I seem to recall a thread about this previouslhy. But for the life of me I can't find it. Perhaps some kind hearted Mod may merge and weld. Maybe not. They might be busy controlling and checking on Goatboy's followers.

Anyway, to the chase. I just bought the boxset of Series One. Now, some say it's all the same. Some say it's no good. I say there's no accounting for taste.

The writing is brilliant. The acting is excellent and the plots are downright near perfect. Always thought Singer was nobody's fool. I saw proof of such in TV form over the last few days.

Happily I've only seen a few episodes of the other series so when Winter kicks in proper I shall be indoors watching House and Co do their bit.

What's the problem? Oh? Downsides. Well, nothing is perfect. There are a few flaws. Always is. What are they? How come I'm asking myself questions? Ah, I did too many office presentations with Powerpoint. And I'm half cut.

The flaws are minimal. Only the Sopranos and The Wire outrank. And they are cops and robbers type stuff. ER? Arse. House is the dogs...

R xo

It's brilliant, and mostly to do with the character of House. I think easily one of the bet TV characters ever created, tortured, complex, funny and cruel. It does (as so many series do) fall a little flat in season 3, and they tried some things out in season 4 that never worked as well as it could but then thy go and produce Season 5 which is probably the best yet. Season  6 has jut started and looks just as good.

I think that seasons 1&2 were great and worked well in that they were a standard mystery of the week type of thing, they could never have kept that format going forever so they did need to change thing up, later seasons are more about season long character arcs and story lines while still keeping some of that mystery of the week.

One of the best TV shows, I read somewhere it is the most popular TV show in the world.

I certainly think it is the best adaptation of Sherlock Holmes ever made.

P.S. forgot to mention that you can tell how brilliant Hugh Laurie is because I could never imagine anyone else in that role. There is nobody who could pull that off better than him. They got very lucky in getting him otherwise it probably not have been as good.

* You notice that the show is created by Brian Singer? (usual suspects) he directs a couple of episodes too.

I was really into House a few years ago. I think I picked up watching it around the second or third season. After a while though, I realized it's just as formulaic as Law & Order. I think the show gets away with it because the character is absolutely brilliant and there was no one else who could play him except Hugh Laurie. He's consistently entertaining and interesting to watch. Everyone else pales in comparison but I wouldn't say the cast has any weak links. Still, every time I see one of those TV spots saying "don't miss the most shocking episode yet," I can't help but think "that's what you said the last time." They're all the same, really.

That said, I still think it's a show that should end with a bonafide series finale as opposed to getting cancelled. I suppose that's rather far off considering how successful the show's been. Whatever. They can do what they like. I don't really care for TV anyway.

James, see if you can give the season 5 premiere episode a go. It is a feature length homage to One flew over the cuckoos nest, set in an institution, and without any of the supporting cast, of course with House taking the Jack Nicholson role. Brilliant from start to end, and some great one-off characters.

It does make me wonder why Laurie has not make a bigger impact in the movies yet.  

Quoted from Murphy James, see if you can give the season 5 premiere episode a go. It is a feature length homage to One flew over the cuckoos nest, set in an institution, and without any of the supporting cast, of course with House taking the Jack Nicholson role. Brilliant from start to end, and some great one-off characters.

That was the season six premiere, Murph.

But I've been an enormous fan of this show since it started way back in the day and, even though there's been a noticable lapse in quality the past few seasons, I still think the writing is pretty sharp and Hugh Laurie still delivers the same interesting, complex and fuckin' hilarious performance we've come to expect from him and this show.

I just hope the guys at Fox allow this show to quit while it's ahead and take it out on a high not, rather than letting it become one of those shows that stays on the air a couple of seasons too long. But even if that happens, I'll probably still watch it.

Huge fan of this show.  Tonight's episode was the usual -- brilliant writing, drama, tension, and acerbic wit.  Haven't missed an episode yet and don't plan to any time soon.

Speaking of Hugh Laurie, anybody catch him several months ago on Letterman?  His band -- Band from TV (which as the name suggests consists exclusively of TV actors, including House co-star Jesse Spencer) -- played a pretty good bluesy/jazzy rock song.  Laurie sang lead and rocked the piano.  An aside, but still...

