
(<Iebra< is medical slang for an )n)s)al or obsc)re diagnosis, while <circling the
drain< refers to terminal cases, +atients in an irreversible decline)#
AGB
$he original +remise of
the show was of a team of doctors working together trying to <diagnose the )ndiagnosable<#
A1B
0hore felt it was im+ortant to have an interesting central character, one who co)ld
examine +atients% +ersonal characteristics and diagnose their ailments by fig)ring o)t their
secrets and lies#
A1B
As 0hore and the rest of the creative team ex+lored the character%s
+ossibilities, the +rogram conce+t became less of a +roced)ral and more foc)sed )+on the
lead role#
A11B
$he character was named <(o)se<, which was ado+ted as the show%s title as
well#
A=B
0hore develo+ed the characters f)rther and wrote the scri+t for the +ilot e+isode#
ADB
2ryan 0inger, who directed the +ilot e+isode and had a ma:or role in casting the +rimary
roles, has said that the <title of the +ilot was %6verybody *ies%, and that%s the +remise of the
show<#
A11B
0hore has said that the central storylines of several early e+isodes were based on
the work of 2erton 8o)echJ, a staff writer for The New Yorker between 1G!! and 1GG!, who
s+ecialiIed in feat)res abo)t )n)s)al medical cases#
A!B
0hore traced the conce+t for the title character to his ex+erience as a +atient at a teaching
hos+ital#
A12B
0hore recalled; <3 knew, as soon as 3 left the room, they wo)ld be mocking me
relentlessly Afor my cl)elessnessB and 3 tho)ght that it wo)ld be interesting to see a character
who act)ally did that before they left the room#<
A1DB
A central +art of the show%s +remise was
that the main character wo)ld be disabled in some way#
A1!B
$he original idea was for (o)se to
)se a wheelchair, b)t Fox re:ected this# /acobs later ex+ressed her gratit)de for the
network%s insistence that the character be reimaginedH+)tting him on his feet added a
cr)cial +hysical dimension#
A11B
$he writers )ltimately chose to give (o)se a damaged leg
arising from an incorrect diagnosis, which re5)ires him to )se a cane and ca)ses him +ain
that leads to a narcotic de+endency#
A1!B
References to Sherlock HolmesAeditB
0herlock (olmes serves as an ins+iration for the series#
'regory (o)se was based on the famo)s fictional detective 0herlock (olmes created by 0ir
Arth)r 4onan &oyle a++ear thro)gho)t the series#
A1EBA16B
0hore ex+lained that he was always a
(olmes fan and fo)nd the character%s indifference to his clients )ni5)e#
A1DB
$he resemblance
is evident in (o)se%s reliance on ded)ctive reasoning
A1EB
and +sychology, even where it might
not seem obvio)sly a++licable,
AGB
and his rel)ctance to acce+t cases he finds )ninteresting#
A1FB
(is investigatory method is to eliminate diagnoses logically as they are +roved im+ossible>
(olmes )sed a similar method#
A=B
2oth characters +lay instr)ments ((o)se +lays the +iano,
the g)itar, and the harmonica> (olmes, the violin) and take dr)gs ((o)se is de+endent
on Kicodin> (olmes )ses cocaine recreationally)#
A1EB
(o)se%s relationshi+ with &r# /ames
7ilson echoes that between (olmes and his confidant, &r# /ohn 7atson#
A=B
8obert 0ean
*eonard, who +ortrays 7ilson, said that (o)se and his characterHwhose name is very
similar to 7atson%sHwere originally intended to work together m)ch as (olmes and 7atson
do> in his view, (o)se%s diagnostic team has ass)med that as+ect of the 7atson role#
A1=B
7ilson even has a dead,beat brother who may be dead, like 7atson%s dead alcoholic
brother# (0eason 1, 6+isode 1) 0hore said that (o)se%s name itself is meant as <a s)btle
homage< to (olmes#
A=BA1GB
(o)se%s address is 2212 2aker 0treet, a direct reference
to (olmes%s street address#
AGB
7ilson%s address is also 2212#
A2B
3ndivid)al e+isodes of the series contain additional references to the 0herlock (olmes tales#
$he main +atient in the +ilot e+isode is named 8ebecca Adler after 3rene Adler, a character
in the first (olmes short story, <A 0candal in 2ohemia<#
A21B
3n the season two finale, (o)se is
shot by a craIed g)nman credited as <"oriarty,< the name of (olmes%s nemesis#
A22B
3n the
season fo)r e+isode <3t%s a 7onderf)l *ie,< (o)se receives a <second edition 4onan &oyle<
as a 4hristmas gift#
A2DB
3n the season five e+isode <$he 3tch,< (o)se is seen +icking )+ his
keys and Kicodin from the to+ of a co+y of 4onan &oyle%s The Memoirs o# Sherlo!k Holmes#
