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Fox Television announced on Tuesday, May 10, that House, M.D. would be renewed for its eighth season for 2011-2012. Fox and the show's producers NBC Universal were at an impasse over responsibility for continuing production costs of the series, but those issues were finally settled. NBC Universal had already agreed to extend Fox's option to pick up the series to April 15, 2011, but that date passed without an agreement having been reached. However, Fox was getting ready to announce its fall schedule and any further delay would have meant scheduling difficulties once the fall season started if it did not find a replacement series.

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Production of Season 8 was somewhat delayed and will not begin airing until October 3, 2011. Part of the issue was that without a firm deal to continue the series, NBC universal only had Hugh Laurie and Olivia Wilde under contract to appear in any following season. However, shortly after Fox's announcement, Robert Sean Leonard, Peter Jacobson and Omar Epps agreed to new contracts. Jesse Spencer was in negotiations longer, but finally agreed to a new contract. However, Lisa Edelstein has announced she will not be returning next season and will instead be joining the cast of The Good Wife.

IMDB reports that Season 8 will be comprised of 22 episodes.[1]

It has now been confirmed that season 8 will be House's last, and it's "swan song" episode is scheduled to air on May 21. It will be both co-written and directed by series creator David Shore. It is likely Olivia Wilde will return for the series finale. Jennifer Morrison has also expressed a wish to return, but it is unlikely that Lisa Edelstein will appear in Season 8. [2]


Among the story threads to be picked up from Season 7 are:

  • The consequences of House attempting an experimental treatment to re-grow the muscle in his disabled leg. Although his initial tumors were removed, he has now had a second major surgery on the same leg.
  • It appears Cuddy is over for good, and it remains to be seen how House will go on with a new boss.
  • Chris Taub's relationships, both with his ex-wife Rachel, and his much younger girlfriend Ruby, both of whom are pregnant when House is imprisoned.

New plot points that have been shows already or are coming up include:

  • House serves time in prison for his various misdeeds. It appears his total absence will lasts about one year: long enough for things to really be shaken up at Princeton-Plainsboro.
  • House meets his new fellow to be, Jessica Adams, while in prison and brings her onto his team after his release.
  • The shape of the team forms into something completely different, marking the biggest shift since Season 4. Both Dr. Adams and Charlyne Yi's new character Dr. Chi Park become fellows.
  • It appears Thirteen moves off the team at least temporarily, and Olivia Wilde leaves the series to pursue other career options.
  • Eric Foreman is acting as the new Dean of Medicine after Cuddy's resignation.

Summary

House starts the year in prison, serving out a long term for his various misdeeds in Moving On. However, it turns out that he didn't even try to get a lesser sentence and took a one-year term without complaint. He blows a chance for early parole in order to prove a fellow patient's diagnosis. Although he plans to withdraw from the practice of medicine, it appears the real co-dependant relationship is between House and the hospital. With House looking at serving at least another six months, the new Dean of Medicine, Eric Foreman approaches House with an offer to return to work.

House accepts the offer and gets out of prison, eventually reconnecting with a doctor who worked in the infirmary who he's made unemployable, Jessica Adams. With one new team member established, he soon meets a bright but timid resident, Chi Park, and adds her to his growing entourage of no-cost doctors as well. He receives a cool welcome from James Wilson, but after a cathartic punch to the nose, the two men reconnect.

However, all is not well at the hospital. House is put on a short leash, and the hospital lacks the funding to provide him with a proper team. Park is his only employee, and House must convince Adams and other doctors to donate their services to help him. House seeks out wealthy patients who can provide him with funding, but the rest of the hospital staff is also working to push House to return to his bad behavior so that Foreman will have to fire him, resulting in House's return to jail.

Main Cast

Recurring Characters

Notable Guest Stars

Episodes

  1. Twenty Vicodin (October 3, 2011)
  2. Transplant (October 10, 2011)
  3. Charity Case (October 17, 2011)
  4. Risky Business (October 31, 2011)
  5. The Confession (November 7, 2011)
  6. Parents (November 14, 2011)
  7. Dead & Buried (November 21, 2011)
  8. Perils of Paranoia (November 28, 2011)
  9. Better Half (January 23, 2012)
  10. Runaways (January 30, 2012)
  11. Nobody's Fault (February 6, 2012)
  12. Chase (February 13, 2012)
  13. Man of the House (February 20, 2012)
  14. Love is Blind (February 27, 2012)
  15. Blowing the Whistle (April 2, 2012)
  16. Gut Check (April 9, 2012)
  17. We Need the Eggs (April 16, 2012)
  18. Body and Soul (April 23, 2012)
  19. TBA (April 30, 2012) (according to tweets by writer Kath Lingenfelter, a good title, will be directed by Hugh Laurie )
  20. TBA (May 7, 2012)
  21. TBA (May 14, 2012)
  22. TBA (May 21, 2012)

Major Events

  • House has been in prison for a year and the parole committee says they will allow him release in 5 days if he can stay out of trouble.
  • While in prison, House meets Dr. Jessica Adams.
  • After risking his parole to save a patient, House's parole is revoked and he is sentenced to another 8 months in prison.
  • After 2 more months, House is visited by the new Dean of Medicine, Eric Foreman, who gets him out of prison in order to save a patient.
  • When House returns to the hospital, he realizes that his world has completely changed: Chase, Taub, and Thirteen have all moved on with their lives, and he must work with Dr. Chi Park to treat the patient. The hospital does not have the budget to provide him with a full team.

Video

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References


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