Why Audiences Love Dr. House

It is no secret that the drama characters entering our homes day and night are specifically designed, or written, to appeal to the masses. If they weren't how would any respecting network maintain their ratings? They wouldn't. So week after week we tune in to the television, and invite these characters into our home. But America is not stupid. We wouldn't fall for any ole stereotype. We need stereotypes in disguise! And that is exactly what we watch.

Gregory House (in the hit Drama House) played by Hugh Laurie is no exception. Arguably, he is one of the most crafty, likable characters on Television today. In fact, almost every aspect of his multi-dimensional character appeals to someone, somewhere - which makes his quirkiness almost as appealing as the guy next door. However, far too rooted in pain and insecurity, we can't help but love this doctor "everybody loves to hate." After all, he is all of us...just a little. The writers of House have hit a grand slam.

What's in a Name?

Ever considered how many people you know with the last name House? Odds are, not many. But what does that name imply? Well, a house is a dwelling, no doubt. But it is not necessarily a home. In fact, the word house and home in themselves, invoke different feelings. That is exactly what we get with the character. We get a shelter that is designed to be a gathering place, a place to take refuge - but in the end, it is just a house, not home where we always feel warm and welcome. Dr. House's very name implies the character that he is. He is not warm and most people do not feel comfortable in his presence. Yet, we are drawn, and that is the magic, the subtle realization that we are just like him.

Genius/Moron

House is supposed to be some super-genius Doctor, a total unconventional renegade, who is unmatched in his risk taking. This probably doesn't describe many of us, but there is a part in us all that wants to be at the top of our game, that wants to be the best! If not, we sure do like people that are. Every hero that ever lived was the best at something. The Super bowl is the most widely watched program in the world, the best athletes. And the Olympics appeals to us all at some level. This notion of the "best" is force we draw to, for the sheer fact that we know how hard it is to get there, or that it is just a divine gift. Either way, it's very appealing. So why would we not like the best Doctor? We all need doctors and it gives us a morsel of hope to think there are truly genius experts out there.

But with most genius, comes the moron. This is a side of House that is never stated, but we all know that no one can run around acting like that, or saying the things he says. We would be fired, for one. For two, no one would respect us or like us. Very few can stand alone on skill and throw every other living "people-skill" out the window and still come out on top. It would take a seriously confident individual to behave this way. There is probably a soul out there, just like that, but a very small percentage of the population indeed.

Cripple

Dr House "The Cripple," is perhaps a metaphor. Though he is super-able in mind, his body fails him. Either we relate to pain physically, or we gravitate to weakness. Perhaps it is a little of both. It is not the mercy play that gets us, it is the way the physical aspect doesn't interfere with success at all. How attractive and yet how unrealistic! The good news is we see this get the best of House as a drug addict. (Tongue in Cheek) His pain and prescription drug addiction add believability to his character.

Addict

House has a Vicodin addiction (for pain), or did for seasons. Eventually, he went to a rehab of sorts. There probably isn't a home in America that is untouched by some form of addiction. Whether we are addicted to food, or prescription drugs, or a glass of wine every night or more, most everyone is guilty of indulgence. If not, it is highly likely that a person in our immediate network is: family, friend or neighbor. This is a facet of Gregory House that everyone can relate to on some level. In fact, it is reassuring to see someone of wealth; prestige and status contend with something that befalls the common man. This side of House draws viewers closer to his character than many probably realize. We empathize and more, we love him for it.

Love and Trust

Speaking of Love, House has a brick wall built which makes him a distant character - exactly how many of us feel about the often elusive "love." That in all of these seasons has yet to find love, or be able to fully put his trust in another. Ah, the play on the most core emotion of mankind; the need for love. Ultimately, this is a tone we look for week to week; for House to let his guard down, and really experience faith and love. It has yet to happen, in fact, we all struggle to imagine what that even looks like, but - there we sit, prime time and a part of us wonders if it will ever be possible. What a parallel to life, almost as grand as wrestling with God.

Struggle with God

Finally, an undertone that pops up almost every third week is House's struggle to truly embrace how infallible he is. In the world of medicine and able to "fix" so many things, he never concedes to a divine maker. Still, it is presented over and over and there is a sense that he doesn't believe his own convictions. Hello World. In this world of freedom of religion, nothing could be more amuck among men than their belief in God, the creator. It is the most timeless argument of the ages. Let's cram that into this character too! Whoa, the writers had no small feat!

Ultimately, it isn't the man's-man on a crotch rocket in a killer leather coat that we love so much. It isn't the "man we love to hate" who says exactly what he wants to say, leaving jaws dropped and feelings of others in the dust. It is the Genius, the moron, the addict...the struggle that we love. It is the hope for love and the quest for answers to the universe. If you haven't watched House lately, tune in. Or, you could always spend an hour looking in the mirror. But, you're probably not as funny...as House.