House, M.D. - Season Two |  | Actor: Hugh Laurie
Studio: Fox Network
Category: DVD
List Price: $59.98
Buy Used: $14.34
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Rating:  226 reviews
Sales Rank: 767
Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Region: 1
Discs: 6
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 6
Running Time: 1044 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.2 x 5.3 x 1.1
MPN: D29600D
UPC: 025192960024
EAN: 0025192960024
ASIN: B000FVQLIO
Theatrical Release Date: November 16, 2004
Release Date: August 22, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Dr. Gregory House, a disabled, cantankerous, Vicodin addicted infectious disease specialist, solves medical mysteries with his colleagues at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey.
Genre: Television
Rating: NR
Release Date: 22-AUG-2006
Media Type: DVD
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
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 50
Is There a Doctor in the House? You Bet! February 24, 2010
Ray
What can be said about a series that must certainly be ranked as one of the most compelling to have ever appeared on television? It is easy to view the slew of awards that "House, M.D." has been nominated for (and won), to recall the litany of accolades the show has garnered from news, entertainment, and magazine critics, and even to review the endless series of online postings concerning the show (like this very one, here, on Amazon), and conclude that, "Yes, "House, M.D." is probably a good show." But in fact, "House, M.D." is more than a good show. For many viewers, the series is easily one of the most fascinating and unusual to have ever been aired on television. Moreover, and dare I say it, the series will likely eventually be ranked amongst the top television shows ever produced on network television.
But before I say any more about "House, M.D.," let me briefly for the reader summarize the show. "House, M.D." is a medical drama that takes place at a fictional teaching hospital ("Princeton-Plainsborough Hospital"). The story revolves around a particular doctor, Dr. Gregory House, an individual who has established himself as a medical genius able to solve difficult medical mysteries that other doctors have been unable to solve. Dr. House works with a small group of internists who are serving in residence under him, and who, despite their much less experience, actively work with House to solve medical problems through a technique called a "Differential Diagnosis," a kind of group-based brainstorming session where diagnostic ideas are presented, written on a white board, and systematically eliminated by comparing each hypothesis with the ongoing list of patient symptoms. But Dr. House is more than just a diagnostic genius: he possesses a debilitating leg injury that keeps him in perpetual pain, and he regularly uses powerful prescription painkillers to the point where there is genuine concern that he may, in fact, be a pain medicine addict. But there's more. Along with his genius, House has an incredibly insensitive and offensive demeanor, and seemingly has no concern for social norms, courtesies, or sometimes, even common decency. His unparalleled genius at helping patients is probably what keeps him employed in spite of his incredibly ongoing offensive behavior.
What makes this show so compelling, so unique, and so interesting? There is probably no one answer to this question. At the core of it is likely House himself, a character who is fundamentally a contradiction, a walking incongruity, a person that we desperately and increasingly wish to understand, and perhaps, even wish to control to correct his unacceptable behavior. We find ourselves watching this man and so strongly wishing that we can figure him out, to come to a true understanding and belief about him, to solve the mystery of who he really is, and by that knowledge, settle the manifold open questions surrounding him and his relationships to others that each episode more fully presents.
Unfortunately, or should I rather say, "fortunately," such an understanding is not easily developed. The complexities, ambiguities, and open questions surrounding the character of House come tantalizingly close to being solved time after time, only to be later shown that what we thought was the answer to this man was really just another false lead, another misunderstanding, another fact to add into this increasingly difficult puzzle. Part of the show's allure is this ongoing dissonance, not only between House and his coworkers, but deeply within House himself. Is he truly an uncaring person? Is he truly a person who views his entire medical career as simply a series of puzzles to be solved, and where people who recover are simply a side effect of the solved puzzle? Does he really look at every social, religious, or ethnic factor as a legitimate target of derision? Is he truly hostile to people's religious convictions? Does he truly believe that his drug addiction is an irrelevant issue to his work? Each episode faces us with House's reaction to these questions to varying degrees, and over time, we may find that we build an increasing understanding of this man, but we often find those understandings torn apart in a later episode, where new observations on House make us rethink what we think we knew.
