The last new episode of House aired over a month ago, followed by two weeks of playoff-caliber baseball and one week of watching the Detroit Tigers make fielding errors. Like most viewers at home, FOX is happy to be done with baseball and to have Hugh Laurie and company back on the air.

House returns on Tuesday (Oct. 31) night with an episode that sets up the major conflict that should run through November sweeps and beyond.

On the procedural level, Tuesday's episode, titled "Fools for Love," is fairly straightforward. A young woman is rushed into the hospital after being held at gunpoint in a robbery. When her husband begins experiencing similar problems, the doctors begin to look for connections leading to -- you'll never see this coming -- a shocking and unlikely diagnosis in the final act. Sorry to spoil that for you. The surprise is a good one and the case emphasizes a series of psychological choices, rather than a slew of increasingly gross symptoms.

More interesting, though, is the arrival of David Morse as Michael Tritter, a clinic patient who takes exception to House's demeanor. He demands an apology, but this is House we're talking about, prompting Michael to take the law into his own hands, which isn't difficult, since he's a detective.

This isn't the first time that the House team has tried to give the good doctor a human adversary as a change of pace to his internal demons. Chi McBride stopped by for five episodes in the middle of the show's first season playing the hospital's new chairman of the board, a billionaire out to eliminate House's services. The always-watchable McBride was compelling, but his character was there to make an unsupportable argument -- that House wasn't essential to the hospital. Audiences could just twiddle their thumbs for a few weeks, comforted by the inevitability of McBride's departure.

I fear that the same may be the case with Morse's character. One of our very best character actors, Morse's resume is filled with parts that straddle the line between psychotic and eerily sympathetic, so it's no surprise that he comes across as initially relatable. Michael comes into the clinic with a medical worry and is treated with apathy and rudeness in very familiar House style. Who could doubt that eventually House would run into a patient who'd respond poorly to tough love? The problem going forward is simple: Michael is attempting to punish House for being House and what are the odds of the writers letting that happen in the long run?

We'll get a few episodes to watch two great performers spar, but Dr. House is a force of nature, while anybody sent to oppose him is just a nuisance, particularly any actor signed to a six or eight episode guest-starring arc.

Sound off after you've seen the episode... What did you think?

Comments

house is the best drama series on tv!!!!!!!!!!!!!

andrea | Oct 31, 2006 6:51:29 PM | #

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Thank goodness baseball is over..........who really cared anyway??? Welcome back House and company, we missed you. Excellent episode as always.

Kari | Oct 31, 2006 9:52:44 PM | #

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House is my favorite series on tv. I have, and have watched both tv seasons on dvd. I rushed home for new show tonight and was a "little disappointed". There was too much "House failure", "stupidity" in one episode. House did come up with a diagnosis, finally...but he was wrong almost the whole show, he was wrong about his pal's affair with the nurse, he was wrong about Cutty being pregnant, and of course he made 10 mistakes, at least, with his new nemisis, from not walking out the door when the guy kicked him, to not carrying his wallet with him while driving his bike. This all made "House" seem too wrong, bad, stupid, "however you want to put it". This episode needed more "redeeming" qualities for our "hero". Or why would we "cheer" for him or want to watch him? Even an anti-hero, needs to have more going for him.

Radience | Oct 31, 2006 11:22:34 PM | #

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The portrayal shows how human our 'hero' really is. The disappointment is Morse's character: he just serves as a reminder of the hatred towards 'bad cops' abusing their power for personal reasons. Too many good cops out there to be shining a spotlight on the few bad ones, these days.

dre | Nov 1, 2006 8:53:57 AM | #

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I've got to admit I hoping for a lot more, the character looked good until the end. Clearly the writers haven't figured out how quickly a police officer would get slapped down for such a clear misuse of power (conflict of interest). Let’s see within hours of a meeting where he publicly requested an apology for a misdeed by an individual he turns around and arrests the same person with whom did not get satisfaction (without so much as a partner to back up the speeding story).

