Bigger than any May finale cliffhanger or bombshell is the one that just popped in our laps about the eighth (and final) season of “House:” Cuddy will not be a part of it.
“After much consideration, I am moving onward with a combination of disappointment at leaving behind a character I have loved playing for seven years and excitement of the new opportunities in acting and producing that lie ahead,” Edelstein said in a statement.
As Edelstein didn’t have a contract for the eighth season and was currently negotiating a new deal, it’s possible she rejected a lowball deal as the show is currently amidst a budget-cutting process.
For several years “House” had been one of the most-watched shows on television, and remains so, but dropped more than 30 percent in the ratings in its seventh season. Some fans have attributed that to lackluster storylines (this fan who checked out this season included), but those same fans will probably be howling at Cuddy’s unceremonious departure.
Given it was expected that Edelstein would return, there will likely not be any closure in her romance with “House” in next week’s season finale.
I stopped watching House this season too, so I think she’s getting out while the getting’s good. That said, I hope they’ll have her back for at least a couple of episodes as a guest star, to give her the leave-taking she deserves.