Starring: Hugh Laurie Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Binding: DVD Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Fox Network Number of Discs: 6 Number of Items: 6 Region Code: 1 Release Date: August 22, 2006 Running Time: 1044 minutes Theatrical Release Date: November 16, 2004
Product Description: Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie is on call as sardonic Dr. Gregory House in Season Two of the smash-hit House television s most intelligent and provocative drama. This 6-disc collection features all 24 innovative episodes exclusive bonus materials and some of today's brightest guest stars including Sela Ward Ron Livingston LL Cool J and Cynthia Nixon. Be a part of this medical mystery-solving team as House and his staff take on baffling cases in the gripping show critics are calling "both hilarious and heartbreaking; this could be network TV s best current series." David Kronke Los Angeles Daily News.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 025192960024 Manufacturer No: 61029600
Amazon.com: The overall strength of the second season of House, M.D. proves that its first-year success wasn't a fluke. This season starts with Dr. House (Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie) pursuing his ex-wife Stacy (Sela Ward) and ending with a tragedy that could potentially be deadly for himself and two colleagues. The premise of each show follows a set routine--a patient is brought in with unusual symptoms; House challenges his trio of underlings to diagnose the problem; they treat the patient, usually incorrectly the first few tries; and then at the very last minute--through a revelation that often has little to do with the patient--House figures out what's wrong and saves the day. It would be easy for this set up to grow old fast. But because of the smart writing, nuanced acting, and believability of the characters (who're often dealing with unbelievable scenarios), the formula works on each of the 24 episodes that aired on Fox during the 2005-2006 season. Viewers have been conditioned by the Marcus Welbys of the TV world to think of doctors as saviors. Even on ER, the most narcissistic physician was selfless at heart. But House is a different breed. When he's at an off-track betting parlor and a woman collapses, he doesn't miss a beat. Still eying his race on television, he asks, "Is anybody here a doctor?" He'll mock a sick patient's complaints with a sarcastic, "Boo hoo!" And, if there happens to be a dead body around, he has no qualms about shooting it if he believes that could help diagnose another gun-shot victim.
Not that he's any more reasonable or compassionate to his boss Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), his oncologist best friend Wilson (Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard), or his young charges Foreman (Omar Epps), Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), and Chase (Jesse Spencer). He instructs his doctors to break into patients' homes as if they're cat burglars. He does not know the meaning of the phrase "politically correct." But because he spits out insults (as if he has a mild case of Tourette's) equally to both his patients and colleagues, the latter never flinch at his constant stream of inappropriateness. When his three young doctors storm into his office to report the declining condition of a patient by blurting out, "We have rectal bleeding," House says, "What? All three of you?" To sensitive Wilson, who is trying to get some work done without being interrupted, House says, "I know you're in there. I can hear you caring." And when Foreman's father says, "My son says you're a manipulative bastard," House replies, "It's a pet name. I call him Dr. Bling." Of course House actually does care about his patients, but he views a good bedside manner as the luxury of a doctor who has a healthy patient. But dying patients with seemingly incurable diseases need something more. They need House. --Jae-Ha Kim
Making a 5 Star Show Better House M.D. - Season 2 Recently I watched the complete first season of House M.D.; I thought it was a perfect show. House was gripping, entertaining, and a complete jerk. I loved him. Season 2 takes this show to an entirely new level though. House is established within the first few episodes for those who have not seen the initial season. After this, the series begins to build more characters that are dynamic. As if House was not enough, they now develop the personality of his team of doctors. Chase, Foreman, and Carmen all go through character cycles that build on you.
House is a painkiller-addicted doctor who walks with a limp due to a muscle being removed in his leg. He is the best doctor in the hospital, but is often apathetic and hates patients. The storyline of a common episode will depict House and his team trying to find out what is wrong with an abnormal patient. They will come up with a solution and find out it is wrong. Then they continue to find solutions until they find the right one. Along the way, there is plenty of gore and snide remarks on behalf of House. Almost every episode has this underlying pattern.
The episodes often break off into side plots, which actually become the main plot. This creates multiple captivating plots. Character development branches off these side plots. At the end of the Season, you feel like you know each character. You do not just know there character, but you know their ideals and personality given any situation.
