House

By the end of its third season, House was one of the most popular and critically acclaimed dramas on FOX.  Most series creators would be happy to coast along on that success without taking any major creative risks, but House mastermind David Shore isn't one to rest on his laurels.  Season 4 of the show found Chase, Cameron and Foreman pushed out of their usual roles while the titular doctor searched for a new team of assistants.  Forty doctors were brought into the mix, and after House held his own reality TV-style competition and eliminated those he deemed unworthy, three were chosen to join the team.  It's a storyline that could have been disastrous for the show, but in my opinion it led to the most compelling season of House to date.

Season 4 of the series finally arrives on DVD today.  Read on to find out if it's worth picking up.

Aside from the 16 episodes from season 4, all of which are presented in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, the DVD set has a number of special features.  Here is a rundown of the extras:

House's Soap: Prescription Passion (6:44)

In one of the season's best episodes, "Living the Dream," House kidnaps his favorite soap star after becoming convinced that he has a strange medical condition.  This special feature presents four clips from the soap opera, all of which contain some hilariously bad acting and dialogue.  It's not essential viewing, but it's a fun addition to a great episode.

New Beginnings (26:01)

The longest featurette on the set includes interviews with various writers and actors discussing the addition of the new cast members.  One interesting fact is that, much like House himself, the writers had no clue which of the 40 new doctors would eventually make it on the show.  They found themselves arguing with each other over who to keep and who to let go, and were ultimately heartbroken whenever they had to make a cut.

In my opinion, one of the only flaws in season 4 was the reduced screen time for Cameron and Chase.  I always wondered if the actors were bitter over the new cast additions, but in these interviews both Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison seem thrilled with the new direction the show has taken.  This is also one of two special features that includes Hugh Laurie, so watch and marvel at his British accent.

Meet the Writers (14:45)

The writers for the series discuss some of the challenges they face when scripting the show, such as the difficulty of coming up with a plausible medical mystery every week.  They also claim that sarcoidosis is the new lupus, so watch for a brand new in-joke next season.

The Visual Effects of House (15:27)

Visual effects supervisor Elan Soltes talks about the various effects in the show, including the recreations of medical maladies.

Anatomy of a Scene: The Bus Crash (5:46)

This extra feature focuses on the bus crash from "House's Head."  It includes interviews with episode director Greg Yaitanes and actress Anne Dudek, and also glimpses of how the scene was filmed, from the storyboards to the violent crash itself.

My Favorite Episode So Far... (6:47)

The cast and crew talk about their favorite episodes of the series.  Creator David Shore's favorite is "Three Stories" from season 1, executive producer Katie Jacobs loves the pilot, and Jesse Spencer, Lisa Edelstein and Omar Epps all praise the two-part season 4 finale.  As for Hugh Laurie, he claims to love them all equally.

"House's Head" Commentary with Creator/Executive Producer David Shore and Executive Producer Katie Jacobs

Considering that this is the one commentary on the set, I was hoping it'd be jam-packed with information.  Unfortunately it's full of lulls, and long stretches where neither Shore or Jacobs have much to say about the episode.  When they do speak up they always offer some interesting insight, but I was hoping for something more.  At least I learned that Lisa Edelstein didn't use a body double for her big stripping sequence.

The extras on the set are entertaining, but they're not strong enough for me to recommend spending 40 bucks on the DVD set.  However, the episodes themselves are more than worth the money.  House's fourth season is Emmy nominated for good reason, and if you didn't see these 16 episodes you're truly missing out on one of the best dramas on television.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of Universal)