11 Grim TV Moments You Won't Watch Again

Upon its release, the rise of the anti-hero on TV was just beginning. House, M.D. was one of the earliest shows on regular network television to embrace the popular cliche. He was cynical, cruel, severely addicted to painkilers and narcissistic. Ironically, later seasons attempts that tried to empathize with his demeanor were less successful. We liked that he was an ass.

He was also based on Sherlock Holmes, who we are first introduced to in the novels injecting himself with cocaine.

We were never meant to like Amber, girlfriend of House's only friend Wilson. Nick-named "bitch" early on, she lived up to the name. But her pairing with the unfailingly decent Wilson was both a shock and a relief. It was nice to see him actually happy and not constantly suffering for others - House in particular.

And her death - a random chain of events set off by House's own selfishness - was oddly effective. It raised moral and ethical questions the three major networks never dare explore. How do react to the untimely passing of someone you never cared for? It was easy to hurt for Wilson, forced to shut off her life support and watch. And the repercussions suggested a break in the one grounded friendship the show had going for it.

Alas, the show sadly walked it back later, too afraid to break staus quo with a bold statement