The warm-and-fuzzy doctor has been a staple of television, back as far as “Ben Casey” and “Dr. Kildare” in the early 1960s.

“House,” debuting at 9 tonight on Fox, puts a scalpel through that stereotype.

Dr. Gregory House (played by British actor Hugh Laurie) is a brilliant diagnostician who lacks any people skills. He says what real medical professionals do is think. He also is more comfortable treating symptoms than patients, who he feels are a bad source of information about their conditions.

You would think that House, who walks with a cane after a medical misdiagnosis and pops painkillers with abandon, would have more sympathy for patients. But he’s more from the “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” school.

House is aided by a crack young team of medical experts, who can thus far best be described as the pretty boy (played by Jesse Spencer), the pretty girl (Jennifer Morrison) and the black guy (Omar Epps). Here’s hoping they develop more characteristics than their medical specialties.

He clashes regularly with the administrator at the clinic where he works, Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein). She actually expects him to see patients, not just delve into occasional cases that interest him. Unfortunately, House is as talented as he is misogynistic, which makes him damn near untouchable. It’s amusing to watch each try to get the upper hand on the other.

“House” resides in the world of today’s medical mysteries, such as the “CSI” trilogy, “NCIS” and “Medical Investigation,” where the most obscure answer is likely the right one. It’s a procedural as much as any cop show.

It’s to Laurie’s credit that he makes House almost likable for viewers. House shoots off his mouth and gets away with it, an ability to that many would aspire.

In a lightweight time slot, bet the house on “House.”

Dale McGarrigle can be reached at 990-8028 and dmcgarrigle@bangordailynews.net.