15 Secrets You Didn't Know Behind House

Summary House's success on television was due to a complicated cast, medical puzzles, and the challenge of creating his character.

Hugh Laurie's portrayal of House required grueling hours and led to his separation from his family during filming.

Behind the scenes drama included network interference, pay disputes, and unexpected character departures.

House hit network television in 2004, offering a complicated cast of characters and new medical mysteries to untangle every week. The sarcastic, brilliant, anti-social Dr. Gregory House dealt with unexpected cases while navigating the hospital's social complexities. Audiences grew to love House, despite and because of the numerous qualities that made him hard for anyone else to work with. However, behind the scenes, House was not easy to create. The writers struggled to find ways to make House a character fans would accept and cheer for.

House's character always had to be rationally motivated and focused on solving a puzzle. However, even that difficult task was made more so by conflict, cast changes, network interference, and grueling filming. In the beginning, writers disagreed over the development of the show. Writing a show that worked was harder when the network kept weighing in on the supporting characters. Cast changes proved tricky, and Hugh Laurie carried the show through eight seasons. Although the final product was successful, House had many issues behind the scenes.

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Hugh Laurie Described Filming The Show As A Nightmare

Laurie Worked Non-Stop On House While Away From His Family

Hugh Laurie made playing Gregory House look easy. The doctor certainly did not put in more effort than he needed to, but the same could not be said of Laurie. The actor put in grueling hours and he later described playing House as a nightmare. He said he told wonderful stories with great people, but it ended up being repetitious - "day after month after year." Laurie explained (via Sky News),

"I had some pretty bleak times, dark days when it seemed like there was no escape. And having a very Presbyterian work ethic, I was determined never to be late, not to miss a single day's filming... But there were times when I'd think, 'If I were just to have an accident on the way to the studio and win a couple of days off to recover, how brilliant would that be?"

He commented that he did not think he would be physically able to take on another major television role. Laurie was also separated from his family during House's run, as they stayed in Britain. According to Laurie, it was probably harder on his family. "It's been a delight to be back with them, to walk the dog, to listen to music and to read. I'm still appreciating and enjoying it."

Lisa Edelstein Refused To Return For The Finale

Cuddy's Story With House Had Reached Its Conclusion

After Lisa Edelstein left the show as Cuddy, she received an opportunity to return for the series finale one season later. However, Edelstein declined to return for the end of the series. Creator David Shore stated, "I wanted her to come back, but we weren’t able to make that happen." Edelstein later commented that she did not regret missing the finale. She thought House and Cuddy's story ended where it should.

"I don't think that show was about happy endings. And the truth is, if someone drives a car through your living room [like House did] you should do what I did and get the f*** out of town. I mean come on. It kind of all worked out... You file a police report and you leave - and you don't come back for the f***ing finale."

In the series, Cuddy and her family left New Jersey after the violent end of her relationship with Gregory House. When House literally drove his car into her house, he went to jail, and she resigned and moved away. Of course, behind the scenes, Edelstein refused to return because the network demanded pay cuts and she refused to accept one. That forced the show to write her out. While she didn't die, there was no reason for her character to come back at the end.

Chase & Cameron's Relationship Outlasted The Actors' Real Engagement

It Led To Some Awkward Filming

Chase and Cameron's romance was one of the defining relationships of House. The show followed them through multiple arcs in their love story. However, this couple was a case of art imitating life. Chase and Cameron began their relationship around the same time actors Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison got engaged in real life. Unfortunately, Spencer and Morrison's real-life engagement ended less than a year later. Their breakup made filming a bit more awkward, as Chase and Cameron's relationship outlasted their real relationship.

Their characters continued to date and got married. Morrison and Spencer even agreed they would save any on-screen kiss for when the cameras were rolling, avoiding it during scene rehearsals. Eventually, the on-screen relationship evaporated, as well, culminating in Cameron's departure from the show. Chase and Cameron ended up divorcing on House when Chase followed House's lead, and Cameron felt he was becoming too much like his mentor when he allowed an African dictator named President Dibala to die.

Hugh Laurie Didn't Think House Could Be The Main Character

Laurie Believed Wilson Would Be The Main Character

When Hugh Laurie first auditioned for the part of Dr. Gregory House, the show had the more enigmatic title Chasing Zebras. House even said this in the show, commenting, "I look for zebras because other doctors have ruled out all the horses." Even though the show would later be changed to House and center around Laurie's character for the rest of the series, Laurie did not originally think House would be the main character. Laurie assumed the show would focus on House's best friend, Wilson.

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Laurie didn't believe a man like House could lead the show. At the time, House was a step outside the usual pattern on American television, especially on medical shows, as an unlikable lead that could not entirely be classified with the "good" guys. Understandably, Laurie assumed the more sympathetic, caring doctor would be the focus of a medical show. Nevertheless, fans kept returning for House's brilliant mind and sarcastic, abrasive personality. It seemed that a "not nice" main character was just what the show needed to thrive.

