House-broken Cameron

A few weeks ago I was a bit sad to learn that Jennifer Morrison, who plays Dr. Alison Cameron on popular TV show House, would at least be put on the shelf for the season, if not outright let go.  I have a soft spot for Jennifer – not just because she plays an idealist  that my optimistic soul can agree with, mind you, but also because she graduated my college year, went to my university (go go Loyola University – Chicago) and was my major, which means we likely had class together. Yes, one of us had to make it big and while it’d be nice to be a star-studded actor with more financial security, I’m happy for my classmate.

So it was, at first, with a heavy heart that I bid goodbye to Cameron, who was the team’s moral compass and a sympathetic heart in the midst of cold, analytical diagnostic medicine. But when I thought about it a bit more, I did have to cheer up quite a bit and see that this might not necessarily be a bad thing on all levels. For one thing, the drama behind her leaving, which was not a definitive end like Kal Penn’s Kutner character, leaves the door open to all kinds of interesting twists and turns on a road to development for the regular cast.

There’s the obvious marriage to Dr. Chase, and how they shared a tearful hug in the spirit of morals, ethics, and personal conviction. An intriguing concept and story arc, indeed, if she decides to come back and try to reconcile, or even better, create conflict. This, however, pales in comparison to the dynamic between her and House, which was one filled with a forbidden, somewhat unrequited love mixed with Cameron’s self-destructive need to fix broken things. With House regaining both his sanity and partially, his humanity, a return could create a new set of tension for them both.

For the actress, I think in many respects this could be a springboard to other opportunities. We haven’t really seen Jennifer Morrison in much else, but recently, she had an interesting turn in her brief appearance in the Star Trek movie and her role in the star-studded, cheesy Command and Conquer game series shows she has some street cred that makes her recognizable. It’s true the oddly awkward situation with her status on House is a rough one, but I have a feeling Jennifer will come out just fine with a 6 year stint on TV under her belt. After all folks, she comes from the same stock as me – and let’s be honest, can you seriously say I haven’t done well for myself being this happy? C’mon.

I wish Jennifer Morrison all the luck in the world, and have a feeling this isn’t the last time we’ve seen those blonde tresses and medical coat on the TV screen.