Foreman changes his character drastically about four times. Each time is progressive and makes perfect sense though. Not only does is dialogue change, but his appearance changes. Foreman came off as my favorite character in Season 2. I am not one for being a crybaby, but Foreman gave a heart-wrenching performance in a few episodes.
This Season of House M.D. is better than the original. I advise picking up both though. Each episode is great in its own way. The Season finale will have you so far on the edge of your seat that you will be on the floor. Buy this 6-disk set today or you are an idiot.
Gregory House is exceptional as Sherlock Holmes This is a great series with fine actors given extraordinary scripts so they can show off their talents. House is the perfect antihero. He's certainly not Doctor Kildare, but despite his handicaps, physical and emotional, he never wavers from doing right--at least in his eyes.
Have we seen this character before? Of course. As many have pointed out, Gregory House is based on Sherlock Holmes. He's arrogant, a drug abuser, solves murderous mysteries, plays a musical instrument, has a best friend named Wilson instead of Watson (who, like Holmes, he always calls by his last name), lives at the same street address (221B), gets bored easy, and at a glance he can deduce a person's recent activities
The creators pay homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (a doctor that says Holmes was based partly on Dr. Bell) by giving their characters similar names to Doyle's creation and throwing occasional hints at the audience; like the episode where House says he got another Conan Doyle book for Christmas or giving the man who shot House the name of Moriarty.
If you find the Holmes/House connections interesting, you might try http://www.housemd-guide.com/holmesian.php, a site dedicated to the House series.
Most people don't realize that Sherlock Holmes is the most depicted character in film--over 200 movies or TV shows. Perhaps they ought to add all the House episodes to this tally.
The Shut Mouth Society The Shopkeeper
I Love It After the triumphant debut of the first season of House, many people believed it couldn't be topped. How wrong they were. Season Two not only shut up all the skeptics, it slapped them for even being doubtful. Season Two not only had the absence of the annoying character of Vogler, it gave us a deeper insight into all the characters. At the end of Season One we were introduced to House's ex Stacy. During Season Two we're given a more complex look on their past and their true relationship. The Stacy/House episodes introduce to the fans a deeper complexity to House and we see a more genuine side, rather than the typically cynical House we're used to.
There is one episode which I found a bit too much and felt it was pushing to be controversial. I know it still had a point and didn't fail to entertain and give some deep meaningful message that some will miss somewhere. I'm not going to tell you the episode as you will all know it when you see it. This season also features two very tough to deal with episodes as Foreman is taken down by a life threatening disease, that even House struggles to solve.
As always the show is filled with excellent quotes by House and the team. Below are some of my picks.
From Episode 1: Acceptance:
Foreman: "Aren't there better ways to spend our time?"
House: "Good question. What makes a person deserving? Is a man who cheats on his wife more deserving than a man who kills his wife?"
Foreman: "Uh yeah. Actually, he is."
House: "What about a child molester? Certainly not a good guy, but he didn't kill anybody. Maybe he can get antibiotics, but no MRIs. What about you? What medical care should you be denied for being a car thief? Tell you what: the three of you work out a list of what medical treatments a person loses based on the crime they committed. I'll review it when I get back."
From Episode 5: Daddys Boy:
House: "Gimme a reason to get out of this, and I'll tell you who started the rumor about you being a transsexual."
Cuddy: "There is no such rumor."
House: "There will be unless you get me out of this dinner."
From Episode 24: No Reason:
House: "Here's how life works: you either get to ask for an apology or you get to shoot people. Not both."
House=Unique House rocks! I rarely watch TV, but stumbled upon the show one boring evening looking for something to do. Since then, I have ordered all the DVDs and have pre-ordered the fourth season. I identify with the House main character who goes against the grain to fight for patients lives. I am a teacher who has also had to go against the grain to fight for what is right for my students.
House M.D. This season was as innovative and captivating as the first season. All the episodes had a unique and new disease, some of which being devastating some being comical. House lives up to his reputation as a brilliant doctor and refreshingly cruel person in his honesty. This season is ended with a pivotal and almost horrifying finale; Dr. House's life hanging in the balance.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