The Network Made The Writers Introduce An Enemy

David Shore Created Edward Vogler To Satisfy Fox

With a series headlined by an unlikable, misanthropic lead, it's no surprise that the network executives had ideas about developing the series. Although the network never pushed the writers to make House more likable, they did have some notes about the people surrounding him. Early in the series, Fox insisted that House should have an enemy pushing back against his behavior. Creator David Shore didn't love the idea but relented and created the hospital administrator, Edward Vogler.

However, Shore never intended for Vogler to stick around for long. He stated early on that Vogler would only be on the show for a few episodes. As the series became more successful, Shore wrote out Vogler within his allotted handful of episodes. Vogler was a billionaire owner of a pharmaceutical company and soon Shore proved that House never needed a real enemy because he won't get fired since the show is about him (via Entertainment Weekly).

The Series Creator Wishes He Had Ended Cuddy's Arc Differently

David Chase Had No Idea Lisa Edelstein Was Leaving House

After the climactic season seven finale of House, Lisa Edelstein announced she would not return to her role as Cuddy. Edelstein left because FOX demanded the cast take a pay cut, and she refused. She found a better-paying job on another network with CBS' The Good Wife and didn't return. However, creator David Shore did not know about Edelstein's departure when the season ended, ending Cuddy's entire arc with House driving into her home. This left no chance for Shore to write the conclusion to her story since she disappeared and never returned.

Shore stated that if he had known Edelstein was leaving the show, he would have changed Cuddy's ending. When asked if the season finale was intended as a way to write Cuddy out, Shore replied, "That was never the plan. It happens to do that, which I have mixed feelings about. Had I known going into the final dozen episodes that she wasn’t returning, I’m sure it would’ve unfolded differently" (via TV Line).

Jennifer Morrison Was Told Little About Cameron's Sudden Departure From The Show

Morrison Was Confused As To What Was Happening With Cameron

Dr. Cameron's departure from the show was sudden and unexpected. Although many characters left the show because of the actors' decisions, Cameron's fate was in the hands of the writers. Cameron's ending was meant to show that not everyone in House's circle could be corrupted by him. Unfortunately, the decision pushed out Jennifer Morrison. Morrison commented on Cameron leaving the show (via Entertainment Weekly):

"I find the entire situation sort of confusing... I don’t know anything about anything. That’s the thing. Everyone expects me to have an answer and there’s no answer to have because there’s… no answer."

Morrison was paid for the remainder of the season, but seemingly received little information about her character's ending in the story. With that said, she had no complaints about creator David Shore, saying he is very talented and "he's very committed to keeping the characters' stories authentic." The writers left an opening for Cameron to return, and Morrison eventually returned for the series finale.

The Writers Argued Over How To Portray House's Injury

Other Ideas Were A Wheelchair & Just Using A Scar

When House's writers first developed how to portray Dr. Gregory House's enigmatic character, they were conflicted about how to play House's injury. They knew House should have a handicap that would be important in his character development, but they did not agree on what it should be. The first idea the writers worked with was putting House in a wheelchair, but the writers found that idea too limiting in restricting how House's character could be used.

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They also considered the idea of portraying his injury with a scar. However, a continuous scar would have required much more investment in makeup. They ultimately decided on House's cane and a limp. The show still used both other ideas in the series as House's scarred leg was shown occasionally, and House used a wheelchair for one episode to win his parking space back from a new researcher at the hospital ("Needle in a Haystack").

The Writers Gave Wilson An Edge Against The Network's Wishes

David Shore & Bryan Singer Knew Something Needed To Be Wrong With Wilson

When the series was in development, Fox had specific ideas for House's best friend, Wilson. The network wanted Wilson to be a nice guy to contrast House, but Robert Sean Leonard's audition gave Wilson an edge. David Shore explained that Bryan Singer, who was directing it, went to give him the note outside the room. Shore said he was sitting there thinking it was a bad idea (via Collider).

"There has to be something about this guy that would make him be friends with House. And, I ran out of the room to tell Bryan that I didn’t agree with that note and to tell Robert. As soon as I get it out of my mouth, Bryan said, 'Oh, it’s a terrible note. We’ll have him read it that way, we’ll get him the part, and then we’ll do it our way later.'"

Shore said that, for Wilson to be friends with House and so loyal, there had to be "something clearly wrong" with him. Shore said that they knew, from that first moment at the audition, that there had to be something broken about Wilson and he couldn't be a generic nice guy doctor on the series.

