House and SVU, September 23

House- "Not Cancer"

Recipients of donated organs start dying, and House and his team race to save the only survivor. House "auditions" potential new best friends...and has a private investigator check up on Dr. Wilson.

Good episode! The case was interesting again, and the patient was another one of the "House sees something of himself in" types. I liked the somewhat goofy investigator, who seems to be a new version of Wilson. House seemed genuinely distressed at the idea that Wilson is talking to everyone from the hospital except him.

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit- "Trials"

So-so beginning to the new season. Decent enough story-starts out about a foster child who may have been abused...only to turn into a re-opening of several cold rape cases. The twist that the foster father was the rapist and was married to one of his victims was pretty obvious right away. Luke Perry's performance sort of gave it away. He was so creepy!

Several different subplots going on, too. Stabler worries about his stolen credit card (which turns out to have been used by his lying brat of a daughter and her boyfriend); Fin still has problems working with Stabler; new A.D.A. arrives to replace Novak; and Benson begins to deal with her near-rape last season.

The good- Munch was around for a change...and he even mentioned his life in Baltimore. I think a good drinking game for SVU is to take a drink any time there is a Munch on Homicide mention- a big drink if he mentions an ex-wife or former partner by name! Nice that they didn't drop Benson's attack, and that she's actually dealing with it instead of ignoring it.

The bad- the new A.D.A. is annoying, and the actress is wooden. She won't last. Stabler's family problems are getting old. His daughter has become so bitchy and hateful- I'm surprised Stabler hasn't smacked her into next year!

Still not sure I'm going to stick with the show. The new A.D.A. may make it impossible.