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. 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.
But it’s not all Vicodin and roses for House fans. The show’s creator and executive producer David Shore told the Chicago Tribune that he had no immediate plans to bring Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) or Chase (Jesse Spencer) back onto House’s team. That means the former regulars will continue to get minimal screen time through the end of the season and into the new one. As a fan of Jennifer’s character, this bums me out. Her attraction to damaged people, particularly House, has been one of the series’ strongest subplots throughout. As Chase told the Tribune, Cameron/Chase fans should get ready for disappointment:
Cameron and Chase are certainly not on screen as much as they used to be, but the stuff they’re doing, I think, takes on a different weight and a greater weight … I’m going to say something your readers aren’t going to like, but as someone running a television show, you have to be very careful – people think they want something and they do want something, but it’s not what they need, shall we say, and it’s not what the show needs. It’s great that they like those characters. … You want people to want more of things. You have to be careful on what you deliver.Well, as long as Thirteen and her bisexuality keep getting screen time, perhaps their decreased presence won’t be quite as bitter a pill to swallow. So, are you excited to have House back? Are you anxious to see how Thirteen’s sexuality is handled? Are you imagining naughty “who wants to play doctor” scenarios between Lisa Edelstein‘s Cuddy, Thirteen and Cameron? Do tell.
