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With a large number of medical based drama series like Grey's Anatomy, Nip/Tuck and Scrubs inundating the television schedules, I tried to make myself focus on viewing one series at a time. However, most of the above programs focus mainly on drama and conflict of the surgeons within the surgery room, with emotional tensions thrown into the fray between the doctors and patients. I feel that House, M.D. offers a new insight at what it means to be a doctor as well as a new brand of medical drama.

The English actor Hugh Laurie assumes an American accent to cast as the eccentric Dr. Gregory House, a rebellious medical genius. Joining him in the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, are the hospital director, Dr. Lisa Cuddy(Lisa Edelstein), his best friend-cum-tumour specialist, Dr. James Wilson(Robert Sean Leonard), as well as his team members, Dr. Eric Foremen(Omar Epps), Dr. Allison Cameron(Jennifer Morrison) and Dr. Robert Chase(Jesse Spencer). His job in the hospital is simple, it's not dissecting people within the surgery room, but instead a new twist, he's a diagnostician. He and his team finds out what is wrong with the patients.

Instead of adopting a serious and emotional theme within the story, the scriptwriters instead opt for something new and never seen before, comedy. Indeed, Dr. House, despite being a respected and known medical genius within the hospital, is known for his odd behavior and sometimes obscene quirks. Having personally watched a few episodes myself, I can assure that audiences are amused when they see the lovable Dr. House in all sorts of predicaments, for example taking a dare that he can diagnose patients in a clinic without touching them, leading to scenes of him forcing the patients to take their own temperature, as well as other medical procedures on themselves. And the list goes on and on.

Despite his very unorthodox treatments and extremely terrible bedside manners, Dr. House is still almost always right as he readily accepts the most bizarre cases, shocking both his team members as well as the patients with his stunningly accurate answers, despite taking a very unprofessional route to it. A reoccurring theme is that Dr. House uses his theory of "Everybody lies" within the story, referring to the fact that every patient always lies about their medical situation and lifestyle in order to hide them from their loved ones. By pressing this theory onto them, House gets on the nerves of almost every single patient with his witty remarks and sardonic personality, but at the very end, never ceases to amaze them with a correct judgement.

Drama still is present in the very "battles" House has with his patients, irritating them, in addition to the side plots about House's own personal problems which includes an ex-lover and medical issues as well. Along the way, he occasionally falls out with his team members due to the extremity of his tactics and cause conflict within one another.

Using a delightful blend of comedy and drama, it is not a wonder that the rare and unique character of Dr. House has led to the program earning so many awards. Despite the show frequently using incomprehensible medical jargon, as well as a sophisticated sense of humour which might not strike you the very first time, the series is still a great choice for a wide range of audiences.

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