VINYL Comes to Blu-ray

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Vinyl - The Complete First Season' on Blogcritics.

HBO’s new drama is Vinyl, which only recently completed its freshman run, will soon be available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital HD. Created by Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese, Terence Winter, and Rolling Stone contributing editor Rich Cohen, Vinyl is set in the New York City music industry of the 1970s, and although lots of familiar names are dropped, the main characters are fictional. With deservedly mixed reviews, it isn’t HBO’s strongest entry, but I found it worth watching just the same.

At the center of Vinyl is Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale,Ant-Man, Nurse Jackie), an exec trying to sell his struggling company. Richie once had a real love of music, as viewers get to see in flashbacks peppered throughout the installment, but now he’s older and settled. Married to Devon (Olivia Wilde, Rush, House), Richie seems ready to get away from the chaos and cacophony. Were he able to get back to what he loved about the art form, he might stick around, but surrounded by business crap, he’s ready to be done. If he can just make one last deal to get himself out.

Surrounding Richie is a delightful cast. Among those performers joining Bobby at the office are Ray Romano (Parenthood), Max Casella (Inside Llewyn Davis), P.J. Byrne (The Wolf of Wall Street), and Juno Temple (Maleficent). With this ensemble, I would watch just about any series they choose to do.

Despite this, though, like Winter and Scorsese’s last HBO show, Boardwalk Empire, Vinyl starts slow. Really slow. After hour one, I started distractedly playing games on my phone. I feel bad that I wasn’t giving the show my full attention, but it doesn’t seem like anything very interesting is happening, and that is disappointing, considering everything the series has going for it. Richie is boring and the flashbacks don’t really add anything to the present-day storyline, other than to flesh Richie out a bit. It feels tired.

Thankfully, by hour two, things really take a turn. Part of it is Andrew Dice Clay’s (Entourage, Blue Jasmine) character and the events surrounding him. But part of it is that who Richie truly is comes to the surface.

Richie isn’t the bland, typical personality one thinks he is at first. We see him doing drugs and lying to his wife, and it’s easy to pigeonhole him as just another blowhard in a crazy world who puts himself first and gives into his passions. Except, he’s not, and once that is realized, Vinyl comes to life. Once we’re able to see that Richie really does love Devon and is trying to do right by her; once we see the pressure he is under and how much he struggles to cope with it; that’s when the series becomes unique and fresh and makes its mark.

Though, it remains uneven throughout the 10 episodes, never hitting the potential established in the double-length pilot. I kept wanting Vinyl to be something better than it is, do something more. It’s good, but it’s not as great as it could be. Maybe we’ll get to see it reach the peak in season two.

The argument for going HD on this one is how dark many of the scenes are. Set in clubs and nighttime streets, you’ll want to get the best picture quality to see the layers of grey and what’s happening in the shadows. Also, with some great music, it’s worth it to make the best use of the soundtrack. So, as always, I recommend choosing Blu-ray or Digital HD over standard.

The extras are sadly few. We do get an extended version of “Making Vinyl: Recreating the ’70s,” which is appreciated, though mostly seen before if you’re a frequent watcher of the network. We also get the “Inside the Episode” bits that HBO now regularly features as part of their broadcasts. Besides collecting material already released, the only thing new on the discs are audio commentaries. Thankfully, Cannavale, Wilde, Winter, and others participate, so they are worth listening to. Still, I’m hoping season two provides a bit more, this release basically hitting the minimum on bonus features, which far too many seasons do these days.

Vinyl: The Complete First Season is available now for digital download and will be released on disc June 7, 2016.

VINYL Not as Worn as First Appears

Article first published as VINYL Review on Seat42F.

HBO’s newest drama is VINYL, which premiered its two-hour pilot last night. Set in 1970s New York, the series is about the music industry and a particular era of rock ‘n’ roll music. While the main characters are fictional, the band names and music are mostly real. Created by Martin Scorsese, Terence Winter, Mick Jagger, and Rolling Stone contributing editor Rich Cohen, its bona fides are legit.

