14 DAY TRIAL // Negotiations for the eighth season of fan-favorite medical drama “House M.D.” have reached a roadblock. There are so many details that have to be ironed out before the show goes into production that, at this point, there’s a clear chance it might not even happen.
In other words, season 7 may be the last of the show.
“House” producers, Universal Media Studios, can’t come to an understanding with Fox as regards the expenses for the eighth season of the show, Variety reports.
As if that wasn’t enough, key cast members are not yet locked in their contracts, as neither is the show’s showrunner David Shore.
As Variety puts it, there are simply too many things left to settle in too little time for this to happen – and the fact that ratings have declined certainly doesn’t help at all.
“The network remains in last-minute negotiations with Universal Media Studios, which owns the series, in hopes of signing a new deal for an eighth season,” the report argues.
“The two sides are far apart in determining the percentage each will pay for the show’s costs,” Variety notes.
What’s worse, the deadline for an agreement to be reached is on Friday, April 15, but, by the looks of it, it’s hard to imagine the two parties will manage to do so until then.
There’s even more drama with the eighth season: assuming the worst, that UMS takes the show to another network, it will probably have to do so without certain cast members, who are still to renew their contracts.
“While UMS will exercise the options for Hugh Laurie and Olivia Wilde, castmates Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps and Lisa Edelstein are unsigned for a new season, and their deals would have to reupped,” says Variety.
“Leonard has already committed to a Broadway revival of ‘Born Yesterday’ that will coincide with the production of the new season of ‘House.’ As with most fall shows, production is set to begin in summer, and Leonard will still be in Gotham,” the report argues.
Declining ratings could also play a part in Fox’s decision to pick up the show for another season and to continue forking up the money to cover part of the expenses for it, a large chunk of which go to the salary of the cast.
All in all, there’s a serious chance “House” will either end with season 7 or find a new home on another network, but with some changes to its lineup.
Keep an eye on this space to see what happens next.