‘House’ Star Hugh Laurie Gives TV Another ‘Chance’ With A Hulu Original Series

Hugh Laurie first became a household name as the man who played Dr. Gregory House for eight seasons on the award-winning FOX series House, M.D. While the British-born actor can be seen in his recurring role on Veep, he finally returns as the star of a television drama in the latest Hulu Original series. Like House, Laurie plays the titular character in Chance, where the protagonist has to think outside of the box as he unravels the mystery and intrigue of each new episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0WUiB8YTmI

Hulu provides the following synopsis for Chance, which premieres October 19.

“Based on Kem Nunn’s novel, Chance is described as a provocative psychological thriller that focuses on Eldon Chance (Hugh Laurie), a San Francisco-based forensic neuropsychiatrist who reluctantly gets sucked into a violent and dangerous world of mistaken identity, police corruption and mental illness. After an ill-advised decision regarding an alluring patient who may or may not be struggling with a multiple personality disorder, Chance finds himself in the crosshairs of her abusive spouse, who also happens to be a ruthless police detective. In over his head, Chance’s decent into the city’s shadowy underbelly, all while navigating the waters of a contentious divorce and the tribulations of his teenage daughter, soon spirals into an ever deepening exploration of one of mankind’s final frontiers — the shadowy, undiscovered country of the human mind.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIPRjWN8hcg

Certainly, it would seem as though Laurie is channeling Gregory House as he portrays Eldon Chance. Using his flawless American accent, he deals with patients who aren’t easily diagnosed. Seeing the absolute worst that the world has to offer, the character appears to be brooding and cynical, two attributes that clearly defined Dr. House. But even if the character does end up feeling like little more than House 2.0, that might not be a problem.

House was an incredibly successful show with a very loyal following. Because the show was extremely formulaic — and continuing to come up with interesting medical mysteries will inevitably lead any show towards “jumping the shark” — it had to come to an end. Viewers weren’t tired of the character; the narrative had simply run its course. Now, Laurie can bring back that same type of character in a fresh new world with a fresh set of co-stars.

As can be seen in the trailers, one actor showing up in Chance will be Ethan Suplee, who Millennials may remember as Louie from Remember the Titans, Thumper from Butterfly Effect, and Randy Hickey in My Name Is Earl. Sal Lopez, whose acting resume includes everything from Full Metal Jacket to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, has a recurring role on the show. Actress Grethen Mol — with a filmography that includes Boardwalk Empire, Life on Mars, 3:10 to Yuma and Rounders — appears in at least one episode.

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While they haven’t received as much attention as Netflix Originals like House of Cards or Orange is the New Black, Hulu’s track record with original programming sets a pretty high standard for Chance. Previous Hulu releases include Casual (nominated for Best Television Series at the Golden Globes), 11.22.63 (starring James Franco), and The Path (starring Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad).

Where To Watch Chance With Hugh Laurie

Beginning Wednesday, October 19, the first episode of Chance will be available to stream on-demand with a Hulu subscription. Unlike Netflix Originals, this Hulu Original series releases one episode per week, like traditional television, rather than releasing the entire series all at once.

While Netflix releases new content at midnight PST (meaning subscribers on the east coast were forced to wait until 3:00 a.m. to stream Marvel’s Luke Cage), Hulu releases their content at midnight EST, meaning subscribers in the contiguous 48 states west of the eastern time zone actually get their content before midnight.

The first season will include 10 episodes. A second set of 10 episodes has already been ordered, although no release date has been set for the sophomore season of Chance.

[Featured Image by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]