TV Review: House Limps Back for First Two Episodes of Season

I loved last year's finale of House -- the possibilities seemed endless now that the cranky doctor had fired Chase, and Cameron and Foreman had walked out the door. What would happen next, now that those closest to House had either deserted him or had been pushed out the door?

Apparently -- not much.

Don't get me wrong, a half-good episode of House is still significantly more entertaining than most other shows, but the first two episodes of the new season, which Fox was kind enough to send me, are a bit of letdown. As complicated and interesting as House is on his own, it seems he needs a team around him to really let him shine.

Part of the problem in the season premiere is the case -- despite an unexpected twist in the final act of the episode, it's just not all that interesting, which means that the characters do the heavy lifting in the episode. Cuddy (the priceless Lisa Edelstein) has told House that if he doesn't solve the case on his own within a day, than he will be forced to hire a support team to replace Chase, Cameron and Foreman.

Of course, watching House do his brilliant thing is fun, but without worthy foils to play off, House's ill-humor just doesn't register in quite the same way. I, as the viewer, missed Jesse Spencer, Jennifer Morrison and Omar Epps as much as House missed Chase, Cameron and Foreman.

Each of the three docs does make a brief appearance in the second episode, but to be honest, it kind of made me just miss them more! House has chosen 40 potential doctors and is weeding them out reality show-style (not to mention calling them only by their number) to determine who will make his replacement team. Giving House three dozen hapless residents to play off gives Hugh Laurie ample opportunity to show off his way with a cutting one-liner, and the case in this episode, about a NASA pilot who doesn't want her bosses to know that something may be wrong with her, is definitely stronger, but the episode still doesn't feel like classic House. It might help if the potential residents had made stronger impressions -- as of now, Olivia Wilde's cool and knowledgeable #13 is the only one who's made much on an impression.

I'm guessing by episode 3, with most of the residents cut and Cameron, Chase and Foreman back in the picture at Princeton Plainview, that things will kick into high-gear for the rest of the season, but the first two episodes, while definitely worth watching, were a bit of a disappointment. I'm gonna hang in there, though -- he may almost kill you before you get there, but House always come through in the end to save the day.

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