HOUSE Season Finale Recap: Moving On

Since the news broke about Lisa Edelstein’s departure from HOUSE, the stakes of this week’s season finale grew by leaps and bounds. Was the creative team prepared to begin Season 8 with a clean slate, putting Dr. Lisa Cuddy in their rear view mirror? Was the news leaked to prepare viewers for a definitive end […]

HOUSE Recap: Changes

Hey, HOUSE fans, Erik is out of town this week, so our regular recap of the show — usually of the highest quality, of course — is suffering. But even in his absence, we want to talk about what went down on HOUSE this week. Cuddy’s mother… what a piece of work!! Can you believe […]

HOUSE Recap: Last Temptation

In September of 2009, I suggested that Hugh Laurie be nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in the Season 6 premiere, “Broken.” For two hours, the star of HOUSE put on a display of acting prowess that would fill any theater on Broadway. Amber Tamblyn’s name may never appear on a marquee in […]

HOUSE Recap: The Dig

Even the most unsatisfying meal can be salvaged with one standout course. A well-seasoned steak or scrumptious dessert is a chef’s secret weapon against the lingering aftertaste of an unsalted soup or the vegetable medley from hell. It would be nice to enjoy every morsel of food that touches our lips, but most of us […]

HOUSE Recap: Bombshells

My viewing companions for this week’s HOUSE were three slices of mushroom pizza, delivered from a local trattoria that has never served me wrong. As the hour progressed, I was tempted to call back for a list of ingredients, in order to be certain that the toppings I consumed were not intended to help me […]

HOUSE Recap: Two Stories

I am completely stumped to explain my reaction to this week’s HOUSE. On one hand, there were no significant plot developments or dramatic twists. On the other hand, I can make the argument that it was the most entertaining episode of Season 7. Confused? So am I… The brilliance of this hour, crafted by director […]

HOUSE: You Must Remember This

The opening moments of this week’s HOUSE crystallized the dangers of having too much information at your disposal. As a kid, it was fun to memorize the state capitals or who the 22nd President of the United States was. Those memory games were silly excuses to feel smart, not a lifelong burden. It is daunting […]

HOUSE: Family Practice

Sibling rivalries erupt over a litany of factors beyond our control. Basketball tryouts change brothers into playground rivals. The affection of a mutual crush melts the bonds of sisterhood. Professional successes that should be celebrated become bragging rights in the 3-D version of the game of life. Lisa Cuddy’s struggle to find common ground with […]

HOUSE: Carrot or Stick

This week’s HOUSE dealt with tough love, a concept that is irrevocably linked with my new day-to-day responsibilities as a teacher. Students are not homogeneous, and the demands of educating the masses can often leave a chosen few behind. Kids who fear the judgment of their peers, struggle to reach out for help, and shudder […]

HOUSE: Larger Than Life

In 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle took the unusual step of turning a prime time television character into a Presidential Campaign issue. Mr. Quayle attacked the producers of CBS’ MURPHY BROWN for allowing Murphy, played by actress Candice Bergen, to become a single mother, “mocking the importance of fathers, by bearing a child alone, and […]

HOUSE: A Pox On Our House

On the heels of the San Francisco Giants’ victory in the World Series, a new star has stepped up to the plate in Fox’s primetime lineup. Amber Tamblyn is batting 1.000 over her first two appearances on HOUSE. With Cameron & Thirteen absent from Princeton Plainsboro, a strong female voice was desperately needed in the […]

HOUSE: Office Politics

As a longtime devotee of TV shows that perished too soon, I empathize with fans of JOAN OF ARCADIA. The critically heralded CBS drama produced just 45 episodes before its cancellation in 2005, leaving behind a loyal audience of viewers who embraced the idea that a teenage girl could communicate directly with God. Though the […]

HOUSE: ‘Unplanned Parenthood’

Dude doctors don’t make the best baby-sitters. I should know. My mom dated a doctor once too and would sometimes leave me alone with him. He was my dad. Haha. No, but seriously. True story, they’re not that awesome with kids because they’re far more comfortable focusing their attentions on, you know, things like cutting […]

HOUSE: Selfish

Seven days removed from a Huddy-centric season premiere, HOUSE returned to its traditional formula this week. Writer/producer Eli Attie was assigned the difficult task of weaving the new romance between House and Cuddy into the show’s patient of the week template. As the scribe responsible for writing Allison Cameron’s departure from Princeton Plainsboro, as well […]

HOUSE Season Premiere: Now What?

David Letterman was supposed to follow Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show. Despite a penchant for tweeking NBC executives, Letterman had built a loyal, young audience for his 12:30 Late Night program. As an experienced broadcaster with legitimate comedy chops, the Indiana native never imagined losing out on TV’s most prestigious franchise to […]