A2!B
3n another season five e+isode, </oy to the 7orld,< (o)se, in an attem+t to fool his team,
)ses a book by /ose+h 2ell, 4onan &oyle%s ins+iration for 0herlock (olmes#
A=B
$he vol)me
had been given to him the +revio)s 4hristmas by 7ilson, who incl)ded the message <'reg,
made me think of yo)#< 2efore acknowledging that he gave the book to (o)se, 7ilson tells
two of the team members that its so)rce was a +atient, 3rene Adler#
A2EB
$he series finale +ays
homage to (olmes%s a++arent death in <$he Final -roblem<, the 1=GD story with which
4onan &oyle originally intended to concl)de the (olmes chronicles#
A26B
Production teamAeditB
2ryan 0inger directed the+ilot e+isode and the third e+isode, <9ccam%s 8aIor<#
A2FB
House was a co,+rod)ction of (eel and $oe Films, 0hore L -rod)ctions, and 2ad (at (arry
-rod)ctions in association with @niversal "edia 0t)dios for Fox#
A2=B
-a)l Attanasio and 1atie
/acobs, the heads of (eel and $oe Films> &avid 0hore, the head of 0hore L -rod)ctions>
and 2ryan 0inger, the head of 2ad (at (arry -rod)ctions, were exec)tive +rod)cers of the
+rogram for its entirety#
A12B
*awrence 1a+low, -eter 2lake, and $homas *# "oran :oined the
staff as writers at the beginning of the first season after the making of the +ilot e+isode#
7riters &oris 6gan, 0ara (ess, 8)ssel Friend, and 'arrett *erner :oined the team at the
start of season two# Friend and *erner, who are b)siness +artners, had been offered
+ositions when the series la)nched, b)t t)rned the o++ort)nity down# After observing the
show%s s)ccess, they acce+ted when /acobs offered them :obs again the following year#
A2GB
7riters 6li Attie and 0ean 7hitesell :oined the show at the start of season fo)r# 0ince the
beginning of season fo)r, "oran, Friend, and *erner have been credited as exec)tive
+rod)cers on the series, :oining Attanasio, /acobs, 0hore, and 0inger#
A2=B
()gh *a)rie was
credited as an exec)tive +rod)cer for the second
ADB
and third
AD1B
e+isodes of season five#
0hore is House%s showr)nner#
AD2B
$hro)gh the end of the sixth season, more than two doIen
writers have contrib)ted to the +rogram# $he most +rolific have been 1a+low (1= e+isodes),
2lake (1F), 0hore (16), Friend (16), *erner (16), "oran (1!), and 6gan (1D)# $he show%s
most +rolific directors thro)gh its first six seasons were &eran 0arafian (22 e+isodes), who
was not involved in season six, and 'reg ?aitanes (1F)# 9f the more than three doIen other
directors who have worked on the series, only &avid 0traiton directed as many as 1
e+isodes thro)gh the sixth season# ()gh *a)rie directed the seventeenth e+isode of season
six, <*ockdown<#
ADDB
6lan 0oltes has been the vis)al effects s)+ervisor since the show began#
AD!B
*isa 0anders, an assistant clinical +rofessor of medicine at the ?ale 0chool of "edicine, is
a technical advisor to the series# 0he writes the <&iagnosis< col)mn that ins+ired House%s
+remise#
ADEB
According to 0hore, <three different doctors### check everything we do<#
AD6B
2obbin
2ergstrom, a registered n)rse, is the +rogram%s on,set medical adviser#
AD6B
CastingAeditB
<3t wasn%t a massive move when 3 first considered AdoingHouseB# 7hat )s)ally ha++ens is yo) do a +ilot and
of the very few +icked )+, only abo)t a 5)arter go to a second year# 0o 3 tho)ght 3%ll have three f)n weeks# 3
never dreamed 3%d be here three and a half years later#<
H()gh *a)rie
ADFB
At first, the +rod)cers were looking for a <5)intessentially American +erson< to +lay the role
of (o)se#
AD=B
2ryan 0inger in +artic)lar felt there was no way he was going to hire a non,
American actor for the role#
A1B
At the time of the casting session, actor ()gh *a)rie was
in Namibia filming the movie $light o# the %hoeni&# (e assembled an a)dition ta+e in a hotel
bathroom, the only +lace with eno)gh light,
AD=B
and a+ologiIed for its a++earance
ADGB
(which
0inger com+ared to a <bin *adenvideo<)#
A!B
*a)rie im+rovised, )sing an )mbrella for a cane#
0inger was very im+ressed by his +erformance and commented on how well the <American
actor< was able to gras+ the character#
A1BA!1B
0inger was not aware that *a)rie was 6nglish,
d)e to his convincing American accent# *a)rie credits the accent to <a miss+ent yo)th
AwatchingB too m)ch $K and too many movies<#
AD=B
Altho)gh locally better,known actors s)ch