At the center of VINYL is Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale, Ant-Man, Nurse Jackie), an exec trying to sell his struggling company. Richie once had a real love of music, as viewers get to see in flashbacks peppered throughout the installment, but now he’s older and settled. Married to Devon (Olivia Wilde, Rush, House), Richie seems ready to get away from the chaos and cacophony. Were he able to get back to what he loved about the art form, he might stick around, but surrounded by business crap, he’s ready to be done. If he can just make one last deal to get himself out.

Surrounding Richie is a delightful cast. Among those performers joining Bobby at the office are Ray Romano (Parenthood), Max Casella (Inside Llewyn Davis), P.J. Byrne (The Wolf of Wall Street), and Juno Temple (Maleficent). With this ensemble, I would watch just about any series they choose to do.

Despite this, though, like Winter and Scorses’s last HBO show, Boardwalk Empire, VINYL starts slow. Really slow. After hour one, I started distractedly playing games on my phone. I feel bad that I wasn’t giving the show my full attention, but it doesn’t seem like anything very interesting is happening, and that is disappointing, considering everything the series has going for it. Richie is boring and the flashbacks don’t really add anything to the present-day storyline, other than to flesh Richie out a bit. It feels tired.

However, late in the second hour, things really take a turn. Part of it is Andrew Dice Clay’s (Entourage, Blue Jasmine) character and the events surrounding him. But part of it is that who Richie truly is comes to the surface.

Richie isn’t the bland, typical personality one thinks he is at first. We see him doing drugs and lying to his wife, and it’s easy to pigeonhole him as just another blowhard in a crazy world who puts himself first and gives into his passions. Except, he’s not, and once that is realized, VINYL comes to life. Once we’re able to see that Richie really does love Devon and is trying to do right by her; once we see the pressure he is under and how much he struggles to cope with it; that’s when the series becomes unique and fresh and makes its mark.

I find myself wondering if there is anything VINYL could have done to hook viewers in sooner. I mean, the music is great from the start, and that is what first interests me, before the story starts to drag. Some of the supporting characters are also intriguing, but aren’t in it as much as Richie, and so get forgotten between scenes. But could the audience have understood Richie and his world without getting all the set up first, even if the set up didn’t play out as entertaining as it should have?

In the end, I have a hard time judging VINYL harshly, and actually want to go back and re-watch it more closely. By the credits of the premiere, I am fully on board with VINYL. It just takes awhile to get there. Had the show done a traditional single-hour kick off, it could easily have gotten skipped by me. But with the two-hour format, the program does its job and proves itself. If you tuned out early, go back and give it another chance. It’s worth it.

VINYL airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.

Jason Segel hosts Saturday Night Live

     The (currently) elusive funny episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live comes somewhat close this week, at least at times. This week's show opens with a look at Mitt Romney "Raw & Unleashed." Then it moves on to a monologue with guest appearances by several Muppets, a rerun of the Red Flag perfume commercial, and auditions to replace Regis Philbin. After that, there is another parody commercial, the return of the kissing family, Weekend Update with Seth Meyers, Kermit the Frog, and Jon Huntsman, and a retirement party sketch. Finally, a commercial for New Jack Swing, a digital short, Andre the Giant, and a local band.

     Any fault within the hour is surely not to be blamed on Jason Segel. He is versatile enough to handle the handful of characters he is given, and musical guest Florence, of Florence + the Machine, even participates in a couple of bits. Both are charming, and deserve praise for their appearance.

     Segel kicks off his monologue with a song, and is joined by a number of his Muppet movie co-stars. Their interaction is playful, but not too childish, getting back to the root of Muppets with attitude, a key element in the early, great Muppet films. They also remind viewers that Muppets are in the earliest episodes of Saturday Night Live, so it is fitting that they return.

     Segel is very clever with his "Andre the Giant Chooses an Ice-cream Flavor," bringing back a man many have not seen in quite some time. Odd, nostalgic bits like this are usually quite good, and without having to be timely, are more likely to be funny. Plus, who doesn't enjoy a giant with a tiny ice-cream cone? Who?

