We watched the first five seasons years ago and then decided to stop. It was getting a bit repetitive: a critically ill patient comes into the hospital, Dr. House and his team try to treat them, and the first three attempts fail, but the fourth one does the trick. The formulaic repetition became a bit tiresome, so we put the series on hold. Until we realized we could still finish watching it through Prime Video.

You Don’t Have to Like Him

Fortunately, the focus is often on the character of Dr. House, portrayed by Hugh Laurie. There’s nothing quite as enjoyable as watching him play a rather unpleasant man whom you still hope won’t fail. Deep down, you always wish he can be saved from all his mistakes. House is not just an annoying doctor; he’s addicted, self-centered, and doesn’t want help from anyone. But you know what? You don’t have to like a character to enjoy a TV series.

Through House’s behavior, you start to appreciate the other characters more. Take his best friend, Wilson, for example: is he a pushover who lets House walk all over him, or is he genuinely connected to House in friendship? And what about his team: all intelligent people, yet he repeatedly makes them feel like he’s a hundred times smarter. I noticed that the other characters grew and became better people through their interactions with House.

Solving the Puzzle

As I mentioned, in the early seasons, the focus is on solving the puzzle: what is the patient suffering from, and how will they get better? But the puzzle is not the real essence of the show. It’s about the relationships the patient has with the people around them. It’s about how people deal with difficult times. How do you react when you think your life will never be the same?

And that may all sound very dramatic. Sometimes it is: parents discovering their child has lied to them, or a man finding out his wife is a manipulative narcissist. However, most of the time, there’s also humor involved. House can be just like a mischievous child. It’s annoying for the characters around him, but incredibly entertaining when you can observe from a distance.

Great to Watch Together

This is one of those series that is actually far outside our usual interests. We often watch science fiction and comedies, but hospital dramas like this are not usually our thing. However, the show is very enjoyable to watch together, perhaps even as a family – with slightly older kids, of course. You start guessing if they have the correct diagnosis now. Or who’s lying. Or what the reaction of House or his boss will be. And it’s genuinely delightful to see Hugh Laurie at work.

If you’re wondering, “Where do I know him from?” think of Blackadder, A Bit of Fry & Laurie (with Stephen Fry), and even the live-action version of 101 Dalmations. These are usually comedic roles. But really talented actors can play both deep, dramatic roles, like that of an addicted doctor, and hilarious fools. That’s why House eventually became a series we had to see all the way through. And it was worth it.