The TV Addict 

In anticipation of Super Bowl Sunday’s very special episode of HOUSE, the TV Addict recently took part in a conference call with guest star Mira Sorvino.

For almost an hour, the academy award winner was kind enough to answer questions about her much anticipated guest spot, what it’s like to work with the incredible Hugh Laurie and the odds of her appearing on her favorite reality TV show DANCING WITH THE STARS.

In the episode, you’re trapped in the South Pole and just have this room of stuff and you’re trying to cure yourself. Did it ever occur to you, “Oh, my God, I’m MacGyver.”?
Mira Sorvino: No, it did not. But it was pretty interesting how we sort of jerry-rigged various instruments to try and mimic the diagnostic capacity of a real hospital. The thing with the egg in the middle of the water was quite inventive.

When I read the description for this episode, I was put back in the mind of the South Pole doctor who had breast cancer in 1999 and had to perform her own biopsy and self-administer chemotherapy treatments. Is that a direct inspiration for this episode?
I don’t know. I’m pretty sure, because of the similarities, that the writers probably drew some inspiration from her. It certainly doesn’t directly follow her story line, but I think the concept of a person trapped in the South Pole with some medical experience, but no hospital to treat herself with, that’s pretty similar.

Did you follow that story with any interest back nearly a decade ago?
No, I was not aware of the story before, actually. Before I did the episode, I didn’t know that there had been such a tale, so it’s even more remarkable knowing it’s partially true.

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Today’s good news — HEROES showrunner Tim Kring finally acknowledged to EW.com what this TV Addict has been saying for months — HEROES is broken. Revealing among other things that the pace of the season has been too slow, the new heroes weren’t introduced properly and Hiro was in Japan for far too long [well duh!]. The bad news — with the writer’s strike in full swing it’s looking like Kring and Co. will have quite a few months to ensure season three gets off on the right foot [translation: Wes, Monica and the Wonder Twins are killed swiftly by Kristen Bell’s Elle]

As much as I’m loving the new season of HOUSE, is anyone else starting to feel a little bad for Cameron, Chase and Cuddy? To make way for the new interns, they’ve all pretty much pulled a “Robert Sean Leonard” this season. Don’t get me wrong, the new interns have been loads of fun [especially the bitchy one]. But isn’t it time for HOUSE to show the series regulars we’ve come to know and love a little more respect?

We’re only 3 days into the WGA strike, and this TV Addict is already jonsin’ for my nightly fix of THE DAILY SHOW and THE COLBERT REPORT. Who’d have thought the one network I’d miss the most would be Comedy Central — the home of such celebrated shows like KENNY VS. SPENNY and Crank Yankers? Should not American heroes like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert be except from the strike? There shows are [sadly] my only source for news!

The TV Addict [left] with Omar Epps at the Fox Fall Launch Party 2007

Recently the TV Addict had the opportunity to chat with HOUSE stars Omar Epps and Jennifer Morrison. Here’s what they had to say about a slightly lighter workload, what fans can expect this season, and the brilliance of Hugh Laurie.

The TV Addict: Let me start off by saying, [to Omar Epps]. The moment when your character died on ER…. WOW! One of the best moments ever.

Omar Epps: [Laughing] Thank you. It’s been a long time. Time flies.

Were you at all apprehensive to play another doctor on television?

Omar Epps: Not at all. When I signed on to do ER, it was only 10 episodes. But HOUSE is a completely different show. We built something from the ground up.

How different has the start of this season been for you as actors, as you give up screen time for an entire slew of interns?

Jennifer Morrison: It’s been kind of exciting. For 3 years we’ve been doing very similarly structured episodes, a very procedural show. But this season the writer’s have really mixed it up.

Omar Epps: Since we knew we were coming back to the show [and weren’t really fired], it’s been cool!

Has it been strange having the workload of say, co-star Robert Sean Leonard?

Jennifer Morrison: As much as I love working, it’s a nice balance this season. I get to sleep a bit more and have a little more of a life.

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Welcome to THE TV ADDICT’S WEEK IN REWIND A look back at last week’s good/bad/ugly in the world of television. Oh, and speaking of good. Did you hear? TheTVaddict.com was in the LA TIMES?

BEST EPISODE OF THE WEEK: ALIENS IN AMERICA
Monday’s ALIENS IN AMERICA taught this TV Addict a lot. Namely, that Justin is brilliant. Creating a fake Rocket Club as an excuse to escape his overprotective mom [Franny thought the Canadian Flag was a giant red pot leaf!] and chill in a friend’s basement, eat cupcakes and watch movies — why didn’t I think of that in high school?

More math for you — one really funny plot [local police think Raja’s a terrorist because he’s buying rocket supplies at the local hardware store] plus some terrific one liners [Cheerleader philosophy: “What you’re actually saying is that in this country, there’s absolutely nothing a boy can do that a girl won’t cheer for.”] equals one explosive ending, and the funniest half hour of comedy this week.

