The latest on the doctor in the 'House'
By ALAN PERGAMENT
News TV Critic
1/31/2006

Sela Ward is as an ex-girlfriend who shares a controversial kiss with Dr. House, played by Hugh Laurie, in “House.”

Buffalo viewers say they need a "House" fix while they await the return of original episodes next Tuesday. Fortunately, I was on the 20th Century Fox set of the hit show in California recently and can supply an extra dose of material and some gossip about Dr. Gregory House and his staff.

The staff was at a "House" party, where critics were given a tour of a beautiful hospital that could only be so spanking clean because it isn't real and they don't really treat patients. The clinic is so beautiful that you had to wonder why Dr. House is so allergic to working there.

"The building is not the problem," cracked Hugh Laurie, the British actor who plays the acerbic, irreverent doctor on the Fox series. "I love what they've done with it."

I immediately told Laurie that some of my readers didn't love "the kiss" that Dr. House shared with his married former love, Stacy Warner (Sela Ward), in the last episode that aired before extended versions of "American Idol" took its time slot.

He couldn't understand why they they were mad. I told him they are upset that he kissed a married woman. I added that of all the bad things House has done, kissing Stacy probably didn't rank in the Top 10.

"Really," replied Laurie. And what did he think was the worst thing House has done this season? "I suppose reading the confidential psychiatric file of his ex-girlfriend."

The kiss suggests Stacy has forgiven House, a character that has landed Laurie a nomination as one of TV's sexiest doctors.

"I find it preposterous," said Laurie. "I can see in some ways I am playing a sexy character. The idea of a damaged genius is an interesting, intriguing character, but it has nothing to do with me . . . I think whoever is playing this role would be in the position I am now."

He is happy that Fox decided to keep "House" in its Tuesday position (where it is a huge hit on WUTV in Buffalo) after earlier announcing it would move to Mondays. "You develop a relationship [with the audience]. People have their judo class or watercolors or whatever it is and they get into sort of a routine. Why change it?"

Laurie had to change his accent for the series. He speaks as an American on the show, which now airs back home on an English channel. "That [accent] was really weird for them," said Laurie. "Britain is a country of Henry Higginses. They are all terrible snots about accents and dialects. They are always listening to spot the false notes."

Speaking of false notes, Laurie says people don't know the truth about him. "People assume that I'm very highly trained, that I studied and did years and years of Shakespeare," said Laurie. "I have no training whatsoever and I've only done one Shakespeare play at university. If people want to believe that, I'm happy to go along with it."

Of course, they also believe he's a real doctor.

After my visit with House, it was on to Dr. Robert Chase, one of the three young medical experts on Dr. House's elite team. He is played by an Australian, Jesse Spencer, who has worked extensively in Britain and wanted the part so badly that he flew to the States for an extra audition on his own dime.

"It was the best 300-pound investment I ever made," said Spencer, whose entire family is in medicine. He said England is loving the show, which shows a different side of Laurie.

"Hugh is very well known over there, but more for his comedic roles, which "House' is," said Spencer. "There is so much comedy. It wouldn't work without someone who could pull that off and Hugh pulls it off extremely well. . . . [British viewers] really like gritty, real characters and I think they relate to House in sarcasm and sense of humor."

Spencer said he's most often asked if Laurie is a jerk in real life.

"And I'm like, he's a jerk? From the start I've known House for who he is. A jerk is someone who is sort of rash and has no reason for being the way he is or seems that way, where House is a full character. You see his pain, his joy, all these different sides of him. I don't see him as a jerk."

It was time to move on to Dr. Allison Cameron, the immunologist played by Jennifer Morrison. The first thing you notice is how young she looks in person. She laughs and notes that sophisticated clothes and makeup make her appear older on the show.

"My resume for Cameron has me graduating medical school the year I graduated junior high," said Morrison.

Morrison talked about meeting Patrick Dempsey, who plays Dr. McDreamy on "Grey's Anatomy" in the waiting room at her audition for House. "I believe he read for Chase," she said.

Imagine Dr. House and Dr. McDreamy on the same show. Dr. Cameron was attracted to Dr. House's brilliance last season and has a crush on him.

"What I get more than anything [from fans] is you've got to stick it out," said Morrison. "He needs you."

Dr. Cameron has more pressing things on her mind. After being splattered by blood from an AIDS patient, she is awaiting her own test results. "I think the next episode that airs is the resolution," said Morrison, who has something in common with the show's fans. She didn't like "the kiss," either.

"I got really jealous," said Morrison with a laugh. "Being in touch with Cameron's feelings, it was kind of hard to watch."

Dr. Eric Foreman, the neurologist played by Omar Epps, isn't a big fan of Dr. House, which was why he was put in charge of keeping him in line in a story arc that also is about to end.

"I don't want to give it away, but he'll get some pie in his face sure enough," said Epps. Has the actor ever met anyone who remotely mirrors Dr. House's behavior?

"We're in Hollywood," said Epps. "I meet people like that every day."

David Shore, the show's creator, knows that not all his choices for Dr. House are going to be embraced. The fallout from "the kiss" should be resolved shortly because Ward is not staying for the entire season.

"The next couple of episodes are going to resolve her arc, at least for the time being," said Shore. He dealt with criticism from his own loved ones about the kiss.

"All I can say is it is just going to get worse," said Shore. "Hopefully, it is our little version of "Casablanca' here. My dad wasn't happy with the kiss, either."