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I quit watching ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ after one season and returned to ‘House M.D.’: here’s why it’s the No. 1 medical show
I love a good medical drama, and there are plenty out there to choose from on one of the best streaming services. When I watch a medical drama, I want it to hook me from the get-go, and I want it to be all about medicine — I don’t mind a relationship storyline as long as it doesn’t overshadow the crux of the show.
“Grey’s Anatomy” is one show that was repeatedly recommended to me by friends, and I did watch it, but stopped after one season. Hot take: I really don’t care about who’s dating who and heartbreak and whatnot in a medical drama.
Show me patients with complicated illnesses no one has heard of. Show me doctors pulling patients from the brink of death. Show me top-notch acting that makes me believe that the actor is actually a doctor. And that’s exactly what “House” does.
Hugh Laurie’s critically acclaimed series is one of my comfort shows. While I couldn’t get past one season of “Grey’s Anatomy,” the eight seasons of “House” have me begging for more, and I’ve watched all of them more times than I can count on one hand.
What is ‘House’ about?
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The impeccable Hugh Laurie plays the titular character, Gregory House, who uses a cane to support his leg, and he can be best described as a mad genius. The head of diagnostic medicine and someone who’s often unethical and facing legal trouble, House tackles complex cases that other doctors can’t solve, supported by a team of talented specialists with their own demons.
“House” also focuses on the doc’s struggles with his leg pain, with many episodes shedding light on why he is the way he is. The show explores his individual relationships with his team members, including best friend Dr. James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), and hospital administrator and love interest Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein).
Sprinkled with jokes, sarcastic remarks, out-of-pocket quips and a touch of self-loathing, each episode of “House” keeps you coming back for more, making for an easy binge watch.
‘House’ is basically ‘Sherlock’ for medical nerds
I’m not a doctor, no, so I don’t understand the big medical terms that are thrown about in “House” The only thing I can really say is “10cc stat!” and I kinda know what that means.
But my dad and brother are doctors, and the reason I love this show so much is that I used to watch it every night with my dad when I was a teenager. It reminds me of a simpler time.
But also the fact that my dad would try his best to explain what the doctors in “House” were saying, which was really sweet. No, the show is not (very) medically accurate, according to him, but medical dramas rarely are — they’re there to entertain. And you don’t always need fraught relationships to add some spice (looking at you, “Grey’s Anatomy”).
“House” does explore romantic relationships, but it does so tactfully, and it doesn’t feel like that aspect is overshadowing the medical heart of the show. House and his team come up with new ways every time to try and solve a case — they really are like Sherlock Holmes.
Every ‘House’ episode presents a new mystery
Sure, some of the “House” episodes become a little predictable after you’ve watched a season or two. The team will think they have solved the case halfway through, but a complication occurs and, really, the case gets solved only in the final 10 minutes. I’m not complaining, though, because I find that really thrilling — the show has me on the edge of my seat every time.
Whether the team is dealing with a one-in-a-million case of smallpox or tuberculosis picked up by a patient in Africa, or even misdiagnosed schizophrenia, each episode has moments that make your jaw drop.
Exploring humanity in ‘House’
One thing I adore about “House” is how it discusses mental health problems and emotional turmoil as a result of physical pain. House may be shrewd and insensitive, even cruel, but each episode sheds light on his past and what he deals with on the inside. You end up relating to the pain caused by the clotting aneurysm in his thigh, and sometimes, you empathize with him too.
There’s humanity behind the madness, as you see when, for instance, House’s hand touches a baby’s while the baby is still in the womb, and you see a flicker of humanity in his somber expression. Moments like that make the show what it is, and what it is is one of the greatest series ever made (in my humble opinion).
I also ended up empathizing with James Wilson, House’s best friend (really his only friend). Wilson is the complete opposite of House: great at dealing with terminal patients (as he’s an oncologist), wildly optimistic and liked by almost everyone.
But he has been through a few divorces and failed relationships, so you know he’s damaged, too, just like House. There’s something sad yet beautiful in the remark House makes: “The only relationship you haven’t given up on is the one with me.”
I’ve always felt strongly about how, aside from the medical crux, the core of the show is House and Wilson’s friendship. Sure, House dates Cuddy and Jennifer Morrison’s Cameron is always pining after him, but at the end of the day, it’s House and Wilson who find their way back to each other (and the show ends on a lovely note).
Stream all eight seasons of ‘House’ on Prime Video, Hulu or Peacock
For more recommendations, check out the 7 best medical dramas you should binge.