as &enis *eary, &avid 4ross, 8ob "orrow, and -atrick &em+sey were considered for the
+art, 0hore, /acobs, and Attanasio were as im+ressed as 0inger and cast *a)rie as (o)se#
A!2B
*a)rie later revealed that he initially tho)ght the show%s central character was &r# /ames
7ilson# (e ass)med that (o)se was a s)++orting +art, d)e to the nat)re of the character,
)ntil he received the f)ll scri+t of the +ilot e+isode#
A!DB
*a)rie, the son of a doctor, 8an *a)rie,
said he felt g)ilty for <being +aid more to become a fake version of AhisB own father<#
AD=B
From
the start of season three, he was being +aid M2FE, to MD, +er e+isode, as m)ch as
three times what he had +revio)sly been making on the series#
A!!BA!EB
2y the show%s fifth season,
*a)rie was earning aro)nd M!, +er e+isode, making him one of the highest,+aid actors
on network television#
A!6B
()gh *a)rie made his own a)dition ta+e while shooting a film in Namibia#
8obert 0ean *eonard had received the scri+t for the 420 show Numb'rs, as well as that
for House#
A!FB
*eonard tho)ght the Numb'rs scri+t was <kind of cool< and +lanned to a)dition
for the show#
A!FB
(owever, he decided that the character he was )+ for, 4harlie 6++es, was in
too many scenes> he later observed, <$he less 3 work, the ha++ier 3 am<#
A!FB
(e believed that
his House a)dition was not +artic)larly good, b)t that his lengthy friendshi+ with 0inger
hel+ed win him the +art of &r# 7ilson#
A!FB
0inger had en:oyed *isa 6delstein%s +ortrayal of a
+rostit)te on The West Wing, and sent her a co+y of the +ilot scri+t#
A!=B
6delstein was
attracted to the 5)ality of the writing and her character%s <sna++y dialog)e< with (o)se, and
was cast as &r# *isa 4)ddy#
A!=B
A)stralian actor /esse 0+encer%s agent s)ggested that he a)dition for the role of &r# 8obert
4hase# 0+encer believed the +rogram wo)ld be similar in style to General Hos(ital, b)t
changed his mind after reading the scri+ts#
A!GB
After he was cast, he +ers)aded the +rod)cers
to t)rn the character into an A)stralian#
AEB
-atrick &em+sey also a)ditioned for the +art of
4hase> he later became known for his +ortrayal of &r# &erek 0he+herd on Gre)'s *natom)#
AE1B
9mar 6++s, who +lays &r# 6ric Foreman, was ins+ired by his earlier +ortrayal of a tro)bled
intern on the N24medical drama +,#
AE2B
/ennifer "orrison felt that her a)dition for the +art
of &r# Allison 4ameron was a com+lete disaster#
AEDB
(owever, before her a)dition, 0inger had
watched some of her +erformances, incl)ding on "awson's Creek, and already wanted to
cast her in the role#
AEDB
"orrison left the show when her character was written o)t in the middle
of season six#
AE!B
At the end of season three, (o)se dismisses 4hase, while Foreman and 4ameron resign#
AEEB
(o)se m)st then recr)it a new diagnostic team, for which he identifies seven finalists# $he
+rod)cers originally +lanned to recr)it two new f)ll,time actors, with Foreman, who ret)rns in
season fo)r%s fifth e+isode, bringing the team back )+ to three members> )ltimately, the
decision was made to add three new reg)lar cast members#
AE6B
(Along with 6++s, actors
"orrison and 0+encer remained in the cast, as their characters moved on to new
assignments#) &)ring +rod)ction, the show%s writers dismissed a single candidate +er
e+isode> as a res)lt, said /acobs, neither the +rod)cers nor the cast knew who was going to
be hired )ntil the last min)te#
AEFB
3n the season%s ninth e+isode, (o)se%s new team is revealed;
Foreman is :oined by doctors *awrence 1)tner (1al -enn),
AE=B
4hris $a)b(-eter /acobson),
AEGB
and 8emy <$hirteen< (adley (9livia 7ilde)#
A6B
$he candidates re:ected by (o)se have not
ret)rned to the show, with the exce+tion of the last one c)t; Amber Kolakis (Anne &)dek),
who a++eared for the rest of season fo)r as 7ilson%s girlfriend,
A61B
and in season five as a
hall)cination of (o)se%s#
A62B
7hile -enn and 7ilde had higher +rofiles than the actors who
+layed the other finalists, /acobs said they went thro)gh an identical a)dition +rocess and
stayed with the show based on the writers% interest in their characters#
AEFB
1)tner was written
o)t of the series in e+isode 2 of season E after -enn took a +osition in the 7hite (o)se
9ffice of -)blic 6ngagement and 3ntergovernmental Affairs#
A6DB
$he contracts of 6delstein, 6++s, and *eonard ex+ired at the end of season seven# As a
