After eight years and over 170 episodes, House, M.D. is coming to an end. The show has entertained viewers with mysterious cases and even more complex characters over the years, and it will be difficult to imagine television without the brilliant curmudgeon known as Dr. Gregory House.

According to a TV news website, House Creator David Shore, Producer Katie Jacobs, and Star Hugh Laurie made a joint announcement that the show would come to an end after this season, with the final episode airing on May 21. Even though millions will dearly miss House, it seems that this is an appropriate time for the series to come to an end. The show has always had a strong viewership, but it has been losing viewers since its fourth season. Longtime watchers mainly complain of a lack of focus and direction in the show in recent years (screenrant.com). Regardless, a considerable number of viewers will stick with House until the end of its run this season, and it would be better to have the show go out on a high note, with fans wanting more, than for it to be drawn out until the point where everyone is begging for Fox to pull the plug.

Also, with an end now in sight, there is good reason to believe that the writers of the show will be able to finish the storyline in a way that will leave viewers pleased. Many people working closely with the show have promised a spectacular finale, including executive producer Greg Yaitanes, who proclaimed that the show would have an “amazing series finale” on his Twitter account (screenrant.com). Fans can also look forward to seeing some of their favorite characters return, as Actress Olivia Wilde, who played Thirteen, has confirmed that she will return for the show’s finale, according to the Huffington Post. Other characters from the show’s past seasons are rumored to be coming back, one of whom is Kutner, who mysteriously died at the end of Season Five (huffingtonpost.com). Most fans (myself included) are also hoping for the return of Cuddy, House’s main love interest for the first seven seasons of the show. After all, it’s hard not to root for the “Huddy” couple when they had such a dynamic chemistry that was built up for seven long seasons.

For those who have not yet fallen for the show, I encourage you to start watching it if you’re looking for an intellectually stimulating and emotionally stirring drama with a side of cynical humor. House is much more than a show about attractive doctors treating their sick patients — a belief I held before I began to watch the series. While the team of doctors tackles a different tough medical case in each episode, they also address complex human issues regarding morality and truth. “Everybody Lies,” the title of the first episode of the series, made reference to the lying tendencies of humans, which became a major theme of the show (imdb.com).

One of House’s strongest points is its ability to create complex characters with unique backgrounds and personalities. Whether it is House’s dark humor, Thirteen’s tenacious demeanor, or Chase’s Australian accent, there is something about each of the characters that draws viewers in. My personal favorite character Wilson, will be dearly missed, as his antics with House were sure to leave me laughing each and every time. Season Seven’s episode “Last Temptation” — which had the two betting who could hide chickens in their offices for the longest amount of time — was a particular favorite of mine, and I highly recommend that episode for those in the mood for a good laugh (imdb.com).

With the end nearly in sight, fans of House should reminisce about all the great episodes the show has provided over the years, and look forward to the May 21 series finale that will surely be one to remember. The writers and producers will not let their fans down in House’s final act, as they lay to rest one of the greatest series in television history.