Stripper Cuddy! Stripper Cuddy!! Stripper Cuddy!!! There, now that we have that out of the way, we can begin this week's House mini-recap. Stripper Cuddy! Oops, sorry, guess there was one more left in there.

Part one of the two-part season finale, “House's Head,” gave us the aforementioned stripper Cuddy, a horrific bus crash, retrograde amnesia, Thirteen's real name and one whopper of a plot twist. All in all, it was a-freaking-mazing.

The penultimate episode opened in, naturally, a strip club. A disoriented House watched a dancer do her thing, but realizes something is amiss. He can't remember how he got to the club. He can't remember what he did before he got to the club. And he can't remember why he is bleeding. Wow, I hate that when that happens. … continue reading

Even when House is wrong, he's right. In last night's episode, "Living the Dream," Dr. Feelbad kidnaps, drugs and bribes — all in the day's diagnosis. You know, normal House stuff.

The episode opens on the set of House's favorite soap opera. As the fake Dr. Sterling Brock (Sex and the City's resident hunk Jason Lewis) leaves for the day, his chauffeur is, you guessed it, a cranky guy with a limp.

Photo credit: Isabella Vosmikova/FOX

You see, House is kidnapping Dr. Sterling, aka Evan Greer, because he is convinced from watching the show that the actor has a brain tumor. Wow, now that's what I call a dedicated fan. Actually, House claims he is saving Evan because he wants to know if the baby turns out to be his on the soap. Like I said, he's a dedicated fan.

Photo credit: Chris Haston/NBC Universal-Fox

The episode is part spoof on stalker fans, part existential examination of happiness. You see, Evan isn't very happy. Sure, he's a ridiculously handsome fellow and a beloved star of a hot soap. But he's not happy with his work. The episode also gives us the brief return of Cameron and an even briefer peek into Thirteen's personal life. … continue reading

Niceness as a sickness? Oh, yeah, House is definitely back. Last night's first-post strike episode, "No More Mr. Nice Guy," opened with a not-so-sly wink at the writers strike that kept the show off the air for months. Picketers holding familiar-looking red, black and white signs march up and down the sidewalk. But wait, those are nurses, not Hollywood scribes. And so enters Gregory House, M.D.

Photo credit: Art Streiber/Fox

With the nurses on strike, the good bad doctor hides out in the emergency room to avoid Cuddy. She is trying to get him to help in the E.R., so clearly it's the last place she'd look for him. But House finds something interesting instead. A man who doesn't mind waiting for hours in the E.R. Clearly, this is a sick, sick man. Well that or, as House asks, "Is he Canadian?" … continue reading

Dr. Feelbad is back. Television's most misanthropic M.D. and his much-maligned minions return tonight as House begins airing its first post-strike episodes. When last we saw the not-so-good doctor, he was teasing new hire Thirteen (The O.C.'s Olivia Wilde) about her newly revealed bisexuality. Now that the show is back for four new episodes, here's hoping Thirteen's sexuality is back as well.

Photo credit: Chris Haston/NBC Universal/Fox

Tonight's episode, "No More Mr. Nice Guy," involves a patient House thinks is — yes, you guessed it — simply too darn nice. This season has revolved largely around House and the search for his new team, which was finally whittled down to Thirteen, Taub (Peter Jacobson), Kutner (Kal Penn) and reluctant returnee Foreman (Omar Epps). Former candidate Amber Volakis (Anne Dudek) — unaffectionately known as Cutthroat Bitch — and current girlfriend to House's best friend, Wilson, is also back. … continue reading

The good folks at EW.com recently released a list of the "50 Actors We'd Watch in Anything" in two parts. As usual for this type of thing, the list was dominated by men — there were only 18 women listed. But I do have to give them kudos for selecting stellar actors.

Kate Winslet, Rosario Dawson, Joan Cusack and Allison Janney

I actually agreed with the majority of the list. And — wait for it — they even included an out lesbian in Cherry Jones!

Jones with partner Sarah Paulson

Admittedly, I don't get to the movies as often as I'd like. I think I have only actually gotten to the theaters once in the past month. So it might be a stretch to say I'd watch these ladies in "anything." I like to think I have standards in some area of my life. I would prefer to call the list "50 Actors That Would Allow Us to Not Hate Ourselves for Paying $9 to See This Crappy Movie." … continue reading

Olivia Wilde is going to play Jack Black’s love interest in the new biblical-times comedy The Year One. I am going to let the full weight of that news sink in while you stare at a picture of Olivia. Please, take your time. I’ll wait.

And, for comparison, here is Jack Black.

OK, now side by side.

So, yeah, what’s wrong with this picture? God, could there be a better example of the schlubby guy/hottie girl formula that has become the on-screen Hollywood couple du jour? I’ve railed (and railed) against these pairings for what seems like forever now. It’s not just the aesthetic that bothers me. Heaven knows a book is more, so much more, than its cover. But it’s the inequity of this equation that infuriates me. Where are the schlubby girl/hottie guy movies? And, since we’re dreaming big, how about the schlubby girl/hottie girl flicks? … continue reading

After two, yes two, months away, House is finally back tonight. But, before you get all “Yay, Olivia Wilde, yay!” on me, let me break the bad news to you. The medical drama has only three new pre-strike episodes left. And they will blow them all within the next week. House’s new diagnostic team had better be fast learners.

Now, I’m not sure why Fox would hoard the last remaining new episodes until the new year, only to blow through them as quickly as possible. And don’t lie about the hoarding, Fox. Call me Sherlock, but something tells me tonight’s episode wasn’t supposed to air at the end of January.

  … continue reading

Although House debuted last week, things really get interesting tonight when everyone’s favorite TV misanthrope hires 40 new doctors for his medical team. Among them is Olivia Wilde, everyone’s favorite bisexual character from The O.C. (OK, there were only two — what’s your point?)

I like her more as a brunette; she looks less, well, O.C. Her character (named 13 because House is too lazy to learn everyone’s names and instead gives them all numbers — oh, House, I love you) is a bit of a mystery, apparently. She doesn’t like giving out personal information and is “very self possessed, incredibly confident, but not arrogant. She is kind of cool, calm and collected.” Let Olivia tell you the rest. [Warning: Spoilers] … continue reading

Welcome to the O.C., House. Olivia Wilde, the artist formerly know as Marissa’s girlfriend (not to mention a blond), will join the cast of the misanthropic Fox medical drama next season among a fresh crop of new docs. The series ended on a bit of a cliffhanger last season as Dr. Gregory House (the brilliantly bitter Hugh Laurie) saw his entire team either quit or be fired. Looks like the cranky doc will solve his problem by hiring a whole gaggle of new doctors unaware of the abuse they are about to endure.

The new faces include Olivia, as well as Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), Peter Jacobson (The Starter Wife), Anne Dudek (Bones, Numb3rs) and Edi Gathegi (Veronica Mars, Lincoln Heights). However, it isn’t clear how long all of the new MDs will stick around. And despite their apparent lack of gainful employment, all of last season’s regulars — Eric Foreman (Omar Epps), Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer) and Allison Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) — will be back. … continue reading