After the end of House in its eighth season in 2012, people speculated whether the immensely popular Fox medical drama featuring Hugh Laurie concluded voluntarily or was terminated by the network.
Featuring Hugh Laurie as the eponymous Dr. Gregory House, the misanthropic and unconventional head of diagnostic medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, House drew significant inspiration from Sherlock Holmes and ranked among the most-viewed fictional television series globally in 2008. By the time House season 8 aired, the viewership figures had declined.
Viewership had not only declined, but prominent characters such as Cuddy had departed from the series. This prompted discussions among the three principal entities involved with the show — network Fox, primary production company Universal Television, and creator Howard Shore’s production team — over whether House had reached its conclusion after eight seasons on air.
Those discussions, however, were not direct. The conclusion of House after its eighth season was due to multiple factors, and although many fans lamented its departure, the choice to conclude the narrative of Dr. Gregory House was a deliberate and judicious move.
The Producers of House Wanted the Show to End Before It Became Boring
A primary reason for House concluding after eight seasons was the creative team’s desire to terminate the series on a positive note, avoiding the potential for repeating storylines or a depletion of narrative momentum.
On February 8, 2012, after the airing of House season 8, episode 11, “Nobody’s Fault,” creator Howard Shore, lead actor Hugh Laurie, and executive producer Katie Jacobs issued an open letter announcing their decision to conclude the show’s eighth season as its final one “after much deliberation.”
Indications from the stakeholders in the show’s production imply that House season 9 was a viable prospect.
The filmmakers intended for House to conclude after season 8 to maintain its protagonist as “an enigmatic creature.” They desired the show to conclude when an aura of “mystique” still enveloped Dr. Gregory House.
Numerous principal players from the show, including Olivia Wilde, paralleled Hugh Laurie by achieving successful careers following the conclusion of House, suggesting that the creators selected an opportune moment for the series’ termination.
Nonetheless, the demise of House with season 8 was not an inevitable outcome. Indications from the individuals engaged in the production of the show imply that a ninth season of House was a strong possibility.
The House Would Not Always Be Cancelled
The series House concluded after eight seasons, however it almost proceeded to a ninth season. A 2012 report by TV Guide said that Universal Television sought an additional season of House, comprising a whole 22-episode run. Fox, allegedly disbursing $5 million each episode to air the medical series, shown trepidation, consenting only to a 13-episode ninth season of House.
Negotiations between Fox and Universal Television for the prospective ninth season of House progressed slowly until Howard Shore and Fox reached a mutual agreement to conclude the series following the eighth season’s finale.
Reilly announced at the January 2012 TCA press tour that the future of House remained uncertain.
While unverified, the aforementioned aligns with statements made by Fox’s former head of entertainment, Kevin Reilly, shortly before to the official announcement. Reilly declared at the January 2012 TCA press tour that the future of House remained uncertain. This demonstrates that House season 8 was not initially intended to be the last season.
The cancellation of the series seemed logical given the depletion of several key members of House’s principal cast at that time. Nevertheless, efforts were made to maintain continuity.
It was reported that Laurie had consented to a substantial salary reduction, as he was among television’s highest-paid actors, to ensure the continuation of the show.
The TV Guide story indicated that star Hugh Laurie advocated for an extension of the series. It was rumored that Laurie consented to a substantial salary reduction, as he was among television’s highest-paid actors, to ensure the continuation of the costly series.
Despite a decline in ratings, they remained robust, indicating that fans desired additional content from House. The ultimate choice provided Shore and the production crew the time to craft a genuine series finale for House season 8’s last episode.
Although House concluded after eight seasons, was a ninth season truly feasible? Examine the underlying factors contributing to the show’s termination and the potential alternatives. Explore our website for further exclusive updates and insights on television shows!