Thus, in the second cycle of the series’ life, the writers seemed to think that the only way to tell “character” stories is to make all the people miserable. If you look back at the stories from seasons five and six, things are particularly dark, both in content and even in visual style. The cinematography from S5 and S6 are especially dark, bleak and cold, replacing the generally bright and sleek look from early seasons.
To survive, the writers of House tried to turn the series into a makeshift version of Grey’s Anatomy, but they kept only the pretentious and insufferable parts of the ABC’s formula and forgot to add in the charming, sometimes witty parts. And despite a mostly solid arc for House in S6, the series was generally lost. It had mostly abandoned the idea of telling an interesting medical mystery in favor of melodramatic nonsense between the team-members, but the writers never figured out exactly how to do that either. It was a series without a storytelling identity aside from “Let’s let Hugh Laurie do his thing” and at that point, I don’t blame anyone for jumping ship.
At the end of last season, it didn’t really look like this version of the series was ever going to change. Sure, I really liked the finale “Help Me” and wanted to see House and Cuddy together, but the way in which the series put them together? Ridiculous. The way in which Cameron and Chase got separated? Ridiculous. And the way in which Thirteen left? Out of nowhere, in traditional House fashion.
And yet, as the first six episodes of this season has proved, those decisions ended up changing the series for the better, leading to the third era in House‘s run.
In a lot of ways, this House is a lot like the House we have seen in the past two years, but in a lot of ways, it’s like the House we saw in the first four years as well. The medical mysteries are only slightly better this season, but an improvement is an improvement. But more importantly, something has happened with the writers’ ability to craft nice character stories this season and that’s the primary reason why the series is having a creative resurgence.
I’ve been trying to figure out the reasoning for this change, and I think there are a few. First of all, for whatever reason, this batch of characters really works for the writers. I do think it says something about the staff that they’ve always struggled with writing interesting women and not that there’s really only one woman on the cast, they’ve figured some things out, but stripped of their melodramatic relationships, Chase and Foreman have come alive in a way that reminds me of the earlier seasons. Throw in Taub and there’s this playful, almost frat boy atmosphere between the three of them where the patented House psychoanalysis is mostly playful and harmless. It might make the series feel more like a general procedural where we don’t really discuss these characters’ personal lives, but if the writers can’t figure out how to do those stories, I’m absolutely fine with this approach.
Secondly, I’ll give the writers more credit than that: I think they figured out how to write for their characters more this season, particularly House and Cuddy. If we disregard some of the frustrating things that led to House and Cuddy getting together and just look at how their relationship has been handled this season, it’s been fantastic. From the premiere onward, the series has been serious in its intent to explore how these two screwed up people would make a relationship work, both at home and at the hospital, and the writers have worked in small, but realistic issues into each episode without it seeming too overwhelmingly to the plots of individual episodes. This series has never been interested in exploring long-term relationships aside from the one between House and Wilson, but even when they had problems in S5, the writers got bored with that pretty quickly.
But with House and Cuddy, they’re nailing it. The characters are still acting like themselves, but with slightly different shadings and motivations, just how they would act in the various situations that have come up. House hasn’t been completely neutered and Cuddy hasn’t turned into a ridiculous lovesick idiot either. It’s been both emotionally successful and oftentimes funny to watch these two people figure out a mature relationship when neither of them has really handled it in the past.
Therefore, it feels like a lot of melodramatic weight has been lifted from House. There’s no one on the team or at the hospital that’s particularly miserable — except for Foreman, but he’s always like that — there’s no overly dramatic issues between any of them and thus, things feel breezier and more fun to watch. The medical mysteries are never going to be consistently good again, but they’re fine this year and at least serving some purpose for House, Cuddy and the other team-members. There’s still a focus on the characters, but just in a fun way that emphasizes how they interact with one another, not their melodramatic problems at home.
Listen, I understand why people don’t want to keep watching House after the last two messy seasons and especially if they’re big fans of the medical mysteries. I don’t particularly think the series is as good right now as it was during season two, but House has evolved to something different that is ultimately enjoyable again on a week-to-week basis in a way that it hasn’t been over the past few seasons. If the series is still going to be around, this is the version of it I want to watch and enjoy.
You mentioned some very good points, most of it acutally. But in addition, House and Cuddy together is ruining the show beyond repair. It doesn't fit. And if I wanted to see a woman educating a guy and constantly trying to change him I'd watch some The super Nanny but not House. Sorry, but there's way to much focus on a secondary character like Cuddy. I really miss the smart show House used to be, seriously, call me bitter all you want.
Well, forgive me for disagreeing with the previous comment; similar username, different analysis. I actually found this review to be one of the most interesting in depth season 7 – and why not overall – pieces I've read on the show this year and certainly agree on some points, specially in regards to the House/Cuddy relationship – though I have to admit, these last two episodes are making me rethink that view on the writing of their relationship this season, which, up until season 7, was always all over the place. Premiere onwards, it was really good. 2 weeks from now, it's back to all over the place and completely contrived and ridiculous.
Then again, to each his own.
This is a nice write-up and I find I agree with it. I am also one that is pleased with the way they are handling the House & Cuddy relationship. It is realistic and I enjoy watching HL & LE on screen together. They have a nice chemistry. Count me as someone that thinks the relationship can work in a Housian way after they get the kinks worked out.
The verdict is still out for me on the Master's character. I'm willing to see where they are going with it.
In regards to Season 7, although i find this piece interesting, I disagree with. I enjoyed Seasons 4 and 5, and I agree with the idea that Season 6 was all over the place. But this season? Not only are very few of the characters acting like themselves, Wilson has been put on a backburner, the new Martha Masters character is completely unbelievable (I don't blame the actress) who is being given the sort of dialogue about obscure diseases that House used to be given, and to be honest, the characters are no longer interesting. At least for this writer. House has lost the essence of what made him such a brilliant character in the first place. Now he's been sucked into the mainstream of character writing, which might make the show far more palatable to a general audience. I get the distinct impression that the creative types are bored and the new writers have never seen the show.
"If you don't like it, why do you watch it?" After years of enjoyment, I have stopped watching it.
I agree with so much of this post, but not the conclusion. I think it's been a miserable seventh season. This is the only season that I have not religiously watched every new episode on the day and at the time it airs.
To my mind, there are even more flaws with "House"'s later seasons than the ones you listed, though those are accurate. I think one of the best things about seasons 1-4– and you allude to this with the mention of the two-part season four finale– was that "long-term relationship" between House and Wilson, and the amazing subtlety and vibrance of its shades of gray have virtually been absent, retconned, and all but beaten into boring submission by unfortunate story lines for both.