Fox's "House" (8 tonight, WPGH) begins its sixth season with a two-hour episode that's essentially a stand-alone movie about House (Hugh Laurie) and his stay in a mental hospital.
Even after he quickly kicks his pain killer habit and quits hallucinating, his doctor (Andre Braugher, "Homicide: Life on the Street") refuses to sign on on House returning to practice medicine until he completes the program.
"And he's black," House says upon confronting the doc over forcing him to stay. "I thought you'd be a little more sensitive on the slavery issue."
It's a generally strong episode as House attempts to annoy his doctors so much that they'll sign off on his departure. He's selfish and cranky and generally annoyed with his hyper roommate. A near-tragedy convinces house to actually get with the program and the sourpuss actually makes some progress and finds a new love interest.
The end of the episode is a little too maudlin for my taste (and way too TV-predictable) but I'm sure some viewers will coo over the happy ending.
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CBS's "How I Met Your Mother" (8 tonight, KDKA) returns to deal with the fallout from Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin (Cobie Smulders) hooking up. But are they truly a couple now?
Barney also lays down some life lessons (women are to be treated by the same rules that govern Gremlins) and Ted begins his first day as a college professor, teaching a class among whose students is the mother of the show's title.
Mt. Lebanon native Joe Manganiello, a Carnegie Mellon grad, returns for another guest spot as a date for Robin. It's a cute enough episode. To me, "Mother" is somewhat scattershot but I enjoy the characters enough to stick with it. I'm most eager for the return of "Big Bang Theory" (9:30 tonight), which CBS did not make available for review.
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I've decided to give up on "Heroes." Somebody let me know if it miraculously becomes worth watching again.
Posted
Sep 21 2009, 12:25 AM
by
Rob Owen