cost,c)tting meas)re, the three actors were asked to acce+t red)ced salaries# 6++s and
*eonard came to terms with the +rod)cers, b)t 6delstein did not, and in "ay 211 it was
anno)nced that she wo)ld not be ret)rning for the show%s eighth season#
A6!B
Filming style and locationsAeditB
Frist 4am+)s 4enter is the so)rce of the aerial views of --$(#
House is often filmed )sing the <walk and talk< filming techni5)e,
A6BA1FB
+o+)lariIed on television
by series s)ch as St- +lsewhere, +,, S(orts Night, and The West Wing#
A6EB
$he techni5)e
involves the )se of tracking shots, showing two or more characters walking between
locations while talking#
A6EB
6xec)tive +rod)cer 1atie /acobs said that the show fre5)ently )ses
the techni5)e beca)se <when yo) +)t a scene on the move, it%s a### way of creating an
)rgency and an intensity<#
A6B
0he noted the significance of <the fact that ()gh *a)rie s+ans
6%2< and is taller than everybody else beca)se it certainly makes those walk,and,talks +o+<#
A6B
Nancy Franklin of The New Yorker described the show%s <cool, %Fantastic Koyage%.like
s+ecial effects of +atients% innards# 3%ll bet yo) didn%t know that when yo)r kidneys sh)t down
they so)nd like b)bble wra+ +o++ing#<
A66B
<4ameras and s+ecial effects travel not only down
the throat< of one +atient, another critic observed, <b)t )+ her nose and inside her brain and
leg<#
A6FB
3nstead of relying +rimarily on com+)ter,generated imagery, the interior body shots
tend to involveminiat)re effects and motion control +hotogra+hy#
AD!B
"any of the sets are
dressed with a variety of )nscri+ted +ro+s that allow *a)rie to +hysically im+rovise, revealing
as+ects of his character and the story#
A6B
'ale $attersall, House cinematogra+her from 2F,
212 was widely recogniIed for shooting the season 6 finalJ entirely on the 4anon E& &0*8
, the first time a network television show was shot on an )nder M2 +ros)mer camera#
$he +ilot e+isode was filmed in 4anada> +rimary +hotogra+hy for all s)bse5)ent e+isodes
has been shot on the Fox lot in 4ent)ry 4ity#
AD6B
2ryan 0inger chose the hos+ital near his
hometown, 7est 7indsor, New /ersey, as the show%s fictional setting#
A12B
-rinceton
@niversity%s Frist 4am+)s 4enter
AaB
is the so)rce of the aerial views of -rinceton,-lainsboro
$eaching (os+ital seen in the series#
A6=B
0ome filming took +lace at the @niversity of 0o)thern
4alifornia for the season three e+isode <(alf,7it<, which g)est,starred &ave
"atthews and 1)rtwood 0mith#
A6GB
-art of House%s sixth season was filmed at the
abandoned 'reystone -ark -sychiatric (os+ital, in -arsi++any,$roy (ills, New /ersey, as
the fictional "ayfield -sychiatric (os+ital#
AFB
Opening sequenceAeditB
$he o+ening se5)ence begins with an "83 of a head with an image of the boxed <(< from
the logo (the international symbol for hos+ital) in the foregro)nd# $his is then overlaid with an
image of &r# (o)se%s face taken from the +ilot e+isode with the show%s f)ll title a++earing
across his face# (o)se%s head then fades and the show%s title is )nderlined and has the
<"#&#< a++ear next to it, +rod)cing the entire logo of the show# $his was the f)ll extent of the
title se5)ence in the +ilot e+isode#
AF1B
All s)bse5)ent e+isodes contain a longer se5)ence
incl)ding the names of the six feat)red cast members and creator &avid 0hore# *a)rie%s
name a++ears first, followed by the names of the five other feat)red cast members in
al+habetical order (6delstein, 6++s, *eonard, "orrison, 0+encer, then 0hore)#
AF2B
After the show%s title fades, there is an aerial view of --$( (act)ally vario)s -rinceton
@niversity b)ildings, +rimarily Frist 4am+)s 4enter)#
A6=B
$his is followed by a series of images
accom+anying each cast member%s name> most are shown next to, or s)+erim+osed )+on,
ill)strations of the h)man anatomy# *a)rie%s name a++ears next to a model of a h)man head
with the brain ex+osed> 6delstein%s name a++ears next to a vis)al effects.+rod)ced gra+hic
of an angiogram of the heart# 6++s%s name is s)+erim+osed )+on a rib cage N,ray>
*eonard%s name a++ears on a drawing of the two hemis+heres of the brain#
AF2B
$he +rod)cers
originally wanted to incl)de an image of a cane and an image of a Kicodin bottle, b)t Fox
ob:ected# "orrison%s title card was th)s lacking an image> an aerial shot of rowers on
