Binging House Like a Writer

I like to have some noise when I’m working. I need to, actually. Quiet makes me itchy. So, I often wind up binging something on Netflix that I watched when it was coming out on Network TV. That way I’m not distracted by something totally new.

The last couple months, it’s been House. Just in case you don’t know—House is a series about a Vicodin-addicted doctor who works with a team to diagnosis patients with unusual medical conditions.

As I binged, I found myself fascinated by the question of how a character becomes iconic. Even someone who hasn’t watched House knows who the character is. There are plenty of TV doctors who aren’t as memorable. What did the writers and developers on this show do right?

I was also struck by the experience of binging a show that was designed to be watched much more slowly.

Let’s get into it.