House's Best Season Was So Good, I Even Forgave The Show For Its Worst Crime

House released many great, memorable seasons over the course of its eight-year run, but one stands out among the rest (even though one aspect of it is rather frustrating). The Fox medical drama, created by David Shore, centers around Hugh Laurie's Dr. Gregory House, a narcissistic curmudgeon. House is the Head of Diagnostic Medicine at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, and he leads a team of specialists who work to diagnose patients with mysterious diseases.

House received 13 Primetime Emmy nominations, including four for Outstanding Drama Series and six for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Hugh Laurie. Out of the 13, House won two Emmys — Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for "Three Stories" by David Shore and Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for "House's Head."

House's team of doctors at the beginning of the series included Jennifer Morrison's Allison Cameron, Jesse Spencer's Robert Chase, and Omar Epps's Eric Foreman. Together, they solved a countless number of cases throughout the first few seasons. However, like many network TV shows, House's cast began to change as the years passed by, meaning Laurie's character's team didn't stay the same for very long in the medical drama.

House Season 4 Sidelining Cameron And Chase Always Bothered Me

The Season Ignores The Original Characters

Cameron with her head in her hand as Chase talks about his BDSM relationships in the House episode Love Hurts. — Chase and Cameron in House

At the end of House season 3, House fires Chase, while Cameron and Foreman quit. Consequently, season 4 (the show's best season) begins with him looking to add new members to his now desolate team, but that doesn't mean that Chase, Cameron, and Foreman exit the show altogether. Lisa Cuddy hires Cameron as the emergency room's senior attending physician. Meanwhile, Cuddy gives Chase a second chance with a spot on the hospital's surgical staff and eventually gets Foreman back, too. However, House still heavily reduces Cameron and Chase's roles in season 4.

House’s Replacement For Wilson Didn’t Make Sense, And That’s Why Everyone Forgot About Them

House once tried to replace the main character's best friend, but nothing about the character made sense in the story, and he ultimately faded away.

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Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer retain their series regular roles in the House cast in season 4 but are more like recurring members. Their characters were so important to the story for the first three seasons. As a result, Cameron and Chase's limited screen time in season 4 (and season 5) is quite frustrating to watch. The two characters were a cornerstone of House early on, and all of a sudden, they get pushed to the background. Yes, Cameron and Chase's new roles at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital and House's new team excuse their absence, but that doesn't make it right.

House Season 4 Being So Good Made Up For Cameron And Chase's Smaller Roles

Season 4 Contains Some Of House's Best Episodes

On the bright side, season 4 is undoubtedly House's best season. Despite Cameron and Chase's diminished screen time, the Fox medical drama thrives in its fourth season, containing numerous episodes that can only be considered as peak TV. As a result, I can forgive the writers and producers for unjustly sidelining Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer's characters, especially if it means getting to know other new doctors like Thirteen and Kutner.

House Season 4 Cast	Role
Hugh Laurie	Dr. Gregory House
Lisa Edelstein	Dr. Lisa Cuddy
Omar Epps	Dr. Eric Foreman
Robert Sean Leonard	Dr. James Wilson
Jennifer Morrison	Dr. Allison Cameron
Jesse Spencer	Dr. Robert Chase
Olivia Wilde	Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley
Kal Penn	Dr. Lawrence Kutner
Peter Jacobson	Dr. Chris Taub
Anne Dudek	Dr. Amber Volakis
Edi Gathegi	Dr. Jeffrey "Big Love" Cole

Episodes like "97 Seconds," "House's Head," and "Wilson's Heart" more than make up for any flaws (although rare) in House season 4. Plus, House's journey to find a new team is extremely well done, as the writers manage to make the audience care about the show's new characters. Viewers typically don't respond well to change. However, House season 4's new direction is welcomed with open arms because its narrative is so strong and compelling.

I Love House's Original Team, But Shaking Things Up Was The Right Decision After All

Moving Forward With New Doctors Was Smart

At the time, it was annoying to see House season 4 throw Cameron and Chase to the side. We spent three seasons getting to know and love them, just for the Fox medical drama to push them into the background. In hindsight, though, it was the right call. House's new team in season 4 is the show's best, meaning that changing the cast roster was a smart move on the writers' and producers' part. Sometimes, shaking up the status quo in a TV series is a recipe for disaster. However, House used its changes for the better, resulting in the show's best season.