Fox renews medical drama

The doctor will be in for a second season.

Fox announced Friday that the network’s popular freshman medical series “House,” starring British actor Hugh Laurie as the unconventional, brutally honest Dr. Greg House, has been picked up for its sophomore year.

Despite generally positive reviews, “House” wasn’t a ratings powerhouse when it premiered last fall. But with the return of “American Idol” to the Fox lineup in January, “House,” which airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. after “Idol,” has become the network’s top-rated dramatic series. In the past few weeks, it has placed among the top 15 shows in the Nielsen ratings; this week, “House” scored its largest audience with 15.6 million viewers.

-- Susan King