What is a House?
Throughout history, houses have been both the most common form of shelter and one of the most powerful symbols of status. Houses often reflect the views and beliefs of their builders and occupants, such as a lavish and intricate house reflecting conspicuous wealth or a small and simple structure indicating an emphasis on thrift and energy conservation. In addition, a number of houses are deemed to have great historical significance and are recognized by the local government with a special plaque.
In addition to the houses themselves, the term ‘house’ can also refer to a place where people live and/or work. This could be a flat/apartment or any other living space such as a caravan or tent. It may also refer to a specific room within a larger building. In political science, a house may refer to an institution – for example a legislature or parliament. A house may also describe a type of building that contains many rooms, including those which are not used for dwelling – these buildings are usually called outbuildings.
A house can also refer to an organization or group of individuals who share a common interest, such as a club or a band. A band, for instance, might be formed around a shared love of music or a particular genre. A house can also be a religious institution, such as a church or mosque. The term ‘house’ is also frequently used to describe a community organisation, such as a local residents’ association or co-operative.
As well as being a popular television series, House has also been adapted into a book and video game. The video game, released in May 2010, is a mini-game that allows players to navigate a restaurant-placemat-style maze in which they must avoid hungry physicians as they try to get a sandwich to Dr House.
Although House is not based on any particular real-life medical institution, the show has received a great deal of criticism for its depictions of certain diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS and cancer. It has also been criticized for its overt references to pornography and the use of drug abuse as a major plot device.
The show is a co-production of Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions, and Bad Hat Harry Productions in association with Universal Network Television for Fox. The executive producers are Bryan Singer, Attanasio, Shore, and David Jacobs. The show is filmed in Los Angeles, California. The show is also broadcast internationally. The first three seasons were broadcast in the United States on Fox, and the subsequent five seasons on Global Television Network in Canada. In 2008, the show was the third highest-rated program on Canadian TV, and it is popular in many other countries as well, including Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, and Czechia. Hugh Laurie, who plays the title character of the series, is one of the most highly paid actors on television. In the first season, he was paid $275,000 per episode; by the fifth season he was earning $400,000 an episode.