In spite of House's problems and deficiencies, we often find him an imminently likeable character, and we often see hints of goodness in him that he desperately tries to keep hidden from others. Often, it is hinted in the subtilest of ways that House himself wishes to hide from others the fact that he truly does care, but this hint is just as quickly dashed as we witness his next immature toy kicking. (It can sometimes seem that House is more of a four year old in a nursery who is testing his fellow nursery members for territorial markers. In other cases, he is the genius child who seeks to use others as fodder for his most recent theories on human and animal behavior.)
"House, M.D.," if the truth be known, does not start out in Season One as a soap opera, but by Season Five for the series run, I think a defensible case can be made that the show takes on many of the trappings of a soap opera, curiously and ironically enough, mirroring the very soap operas that the character House in the show is seen so frequently watching (often, on an old, 1990's style portable television located in his office). This morphing into the arena of the soap opera doesn't really matter, though, for the viewer who has gone through the entire set of previous episodes in order. With no attempt to defend this shift in style, the show uses its first three seasons to genuinely establish itself as a puzzle solving, medical mystery show, with House serving as a medical Sherlock Holmes (sans the hat and the pipe, but plus the strange personality and temperament issues), and the stories are easily carried with each individual episode standing as a mental gymnastic exercise that keeps the viewer wanting more. But strewn through these episodes are myriads of strange, and often, very awkward character interactions that are left unfinished and unexplored, tantalizing us with seeming keys to unlock the mystery of House. It is perhaps inevitable that a show lasting so many years (now in its sixth season) and having such strong characters and unusual trappings would be inevitably drawn to revisit and examine such unfinished business. These "explorations" begin to occur more repeatedly in Season Four, and by Season Five, we see the exaggeration of much of this at the expense of series' original, focal point of medical mysteries to be resolved, which by this point in the series often take back seat to the ever growing personal dramas. But even this doesn't matter. The issues and themes explored in Season Five, while taking on the feeling of a soap opera, are still handled with great expertise and generally fascinating ways, so that we still find ourselves focused on each event, all the time still (unconsciously at times, I must admit) wishing that we can figure House out, get the mystery of House solved, and have some type of a resolution that fits our conception of the real world. By the end of Season Five, we still do not have an answer for this dilemma, and the show uses this dilemma to hold the audience's attention in a powerful manner.
The basic premise of the show is so startling unique and fascinating in its own right that the show does not need to rely on cheap "shock" tricks to maintain attention. It is true that there are a number of "shocking" events to occur through the series, and there can be no doubt that the show, being first and foremost a network based television format production, employs "cliffhangers" to hold the viewer through the regular commercial breaks, but it is amazing to see how the show is regularly worked into individual episodes that are artfully crafted into stories that flow, and work, from beginning to end.
Quite some time ago, I wrote a long review for "The Rockford Files," a television show in the 1970's that, in my own thinking, achieved the status as being one of the best television shows ever produced. I had written my review at a time when the first "Rockford Files" DVD's were being released, and the opportunity to re-watch these shows reminded me again of the superior writing, the acting, and the impressive interworking of the cast which made this show, not just a cut above the average television show, but a true classic, one that could almost not be challenged in the realm of television. I still feel that way about The Rockford Files, and, truth be known, another very different show from a decade earlier, "The Dick Van Dyke Show," had many of these same characteristics, all coalescing to make what eventual became in both cases a classic production. "The Rockford Files" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" reached such pinnacles of performance that they remain examples of the very best television ever made, and even the ravages of 30 and 40 years of time have done little but solidify that achievement.
