House - Now What? Review - A.D.Harris

Well guys, House is back, and I'm fairly sure that this episode is going to split fans straight down the middle. There are a lot of people against the whole 'Huddy' storyline, and you probably are better off heading to 'Three Stories' or 'House's Head' for your fix, because this episode didn't have the traditional 'mystery of the week' at the center, in fact the mystery was totally minor this week, very much like last year's premiere, 'Broken.'
What this episode was, is a chance to really get all the characters in the House Universe on screen how they are at the present time. It was the start of change in the show, perhaps 'The beginning of the end,' in terms of the whole shows run. I personally, liked it. It didn't blow me away, it won't be an episode I rewatch when I dig out my box-sets when I want my House-Fix in years to come, there are far more intense, awesome episodes for that, but it was exactly what I needed to grind my teeth into season seven. Call it breaking me in :P
We had the whole episode told in two parts, one with House & Cuddy in the aftermath of 'the kiss', as well as the team dealing with Thirteen's imminent departure to Rome for a Huntington's trial, as well as their attempts to keep the hospital running due to the only neurosurgeon (I think he was neuro :P) being ill. I didn't like the mystery, it kinda felt like the writers had decided it needed one last minute and stuck in some pointless, and a bit stupid idea. If your gonna character develop our asses, then do it properly :P
The House and Cuddy stuff however was very fresh, Hugh Laurie taking House in a slightly different direction, (the talents of the man, and the complexity of the character should rarely be looked at with nothing but genius)he felt very light and calm for 90% of the episode, I could feel his mind jumping for joy, probably saying, "Ho baby" or something of the sorts. It was a side to House we had seen briefly in his moments of high during the show's run, but it felt more real than ever before. This wasn't a fake drug high. They broke up the 'lovey-dovey' stuff nicely with Wilson (in his only scene in a Wilson-Lite Premiere) getting stuck in the window, leading to some funny House-Wilson banter, and showing that despite Wilson getting rid of House at the end of last year, he still puts his friend high on his worrying list. The end scene where Cuddy manages to convince House they can make it work was the best scene of the episode, her words "I don't want you to change" were brilliant. I was sitting there hoping she was gonna say something like that. This was the 10% where House almost returned to normal. Glad that they put this in as it felt right for the character to question the relationship. The writers remembered that we know him very well :)And so we end the episode with them deciding to give it a whirl. It's gonna be interesting, that's for certain...
The team stuff largely was their reactions & thoughts on Thirteen's leave of absense, Foreman with worry, Taub with surprise, Chase with a hope for Sex :P Foreman definitely came out top trumps of the three, his look of sorrow and worry when he realised that Thirteen had just gone, her phone disconnected. Seeing as Olivia Wilde isn't expected back for at least the first half of the season, it's gonna be a long wait to find out what happens there, but it definitely got my intrigue button, I've enjoyed Thirteen as a character much more over the past season. The team is also looking a bit woman light now, so maybe a chance for a new character?
So a sum up. It was good. It wasn't spectacular. It was impeccably acted by Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein & Omar Epps today. Needs a bit more Wilson, definetely. Needs next week to really have a strong medical mystery, absolutely. But if you hated it your kinda missing the point of the show. (Hint, look at the show's title) It's all change at House HQ, and I'm digging it so far.

7/10

Roll on next week :)

Oh, also don't forget to vote on how you found the episode here: http://www.spoilertv.com/2010/09/poll-what-did-you-think-of-house-now.html

And send me feedback, comments here or anything. Twitter is http://twitter.com/AdDHarris if you wanna follow me there. I'll be reviewing every episode of House & Fringe this year for definate, and maybe anything else that tickles my pickle. I'll also be lurking around the forums too, as I'm a show expert for both shows, so I'm reachable in many ways :)
Have a good week.

Adam