Published at 9:21 PM on September 21, 2009

By Emily Riemer

House Review:
Season 6 Premiere, "Broken"

Paste Rating

regrettable

Your Rating

Season 6 begins with House in a mental institution for a Vicodin addiction and subsequent hallucinations. (It also begins with a great dream-like sequence of him shackled to his hospital bed set to Radiohead's "No Surprises.") Except for a two-minute phone conversation with Wilson, none of the usual characters are in the episode. Except that they sort of are.

There's the head of the hospital (Andre Braugher), who's House's confidant and intellectual match, and also challenges him, like Wilson. There's a female doctor who challenges but also enables, embodying House's former employees: Cameron, Chase and Foreman, plus a little hospital administrator Cuddy thrown in there too, minus the sexual tension. There's a married woman who's a love interest (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente), who is a lot like Sela Ward's married, former flame Stacy from seasons 1 and 2. The other inmates are the hapless patients that House normally encounters: trying to absorb wisdom from him, but generally getting rebuffed and rejected instead.

In this strange Cuckoo's Nest, with House as McMurphy (and sometimes as Nurse Ratched too), the season 6 premiere is the same formulaic story of House as usual, but set in a different environment. Except that then, unexpectedly, the story changes too. Suddenly, House is trying to be a better person. He's trying to have reciprocal, trusting relationships. And things, for the most part, are magically better in this alternate House world. Ultimately, this new House improves the lives of the people around him and embraces his desire for a better life in order to save himself. And frankly, the change feels saccharine and forced.

What makes House the show watchable is that House the character is so deeply abusive and fatally flawed. But a history with House tells the loyal viewer that he will not stay fixed for long. And that's a good thing. Because if this episode indicates anything, it's that no one wants to be in a world where House is all better.

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11 Comments

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By veghead on September 22, 2009

I felt a lot of discomfort and squirminess watching this. House just wasn't in the house. And what's with the buzz cut? But the saving grace is that he's incapable of going permanently normal and nice, thank god. The writers are smart enough to know that (I hope). If he turns into another Wilson, the series is in deep doo-doo.

By gormogon on September 22, 2009

The episode is very emotional to say the least. Its nice to unravel different facets of House, it felt like I was watching a spin off movie of sorts. Hugh Laurie has carried this 2 hour season with grace that in a way made me feel like I didnt actually miss the supporting characters.

By Sam on September 22, 2009

While I agree that "nice" House can't sustain the series for any length of time, I also feel like the writers have finally realized that, in order for the series to continue, House needs to grow as a character. Up until now, he rarely, if ever, took responsibility for his actions, and pretty much lived under the impression that he was a god of his own little world. He may very well revert into the crotchety House we know and love, but his experiences in the mental hospital will stay with him. Personally, I'm hoping for a return to "season 1" House: crabby, snarky, but still with a touch of compassion.

By TV Obsessed on September 22, 2009

Hugh Laurie was absolute amazing. He gave a mind-blowing performance that has to be remembered for years. He could have won an Academy Award for that.

For a single episode, it was good, but the pacing was slow and the whole mental facility setting felt a little disingenuous. Full review of the episode on my blog.

http://th3tvobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/09/review-house-season-6-episode-1-broken.html

By ANONYMOUS on September 22, 2009

He was awesome. He did great and I agree with sam. He has to grow up. Besides didnt they say he was off the vicodin and can have relationships(trust, forgivenes) and can move on. Did they change his personality. He still will knock out patients against their wil....Anyway havnt you seen the previews! HOUSE LOVERS UNITE

By Steve on September 23, 2009

How typical for a pseudo lefty indie reviewer. People just must "get" something or they cannot enjoy it eh. It must make perfect sense to you, conform to your expectations in every way, OR, as is your case, shake expectations once, but then not again...stay put you say.

This episode was incredible, truly a golden moment in a golden age of TV drama, and where were our critics, will we say? Wringing their hands over such nonesense as how it felt forced. You could've written that review w/o even watching it, it bears so little resemblence to the touching performance that was actually given.

The show is evolving it is doing what so few shows are ever willing to do and more power to them. It is so boring to always want the same thing, or to say that his fatal flaw (what a cheesy, cliched way for you to put it) is what makes it worthwhile. They just proved to us all that you are wrong, but that is the kind of smug viewpoint that can't be changed by mere reality.

Bravo Hugh Laurie.

By Aaron on September 23, 2009

"the season 6 premiere is the same formulaic story of House as usual".

Errr, no. There was no medical mystery in this episode - ergo no formula.

Did you watch it?

By Ayami on September 24, 2009

I whole heartedly disagree with your review. Honestly, did you even watch it? Like Aaron perviously mentioned, there was no medical mystery in this episode which is the framework of all previous House episodes, therefore, there was no formula used in Broken.

I can honestly say, this is my favorite episode of House to date. I've been waiting for him to develop as a character. Snarky House, while amusing and entertaining, can only sustain the show for so long. People change. If House didn't change at all, then the show would seem "forced" as you put it.

The change was not forced or saccharine at all. It was slow, gradual, and House fought it. If you nearly caused the death of someone because of your own selfish whim, I'm pretty damn sure you'd want to change too. That's a lot of guilt, and you'd have to be much more of an ass and not human at all to not let an event like that change you.

By Harvie on September 24, 2009

I agree with Emily. The episode felt forced, the scenes and dialogue were trite, the concept was completely unrealistic in today's mental health system - I was really disappointed.

By Patster on September 24, 2009

I agree with Harvie -- it felt TOTALLY unrealistic. No doctor would put House in that kind of mental hospital. And someone on the writing team should have spoken up -- you can't pay homage to, and at the same time, totally rip off a classic movie (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest).
I hope the next episode begins with House breaking into the meds cabinet at Plainsboro and solving a crazy case.

By shaquille on September 30, 2009

this episode was not "forced" at all. he faught it almost all the way until he realized that he needed to change. he almost got a guy killed just so he could prove someone wrong and once he saw what he did he realized that it was time for change.

to be honest the only way his character is changed is that he is no longer popping pills and he isnt deflecting or keeping to himself anymore. he is still a jerk if thats what you guys want.

he will still have the same attitude its just that he wont be doing the pill popping and deflecting anymore. hes still the same old lovable sarcastic, arogent jerk he was before.