TV Sneak Peak: House, M.D.

Fans of House, MD couldn't believe their eyes or ears last spring when all three members of the acerbic doc's team left. Chase was fired. Cameron resigned in solidarity. And Foreman left because he didn't want to be like House. what is in store for House and his fans? Here's a sneak peak (which means spoilers...) of what House 's fourth season will include:

1. House is still the man. British actor Hugh Laurie won legions of American TV fans playing snarky and sneaky Gregory House. He will, obviously, be back, and be just as bad as always. The supporting cast may see some switcheroos, but House will keep on being House.

2. House will still have Cuddy and Wilson to kick around. For three seasons, administrator Cuddy and cancer doc Wilson have been there for House. He has repaid their loyalty, for the most part, by making their lives difficult- breaking rules, and ocassionally drug laws- as he doggedly pursues being right about his patients. For some reason, they still love the guy. This season, both Cuddy and Wilson will be back to take more flack.

3. The ducklings: gone, but, just sorta. House fans for some reason call the three medical fellows Foreman, Cameron, and Chase "the ducklings." Rest assured this season will not begin with the ducklings back in the nest. The young doctors (two of them potentially in love...) will be back on the show, but not as House's underlings. How or when they will return is still up for grabs, as far as the viewers know.

4. Cases in the offing. According to a TVGuide report, two early season 4 cases will include a race car driver like Danica Patrick who needs House to, well, I guess save her life, and a guy with a major face deformity in the vein of the guy from Mask, the 80s movie with Cher.

5. The next contestant on 'The Newbie is Right.' According to this same TVGuide report, House will have a host of new doctors to narrow down and form his new team. He does so by being his usual smartmouthed, borderline evil self- firing and keeping doctors on a whim. He turns it into something of a game show...like that would happen in real life.

4. Kumar goes to House. Among the new docs vying for a spot on House's team will be Harold and Kumar go to White Castle's Kal Penn. Will the character make the final cut? Or will he end up like his 24 character last season- dead. Guess you'll have to stay tuned.

5. House Gone Wilde. Black Donnelly's actress Olivia Wilde will also be on the show. According to TVGuide, Wilde will play a young doc who House "can't quite figure out." Is this a possible love interest? It doesn't say. Though we know House isn't exactly against hitting on younger women or women he works with, or both.

6. The Starter Doc. Another new character will be played by Peter Jacobson who played the movie exec ex-husband on the mini-series this summer The Starter Wife. I'm not sure if he's playing a new doctor or not- though it seems like most new hires will be playing the, well, new hires.

Depsite the changes on the show, you can count on the formula to remain the same: a disease or condition presents itself and House and - whomever else- tries to find out what's going on. There are sure to be many surprising medical mysteries as the fourth season goes on.