9 April 2020
House S1-8
We’ve all come to see doctors as the ultimate heroes – but it’s hard to find anything heroic about misanthropic, curmudgeonly Dr Gregory House. Addicted to pain meds, he grumbles his way around Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, making up for his demeanour by flashes of genius and true humanity.
House is like one medical detective story after another, as patient after patient presents with cryptic symptoms that only House and his team of diagnosticians can decipher. House has no regard for the rules and often has run-ins with the hospital administrator and Dean of Medicine, Dr Lisa Cuddy.
House is brilliantly portrayed by British actor Hugh Laurie, with Lisa Edelstein as Dr Cuddy and Robert Sean Leonard (remember him from Dead Poets’ Society?) as Dr James Wilson, head of oncology and House’s only friend.
The younger doctors do change through eight seasons. You’ll recognise Olivia Wilde, Omar Epps and Jesse Spencer (Chicago Fire), as well as Kal Penn, whose character, Dr Kutner, had to be written out of the series so Kal could join the Obama administration.
House has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and one season’s critics’ consensus sums it up with “Come for the medical drama. Stay for Hugh Laurie.”
SA celebs open up about divorce on Untied
The action heats up on Empini
More Mzansi gold

Must-watch trailer: upcoming Showmax reality show Vaal Riviera
Watch the explosive trailer for Vaal Riviera, a reality series following four families from the Vaal Triangle. Premiering 22 August on Showmax.

Christopher Reeve documentary on Showmax get four Emmy nods
South African producer Robert Ford discusses his Emmy-nominated documentary, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, which premieres on Showmax on Friday, 25 July 2025.

Shaka iLembe’s Dawn Thandeka King on Untied
Dawn Thandeka King opens up about her spiritual journey, motherhood and marriage in Untied, now streaming on Showmax. Catch new episodes every Tuesday.

Director Jasyn Howes on true-crime documentary The ABC Killer
The director of Showmax Original doccie The ABC Killer, Jasyn Howes, talks about the twisty three-part series about serial killer Moses Sithole. Stream it now on Showmax.