The case would get pulled back in a millisecond by any District Attorney and the officer referred to internal affairs for likely disciplinary action.

Why is it that the writers think we are so dumb? They can't seriously plan on keeping this storyline for any length of time can they?

BK | Nov 1, 2006 10:51:48 AM | #

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This is Moriority to Sherlock Holmes. Someone who is an equal. A challange, therefore what House most relishes.
It may be farfetched, as was the premise about a millionare who owns a drug company coming in to 'buy' top position at a teaching hospital.
This storyline may end up plenty of different ways (tie in to a law program) but I feel that the notion that police won't use their authority for personal gain is naive, there are good cops, and even the 'bad' cops aren't bad all the time. How about good doctors vs bad doctors. Morse's character may have a background of abuse and House is the new target of his trying to correct the world. Worse things can happen in the real World.
But as seen in the shows at the start of the season (pre-baseball) it is shown that the arrogance and superiority complex that House displays is what makes him the one you want to be diagnosing you or your love one in spite of all these traits.

I hope that it doesn't just wash like some think, and turns into an intreaging storyline.

Tuck | Nov 1, 2006 11:36:44 AM | #

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I really enjoy David Morse's performances. Good stuff!

CW | Nov 1, 2006 12:24:14 PM | #

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I emailed EVERYONE in my enormous Add.Bk.& asked them to watch House as it is the BEST show currently on TV.It is humorous,enlightening,& causes one to think.If you're not quick or intellingent enough you might miss some good things.It is SOOOO refreshing to have a mind challenging program available.I think Morse as the new character will prove quite an adversary for House. He will more than give HOuse a run for his money. This should prove quite interesting. I want House to be the winner tho,of course.

Dyann | Nov 1, 2006 3:34:34 PM | #

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Note to FOX. I would much rather watch a House rerun than baseball, especially since I missed an episode earlier in the season. I bet I'm not the only one. And while we're talking about Robert Morse, how about reruns of Hack? I missed one of those too.

Slartibartfast | Nov 1, 2006 5:30:09 PM | #

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I liked Morse's character last night. I wouls like to see him continue on the show, especially (I know this is far fetched) if the writers can figure out a way to make the House and Morse character "buddies" in a curmudgeonly way- I think viewers would enjoy seeing them rag out/insult each other every week, since they both seem like strong, complicated SOBs. Morse's character isn't afraid of House and House needs someone strong to poke and prod at him. Anyway, it could be really interesting if things worked out between them - that they each see a mirror in the other.

lisa | Nov 2, 2006 12:02:51 PM | #

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Hate Morse's character. House is an SOB with a mission; the cop, Tritler is just an SOB. Get rid of the cop its a distraction to the House character.

Jimbo | Nov 14, 2006 7:56:29 PM | #

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OK, good people, this is tv drama, and it's about as good as you are ever going to get from free tv. The conflict between morse and house as evolved quite nicely, although there are those bits and pieces which are reality stretching in terms of what one could rightfully and righteously expect in actuality. But, we are now seeing how House comes absolutely unhinged due to his pain and/or addiction and we are sensing that the resolution will not be easy or pretty. the writers have set this whole thing up rather nicely and i look forward to seeing the climax. will house go to detox, jail or suspended from the hospital? will morse get some disease which will require him to be at the mercy of house?

bob | Nov 30, 2006 9:29:07 AM | #

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Excellent addition to the regular cast, and a worthy nemesis for House. Yep, who really cares about baseball?

Barack | Jan 27, 2007 8:51:59 AM | #

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i loved the tritter arc -- i didn't really see him as a bully. much as i like house, what he did to tritter in the clinic was a violation on so many levels and i don't blame him for the way he responded. morse as always is an incredible talent and i'm rooting for him to nab a nomination.

lise | May 3, 2007 5:53:40 PM | #

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I would rather watch reruns of house rather than baseball. House is the shit fox should push baseball over another hour if they have to or let house play after it is over

| Jul 24, 2007 2:10:48 AM | #

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