Since I’m neither in school nor the mother of a school-aged child, I measure the start and end of summer by the TV schedule. As of Monday night, summer is officially over! (Now if only the weather could watch TV and adjust the temperature accordingly.)

In honor of the new television season, I’ll be blogging about the premieres of the shows that grace our screen here in the Burt house.

Speaking of houses, that brings us nicely to the premiere of…House M.D.

Warning: Here there be spoilers…

Basically, it was an hour of pay-off for the fans who’ve been pulling for House/Cuddy for the past six years, with an amusing B plot in which House’s team save Cuddy from an administrative nightmare while she’s off playing hooky (is that what they’re calling it these days?) with House.

Very few clothes are worn in this episode—which may or may not be a detriment, depending on how you feel about Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, and the guy playing the heavily medicated neurosurgeon (though Mr. Laurie hilariously told Ellen DeGeneres that, being British, he was uncomfortable with it).

The most accurate description I can give of the script is that it sounded like the kind of twu wubbly luv fanfiction that no doubt popped up on House/Cuddy sites during the summer hiatus. Which is not to say that I didn’t enjoy the episode. Clichéd though it was, I was touched by House’s moment of shame as Cuddy checks out his mangled leg…and kisses the scar; I grinned at House pulling out all the stops to woo Cuddy, from drawing an ill-advised bath to whipping up a gourmet breakfast (glad to see the continuity from last season’s arc where he took up cooking after he got off Vicodin); I laughed at their game of romantically-inclined Boggle; I went “aw” as House planned a weekend getaway to France. In short, I am a sap.

It might not have been a great (or even very good) premire, especially following season 6’s pitch-perfect finale, but it was satisfying—and that’s coming from a House fan who’s always been indifferent about House/Cuddy. I thought it was nice to get a moment of optimism in this ultimately jaded (but honest) show.

For me, the episode’s biggest shortcoming was the dearth of Wilson, though his one scene, in which he—of course—disbelieves that House didn’t show up to work after traumatically losing a patient because he was having sex with new girlfriend Cuddy, stole the show.

Or would have stolen the show, had Chase not topped that by propositioning Thirteen.

Speaking of whom, I really hope Thirteen’s not going AWOL for long this season, and not just because the mystery surrounding her departure is driving me crazy. She’s the most interesting member of House’s team at the moment, and I don’t understand why Taub is the one who always gets to stay around. Also, she’s going to die, anyway; let’s not lose her before we have to.

All in all I’d say it was a good start to the season. And before I go, I’ll say i hope this is the last season of House. Now that House has gotten past his drug addiction, relationships are his one hurdle (perhaps not the best metaphor for a cripple)—his relationship with Cuddy in particular. Now that they’ve going to make a go at it, there’s really nowhere else to take House. Either he’ll succeed and live somewhat happily ever after, or he’ll fail and go down as a tragic character of Shakespearean proportions.

If I were writing the show? House would ultimately succeed with Cuddy, but only after having to make the decision he should have made years ago to have his leg amputated. I’m serious. House’s leg has always been the symbol of his pain, and he’s never going to be able to make a relationship work if he can’t cut off his pain. He’s off drugs, so he can’t just numb the pain; he has to treat it at it’s source. I don’t think my theory is totally beyond the realm of possibility, either, considering last season ended with House reluctantly amputating a woman’s leg to save her life.

What do you think will happen to House? And did you like the premiere? Comment with your thoughts!

Next up: Modern Family!