Filmed much like a theatrical movie, the pilot for HOUSE, M.D. wastes no time in establishing the show's recurring theme: an individual falls ill, and Greg House and his merry crew spend the next 45 minutes or so trying to diagnose the illness before the patient croaks. Few episodes have varied from this pattern, for better or worse. In the pilot, House treats a young teacher (movie actress Robin Tunney) for an aphasia that gets worse by the minute. The symptoms pile up quickly. Eventually, she becomes paralyzed from the waist down and decides she wants to go home to die. House wants to do some more work on her instead. The incredibly intense scene that follows between the ailing teacher and House is what makes the episode. We also have all the basic characters introduced without a lot of wasted time, including the very sharp neurologist (Omar Epps), the emotionally charged immunologist (Jennifer Morrison) and whatever the heck the surfer-looking Aussie is (Jesse Spencer). Dr. Wilson (Robert Leonard) is the staff oncologist and House's closest friend. And Lisa Edelstein is House's incredibly nagging but sympathetic boss, who as time goes on we discover may have had a relationship with House in the past. Only time will tell. HOUSE is the best TV show since LAW & ORDER, hands down.