HOUSE M.D. – Season Four (DVD-Video/Universal)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: B+ Episodes: B-
In the
past this reviewer has sited HOUSE
as a series ‘not to miss’ and ‘the best dose of television around,’ but Season Four does a nose dive for the
first third of the season. Whereas the
entire original cast is around in one way, shape, or form they for the most
part play second fiddle to a new crew of medical hopefuls on team House. Hugh Laurie still plays his character
brilliantly, using the same harsh degree of sarcasm, personality, and genius
that the audience has come to expect; it is not the acting that makes Season Four drag, but it is the odd
structure of the season that is its undoing.
This reviewer is not alone in noticing the distracting changes of this
particular season; the series have its lowest ratings in two seasons. At the same time it should be noted that one
particularly great 4th Season
episode of House entitled ‘Frozen,’ garnered the series’ highest
ratings to date.
Season Four of House begins where Season Three left off with House losing his entire crack team of
specialists (Chase, Cameron, and Foreman).
In a way to find replacements for his former staff, House ‘hires’ forty
new Fellows to help him solve his unusual cases. As the season progresses House uses his cases
and the potential team members’ choices (or lack there of) to narrow them down;
eventually ending up with only three fellows (played by Kal Penn, Peter
Jacobson, and Olivia Wilde). A good
portion of the season consisted of House pitting the medical hopefuls against
one another in a sort of ‘Pathological Olympics.’ The series still contains most of the
elements that make it strong, enticing, and memorable; boasting detailed
medical plots, great acting, and an unbridled use of Hugh Laurie’s genius.
This
reviewer understands that in order for series to stay fresh and relevant an
evolving process must take place, especially when a series is moving into a
make or break point like the Fourth
Season. The problem, however, is
that Season Four of House blind
sided viewers with a new style that watered down certain characters that
audiences have come to love and pushed new characters down our throats. It is more than certain that though the
series cast has grown by a few actors, that the original cast will come back in
full steam; it is just a matter of when and how? After viewing the entire season for a second
time (having seen all the episodes when originally broadcast) this viewer can
say that he enjoyed it more the second time through; once he had time to
reflect on what was going on. Whereas
certain elements made the first third of the season drag to a degree, the end
of the season kicked the series right back up to the level greatness audiences
have come to expect. With diseases that
are diagnosed from thousands of miles away to House being sure his favorite
Soap Opera star is seriously ill via TV, Season
of Four of House may have teetered the line between greatness and insanity,
but in the end delivered a season that healed all wounds.
The
series continues to write the same prescription for its technical features, but
if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The
picture is once again presented in a clear and crisp 1.78 X 1 Anamorphic
Widescreen that has seemed to fix up the brightness issues that were noticeable
on previous seasons and continues to be solid in every other way. The sound also has improved this season as it
is once again presented in its Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks. The sound quality is much more balanced and
manages fill the entire sound stage.
House has always offered fans a fair bit
of interesting extras and this season is no different. The special features include House’s Scoop:
Prescription Passion, New Beginnings, Meet the Writers, The Visual Effects of
House, Anatomy of a Scene: The Bus Crash, My Favorite Episode So Far…, and a
full commentary on the episode ‘House’s Head’ with creator/executive producer
David Shore and executive producer Katie Jacobs. All the extras are entertaining, insightful, and
maintain a solid rewatchable quality.
Where as this reviewer always wants more, the extras found on each
season of House are getting closer
and closer to perfect.
House remains as one of the best series
on television today, a must see and a must own.
Take four seasons and call me in the morning…
- Michael P. Dougherty II
