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House M.D. Reboot Theories: Will Hugh Laurie Return?

House M.D. Reboot: 6 Wild Theories for Dr. Gregory House's Return!

House M.D. Revival: The Challenges of Bringing Back the Antihero

A House M.D. reboot? That's a juicy idea! But getting Hugh Laurie back as Dr. Gregory House is a HUGE challenge. House ran for eight seasons and the ending is, to be blunt, kinda divisive.  Those last episodes created immense fan reaction which is why it is now necessary to properly deal with this topic. The eighth season finale was one of the more memorable and more intense points of that final season; and with fans remembering various highs and lows, there really were few choices left available!

Remember Wilson’s (Robert Sean Leonard) death in season 8? The whole arc dealt with Wilson's terminal cancer.  House couldn’t save him.   The finale shows House facing a six-month jail sentence for damaging hospital property. So House fakes his death and leaves with Wilson.  This leaves fans curious.

Also Read: House of the Dragon Ending Plans: Showrunner Talks Faithfulness to GRRM's Book

Six Wild Theories For Dr. House's Return: Beyond the Series Finale

6. House's Global Medical Adventures: A Rogue Diagnostician

The most popular theory is simple: House kept diagnosing and treating people in other countries – illegally, of course!  This concept maintains the original show’s charm— weekly cases for a diagnostician who thrives on difficult cases; a truly capable doctor searching for difficult patients. He uses his talent to provide services for the less fortunate—a brilliant new take on this unique individual who seeks self-destruction through self-preservation in new territories that create fresh opportunities which could possibly result in entirely new developments within this character arc. It is incredibly effective because it fits perfectly within that established storyline and that existing reputation of that doctor!  It's something completely unpredictable yet very compelling.

5. The Prison Gambit: House's Return Behind Bars

House-Revival-Chances-Addressed-By-Star-12-Years-Later Image

Maybe House returns to the U.S.; fulfilling his promise to euthanize Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) when her Huntington's Disease worsens; and subsequently gets arrested! Because he faked his death, it leads to another imprisonment and is forced into that already established “prison storyline.” This however was very lackluster, not terribly effective!

The problem is simple— the initial prison storyline was uninteresting without Wilson.  House would have few motivations—especially considering the promised service to Thirteen. Any reboot must eventually revert to that primary format – that’s another core problem. His arrest and subsequent escape then feel repetitious and unnecessary.

4. A Redemption Arc: House Gets His License Back

Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House from House M.D. Image

More realistic— House completes his sentence, becoming a free man many years later. Perhaps surprisingly, the talented and extremely renowned House gets his medical license back! He then possibly returns to Princeton-Plainsboro! If this occurs, that would make his return somewhat of a continuation and this is really not necessary to bring more to that very same narrative that may no longer generate any intrigue.

This does return the series back to “statUS quo” – and that was one major thing the writers frequently did to undo previous storylines.

3. House The Consultant: Trading the Stethoscope for a Strategy Session

House TV Series Poster Image

This could become incredibly unique— House as a medical consultant!   It's a very common approach for many television procedurals: using a well-known character as a recurring consultant! And that aligns perfectly with House's existing skill set, as this very specific personality did not operate as a normal doctor.

This reboot provides various possibilities: This enables brand-new characters; something far more original instead of relying on an eight-season arc’s themes and structure.  An older House mentoring younger doctors– this gives those younger characters more significant roles; showing that he could function without becoming entirely redundant, but acting as a resource for someone more capable, creating new interesting plots without abandoning existing characters completely, while delivering a far more fresh experience!

2. A New Beginning: House Ditches Medicine Altogether!

This might sound very crazy –  what if House abandoned medicine completely? This directly addresses another potential narrative outcome that House could undergo, highlighting that this character should always focus on himself: living instead of merely focusing on death or escaping to pain! It showcases the full meaning behind his decisions.  The finale emphasized his newfound willingness to live; yet not necessarily the fact that the pursuit of that living experience required him to continue pursuing medicine, as the new opportunities available might involve different things, completely highlighting his existing potential.

This could even function as a very limited series – showcasing that dramatic change from his former profession and life. It would showcase House at his most unpredictable, and makes him very interesting! It’s an opportunity for those more ambitious storytelling techniques; creating a much more powerful experience.     And let's be real. Any opportunity for more House is amazing.  Even those moments featuring unpredictable stories in which the lead character actively abandons all ties with that established story’s narrative might really, really appeal to fans eager to see what a talented creative team could accomplish under a relatively lesser degree of established pressures.

1. The Master and the Apprentice: House’s New Prodigy

This is a creative approach and something new to bring the main character back in a new context: House training that once-in-a-lifetime prodigy capable of inheriting his immense talents! This approach establishes House as the mentor, and also introduces this fantastic opportunity for another well-defined, well-developed character! It requires a new interesting approach which does something more fresh— because that “new House” is something done before—several times!

But it requires the key ingredient that fans of House will surely love; having this great ability to train those unique characters who will go on to do extremely unique and memorable actions!

Also Read: House M.D.'s Burn Victim Diagnosis: Real Doctor Calls It Out

Conclusion: The Possibilities Are Endless For Dr. Gregory House!

House M.D. reboot is highly improbable, however the series does have the potential for another amazing story. It might even make a very cool series; showcasing various angles and highlighting that even the character who largely resisted changing could ultimately accept these kinds of possibilities, given his past behaviors and relationships!

These different theories provide a spectrum, showcasing different directions that could allow Hugh Laurie's character into a whole new space; not necessarily discarding elements which previously existed, allowing an opportunity for interesting story designs!

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