Dr. House is in The Nut House?

This season's House opener was not what I expected at all. Even going into the second episode, I like what they have done with the cast. It's not typical. There is an entire part of Dr. Gregory House (played by actor Hugh Laurie) that we are getting to see. Sure, it's a medical show, but why does it have to be just that? I have heard people say that every week is the same basic plot: sick person with unexplained illness, House and team try several different cures without success. House has epiphany and saves the day. Well.... there is a little more to it than that, but I get what they are saying. This season, however, we can't say the same thing. House spent the premiere in an asylum. We learned more about the complex drug-addicted genius in one 2-hour episode than in the first 5 seasons.

We are comfortable enough with the cast that any one of them can carry a scene even without Hugh Laurie there to crack wise. The producers never worry about changing the cast up. We have seen the entire team change, and then even had a doctor who committed suicide as out of the blue as any real suicide. We have seen doctor's abuse their authority, especially House. This year, House is starting from square one. He has even confided to his psychiatrist that he would like to change, be less unhappy. This is another side of House.

Meanwhile, the hospital keeps running. Dr. Eric Foreman (played by Omar Epps) has taken over the leadership role in the diagnostic department. Over the seasons, we've seen Foreman's attitude change toward his job. Now, even if he won't admit it, he has become a carbon copy of his boss, House. Is this new chief of the department right for the job over the brilliant House, even if nobody has to deal with his mind games? I would tend to say, no. Foreman is an ass without being funny. He is very serious, very dry, and shows no mercy when it comes to firing his girlfriend (known as "Thirteen" and played by Olivia Wilde) in order to stay out of an awkward situation. (Like that isn't going to be awkward). Dr. Chris Taub, (played by Peter Jacobson) has generally spoken his mind and gone with the flow trying to remain under the radar, but even he doesn't seem content with Foreman as boss. As he hands his resignation to Foreman, he tells him "I came here to work with House."

Now...where has the diagnostic team gone? Wait!! What about those young doctors who carried the show for the first three seasons? Luckily, they have never left the immediate vicinity even though they have different positions in the hospital.

Enter Dr.'s Chase and Cameron (now married). They come over to work with Foreman, at Dr. Cuddy's prompting. Dr. Cuddy (played by Lisa Edelstein) is an advocate for House. She doesn't even see the point of keeping the department open without the man who made the magic...Dr. House. She's willing to give Dr. Foreman a chance, but it's obvious that it isn't what she wants to do.

Cameron, played by Jennifer Morrison, was the other advocate for House. Both she and Cuddy have had crushes on him, thought only Lisa Cuddy has gone "all the way" with him. She is willing to go back to help out with the current case, but isn't fond of working for Foreman.

Chase, played by Jesse Spencer, is always the one who aims to please. Though a lot has changed since he worked with the team, he is still ready to step up and help the group.

Now, what happens when we throw House back into the mix? He's gone through his changes in the asylum and gone off of his addictive drug of choice, vicodin. Returning to the real world won't be as seamless as he would hope. He's lost his license, but may be able to eventually get that back. He's lost his apartment, which puts his best friend Wilson (played by Robert Sean Leonard) in the position to take him in as a roommate. They have helped each other out in these situations before, but really, who wants House as a roommate? Now we will watch the conflicts unfold throughout the season as House tries to move back in to his old role, which includes taking his vicodin again.

Throughout this struggle, we will be entertained with strange medical mysteries that require his help. Already, we have seen the amazing plot that had James Earl Jones as a political dictator accused of crimes against humanity. Look for more to unfold as we explore his death and the cause!

Nobody can accuse this show on remaining too stagnant. Things change all the time, as in reality. Let's see what happens this season! It's sure to be the last thing we suspect!