Just to say glad Hughie is entertaining the folks with taste on the other side of the pond. Met him once at a do in London. Stephen Fry was busy schmoozing with BBC elite while Hugh was with a woman, I presume his missus since they were both wearing rings and behaving impeccably. I was nearly drunk so I just offered my hand, which he shook and smiled, then said Keep up the good work fella. He said He will. And sure enough, he has.

In Euro territories they naturally dub the voices. Many are surprised to learn he's English and does a US accent. So was I. I noticed his accent grows as the series progresses.

Good to see a cameo from Bryan Singer too in an early Series One episode. "Everybody wants to direct."

I now have five more series or so to get through. Some of you may be pleased that's me tied up until Christmas or so.

Keep cooking, folks. I ain't publishing till I come up with something half as good as yer average house episode.

Avanti.

R ox

SPOILER SPACE:

We need to see more Cutty side-boobage.


Phil

You mean Cuddy? I always thought it was with a double D, not a double T. But then again, I would, wouldn't I.

And yes, golden sock puppet man. It'd be nice to see more. But after we'd be thinking, hmmm, maybe it's best I don't see. I just have to use my imagination about those glorio....

Or maybe not.

Anyway, House has nice eyes. Don'tcha think?

Quoted from rendevous You mean Cuddy? I always thought it was with a double D, not a double T. But then again, I would, wouldn't I.

Double D's.....  


Phil

Hmmm. Double Ds. Yowzer.

[Mods, feel free to delete this blatant breast worship for a woman I am destined to marry and have babies with. Once I have finally destroyed the slimmest chance with Tatou and Winslet. I currently estimate that will be about this time tomorrow.]

Alright. My final unpaid plug for this series.

One things Americans do very well is television. Their movies aren't bad either, but I digress.

During the 70s and 80s we had Rich Man Poor Man, Dallas, The Streets Of San Francisco, Columbo, Starsky and Hutch et all. UK TV was dominated by US series.

Later The Ozzies got in on the act with Soaps. (The US did a brilliant comedy series with that title, shown very late in England quite some time ago.) Home and Away & Neighbours etc. My favourite was Prisoner Cell Block H. It was worth watching just to see the big lass end a scene with that big steaming iron thing. The end theme tune was so good Indie bands used to cover it at gigs and on record.

These days we've had Sopranos, The Wire, Mad Men and many others. The reason I think House is so good is it's on it's own.

In the UK you know watching the opening scene to Casualty some idiot is gonna hurt themselves. At no point watching it, or it's cousin Holby City, do I believe I'm watching something engaging. I don't care about the characters, I don't give a toss what happens to them. It's impossible to suspend my disbelief as none of it looks real or engaging enough to get into.

Michael Crichton's ER was far better. Plus they had gogeous George and some great actors and scripts.

The reasons House works so well is it takes the idea of a scary place: a hospital and turns it into somewhere you wanna go. They don't hold back on all that medical jargon and terminology. It's protagonist is a misathropic drug addict grouch who limps, who isn't even American. He hates his team, sorta. And one of them's an Ozzie. If I hadn't seen an episode I wouldn't be able to work out how to get this off paper and on the screen. I'd say that's one of the major reasons I'm a penniless writer and not a famous film director or producer. Life sucks. Well, now and again. At least I'm not flipping burgers or digging holes in the rain in the dark anymore. Er, where was...

Every time I watch an episode I don't know exactly what's gonna happen. Usually when I watch a hospital drama you can tell within ten minutes exactly how it'll turn out. You always knew Columbo was gonna get the killer - he had to. You don't know if House will cure the patient(s). It tells you exactly how hard it can be to diagnose and treat a sick person. This guy ain't Dr. Kildare.

House plays on the facts of audience expectations. Sometimes it fulfils them. And sometimes it don't. House himself says the lines you don't expect, the line you wished you thought of.

I haven't seen a bad episode yet. I doubt I'll grow tired of watching it anytime soon. Now, time to watch some more. I may apply to medical school afterwards. Shame I'm squeamish.

L&P

R