House and Rat

I've been watching the House, M.D. re-runs on and off during the summer. Hugh Laurie is awesome. I've loved him since the first Wooster and Jeeves show I saw eight or nine years ago.

Part of the House attraction: He's a modern day Sherlock Holmes. See a nifty comparison here: http://www.housemd-guide.com/holmesian.php

I've heard a lot of comparisons between House and The Closer (with Kyra Sedgwick): they started as a show based purely on the strength of the central(and eccentric) character and then developed into a full-fledged drama with fleshed out supporting characters.

I was so excited when House acquired a pet rat, that he named Steve McQueen. In an attempt to woo his married(!) lady love (Sela Ward), he resolved to rid her attic of a rat. Just as he is about to descend on the gray rodent with his cane, he notices that the rat tilts its head to the side. He pauses.

Curious to see if the head tilting is an infection, he sets out cheese laced with antibiotics. Steve is captured and restored to health.

One week later, a mysterious infectious disease spreads through House's staff. In order to test a hypothesis, House exposes Steve to the theorized point of origin. He then pours cold water into the bottom of the cage and sets Steve in front of an air conditioner to get sick. Thankfully, Steve is hardy and the disease is actually discovered to be in standing water at the apartment.

We are one week away from picking up our baby rats. I'm tempted to name them House and Wilson (House's best friend). However, they're girls. Have to think about it.