"House, M.D." is, in my opinion, is likely destined for that same level of accolade. In the show, we find that same coalescing of features - a truly unique character creation, excellent writing, and a cast that works well together - that will argue for the show's inclusion in that highest level of ranking. But whether that specific claim turns out to be true or not, the fact remains that House, M.D. is one of the most fascinating, intriguing, and enjoyable shows to watch. We witness medical problems and the difficult procedure in diagnosing and treating those problems; we witness the struggles, oddities, and offensiveness (and yes, there are many parts of the show that are incredibly offensive) of a main character who remains both a genius and an enigma, an inscrutable person who is endlessly fascinating to behold; we witness a cast of actors who must earn to interact with the powerful character of House while establishing their own credibility; and finally, but not least of all, we enjoy Hugh Laurie's incredible rendition of the House character. Add these factors up, and you end up with one heck of a fascinating show. I'll say it in conclusion again, that this is one of the best television shows to have appeared in years, and Hugh Laurie is superb in his role as House. You can enjoy it even more on DVD, where there are no commercial interruptions. I rate this as five stars, but the real truth is that it is one BIG star (House) with four other stars with him. Well, make that seven or eight other stars, depending on the season you are currently watching.
still love it... January 21, 2010
Mrs. D. (somewhere in the US)
i like the past love interest twist in this one....it shows that house was a person before he was jerk....i still keep coming back for more of that "I know it all" attitude for some reason.
Favorite Show January 8, 2010
stgallag (North Carolina)
House is one of my favorite shows. =)
DVD version is not as clear as HDTV, but it is great not having to worry about commercials.
LOVE THE SHOW HOUSE December 28, 2009
J. Myatt (Apopka, Florida)
I just love this show, but only started watching it last year, now I get to see it from the beginning. Great service too
Best season so far of this fine medical drama... September 6, 2009
calvinnme (Fredericksburg, Va)
...and I might add medical comedy too. Part of House's appeal is that nobody since Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry is this tough, is such a professional purist who is allowed to continue practicing that profession for more than ten minutes, and last but not least has such funny one liner remarks.
House is rude to his patients and avoids them whenever possible, but part of what makes him repugnant to almost everyone around him is that he is about the search for pure truth, and superficial niceties have no place in his life. He doesn't wear a lab coat, and he sports tennis shoes and a scruffy beard. Thus when he does actually talk to the patients he lays it on the line and expects them to do the same. However, they almost always lie to him, something that he says he expects and one reason he avoids contact with them in the first place.
So why would such a rude unkempt character be so popular among viewers? Possibly it could be because as a nation we are sick of being lied to in every aspect of our lives by blow-dried poll-tested representatives of large corporate interests who are only interested in image, profit, and covering their backsides, and House is the antithesis of all of this.
This particular season has some superb episodes. Several said they did not care for the arc with House's ex-girlfriend Stacy Warner, now married to a man with all of the s ex appeal of the Staypuffed Marshmallow Man, and who is still unable to walk while recovering from an illness that House treated him for at the end of season one. I personally liked the arc because it showed the side of House that was capable of love. Stacy has already made the admission to House that he was "the one guy" for her, but that there was no room in House's life for her and there was room for her in her husband's life. This sets up the possibility that House and Stacy may reunite. First, however, House has to find out the absolute truth of Stacy's relationship with her husband - and what House does to get that information costs him dearly when Stacy finds out. House does make a new friend this season - a rat living in Stacy's attic whom he names "Steve McQueen".
As for the individual cases, they are interesting as always, but there are three episodes that really stand out. Two of them consist of the two-parter "Euphoria" in which Foreman is infected with a deadly disease that is of unknown origin and an unknown method of transmission. It turns out that Foreman, who is the most similar to House of any of his assistants, is different from House in one key way. He is willing to use any means necessary to preserve his life regardless of the possible future quality of that life. The final episode has House being shot by a disgruntled ex-patient. The big question left unanswered here is not so much will he survive, but will he be able to recover the use of his leg as a result of the shooting. You see, for Foreman the important issue is just staying alive, because he has no first-hand knowledge of life with chronic disability. House has been dragging around a useless but painful leg for five years now, and when the chips are down, for him just being alive isn't enough.
The extra features are spread out over the discs this season and include:
"An Evening with House" featurette
"It Could Be Lupus" featurette
Blooper reel
Alternate takes: the "Valley Girl" versions
Producer commentaries
The extra features here are better than the season one features, and I really enjoyed the commentary on the final episode "No Reason". Another improvement is that this season is spread out over six single-sided discs rather than the three dual-sided easily scratched discs of season one.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 50
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