     Jason Sudeikis has really honed his Mitt Romeny. It still feels a bit too colored by Sudeikis himself, but the material is getting better. The opening, featuring Mitt "Raw & Unleashed" is quite good, playing up the blandness of the expected Republican presidential candidate. SNL is frequently best around election times, and this act is a positive indication it may be so again in next year's cycle.

     The final sketch of the night, featuring a Massachusetts bar band that references many local things in their music, is only OK. But the joy in that bit comes from cameos of a couple of Muppets, Florence, and Paul Rudd enjoying the tunes. They save the sketch from being a complete waste of time.

     Even in the worst Saturday Night Live episode, Weekend Update delivers, and this week is no different. Seth Meyers gets some great zingers in, including a particularly unexpected one with a Lego that is sure to crack up. Jon Huntsman's actual guest spot is kind of lame, but only because the man isn't very funny in his delivery, and his appearance reeks of desperation to stay in the race. That is not a comment on his politics, just his presence in a sketch comedy series. However, then Kermit shows up to do the wonderful "Really!?!"  recurring segment with Seth, and all is put back right in the world. Perhaps Kermit should be more of a regular co-host.

     Digital Shorts tend to only be really good when there's a song involved. This week's is just not up to par. Except for a cool cameo by Olivia Wilde (House, Cowboys & Aliens), there is absolutely nothing memorable about the short. One longs for another hit like "Lazy Sunday," "D*** in a Box," or "I'm On a Boat."

     The major problem this week is recycled material, bringing back recurring sketches that are not funny the first time, and milking them for yet another laugh that isn't there. The kissing family is only novel in the first place because of the originality and gross factor. But upon reusing it, it loses much of its luster. Even Paul Rudd's return cameo as a member of the clan doesn't help it to live up to expectations.

     On a similar note, the Red Flag commercial is amusing at first viewing, but does not bear repeating. This isn't even a recurrence of a former sketch, but actually airing the exact same, pre-filmed spot. Saturday Night Live does tend to reuse its commercials from time to time, but that's a little sad, given that new sketches are cut to make room for them. Does that mean there just isn't any more funny material waiting for airtime?

     The "Time Life New Jack Swing" commercial may not be exactly a repeat, but it sure feels like one. In recent years, SNL just trots out a bunch of fake musical acts in a certain genre and proclaims it funny. It's not. It's tired and has been done far too often. Time to ditch the conceit.

     A segment about a retirement party falls completely flat. Segel's character is interesting, but Kristen Wiig, the cast's go-to girl, just comes across as annoying in this go round. Her parts need to be better considered, as she really is brilliantly funny, but often used in the wrong way.

     Finally, the Regis replacement auditions could have been really great, but instead, seem like a flimsy excuse to trot out the best impressions the cast has to offer. There is nothing wrong with that, as there are some spot-on parodies of Ricky Gervais, Garrison Keillor, and the return of Wiig's brilliant Kathy Lee. However, because so many others are squeezed in, it just doesn't flow. For a segment like this, there needs to be fewer, and longer, impersonations for it to really soar.
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     Ah, well. There are still plenty more chances to get things right, and with the election just around the corner, it seems more likely. Watch Saturday Night Live Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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Article first published as TV Review: Saturday Night Live - "Jason Segel; Florence + the Machine" on Blogcritics.

House gives up "Twenty Vicodin"

     As season eight of FOX's House begins with "Twenty Vicodin," the titular character (Hugh Laurie) is about to be paroled from prison after serving a year behind bars. Only five days to go, if he can stay out of trouble. A medical mystery presents itself, and House bonds slightly  with a prison doctor, Jessica Adams (Odette Annable, Breaking In, Brothers & Sisters), as they solve the case together. Remarkably, House puts up with tormenting from an enforcer (Jude Ciccolella, 24) and unrealistic demands without complaint, but just hasn't figured out what ails his patient (Sebastian Sozzi, My Generation). So at the last minute, House sacrifices his freedom to provide healing. This earns his another six months, but he was right.

