Fox's House M.D. Turns Diagnostic Medicine into a Prime-Time Hit

This series follows the quest of Dr. Gregory House (played by Hugh Laurie) a brilliant diagnostician who specializes in infectious diseases. Lacking in bedside manner, House often tries to diagnose his patients without even seeing them at all. His personal struggles with pain help fuel his brutally honest approach to the treatment of everyone. His handpicked team of young experts include: neurologist Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps), who overcame life as a young, black criminal to become who he is; immunologist Dr. Allison Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), whose nurturing and often blinded kindness has lead her down many rough paths, but not from her loving nature; and intensivist Dr. Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer), who is trying to make a name for himself and willing to suck up to anyone he must to get there.

Dr. James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), House's friend for many years, serves as a consultant from time to time, but often just a recipient of House's frustration. The Dean of Medicine and hospital administrator, Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), despises House's approach but in the end would admit the results are always worth the trouble.

House's team are under constant pressure to find answers where no one else could. Arrogant from experience, House often allows the team to suggest and test for things that couldn't possibly be the cause of problems, just to say "I told you so" and present them with the real answer. This insanity has seen his team almost split at least once a season, but they are always brought back. Despite his infinite wisdom House probably couldn't function without his team, even if just for the sake of having someone to prove wrong.

One could begin to wonder how anyone could possible stand day-to-day interaction with someone like House, and he is often forced to deal with the repercussions of his personality. House has been faced with almost losing his job because he rubs a hospital benefactor the wrong way and Cuddy faces the hard decision of keeping House or the major donation. He almost loses each member of his team for very different reasons. He is shot by the husband of a former patient. He even ends up in the middle of a major drug investigation because he pushes the buttons of a police officer in the clinic. Now ending it's third season, House faces the lose of Dr. Foreman, who feels he has become too much like House and is scared of ending up like the sadistic, lonely man that he works for.

House has had the privilege of being nominated for many awards. With such competition as: 24, Lost, The West Wing, and Six Feet Under, it has only received one Emmy (for outstanding writing), but the show and cast have received everything from Golden Globes to NAACP Image Awards for their outstanding acting.

According to IMDB.com, a little on screen romance has blossomed into real love. Jesse Spencer (Dr. Chase) and Jennifer Morrison (Dr. Cameron) became engaged in December of 2006.

House is played on Tuesday nights at 8 pm central. It can also be seen on USA Network. Check your local listings for a dose of informative, yet entertaining medicine.