by David Furritus

Created on: February 20, 2008

Comparing "E.R." to "House"? Why don't we compare apples to oranges while we're at it?

The shows are similar in the fact that both involve doctors working in a hospital where sick people show up. There, the similarity ends.

E.R. takes place in an emergency room where things happen pretty quickly and that steady-cam is making you reach for your motion-sickness pills every episodes. On average, you'll see between four to ten lives saved every episode.

House takes place in a hospital, but mostly in the office of the Department of Diagnostic Medicine (which House is the head of). On average he'll save one patient a week, sometimes two, and in some cases none at all.

E.R. follows the lives (personal and professional) of multiple physicians. The personal lives often overshadow the actual medical cases and when each episode is over you couldn't care less about the patients, but you definitely want to know what's going on with the doctors next week.

House follows the life of one doctor and his staff. Sure, you might get little tidbits about their personal lives, but only enough to keep you interested. The main focus of the show is the actual illnesses and how House and his team deal with it. It's not so much a medical drama show as it is a medical MYSTERY show.

E.R. (like its CBS cousin, "Grey's Anatomy" and other medical dramas) can be quite sappy. Even in the beginning there was far too much drama going on. Whether it was a doctor getting attacked by some random gang banger, another doctor watching a co-worker getting stabbed to death, or that first doctor dying of brain cancer it didn't really matter. It was like watching a soap opera.

House is always fresh and exciting. Hugh Laurie has been doing comedy since his college days and is a master of timing and wit. His infectious style rubs off on the entire cast of the show and even when things are at their most serious they can still say and/or do things that will make you laugh and wonder why the show is still considered a drama.

Now, I'm not saying that either show is better than the other. E.R. was quite good in its early years and it's been on for almost fifteen. House is just halfway through its fourth season and there's already been some cast changes (okay, additions). It's going to be a while before we can truly determine which show it better overall, but for now I'm going to enjoy both on their own individual merits.

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