     Many fans were furious about the season seven finale, when House drives his car into Cuddy's (Lisa Edelstein) house. They argued that this time he had gone too far, and that's indisputable. But from a character standpoint, especially when, as House says in "Twenty Vicodin," he knew no one was in any real danger, it makes perfect sense. Hopefully, this premiere will help ease that negativity. He has taken his consequence, forgoing a lawyer to earn a harsher sentence, and is punishing himself worse than anyone else can. He even tries to quit medicine, until he comes to understand that his gift for diagnosing, and the drive that makes it his obsession, is something he just cannot change about himself.

     The episode itself is pretty cool. Not because it's action packed. In fact, it's sort of the opposite. Not because it's a huge, dramatic stand alone feat, which has been done on House before, because the episode actually seems fairly mundane. But because "Twenty Vicodin" explores the essential character of House, who he is without all of the trappings of life he has surrounded himself with. He has no friends, no office, not a single luxury. Instead, in the absence of what most people typically define themselves by, he explores his self. In this, the episode soars.

     Details are an element that House does well, and once more, they are rule the day. House may have a big case to solve, but he also takes the time to help his roommate's pet cricket. The nurses and fellow prisoners trust him to monitor medications being given out. He is allowed to come into the clinic, something most prisoners probably aren't given the opportunity to do. He even gets away with giving a tracheotomy with a guard watching, and is never punished or accused of hurting anyone. And, of course, House only smiles at the very end, when he is proven right. He has reaffirmed who he is, and knows what he's good at. It's given him back his self worth.

     Where will House go from here? The preview for next week indicates he will soon be leaving his prison cell behind. While the jailhouse installment is cool, House will never work outside of the hospital for very long, so this is wise. Jessica is fired for listening to House, and since they work well together, he will probably try to get her hired, whenever he finds he has enough status to do so. But Cuddy is gone for good, a new boss will be in place, and his friendship with Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) seems finished, considering Wilson never visits him in prison. It's hard to blame Wilson for doing so, but this means House will not be resuming his life. Nor does Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) show up, even though House was there for her recently when she needed him. Things have changed, and no small effort will put them back to the way they were.

     Which makes this season of House exciting, and fills many fans, myself included, with anticipation. Make sure you watch House Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

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Article first published as TV Review: House - "Moving On" on Blogcritics.

House #7.18 "The Dig"

     So much is going on in last night's 150th episode of FOX's House, that's it's hard to know where to begin. The episode is entitled, appropriately enough, "The Dig." Each of the various stories, some large, some small, many intersecting, deal with layers. There is always something beneath what is being talked about and obviously going on. Many of these layers deal with emotions and relationships. Some deal with disease. Some with morality. All allow serious insight into the characters of House.

     Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) and Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) are absent in this episode, strange for a special 150th entry to the series. Yet, there is just no room for them. Too many stories are happening, and the episode is bursting at the seams as it is. Yet, who they are pervades other storylines, even though at this time, they are not on the journey, so they are present in some abstract way.

     Cuddy has broken House (Hugh Laurie), as he has been seen with even more erratic than normal behavior in recent weeks. She also had begun to heal him. House has been in a bad state for the entire run of the series, especially emotionally. This seems to all stem from when he first hurt his leg, and what he went through with Stacy (Sela Ward). He has occasionally shown compassion, mostly for strangers, but rarely lets his team feel valued. This week, House actually expresses some real tenderness for a member of his staff, which will be dealt with more thoroughly later in this review. That shows House is becoming more of a well rounded person. Perhaps it's a slow change, but it's there.

     The worrisome thing for friendship is that Wilson does not know how to deal with this new House. Wilson has been able to assist his friend through many issues in the past. Wilson has been shown to have a weakness for women that need fixing, but isn't his friendship with House about the same thing? When House goes off the deep end, jumping from a hotel balcony, Wilson backs off, having reached his limit. Even the always helpful Wilson can only deal with one type of person, not the now baffling House. Wilson tries to get involved again, as House returns to work, and then House gets married. Wilson retreats, siding with Cuddy, who is the type of broken he can deal with. As House takes his road trip to a spud gun competition, he doesn't bring Wilson along. Is this simply because House has ulterior motives for the trip, or is it a sign of a growing chasm?

     Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) might just be the replacement friend that House needs. She is almost as messed up as he is. Despite making a go in a serious relationship with Foreman (Omar Epps), Thirteen mostly cannot allow herself to get close to people. It's part of why she and Foreman ended. Instead, she seeks comfort from random strangers in bars and clubs. How is this different from House's preference of hookers? She takes party drugs. How is this different from House's addiction to Vicodin? She can come across as cold and calculating, like House. But when the chips are down, as they were with her brother, she comes through. As House will do for her.

     This rekindled kinship, not romantic, but made through commonalities and a sort of friendship, may be necessary very soon. In a recent interview, Robert Sean Leonard raises the possibility of leaving the show, should House be renewed, which it has not yet been, but is expected to be. He is heading to Broadway, and would like to get away from series television, at least temporarily. This would rob House of the one real friend he has, for a few episodes minimum, and House cannot possibly take losing Wilson so soon after losing his relationship with Cuddy. Unless Thirteen is willing to serve as a replacement best friend. Wilson is invaluable, but it's intriguing alternate path should the actor decide to depart.

     Most of this episode centers on House taking Thirteen on a road trip. She is released from prison, having served a six month sentence for excessive prescribing, and he waits to pick her up and make her accompany him to a spud gun competition. At first, it appears that House is just pulling another stunt to figure out where she has been for the past year. As things play out, the stunt element fades and does not return, unusual for House. He actually opens up to her a little bit about Cuddy, with whom he would be celebrating a one year anniversary, had she not dumped him. He also shows real interest in what happened to Thirteen, and not just as a puzzle as he first frames it. While she may take his silence as a lack of emotion after she confesses the full story, House is processing and wants to help. He does not mock her.

     While House stands there stunned, Thirteen having admitted she killed her brother, who was suffering mightily from Huntington's, it seems he might open his mouth and offer to do the same for her, when the time comes. Instead, he doesn't. But why would he? That is not the kind of act House would normally offer to do. It seems strange that that course of action fit so neatly in the scene, when it is a bit out of character. The writer's hold off on it, though, until the very end of the episode. That makes sense, as House really is stunned by the depth of pain he gets from Thirteen, and needs time to fully consider such a drastic promise. He comes through for her in the end, and that's what's important.

     Masters (Amber Tamblyn) becomes fascinated with a puzzle of her own. The team treats a hoarder and her husband, and Masters can't wait to dig through the mess of their house and sort out what is behind it all. She has shown an aptitude and interest in strange behavior before, and so it makes perfect sense for the character. It is regrettable that she will soon be leaving the series for a new one, though if that gets quickly canceled, it would be nice if she returned. Despite a rocky start, she has staked her right to work among the other strong personalities, and brings a unique perspective to the team.

     Is it possible that Masters has a little crush on Chase (Jesse Spencer)? It seems odd, as Chase is a pretty boy, and tends to go after traditionally hot women. Masters does not fit that category. She is a woman of substance and intelligence, who probably could look more attractive, but has more important things on her mind. She is likely drawn to the puzzle of Chase, more than his good looks. In the time she has known him, he has stumbled a bit, still a little shaken up from his divorce. She can see the genuine sweetness buried within, something it took awhile for Chase to show anyone else, and he has kept hidden ever since. So her feelings may not be out of line. The real question is, could he ever be truly interested in her? If she leaves permanently, we will likely never find out.

     Foreman is still cocky and judgmental. After all the things that have happened that could have humbled him, he still thinks he knows better than anyone else. At first, he can't believe Taulb (Peter Jacobson) has landed a young hottie, and tries to figure out what his roommate's secret is. Then he catches Taulb with separated wife Rachel (Jennifer Crystal), and scolds him for messing with a woman's heart. It seems Taulb can't satisfy Foreman, whether he is playing the field with great success, or returning to his life partner. Is Foreman jealous of Taulb? That may sound far fetched, until you spend just a moment pondering their interactions as of late.