-rinceton @niversity%s *ake 4arnegie was finally agreed )+on to accom+any her name#
AFDB
0+encer%s name a++ears next to an old,fashioned anatomical drawing of a s+ine# 2etween
the +resentations of 0+encer%s and 0hore%s names is a scene of (o)se and his three original
team members walking down one of the hos+ital%s hallways#
AF2B
/acobs said that most of the
backgro)nds have no s+ecific meaning> however, the final imageHthe text <created by &avid
0hore< s)+erim+osed )+on a h)man neckHconnotes that 0hore is <the brain of the show<#
AFDB
$he se5)ence was nominated for a -rimetime 6mmy Award for 9)tstanding "ain $itle
&esign in 2E#
AF!B
$he title se5)ence contin)ed to credit 0+encer and "orrison, even when
their characters were red)ced to backgro)nd roles d)ring seasons fo)r and five, and
"orrison even after hers was written o)t# A new o+ening se5)ence was introd)ced in season
seven to accommodate the changes in the cast, removing "orrison%s name and incl)ding
/acobson and 7ilde%s#
AFEBAF6B
$he series% original o+ening theme, as heard in the @nited 0tates, com+rises instr)mental
+ortions of <$eardro+< by "assive Attack#
AFFB
$he +iece was )sed in +art beca)se of the
distinct tem+o which ro)ghly mimics the so)nd of a beating h)man heart#
AF=B
An aco)stic
version of <$eardro+<, with g)itar and vocals by /osJ 'onIOleI, is heard as backgro)nd
m)sic d)ring the season fo)r finale#
AFGB
Series overviewAeditB
See also. /ist o# House e(isodes
<Anytime yo) try to s)mmariIe a show in one word, yo) so)nd like an ass# 3t%s abo)t tr)th#<
H&avid 0hore
A=B
'regory (o)se, "#&#, often constr)ed as a misanthro+ic medical geni)s, heads a team
of diagnosticians at the -rinceton,-lainsboro $eaching (os+ital in New /ersey#
AF1B
"ost
e+isodes revolve aro)nd the diagnosis of a +rimary +atient and start with a +re,credits
scene set o)tside the hos+ital, showing events ending with the onset of the +atient%s
sym+toms#
A1FB
$he ty+ical e+isode follows the team in their attem+ts to diagnose and treat the
+atient%s illness,
AFFBA=1B
which often fail )ntil the +atient%s condition is critical#
AFFB
$hey )s)ally treat
only +atients whom other doctors have not acc)rately diagnosed,
A6=B
and (o)se ro)tinely
re:ects cases that he does not find interesting#
A1FB
$he story lines tend to foc)s on his
)nconventional medical theories and +ractices, and on the other characters% reactions to
them, rather than on the details of the treatments#
ADB
$he team em+loys the differential diagnosis method,
A=1B
listing +ossible etiologies on
a whiteboard, then eliminating most of them, )s)ally beca)se one of the team (most often
(o)se) +rovides logical reasons for r)ling them o)t#
A=2B
$y+ically the +atient
is misdiagnosed at least once and accordingly receives some treatments that are at best
)seless>
A=1B
this )s)ally ca)ses f)rther com+lications, b)tHas the nat)re of the com+lications
often +rovides val)able new evidenceHevent)ally these hel+ them diagnose the +atient
correctly#
A1FB
(o)se often tends to arrive at the correct diagnosis seemingly o)t of the bl)e,
often ins+ired by a +assing remark made by another character#
A=1B
&iagnoses range from
relatively common to very rare diseases#
A=DB
$he team face many diagnostic diffic)lties from +atients% concealment of sym+toms,
circ)mstances, or +ersonal histories, so (o)se fre5)ently +roclaims d)ring the team%s
deliberations, <$he +atient is lying<, or m)tters <6verybody lies<> s)ch an ass)m+tion g)ides
(o)se%s decisions and diagnoses,
AGB
and makes the co)ntermeas)re of ho)sebreakinga
ro)tine +roced)re# 2eca)se many of his hy+otheses are based on e+i+hanies or
controversial insights, he often has tro)ble obtaining +ermission for medical +roced)res he
considers necessary from his s)+erior, who in all b)t the final season is hos+ital
administrator &r# *isa 4)ddy#
A=!B
$his is es+ecially the case when the +ro+osed +roced)res
involve a high degree of risk or are ethically 5)estionable# $here are fre5)ent disagreements
between (o)se and his team,
A=EB
es+ecially &r# Allison 4ameron, whose standards of medical
ethics are more conservative than those of the other characters#
AFFB
*ike all of the hos+ital%s doctors, (o)se is re5)ired to treat +atients in the facility%s walk,in
clinic#
AF1BA=6B
