And you thought "Operation" was nerve-wracking.

TV shows are formulaic. You know what you're getting into when you sit down for a particular sitcom, drama or reality-based program.

So watching House tonight, it was no surprise that there was a mysterious set of symptoms, a dash of hospital politics, and a "By Jove!" ending.

It's kind of like a mystery novel; depending on the writer, the reader can either solve the case along with the detective, or else be handed a solution all gift-wrapped with a bow.

Perhaps there should be "House: The Home Edition" or an internet version. As symptoms become known, the viewer can start comparing and matching, narrowing down possible diseases or viruses. Frantic clicking through online medical journals, consulting the Merck Manual.

Dizziness, lesions, difficulty breathing? Is he taking any medications? Could it be an allergic reaction? Do we have family medical history? Where's the bloodwork, the MRI? I said STAT people, STAT! How much did it cost to have that medical license printed, you incompetent fool?

You could even wear a white lab coat! Interactive television on a whole other level beyond voting via your touchtone phone.

I don't think my attention span could handle the stress however. I tried watching House and Gilmore Girls while reading a book and surfing the web. If I had to make life and death decisions at the same time, I might feel a tad overextended.