     Taulb is showing serious growth. His reconciliation with Rachel has been long and winding, but thankfully is back on track. No matter how many times they call it quits, they feel so natural together. Taub is ready to put Rachel first, wondering if Foreman is right about Taulb messing with Rachel. So he does the right thing, willing to set her free so she can be happy, despite his unhappiness with being away from her. She denies him release, glad to be working things out. These two are built for the long haul, even if their marriage is still currently very much on the rocks. They have shared history, and it's not hard to see what brought them together in the first place.


     House continues its stellar seventh season Monday nights at 8 p.m. on FOX.

 

Article first published as TV Review: House #7.18 - "The Dig" on Blogcritics.

 

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House is back in the house (excuse the pun)

    Last Monday, audiences were treated to the seventh season premiere of Fox's House M.D. (usually just referred to as House).  Tonight, we get another new episode.  But before we do, I'd like to take a look at last week's story, and reflect on how awesome it was.

     Season six ended with Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) and his boss, Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) in his bathroom, her coming in before he could take the drugs he had been avoiding taking, and some definite romantic context to the situation.  Season seven picked up right where that left off with "Now What?".  House and Cuddy spend the day in his apartment, finally consumating a love that has been simmering between them for many years.  Every moment of the episode with the two of them is pitch perfect for these characters, and played absolutely flawlessly by two very talented actors.  I'll admit, I wasn't taken with Cuddy, and have often found her a bit annoying.  She was probably the last member of the cast to grow on me, but even I had had to bow down to her this week.  I am fully on board this train.

     The ultimate question between House and Cuddy is, can they make a relationship work?  She gave up a much more stable fiance to be with him.  He has a history of screwing up relationships, despite being a secret romantic.  While he has softened, he isn't likely to fundamentally change.  Plus, the who employer-employee dynamic will shift.  Yet, I think they have a good shot.  Cuddy is willing to accept him for who he is.  When House tells her that it won't last, she confronts him, makes him air his issues, and they come to a resolution.  The only doubt planted in me at present comes from the uneasy looks on both of their faces at the end of the episode, after she exits the apartment to go home.  But is that foreshadowing of doom?  Or just an acknowledgement that there will be some serious things to work through before happy ever after?

     I found Wilson's (Robert Sean Leonard) efforts to invade the apartment and confront House humorous, and among his best scenes in the series.  Wilson had every reason to believe that House was undergoing an emotional crisis.  But when he finally did get in, and House seemed to lie to him about Cuddy, who hid in the closet, he left.  Is he going to feel left out of the new dynamic?  Probably not too much, considering his first ex-wife, Sam (Cynthia Watros, Lost) will be taking up much of his time.

     The subplot of "Now What?" involved a bit of an emergency at the hospital, where the only current neurosurgeon around got sick and had to be go home, which threatened to remove the hospital's Level One Trauma Center status and shut down key areas of the building.  House was aware of the going ons, but kept Cuddy in the dark, tasking his team to figure it out.  Which they went at great lenghts to do, typically showed their brilliant diagnosis skills, and proved that they can handle some things without their anti-social boss presiding over them.

     An unanswered question, though, is where did Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) go?  She turned in a leave of absence form on House's desk, but knowing that her colleagues would open it, lied about exactly why she wanted time off.  They were under the impression she would be undergoing experimental therapy to treat a medical condition.  Their reactions were interesting, and telling.  Taub (Peter Jacobson) supported her.  Foreman (Omar Epps) finally got over his malice over their breakup, and actually offered to go with her for support.  Chase (Jesse Spencer) tried, unsuccessfully, to sleep with her.  But none, including us in the audience, learned the truth.  Wilde will be filming two movies before her return, so the question is likely to stay unanswered for awhile.  However, the theme song was finally changed to include her and Taub, so her come back is pretty much guaranteed.

     If you're a House fan, I must admit that my review very much pales in comparison to a much longer, in depth look at the episode written by BlogCritic editor and author Barbara Barnett, which can be found here.  She writes with much depth and insight, and I highly recommend checking her's out if you're more than a casual viewer.  Her credentials are solid, and I am currently in the middle of her House companion book, Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D., now on sale.  It is truly excellent.