LAUGH OUT LOUD MOMENT OF THE WEEK: DEXTER
Sure the words ’serial killer’ and ‘funny’ don’t exactly go hand in hand, but we have a feeling anyone who’s ever bought a car couldn’t help but laugh when Dexter’s latest victim just so happened to be a car salesman. Memo to Dexter: Having recently gone through the ordeal of purchasing my first car, if you’re ever in the Toronto area, I’ve got a few car salesman who are most definitely worthy of your special brand of justice.

BIGGEST SHOCKER OF THE WEEK: FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Dumbledore was gay! Oh wait, this is theTVaddict.com. Mamma Taylor slapped Julie! Landry and Tyra did it! Riggins attended Church! Coach Taylor’s coming back to Dillon! Two questions for FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHT fanatics. One, can FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS get any better? And two, how long until next week’s episode?

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Recently, theTVaddict.com has had the great pleasure of running some pretty great contests. After-all, who doesn’t love winning TV seasons like HEROES and DEXTER on DVD?

That said, today’s contest puts our previous contests to shame. Not only are we offering up two, count ‘em two copies of the original television soundtrack of FOX’s hit show HOUSE [click here to check it out online]. The CD’s are signed by a few Doctors you may be familiar with. Namely Lisa Edelstein (Dr. Cuddy), Robert Sean Leonard (Dr. Wilson), Jennifer Morrison (Dr. Cameron), Jesse Spencer (Dr. Chase), Omar Epps (Dr. Foreman) and of course, the man himself Hugh Laurie (Dr. House).

For details on how you can enter to win, as well as more photos of this fantastic prize, click the link below.

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Click here to head on over to theTVaddict.com Screening Room for a first look at DAVE MATTHEWS guest-starring on Tuesday’s episode of HOUSE. Matthews will play “Patrick,” a savant and virtuoso pianist who suffered a severe neurological impairment as the result of an accident when he was a child. Kurtwood Smith (“That ‘70s Show”) will guest-star as a former physician and Patrick’s father, who must make a potentially life-altering decision about his son’s treatment.

While we at theTVaddict.com aren’t sure as to what Matthew’s diagnosis will be. Knowing HOUSE, we can guarantee the mystery will be solved within the hour and it will be the one malady nobody but House himself could ever have predicted [Not that there’s anything wrong with that]. HOUSE airs Tuesdays on 9PM on FOX.

This just in… literally. FOX has renewed the hit drama series HOUSE and BONES for next season. HOUSE, picked up for its fourth season, stars two-time Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie as Dr. Greg House, a brilliant and unconventional physician with a brutally honest demeanor.

BONES, picked up for its third season, stars Emily Deschanel as forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan, who can read clues left behind in victims’ bones, and David Boreanaz as FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth. These unlikely partners take on homicide cases involving human remains most forensic specialists can’t handle.

Another year of HOUSE can only mean one thing — Hugh Laurie’s going to have to build a bigger shelf to make room for another Emmy and Golden Globe.

Thanks to an intriguing plot synopsis, theTVaddict decided to tune into last night’s episode of HOUSE on FOX (Rest assured I PVR’d VERONICA MARS and will watch it sometime today!). As expected, Hugh Laurie and Co. did not disappoint, providing me with an entertaining and intriguing hour of television. That is, until the episodes final minutes.

As HOUSE fans know, each episode generally follows a similar pattern. The team is baffled for an entire episode until Dr. House pulls a MacGyver and realizes that the patient is actually suffering from some rare problem that only House could diagnose. Subsequently the patient either lives, or tragically dies, House makes a few smart comments, and we return again next Tuesday to see it happen all over again.

Last night’s episode followed pretty much the same pattern, with one exception. I learned that the Doctor’s of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital forgot ‘Medicine 101′ and maybe aren’t as smart as they think they are!

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America’s favourite irreverent/controversial doctor returns to TV tonight as HOUSE begins its third season on FOX (8pm Tuesday EST). While I won’t be watching the premiere (for the incredible reason why not, tune in tomorrow…seriously, i’ll be doing something way cooler… any TV addict’s fantasy, ok not quite, I may have oversold it, but tune in tomorrow to find out) I’ll be PVRing the episode.

Another show I won’t be watching tonight is the fourth season premiere of FX’s deliciously disturbing drama NIP/TUCK. My reason for not watching is because yet again, CTV (Canada’s Television Network — sad but true), has decided to delay the premiere. According to their web site, “CTV will be airing the 4th Season of Nip/Tuck, however, no premiere airdate has been confirmed at this time.”

Once again, this TV addict will be forced to view the show via alternative methods. CTV, your lack of respect for the fans of NIP/TUCK will earn you one less viewer whenever you decide to air season four (and yes, one viewer will make a huge difference to CTV’s bottom line).

Over the holidays, I was bored with repeats and decided to give HOUSE a try. Needless to say I quickly became addicted to Hugh Laurie’s incredibly fun, grumpy, sarcastic, egotistical Dr. House. Laurie’s acting ability transforms what could be a very standard medical procedural show into a show where anything can happen, and usually does. If you haven’t seen the show, I’d definitely recommend giving it a try.