(is gr)dging f)lfillment of this d)ty, or his creative methods of avoiding it, constit)te
a rec)rring s)b+lot, which often serves as the series% comic relief#
AFFBA=FB
&)ring clinic d)ty,
(o)se confo)nds +atients with )nwelcome observations into their +ersonal lives, eccentric
+rescri+tions, and )northodox treatments#
AF1B
(owever, after seeming to be inattentive to their
com+laints, he reg)larly im+resses them with ra+id and acc)rate diagnoses#
A1EB
Analogies with
some of the sim+le cases in the clinic occasionally ins+ire insights that hel+ solve the team%s
case#
A1FBA==B
<3t%s not a show abo)t addiction, b)t yo) can%t throw something like this into the mix and not ex+ect it to be
noticed and commented on# $here have been references to the amo)nt of his cons)m+tion increasing over
time# 3t%s becoming less and less )sef)l a tool for dealing with his +ain, and it%s something we%re going to
contin)e to deal with, contin)e to ex+lore#<
H0hore on (o)se%s Kicodin addiction
A=GB
A significant +lot element is (o)se%s )se of Kicodin to manage +ain, ca)sed by
an infarction in his5)adrice+s m)scle five years before the show%s first season, which also
forces him to )se a cane#
AGB
3n the first season> eleventh e+isode <&etox<, (o)se admits he is
addicted to Kicodin, b)t says he does not have a +roblem beca)se the +ills <let me do my
:ob, and they take away my +ain<#
AbB
(is addiction has led his colleag)es, 4)ddy and &r#
/ames 7ilson, to enco)rage him to go to dr)g rehabilitation several times#
AG1B
7hen he has no
access to Kicodin or ex+eriences )n)s)ally intense +ain, he occasionally self,medicates with
other narcotic analgesics s)ch as mor+hine,
AG2B
oxycodone,
AGDB
and methadone#
AG!B
(o)se also
fre5)ently drinks li5)or when he is not on medical d)ty, and classifies himself as a <big
drinker<#
AGEB
$oward the end of season five, (o)se begins to hall)cinate> after eliminating other
+ossible diagnoses, he and 7ilson determine that his Kicodin addiction is the most likely
ca)se#
AG6B
(o)se goes into denial abo)t this for a brief time, b)t at the close of the season
finale, he commits himself to "ayfield -sychiatric (os+ital#
AGFB
3n the following season%s deb)t
e+isode, (o)se leaves "ayfield with his addiction )nder control#
AG=B
(owever, abo)t a year
and a half later, in season seven%s 1Eth e+isode, <2ombshells<, (o)se reacts to the news
that 4)ddy +ossibly has kidney cancer by taking Kicodin,
AGGB
and his addiction rec)rs#
A1B
Characters and story arcsAeditB
Main arti!le. /ist o# House !hara!ters
Name
Portraye
d by
Occupation
Seasons
1 ! " # $ % &
&r#
'regory
(o)se
()gh
*a)rie
Former (ead of &e+artment of
&iagnostic "edicine
'ain
&r# *isa
4)ddy
*isa
6delstein
&ean of "edicine 'ain
&r#
/ames
7ilson
8obert
0ean
*eonard
(ead of &e+artment of
9ncology
'ain
&r# 6ric
Foreman
9mar
6++s
Ne)rologist, &ean of "edicine 'ain
&r#
8obert
4hase
/esse
0+encer
0)rgeon,
A11B
3ntensivist,
A12B
(ead
of &e+artment of &iagnostic
"edicine
'ain
&r#
Allison
4ameron
/ennifer
"orrison
3mm)nologist, &iagnostic
"edicine
'ain (uest
&r# 4hris
$a)b
-eter
/acobson
-lastic 0)rgeon,
A1DB
&iagnostic
"edicine
)lso
Starring
'ain
&r#
*awrenc
e 1)tner
1al -enn
0+orts "edicine s+ecialist,
A12B
&iagnostic "edicine
)lso
Starring
(uest
&r# 8emy
<$hirteen
< (adley
9livia
7ilde
3nternist,
A12B
&iagnostic
"edicine
)lso
Starring
'ain
)lso
Starring
&r#
"artha
"#
"asters
Amber
$amblyn
&o)ble,-h#&# in A++lied
"athematics and Art (istory,
A1!B
"edical st)dent
'ain (uest
&r#
/essica
Adams
9dette
Annable
-rison clinic +hysician,
A1EB
&iagnostic "edicine
'ain
&r# 4hi
-ark
4harlyne
?i
Ne)rologist,
A16B
&iagnostic
"edicine
'ain
'ain charactersAeditB
$he original lead characters ofHouse M-"-; 7ilson, 4)ddy, 4hase, (o)se, 4ameron, and Foreman#
$hro)gho)t House%s r)n, six of the main actors have received star billing# All of them +lay
doctors who work at the fictional -rinceton,-lainsboro $eaching (os+ital (--$() in New
/ersey#
AF1B
&r# 'regory (o)se (()gh *a)rie), the title character, heads the &e+artment
of&iagnostic "edicine#
A1FB
(o)se describes himself as <a board,certified diagnostician with a
do)ble s+ecialty of infectio)s disease andne+hrology<#
A1=B
&r# /ames 7ilson (8obert 0ean
*eonard), (o)se%s one tr)e friend, is the head of the &e+artment of 9ncology#
A1GB
&r# *isa
4)ddy (*isa 6delstein), an endocrinologist,
A11B
