class=”alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-44823″ style=”margin: 10px;” title=”House Season 6″ src=”https://www.heyuguys.com/images/2010/09/House-Season-6-220×150.jpg” alt=”” width=”220″ height=”150″ />This month, the world’s favourite curmudgeonly doctor is back on DVD. No, not Doc Martin! When we left him, Gregory House had lost his marbles and checked himself into the loony bin. We return to find him not at the familiar surroundings of Princeton-Plainsboro, but going cold turkey at the Mayfield Psychiatric Hospital.
In fantastic 2 hour season opener Broken, we follow House’s (mis)adventures as he tries to get clean, get his act together and regain his license to practice. House being House, of course, he doesn’t do things the most efficient way. Brow-beating both patients and staff, he tries to bully his way out of the hospital. When that doesn’t work, he tries instead to trick his way out. It is only when one rare kind act ends in tragedy that he comes to realise he needs to do things properly. In two hours of television, House shows more emotion, poignancy and brilliant writing than most shows can manage over an entire season as the grumpy medic re-evaluates his existence, falls in love, makes a new best friend, and eventually wins his freedom.
The problem with such a strong opener, however, is that what follows inevitably looks a little… ordinary. When we return to the drama of the diagnostic department at Princeton we are confronted, instead, with altogether too much melodrama. Patients and cases take a back seat as we are exposed to more dysfunctional relationships than House’s favourite Hospital soap could ever hope to provide. The romance between Foreman and 13 hits the rocks first, perhaps unsurprisingly, as the two actors Omar Epps and Olivia Wilde show an alarming lack of chemistry considering how close they are to the dispensary.
We also bear witness to the marital woes of Cameron and Chase, as things come to a head following, for me, the worst episode of the season in Tyrant. The episode attempts to question whether the value of one life can be weighed against the lives of thousands and, conceptually, it is not a bad idea. The execution, however, is poor and more than a little clumsy. Unfortunate then that the reverberations of Chase’s questionable actions are felt over the course of several episodes.
One new relationship blossoming occurs between Cuddy and Lucas. You remember Lucas, he was the likeable comedy-relief (if it was needed) in season 5, as House’s hired private eye. Clearly brought back because he proved popular, the character doesn’t unfortunately work so well in a serious storyline. Lisa Edelstein however continues to be great as Cuddy, particularly evidenced in the Cuddy-centric episode ‘5-9’ as we follow the extreme difficulties faced by single-mother career women. To round out the relationship case studies, the saga of Taub and his fragile relationship with his wife comes to a head as temptation once again rears its ugly head.
Whilst the trials and tribulations of those around House are given much screentime, it is obviously the brilliantly flawed doctor that is the headline story. Whatever is thrown at the viewer, it is always House’s House-isms, his personal vendettas and his squabbling with best friend Wilson that are the most watchable thing on screen. The writers are clearly in a quandary. Despite having been through rehabilitation, going clean and trying to take a new approach at life, the character is still just as arrogant, obnoxious and self-involved as ever. Whilst this doesn’t provide a great deal of real character progression, a happy and well-adjusted House just wouldn’t work.
Season 7, however, may provide us with a, dare i say it, happier and more satisfied House. As we leave Season 6, the finale offers a glimpse at the possibility of House enjoying a meaningful, committed relationship. As with every show that goes on this long, foreshadowed storylines must come to pass, and it’ll be interesting to see how this changes the show’s dynamic for the coming season.
Overall, House Season 6 is a great watch. Even during its low moments, it is still one of the best shows on TV. Also one of the most self-aware shows around, the writers are clearly aware that it is an intrinsically formulaic show. They both embrace this, and find ways to add variety. There perhaps aren’t as many ‘different’ style episodes this season as in some past ones, but episodes like Broken, Baggage, character-centric shows like 5-9 and Wilson, and the gripping finale Help Me break up the patient of the week formula enough that you never find yourself tiring. The extras, including a very well produced original short ‘Before Broken’, a special look at the Mayfield set and a commentary for the season opener help highlight just how well put together the show is.
House Season 6 is released on DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK today.