The Series Creator Originally Thought The Show's Concept Was A Terrible Idea

Originally, It Was Like CSI, But With Germs As The Bad Guys

House had an abnormal approach to a medical procedural series, combining medical drama with character-driven mystery. When series creator David Shore and the show's executive producers first came up with the idea, Shore was not convinced the idea would work. Shore explained, "It evolved over a few months. The series was sold to Fox without the House character as part of the initial sales pitch. The show was sold as a crime/police procedural, but instead of bad guys, the germs were the suspects. So it was more of a CSI kind of idea" (via TODAY).

He continued, "I was partnered with Paul Attanasio and Katie Jacobs, who are also executive producers on the show. They knew that all the networks were looking for a medical procedural. It was sold that cynically. Paul had the original idea. I thought it was a terrible idea. Obviously, I was completely wrong." It didn't take long for Shore to start to break down some of the genre constraints and create something very different from everything else on TV at the time.

Kal Penn Was Shocked When The Writers Killed Off His Character Upon His Departure

Kutner Died By Suicide

After playing Dr. Kutner on House, Kal Penn received the extraordinary opportunity to work for the White House as an associate director for the Office of Public Liaison. Penn's new role meant that Kutner would have to leave the series, as he decided not to take any acting roles while working for the Obama administration. Kutner's departure made a shocking turn when House's team discovered that Kutner had died by suicide.

It turned into a poignant episode however, it did not seem to be what Penn was expecting. Penn stated that he felt "more than a little bit of shock and loss" when he learned of his character's demise. Despite Kutner's unexpected death, Penn left the show on good terms and was on set for the filming of Kutner's suicide episode. He also returned for a small part in the series finale. The show never explained his suicide, which was the point - the lack of answers is often what haunts survivors after a suicide.

The Creator Had No Endgame For The Series

David Shore Didn't Even Know The Ending Heading Into The Final Season

When David Shore started work on House, he had no clear idea where the story would end up. In fact, he expected it to be canceled at any point during the series. With an uncertain future for the show, Shore did not have an endgame for the series. Even up to the final season, the ending for the series was still up in the air in the writers' room.

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He stated, "In my mind, that would have been incredibly pompous. The idea that this was going to last more than 12 episodes, and that I could plan an ending, is just way too arrogant. It’s American network TV. I fully expected it would just stay on the air, and I would tell individual stories about this individual until they told me I couldn’t do that anymore" (via Collider). The good news is that Shore kept the ship right and said that the direction didn't change because Hugh Laurie was so good at his role as the main doctor.

One Season Finale Proved Controversial With Fans

It Looked Like House Was Trying To Kill Cuddy

At the end of season 7, following the collapse of House and Cuddy's relationship, House drives his car through the wall and into Cuddy's house during her dinner party with a new boyfriend. The dramatic ending did not sit well with fans, who thought it looked like House was trying to kill Cuddy. Some fans thought that the action changed the nature of the show and House's character.

Creator David Shore clarified in later interviews that House had seen them leave the room and that the act of violence was towards the house and not towards Cuddy herself. He explained, "Even in that moment, I don’t think he wanted to kill anybody. But who knows? Probably part of his mind did. It was a lashing out — a very extreme lashing out. I don’t think it was a murderous lashing out" (via TV Line). However, the one thing this controversial moment caused was that Cuddy never returned - not even for the finale and House's funeral.

The Writers Considered Taking House Out In The Finale

There Was An Idea To Kill The Character Off

After eight seasons, House ended with a bang when Dr. House faked his death to spend Wilson's last few months on an adventure with his best friend. Although fans speculated House was dead at the end of the series, creator David Shore stated he meant for the ending to be taken at face value. However, that doesn't mean House wasn't in peril in the writers' room. Shore also revealed that killing House was in consideration for the finale.

He explained, "Everything was on the table and that seemed like a natural [choice] in some ways — that is an ending. And this [episode] is a nice ending for the series, but it’s not an ending to House, and that’s part of it. House as a human being — a fictional human being but still a human being — won’t be over until he dies. So there was some talk about that" (via Entertainment Weekly).

House's Limp Caused Hugh Laurie Major Problems

It Led To Several Injuries For The Actor

House's injured leg and the resulting limp were a large part of his character, but House's fictional limp caused Hugh Laurie to suffer some real injuries. Spending several seasons walking with a limp took its toll on Laurie. He explained while filming the series, "The show might last through to series seven, eight, or nine, but I don’t know if I will because I’m starting to lose my knees. It’s a lot of hip work. There are things going badly wrong" (via Daily Mail). He admitted that he needed to do some yoga to help.

After eight seasons of playing House, Laurie also found it difficult to stop limping. Even when working on other projects years later, Laurie would find himself slipping back into House's limp. He commented, “I can’t remember any of the lines at all but when ‘action’ is shouted I start limping. I’m like a dog that’s been prodded with electrodes” (via Cinema Blend). This happened when he started working on Veep, and he saw House start to seep into that performance as well.