is (o)se%s boss, as she is the hos+ital%s dean
of medicine and chief administrator#
A111B
(o)se has a com+lex relationshi+ with 4)ddy, and
their interactions often involve a high degree of inn)endo and sex)al tension#
A112B
3n the sixth
e+isode of season five, </oy<, they kiss for the first time#
A11DB
$heir +hysical relationshi+ does
not +rogress any f)rther d)ring the fifth season> in the finale, (o)se believes he and 4)ddy
had sex, b)t this is a hall)cination bro)ght on by (o)se%s Kicodin addiction#
AGFB
3n the finale of
season six, 4)ddy tells (o)se she loves him# $hey kiss and agree to try being a co)+le#
A11!B
$hro)gho)t season seven, (o)se and 4)ddy try to make their relationshi+ work#
(o)se%s original team of diagnosticians consists of &r# 6ric Foreman (9mar 6++s),
a ne)rologist> &r# 8obert 4hase (/esse 0+encer), anintensivist> and &r# Allison
4ameron (/ennifer "orrison), an imm)nologist#
A111B
3n the season three e+isode <Family<,
Foreman anno)nces his resignation, telling (o)se, <3 don%t want to t)rn into yo)<#
AcB
&)ring
the season finale, (o)se tells 4hase that he has either learned everything he can, or nothing
at all, and dismisses him from the team# 4ameron, who has develo+ed an affection for
4hase, soon resigns#
AEEB
$his leaves (o)se witho)t a team for the season fo)r +remiere#
A11EB
@nder orders from 4)ddy to recr)it a new team, (o)se considers forty doctors#
AGEB
0eason
fo)r%s early e+isodes foc)s on his selection +rocess, str)ct)red as a reality $K.style
elimination contest
AGEB
(/acobs referred to it as a <version of Sur0i0or<)#
A116B
(o)se assigns each
a++licant a n)mber between 1 and !, and +ares them down to seven finalists#
A11FB
(e
assesses their +erformance in diagnostic cases, assisted by Foreman, who ret)rns to the
de+artment after his dismissal from another hos+ital for (o)se,like behavior#
A11FBA11=BA11GB
7hile
Foreman%s ret)rn means there are only two o+en slots, (o)se tricks 4)ddy into allowing him
to hire three new assistants#
A12B
(e )ltimately selects &r# 4hris $a)b (-eter /acobson), a
former +lastic s)rgeon> &r# *awrence 1)tner (1al -enn), a s+orts medicines+ecialist> and &r#
8emy <$hirteen< (adley (9livia 7ilde), an internist (nicknamed for her n)mber in the
elimination contest)#
A12BA121B
3n the season finale, $hirteen discovers she has, as she had long
dreaded, ()ntington%s disease, which is inc)rable#
AFGB
3n the eleventh e+isode of season five, </oy to the 7orld<, Foreman and $hirteen engage in
a +assionate kiss#
A2EB
$hirteen is at first rel)ctant to start a relationshi+ with Foreman, b)t the
two event)ally begin dating and are still together at the end of the season#
AGFB
$hey break )+
early in season six# 3n the twentieth e+isode of season E, <0im+le 6x+lanation<, 1)tner is
fo)nd dead in his a+artment with a g)nshot wo)nd to the head# 2eca)se 1)tner left no note,
(o)se s)s+ects fo)l +lay, tho)gh the death is acce+ted by the other characters as a s)icide#
A122B
3n the seventh e+isode of season two, <()nting<, 4ameron and 4hase have a one,night
stand#
A12DB
3n the middle of season three, they initiate a sex)al relationshi+ that 4ameron
insists be cas)al>
A11B
when 4hase declares that he <wants more<, 4ameron ends the affair#
A12!B
2y the end of the season, however, 4ameron recogniIes that she has romantic feelings
for 4hase and they begin a serio)s relationshi+#
AEEB
After leaving the diagnostic team, they
ass)me different roles at the --$(, 4ameron as a senior attending +hysician in
the emergency room
AdB
and 4hase as a s)rgeon#
AGEB
$hey become engaged in the season five
e+isode <0aviors< (the e+isode immediately following 1)tner%s s)icide)
A62B
and are married in
the season finale#
A12EB
7hen 4hase re:oins (o)se%s team in season six, 4ameron leaves her
h)sband and the hos+ital in <$eamwork<, the season%s eighth e+isode#
A126B
0he ret)rns as a
g)est character in <*ockdown<, nine e+isodes later#
A12FB
6arly in season seven, $hirteen takes an )nex+lained leave of absence# 4)ddy orders
(o)se to fill her +osition with another woman,
A12=B
b)t event)ally makes the choice for him;
medical st)dent "artha "# "asters (Amber $amblyn), who makes her first a++earance in the
season%s sixth e+isode#
A12GB
$hirteen ret)rns in the <$he &ig<Hthe season%s 1=th e+isode and
