by Blanche Cannon

Created on: February 13, 2010

As TV shows go, Fox’s House, M.D. has at times verged on revolutionary.  Although the archetype of the abrasive, anti-social genius has been around for ages (think Sherlock Holmes), House made it tangible for the modern generation.  The result is a fascinating character whom everyone loves to hate - and most want to become.

House himself, a product of good writing and even better acting on the part of Hugh Laurie, is the biggest selling point of the series.  New viewers tend to be distracted by his arrogance and self-serving nature, but it only takes a few episodes to turn this personal skepticism into true loyalty and affection for the character, who, under a uncaring front, does seem to have a strong sense of right and wrong.  His manipulation of this sense gives viewers something to think about, if they wish to look deeper than the week’s gripping (if sometimes implausible) medical mystery.

House, like Holmes, is the self-aware genius who understands that he can get away with anything, due to an uncanny ability to get the answer right every time.  His friends (James Wilson, an oncologist, and Lisa Cuddy, a hospital administrator) are wary of his insensitivity, but seemingly too fascinated to look away.  His staff, a team of younger doctors with an unrelenting desire to learn from House, are constantly parrying his threats to terminate their jobs.

House’s appeal, which reaches men and women regardless of sexual orientation, is wrapped up in his abrasive front and constant deflections of intimacy.  The show has made blunt comparisons between House and patients with disorders like autism and psychopathy, and these comparisons seem to speak to a mildly dysfunctional modern public, many of whom fancy themselves more or less incapable of success in relationships.  On some level, viewers admire House for his ability to ignore the feelings and opinions of others.

The melodramatic personal lives of individuals caught up in all-consuming careers consistently make for quality entertainment, and doctors have long been fodder for this type of television.  Unlike its more complex predecessors ER and Gray’s Anatomy, House stays true to its formula, which consists of a weekly medical mystery that only House can solve.  

This unchanging routine can be appealing to viewers who prefer to keep their investment casual while still enjoying a little drama and suspense.  However, the show’s

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