Why is House M.D. such a popular TV show?

Posted on August 8, 2010 by Jeffrey Newman

According to various TV rating services, the show HOUSE  M.D. is the top rated television show. Why? First, I want to disclaim that I do like this show myself, so I may not be totally objective here. First, I think viewers are attracted to the unique personality of the main character who is antisocial, arrogant, sarcastic and brilliant in his field of diagnostic medicine. He is the rough edged Sherlock Holmes of medicine. Actor Hugh Laurie, whose own father was a doctor, does a superb job and developing this character. The writers don’t just focus on the medicine, although it is well researched and based on actual cases and studies. There is a lot of interplay between characters and the writers also allow for growth and evolution and sometimes in the case of Dr. House devolution. He’s flawed and admits it and despite this we put up with him because he can make people better. That’s like real life in a bottle.