Standoff and House

So, we're in the second Tuesday since Baseball on Fox ended and Standoff and House are back. For reasons beyond those that were articulated in reviews Standoff was largely panned by tv critics. I; however, don't think it's a bad show and can see character chemistry growing. The trap here, like in any procedural show, including our fave, House, is basically confronting a variation of the same situation every week. But so far, it's not bugging, and this Rosemarie DeWitt is rather charming.

House, on the other hand, is going through it's seasonal "outsider who shakes things up for House" arc. Season 1 gave up Chi McBride as the new Hospital owner - or whatever - and that was totally annoying. Last year it was Sela Ward - the woman House loved and lost - back to haunt him, and that was more successful. This year they have David Morse as a cop bent on teaching House a lesson. And man, is he ever tiresome. Yikes! House is a great, great show, and they really don't need a strawman to challenge House every year. I dread the day that they introduce the woman doctor who's even sharper than House, but I have a sinking feeling we'll see it in season 4 or 5. I know they want to stay out of the procedural familiarity cycle but the characters they've already assembled have enough steam to carry us through the medical mystery of the week 22-26 times a year.