Full House

Hey, sorry I missed the what's on today... busy day... but here's some news for you. From Hollywood Reporter/Reuters:

LOS ANGELES -- Olivia Wilde, Kal Penn, Peter Jacobson and Anne Dudek have landed recurring roles on Fox's hit medical drama House.

The four are expected to play characters who will be brought in after the resignations of House's (Hugh Laurie) underlings Foreman (Omar Epps) and Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) and the firing of Chase (Jesse Spencer).

Full story here.

Either the kids are really leaving the show, or these will be the temporary replacements until House finally makes up with his team. Either way, well played Fox.

Whose House?

For what it's worth, I'd planned on coming in here and trouncing on House, expecting Dr. Foreman to have decided to stay and the status quo to return. Yay, happy time in Princeton-Plainsboro again. Seemingly, though, things will be nothing but different. Foreman's not coming back. House fired Chase. And Cameron sassily passes her resignation along.

I'm gonna say this is a good thing. House's character doesn't have to change. In fact, people wouldn't watch if it did.

His team, however, could change. And the need is there. The three of them have done everything they can do as far as the story goes. I mean, how long can the drag the Chase/Cameron story on? And the Foreman's-leaving plot dragged on forever.

But now they're gone, and that leaves expectations. Granted this could all change next season when they show returns and the team's back together by Christmas. Either way, the thought of House interviewing prospective candidates (again, but more extensively) and breaking in brand new team members (different types, hopefully) seems refreshing.

The show is, at it's core, just as much a procedural as CSI or Law & Order, and House can only interestingly solve cases for so long. What it has going for it isn't just the character, but the fact that that character's story is interesting. You don't get that sort of outside-the-procedure storyline on many shows -- CSI:NY tried it (that's how they they snagged Gary Sinise) and gave up when ratings slowed. But House succeeded with it from the beginning thanks to the stellar work of Hugh Laurie.

As I said, I was afraid for the show's future. Now I'm not. Even if they get the band back together later in the season... well, I'll be a little annoyed... maybe less so if the story that carries us there is strong.

Several points...

The Sopranos: So Tony has a gambling problem and his Jewish friend doesn't like holding a debt over the boss's head. And meanwhile AJ loses his woman and Carmella whines about her newly-sold house. Seems like a waste of an episode to me... at least a final-season episode. Let's take all the storylines no one cares about and only kinda wrap them up. And no, I'm not only whining because there was no blood. My real issue is that David Chase was giving people their due in the preceding episodes. Here, the only one who gets his is AJ, and that's only for being a doofus, it has nothing to do with his greater moral fiber. I'll rescind if this episode turns out to be just an interlude.

24: I'm a little disappointed at the complete turn the season took two weeks ago, switching storylines completely. Not that it's not staying interesting and energetic, it just seems to me there could have been much more done with a bunch of nukes flying around the country. Anyone else noticed that Doyle changes sides every three minutes. Stupid Nurse Flowers (that's a Scrubs reference, by the way).

Jericho: So, I've mentioned it two weeks in a row in my Wednesday suggestions. I don't know if anyone actually listens to me, but if you did, you probably were pleasantly surprised the last two weeks. It's probably climbed to the heights with the strongest serials going in that time (Lost and Heroes). Since its beginnings of "How will we survive without a government or infrastructure?!"this show has completely taken off and now the citizens of this podunk Kansas town are going to war. WAR! I'm not even kidding. Jake and Hawkins pass out weapons while Stanley leads a scout team to the New Bern army's camp in badass closing scene this week. The town goes from caring about running out of fuel to marching against the next town over (led by Major Dad, of course).

House: Does Omar Epps leave a top 10 show in its third season? I don't even want to research it and ruin the answer for myself, but the smart money would be on "no." I'd see him getting his own department at Princeton-Plansboro first... and clashing with House on a different level. Don't be too surprised if he does bow out, though. Or something else equally shocking on an all new House.

Veronica Mars: I haven't even watched it the deserialized new episode yet, but open letter to CW: Don't take my Veronica away. I'm begging. I'll watch the 7th Heaven finale and blog about it if you want.

FOX reups two quality shows

I'm a little late posting this on the main blog, but it's still good news even if it isn't exactly news... or surprising... from Zap2it.com:

FOX's House and Bones were never in any jeopardy, but the network made things official Friday, renewing the popular dramas for the 2007-08.

Bones, which stars Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz, has been picked up for a third season, while House, featuring two-time Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie, will be back for a fourth run.

In addition to its slew of Emmy and Globe wins, House is the FOX's top-rated drama overall, and ranks at network TV's No. 3 scripted series among adults 18-49 and No. 2 among adults 18-34 and teens. The medical drama has averaged 17.4 million viewers, a number that has only soared higher thanks to an infusion of American Idol viewers.

The American Idol halo effect (but not a lead-in) has also benefited Bones, which has averaged 8.8 million viewers for the season, but brought in 12.6 million earlier this week. Bones has averaged a 3.1 rating for the season in the key 18-49 demo, but this week's episode did a 4.4 rating.

Here's hoping I have more time to watch Bones next season and House stays fresh and relevant.