House, M.D. - Season Four Spoilers

September 25 will mark the return of House, M.D. to our television screens. When we parted with House in season three, he was welcoming change in form of a new guitar and losing his staff. So what awaits us when we reunite with House in Season Four?

Spoilers have been hitting the web since mid-summer. The new TV Guide edition features Gregory House as he "auditions" a new staff. Rumor has it that house will interview about 40 new doctors at the start of the season, and narrow down his selection as the show progresses in a manner suitable for a reality show (I'm unsure who exactly gets to vote these guys off). The picture in the TV Guide features the newbies wearing numbers, sort of like American Idol contestants. Something tells me that House will make this process as cynical and as impersonal as possible. We are told that he will settle on four new faces - two male and two female - but at the end, only two of the four will remain as series regulars.

Don't worry, though - while new folks will enter the scenes, Foreman, Chase and Cameron will be back. Initially, these three will be showing up as House's hallucinations. But in their real lives, Cameron and Chase are together (which is where we left of in Season Three) in Arizona, and Foreman is working at Mercy Hospital. The threesome returns to the show full-time, but not immediately. Cameron gets reassigned to the ER, and Chase works as a surgeon. Foreman loses his job at Mercy and comes back, although we don't know what his role will be at the hospital. It is unclear how these three will be interacting with House, and if they will assume their old roles by end of Season Four.

Three main things with House as it relates to his personal life. First, House will have a short-term love interest - a female patient who races cars will catch his attention, but this will not result in anything serious. Second, Cuddy and House will not pair up in the traditional sense, but may have moments of exploring their interest in each other (we witness some of their tension in Season Three, as house breaks up Cuddy's date). Third, House will consider amputating his leg as a way to get rid of the constant pain he experiences.

There have not been any rumors about story lines that involve Wilson. We are certain that he will not continue to pursue his relationship with Cuddy, and is likely to have his patience tested with House as he hires his new staff.

The first episode of the season is titled Alone, but don't let that fool you. House will have some great guest stars this season. Emma Thompson, a long time friend of Hugh Laurie's, is said to want to appear on the show, but nothing has been confirmed. The cast of the new doctors will include Peter Jacobson and Anne Dudek, both scheduled to appear in the first eight episodes of the season.

With all the unresolved story lines from Season Three, it is no wonder that the next season promises fast-moving plots, philosophical conundrums, and the cynical dry humor we have all grown to love.