House MD: “We’re not friends, we’re colleagues…”

I don’t hate House’s new team. In fact I think I probably harbor far less polarizing feelings than the majority of people voicing their opinions online; however, I still miss Chase, Cameron, and Foreman. Its not that I necessarily prefer seasons 1-3, but when I re-watch any of the older episodes there is just a different vibe to them, one that the newer seasons seem to be lacking. House MD‘s season six provided the brief reunion of the original team and after watching those few episodes I think I finally realized why I liked and missed them so much. For me, it’s their group dynamic.

House MD: Office Drama & Romance

Before Chase and Cameron were married and even before they all went their separate ways at the end of season three, they were friends. Even though Foreman may have disagreed (2.18), compared to Taub, Thirteen, and Kutner they at least acted friendly towards each other. I blame this on House. The original team was hand selected by House unbeknownst to each other; but Taub, Thirteen, and Kutner along with all the other candidates spent months all vying for only three positions. Fierce competition and fear of being fired kept them from bonding and looking out for one another.

For instance, Kutner and Cole formed a friendship, but Cole willingly put Kutner on the weekly chopping block (4.8) in a failed attempt to secure a spot on the team for himself. Besides House’s games, other circumstances surrounding the new team also caused a less than fun work atmosphere for us to watch each week. Unlike Chase, Cameron and even Foreman in the early seasons, Taub and Foreman didn’t see diagnostics as a learning opportunity but as their only means of practicing medicine and making money. For them it was not their first choice and while it may have seemed like Kutner enjoyed every moment of it, his suicide (5.20) clearly demonstrates otherwise. And then you have Thirteen; at first she was extremely secretive and closed off and then after receiving her Huntington’s diagnosis she became understandably wrapped up in her own issues.

In seasons 1-3 of House MD we watched three young doctors experience a crazy internship under a brilliant diagnostician and learn to practice medicine in a whole new way. And through it all they had each other, but that all seemed to change with the new team. Instead, we saw four people—already unenthusiastic about their lives and jobs being abused by House on a weekly basis.

However, since the ‘musical chairs’ antics of season six I remain refreshingly optimistic about the situation. Taub and Foreman have more or less come to terms with their positions at PPTH, Chase makes Foreman less dull, Thirteen and Taub have been friendlier since Kutner’s death, and Taub has provided some much needed comic relief. And although I didn’t like Cameron’s exit, the new team, comprised of Foreman, Chase, Taub, and Thirteen, seems to be a satisfying mix of old and new.