House, MD is an American medical drama series like nothing I’ve seen on television. It could be described as CSI for mature adults where the symptoms are the crime and medical conditions are the suspects. Without the series cheating and introducing new technology, it’s up to Gregory House and his team to diagnose. Usually the only way to confirm a diganosis is to start to treat it and see if the patient gets better or worse. And often, House and team eliminate what they suspected, add the reaction and any new symptoms to the white board, and re-diganose.
There are many levels on which this show can be enjoyed. Not only is the medical diagnosis interesting, but the main character has his secrets. House is constantly sarcastic and biting, and hooked on pain killers. It could make for a hated character, but Hugh Laurie pulls it off in a way that keeps House sympathetic. One of the things the show’s format and flow does is encourage the viewer to make a diagnosis on House’s personality issues (and re-diagnose when the show proves them wrong).
Unquestionably the best thing I’ve seen on TV. New episodes air Tuesday evening on FOX (US) and Global (Canada). Two seasons are available on DVD.