     House airs Monday nights, including tonight, at 8pm on Fox.

The House falls in

      Fox's House finished it's sixth season with huge developments last night in the episode "Help Me".  If you have not watched the episode yet, please do not continue reading, as I do plan on discussing the shocking ending, including the scene cut from press screening copies, so I really will spoil everything for you.

     The episode began with a different atmosphere than normal, House (Hugh Laurie) giving Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) the book her ancestor wrote.  She seemed off, and the crisis of a crane collapsing sent them both rushing to a construction site, without time to discuss what was going on.  Going without the theme song, House, of course, quickly found a mysterious case, but as Cuddy would not allow him to return to the hospital, his case of the week provided only brief scenes for the rest of the cast, and took a back seat to the real drama.

     House found a woman buried in a collapse parking garage, and tried everything he could to save her leg.  He was his usual rude self, but found compassion.  That is not an unheard of story for the show.  What was going on here that made it more than that was his insistence to save her leg, he himself having been miserable for many years because of his own bum appendage.   Not only that, but in this case, House failed, as she ended up dying in the ambulance.

     This sent House spiraling down his dark, demented path once more.  Having been clean for a whole season, he ripped his bathroom mirror off the wall to find his hidden stash of narcotics.  At this point, only one thing could save him from falling off the wagon.  Cuddy.  Coming to him, revealing she had broke up with Lucas (Michael Weston), and declaring her love for him.  It's something fans of the show have been waiting a long time for, and his recent good behavior and maturity, well, relative to his past actions, have finally made him ready to be with her.  A setback would have destroyed all that, so in retrospect, the ending was obvious and timely.  And yet it was a shock.  What will this mean for the show, if Cuddy and House pursue this relationship?  How will it change him?

     Also, Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) asked for some time off, her health seemingly declining.  Will she be House's next patient, or the next one to leave the cast?

     House has already been renewed for a seventh season, which will air on Fox.

Hugh Laurie directs flawless House episode

     Monday's House episode, "Lockdown", brought a rare treat: a look at Hugh Laurie's directing talent.  Split into five parts, separate, but alternating back and forth between them, it was a masterpiece.  Am I exaggerating?  That's up to personal opinion.  But it was a wonderful story, brought back a central character, and was framed around poignant moments with each of the central characters.  Plus, there was no central medical mystery!

     The least important story was the one that framed them all and allowed the others to happen.  In a clever twist of the trapper-in-an-elevator staple, Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) had to put the hospital on lock down to find a missing baby.  At first, her story seemed horrific, as perhaps the step-son of the new mother did something to the defenseless new arrival.  But there was an elegant simplicity in the complicated medical issue behind it all.

     The best humor came from Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) and Thirteen (Olivia Wilde), who were in the hospital's fancy cafe.  A rousing game of truth or dare, in which Thirteen told almost no actual truth, led to some interesting revelations and bad behavior in Wilson, a side of him not often seen.  It also set the stage for further plot as his new love interest, mentioned here, will soon be joining the cast.

     Foreman (Omar Epps) and Taub (Peter Jacobson), who certainly don't always get along, had a much more interesting experience.  How did House, who was nowhere near the file storage basement, prank them?  Bonding over getting high, punching each other in the face, digging up confidential secrets about each other, the two seemed to be drawn closer by the experience.  It also showed that, while flawed, both are very interesting, remarkably good characters.

     Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) himself spent his time with a patient.  In a semi-continuation of his therapy episodes, House sees a reflection of his tortured soul, and a possible future for himself.  The two come to an understanding.  House is always best when exploring the complexities of the title character, and these scenes delivered some of that, delightfully understated.

     Last, but certainly most anticipated, was the return of Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), who arrived to serve her husband, Chase (Jesse Spencer), with divorce papers, but wound up having sex with him.  Unlike other shows, however, it does not seem to be a harbinger for a reunion of the duo.  The base truth of their relationship came out, in a way that made you wonder why you hadn't already figured it out on your own.  Brilliant.