Recently Hugh Laurie was interviewed, probably in aid of the John LeCarre adaptation.

Laurie said that his favorite thing about "House" was reading every new script, because the writing was so good.

I felt sorry for Laurie, yoking himself grimly to the punishing ordeal of grinding out a North American accent. In interviews at the time, he said it never got any easier. It was convincing, to be sure, but it kind of made your throat hurt.