the show%s 1EthHin which the reason for her absence is revealed; she was in +rison for six
months for having hel+ed e)thaniIe her brother, who was s)ffering from advanced
()ntington%s#
A1DB
7hile /acobson and 7ilde +lay central characters (as did -enn), they did
not receive star billing )ntil season seven# $hey were credited as <Also 0tarring<, with their
names a++earing after the o+ening se5)ence#
A1D1B
3n season seven, /acobson and 7ilde
received star billing> new reg)lar cast member $amblyn did not#
A1D2B
Recurring charactersAeditB
$he first six seasons of House each incl)ded one or more rec)rring feat)red characters, who
a++ear in m)lti,e+isode story arcs#
A1DDB
3n season one, 6dward Kogler (4hi "c2ride), the
billionaire owner of a +harmace)tical com+any, a++ears in five e+isodes#
A1D!B
(e donates
@0M1 million to the --$( in ret)rn for chairing its board#
A1DEB
Kogler re+resented an attem+t
to introd)ce a villain, a move )rged by Fox# 2y the time the Kogler e+isodes began to air, the
show had become a hit and the character was soon dro++ed#
A1D!B
0hore said the conce+t of a
villaino)s boss was not really viable for the series; <3t%s called House# $he a)dience knows
he%ll never get fired#<
AGB
0tacy 7arner (0ela 7ard), (o)se%s ex,girlfriend,
A1D6B
a++ears in the final two e+isodes of the
first season, and seven e+isodes of season two#
AGB
0he wants (o)se to treat her h)sband,
"ark 7arner (4)rrie 'raham), whom (o)se diagnoses with ac)te intermittent +or+hyria in
the season one finale#
A1D6B
0tacy and (o)se grow close again, b)t (o)se event)ally tells
0tacy to go back to "ark, which devastates her#
A1DFB
"ichael $ritter (&avid "orse), a +olice detective, a++ears in several season three e+isodes#
(e tries to extract an a+ology from (o)se, who left $ritter in an examination room with a
thermometer in his rect)m#
A1D=B
After (o)se ref)ses to a+ologiIe, $ritter brings him )+ on
charges of )n+rescribed narcotics +ossession and forces him to attend rehab# 7hen the
case reaches co)rt, 4)ddy +er:)res herself for (o)se and the case is dismissed# $he :)dge
re+rimands $ritter for +)rs)ing (o)se to excess, and tells (o)se that she thinks he <has
better friends than he deserves,< referring to 4)ddy%s 11th,ho)r testimony on his behalf#
(o)se is sentenced to one night in :ail for contem+t of co)rt and finishes his rehabilitation
)nder the infl)ence of Kicodin#
AG1B
$he candidates for (o)se%s new diagnostics team are season fo)r%s +rimary rec)rring
characters#
A1DGB
3n addition to the three who are chosen, the other fo)r finalists are /effrey
4ole (6di 'athegi)> $ravis 2rennan (Andy 4omea)), an e+idemiologist>
A1DGB
(enry
&obson (4armen ArgenIiano), a former medical school admissions officer>
AGEB
and Amber
<4)t,throat 2itch< Kolakis (Anne &)dek), an interventional radiologist#
A121B
6ach of the fo)r
de+arts the show after elimination, exce+t for Kolakis, who a++ears thro)gho)t the season,
having started a relationshi+ with 7ilson#
A1!BA1!1B
3n the two,+art season finale, Kolakis attem+ts
to she+herd a dr)nken (o)se home when 7ilson is )navailable# $hey are involved in a b)s
crash, which leads to her death#
AFGBA1!2B
0he rea++ears late in season five among the
hall)cinations (o)se s)ffers#
A62B
-rivate investigator *)cas &o)glas ("ichael 7eston), a character ins+ired in +art by 0hore%s
love of The ,o!k#ord $iles, a++ears in three e+isodes of season five#
A1!DBA1!!B
(o)se initially
hires &o)glas to s+y on 7ilson, who has ended their friendshi+ after Kolakis%s death (the
friendshi+ is s)bse5)ently rekindled)# (o)se later +ays &o)glas to look into the +rivate lives
of his team members and 4)ddy#
A1!EB
3f the character had been acce+ted by the a)dience,
+lans existed to feat)re him as the lead in a s+in,off show#
A1!6B
3n 0e+tember 2=, 0hore
s+oke to +ntertainment Weekl) abo)t his vision for the character; <3 don%t want to do :)st
another medical show# 7hat does excite me in terms of writing is the choices +eo+le make
and the nat)re of right and wrong### and a +rivate investigator can a++roach that 5)estion
m)ch more readily than a doctor can#<
A1!FB
$here was no show feat)ring &o)glas on the fall
2G network television sched)le#
A1!=B
(e ret)rns to House in season six as 4)ddy%s
boyfriend#
A1!GB
$hey are briefly engaged )ntil 4)ddy breaks it off, realiIing that she is in love
with (o)se#
A1EB