Why Cameron Actress Jennifer Morrison Left House In Season 6

Jennifer Morrison played Dr. Allison Cameron in the medical procedural House, a character whose compassionate, idealistic nature often clashes with Dr. Gregory House’s (Hugh Laurie) abrasive, cynical outlook. Given her significance, fans were surprised when Morrison was written out of the show in season 6, as she was the first of the original cast of House to leave the series. Cameron had already taken on a more background role when producers decided to shake up House‘s formula in season 4 by breaking up House’s team, leading to some of House‘s best episodes.

By House season 6, Cameron is no longer on House’s diagnostic team. At this time, she is still working at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital with her husband, another former member of House’s team, Dr. Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer). Morrison was excited to become more integral to House in season 6, but instead, her character was written out of the show, pushing her to explore other acting and creative opportunities in various genres of movies and TV.

Why Jennifer Morrison Left House In Season 6, Episode 8

Morrison Would Have Stayed With House If It Were Up To Her

While some fans think Morrison left to star in Once Upon a Time, the fantasy series would not start production until 2011, two years after House season 6 aired. In reality, Morrison did not want to leave House, but her character’s departure was a creative decision made by the producers (via Entertainment Weekly). Fans were at least consoled by the fact that Cameron was not written out of the show by being killed off, which meant that the door was always open for her to return. Cameron also leaves the show for admirable personal and professional reasons, doing her character some justice.

How Cameron Was Written Out Of House (& Why She Breaks Up With Chase)

Cameron Wanted To Leave House & Chase Could Not Do It

Cameron leaves House’s diagnostic team at the end of season 3, having concluded that House’s toxicity was stunting her growth personally and professionally. However, mixing up House’s team made season 4 the best season of House. Cameron transitions to working in Princeton-Plainsboro’s emergency room, focusing on her immunology specialty. While Cameron would occasionally consult for House, her character is less integral than during the first three seasons. Meanwhile, by season 5, Cameron and Chase are finally able to commit to each other romantically. They are married off-screen in season 5, episode 9, “Last Resort”.

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However, Cameron and Chase are brought in on one of House’s cases involving a fictional African dictator, President Diabla (James Earl Jones) in season 6, episode 4, “The Tyrant.” Chase has a disturbing meeting with a “patient” who tells him about Diabla’s heinous genocide. Though Cameron disagrees with everything Diabla stands for, she does everything in her power to save him. Chase intentionally tampers with the results of some blood tests, so the team will arrive at the wrong diagnosis and give Diabla the wrong treatment. Diabla dies as a result, and Chase chooses to keep this a secret from Cameron.

However, Cameron senses Chase is pulling away over the next few episodes and worries he is having an affair. Eventually, Chase confesses that he euthanized Diabla by tampering with the results. Cameron forgives him, blaming House’s influence over Chase. She also decides they both need to leave Princeton-Plainsboro to get away from House. However, Chase does not regret his action, admitting he would do it again. He decides to return to House’s team, leading to Chase becoming the new House. This is the breaking point for Cameron, who leaves Chase and the hospital in House season 6, episode 7, “Teamwork”.

Jennifer Morrison’s Cameron Returned For Two House Episodes

Cameron Returns For One More Episode In Season 6 To Get Closure With Chase

Morrison’s character Cameron would return to House for two additional episodes. Cameron returns to give fans a sense of closure between her and Chase, one of the longest-running couples in House in season 6, episode 16, “Lockdown”. Chase and Cameron are getting divorced, and she returns to bring him the divorce papers to sign, but they get locked in an exam room together when the hospital goes into lockdown. Chase accuses Cameron of never really having loved him, pointing out her reluctance and hesitancy every step of the way.

Overwhelmed, Cameron admits she “doesn’t know” if she loved him and breaks down, admitting she is the one who is “unfixable,” not him. Cameron and Chase reminisce about happier moments in their relationship, like her reaching for him in the night while she slept, or the dance classes they took before their wedding. Chase plays the song “Allison” by Elvis Costello and the new divorcees share one last dance. Their closeness leads to a kiss, then Cameron locks the exam room door, and they have sex before saying one final goodbye.

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Cameron also appears in House‘s finale “Everyone Dies”. House experiences near-death hallucinations featuring important people from his past, including Cameron. All the hallucinations are telling House to fight to live, but Cameron, who everyone expects to be a beacon of hope and positivity, suggests he has “suffered enough” and that death is “not a punishment, it’s a reward.” House is surprised, noting he did not think she hated him, but Cameron assures him that she does love him.

Cameron gets philosophical, asking House what is important to him: Does he care most about the patients, the puzzle, or himself? Cameron also accuses House of cowardice, saying he’d rather leave the choice of life or death to fate than make the decision himself. This is an interesting framing of what Cameron means to House’s subconscious, as she was his moral compass when she worked for him.

The real Cameron also makes an appearance in the episode at House’s funeral. Her eulogy says that “somewhere inside” House knew how to love, which is something her hallucinated self also discusses with House. Cameron appears to have achieved the happy ending she wanted away from House. She is now the head of an ER in Chicago. Cameron also has a husband and a child, finally able to let go of the past and commit to a future, although she does linger on a photo of her and the team from House.

All Movies & TV Shows Jennifer Morrison Did After Leaving House

Morrison Is Best Known For Once Upon A Time & How I Met Your Mother (But Has Done Much More)

Since leaving House, Morrison became best known for the leading role of Emma Swan in Once Upon a Time. The show ran for seven seasons, and this time Morrison chose to leave Once Upon a Time of her own accord. Morrison returned only as a recurring character for the final season after her six-season contract ran out, explaining the show means a lot, but she was ready to move on “creatively and personally” (via Hollywood Reporter).

Morrison also had a few memorable recurring and guest roles in popular TV shows. She is also known for her portrayal of Zoey Pierson, a feisty activist and one of Ted Mosby’s love interests in How I Met Your Mother. Although their relationship did not last, Zoey was one of Ted’s best girlfriends. Morrison also played Cassidy Sharp, a veteran struggling with PTSD and a love interest of Kevin Pearson in This Is Us season 4 and season 6.

On the movie side, Morrison starred in the 2018 romcom Alex & the List as Katherine Stern, a woman who wants her boyfriend to get his act together. She also makes a brief appearance in J.J. Abrams’ reboot of Star Trek as Winona Kirk, James T. Kirk’s mother, the same year she was written off House. Morrison has had other small roles in major films like Bombshell, The Report, and Amityville: The Awakening.

Morrison has also transitioned to working behind the camera, making her directorial debut with Sun Dogs, a comedy-drama about a young man who wants to make a difference but whose attempts to do so go comedically awry. Morrison’s Netflix film premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2018. Additionally, since leaving House, Morrison has begun directing TV episodes, such as Euphoria season 1, episode 5 “’03 Bonnie and Clyde”. Morrison is now doing a lot of directing for Peacock, including the pilot of One of Us Is Lying and three episodes of Dr. Death.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Hollywood Reporter

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House

House is a medical mystery drama in which the villain is typically a difficult-to-diagnose medical malady. It follows Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), a world-renowned disabled diagnostician with a notorious substance abuse issue. With his team of world-class doctors, House has built a reputation as one of the most brilliant doctors in the world – an especially impressive feat when taking into account that he rarely actually sees his patients.

Cast

Olivia Wilde , Jesse Spencer , Lisa Edelstein

Release Date

November 16, 2004

Seasons

8

Network

FOX

Showrunner

David Shore

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