Housewas never short on memorable characters. The series is rightly celebrated for its twisty medical mysteries, but a huge part of its staying power came from the diversity of its cast - not just demographically, but in terms of characterization. Whether it was House’s dry wit, Cuddy’s steely professionalism, or Wilson’s gentle warmth, each character added something vital to the formula. However, despite all the acclaim, one underratedHousecharacter has quietly stood the test of time, even if they never quite got the appreciation they deserved.
Whilefan-favoriteHousecharacterslike Thirteen, Chase, and even Kutner still get love from the fandom, there’s one major player whose reputation has remained surprisingly lukewarm. Some of that is understandable - his storylines often revolved around interpersonal dysfunction, and he never had the flair of House or the tragic mystery of Thirteen. However, looking past that, this character helped ground the show when it risked tipping into melodrama. He was subtle, relatable, and yes, frustrating. That was the point, though, and Dr. Chris Taub (Peter Jacobson) deserves far more credit than he gets.
Taub Is House’s Most Underrated Character
Taub Added More To House’s Best Arcs Than Most Fans Give Him Credit For
Despite appearing in over 80 episodes acrossHouse’s final five seasons, Dr. Chris Taub remains an underratedHousecharacter in the eyes of many fans. Introduced during the show’s fourth season when House builds a new diagnostic team, Taub quickly distinguishes himself not by being flashy, but by being fundamentally grounded. He lacks Thirteen’s enigma, Kutner’s quirk, or even Chase’s backstory baggage. Because of his grounded nature, Taub often acts as the glue holding together the more eccentric elements of the team.
Taub’s medical insight isn’t showy, but it’s consistently solid. He’s rarely the one to make the final, dramatic diagnosis, but he’s always in the thick of the process, chipping in with practical solutions and skeptical thinking. Plus, when House’s antics threaten to derail the team (as they often do),Taub is frequently the one asking the uncomfortable, necessary questions.This underratedHousecharacter doesn’t fall into the same category of ‘House protégé’ that Chase or Foreman does, but that’s exactly why his presence matters.
Taub’s also instrumental in some ofthe best plots inHouse. His relationship drama, both with his wife and later with the mother(s) of his children, may not have won over every viewer, but it gaveHousea compelling glimpse into the life of someone living with the consequences of emotional instability, without the genius-level intellect that usually excuses it. Taub never had a huge, defining arc like Thirteen’s Huntington’s diagnosis or House’s spiral into addiction. Still,his incremental evolution over the series made him one of the most authentic characterson the show.
Taub Was A Very Ordinary Doctor (Unlike House’s Larger-Than-Life Characters)
Taub Broke The Show’s Formula By Being The Most Realistic Person In The Room
One ofHouse’s oldest and most consistent tropes was its roster of extraordinary doctors - every team member had a hook. Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps) was positioned as House’s intellectual equal, constantly clashing with his mentor. Dr. Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer) had a legacy to uphold as the privileged son of a famous doctor. Dr. Remy “Thirteen” Hadley (Olivia Wilde) was a riddle House couldn’t help but solve.Even Dr. Lawrence Kutner(Kal Penn), for all his immaturity, had a quietly tragic backstory and unshakable optimism.
Then there was Taub. A former plastic surgeon who left a lucrative private practice after an affair, he had no mystery, no secret genius, no redemptive arc in the works.Taub was just a guy- a skilled doctor with a messy personal life and a very human sense of shame, guilt, and insecurity. That’s precisely why he stands out and isn’t deserving of being one of the most underratedHousecharacters.
Taub wasn’t meant to be a cipher for House to crack; he wasn’t a puzzle box for the audience to obsess over. He was a mirror. Unlike the others, Taub didn’t want to be like House.He sawHouse for what he was- a brilliant but deeply damaged man- and actively resisted falling into the same behavioral patterns. That created a fascinating tension between him and House, even when the show didn’t always foreground it.
Taub’s realism was a breath of fresh airin a show built on hyper-competent eccentricity. His medical background was rooted in elective surgery, and his confidence didn’t come from diagnostic brilliance but from years of practical, hands-on work. That contrast often grounded the rest of the team. He wasn’t the most exciting character, but he was perhaps the most necessary one.
Taub Was A Terrible Husband, But He Was A Great Character
Taub’s Flaws Made Him One Of The Show’s Most Complicated And Compelling Figures
Yes, Dr. Chris Taub was a serial cheater. He repeatedly sabotaged his own relationships, made poor decisions in his personal life, and often seemed resigned to his own worst impulses. However, all of that messiness made him one ofHouse’s best-developed characters. He was the embodiment of self-awareness without self-improvement - a deeply relatable and sometimes infuriating character study that played out quietly over several seasons.
This underratedHousecharacter didn’t get redemption arcs or grand emotional payoffs. Instead,Taub’s storylines were built on repetition and consequence.He cheated, regretted it, tried to do better, failed again. It was cyclical, but purposefully so. What’s more, thanks to Peter Jacobson’s grounded, understated performance, Taub’s struggles never felt like lazy writing - they felt real.
What made Taub compelling wasn’t just his flaws, but how he grappled with them. He didn’t spiral intosubstance abuse like House, nor did he run away from the consequences. He stayed. He faced the fallout. He lived in the uncomfortable in-between of trying to be better and failing, over and over again. In a show where so many characters were defined by high drama,Taub’s quiet unraveling was both refreshing and brutally honest.
Peter Jacobson brought a dry wit and world-weary charm to the role that made Taub likable even when he was at his worst. He may not have been a great husband, but he was an incredibly well-written character - one who broke theHousemold by being utterly, painfully human.
