“The decision to end the show now, or ever, is a painful one, as it risks putting asunder hundreds of close friendships that have developed over the last eight years,” said executive producers David Shore, Katie Jacobs and Hugh Laurie, “but also because the show itself has been a source of great pride to everyone involved.

The producers have always imagined House as an enigmatic creature;  he should never be the last one to leave the party.  How much better to disappear before the music stops, while there is still some promise and mystique in the air.”

Now’s as good a time as any for a post-mortem on one of the quirkiest, most interesting character shows of the last decade. “House’s” focus on a thoroughly unlikeable character was risky, and it paid off; the creators’ decision to make him a thoroughgoing atheist constantly at conflict with others subtly made the case for the bankruptcy of his ideology.  Or, at the very least, it offered philosophical contrast.

Most famously, “House” featured a very pro-life episode in 2007, “Fetal Position,” in which an unborn child reached out of the womb and touched House’s hand, mirroring the famous photograph. That was mirrored by a pro-choice episode that same season that made the case for abortion for a religious rape victim. That was House’s style.

When I interviewed Shore for my latest book, Primetime Propaganda, here’s what he told me about the abortion episodes: “As you can imagine, we’re in Hollywood, we’ve got our share of rabid left wing Democrats here. And … our writing staff has the makeup you’d basically expect of a Hollywood writing staff, and I remember when we were doing ‘Fetal Position,’ there is that image of that little finger of the fetus clasping Dr. House’s hand. And it was a powerful image. And we recognized at the time that’s going to go up on billboards and websites for pro-life organizations. But it was true, and it was accurate, and it was real. And the last thing I want to do is, I happen to be pro-choice, but the last thing I want to do is to give false information or convince people of my argument. I think that’s just not the way to approach things. It’s a difficult choice, and it is a difficult issue.  And I think treating it as anything different than that is dishonest and ultimately counterproductive.”

Shore’s honesty on politics meant that he admitted there was bias against conservatives in Hollywood. As he told me, “there is an assumption in this town that everybody is on the left side of the spectrum, and that the few people on the right, I think people look at them somewhat aghast, and I’m sure it doesn’t help them.” Those are the words of a truth teller. And in its own way, when it wasn’t burdened down with the typical hallmarks of leftist Hollywood (hot bisexuals, open marriages, and the like), “House” was a uniquely truth-telling show.

Social classes are not determined by income, but by the amount of time a person can live. The humans are genetically engineered to stop aging when they turn 25. At that point, their clocks begin ticking and they must earn or steal more time to stay alive. Lower classes work menial jobs for pay in days, while the upper class hoards centuries. Gangsters prey on the weak to steal their time. “Timekeepers’” or law enforcement’s primary concern is to make sure the “wrong people” – the lower class – never have too much time.

Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is from “the ghetto,” where people live hour to hour. He meets Henry Hamilton (Matt Bomer) in a bar flashing around a wealth of time – 100 years. After Will rescues him from gangsters, Hamilton gives Will his entire store of time. Sadly, Will can’t get home in time to prevent his mother (Olivia Wilde) from “clocking out.” In retaliation, Will travels to the top “time zone” on a mission to take as much time from the wealthy as he can.

However, possessing time that you didn’t earn is illegal. Timekeeper Leon (Cillian Murphy) catches up with Will and takes back what time he’s managed to accumulate. To avoid capture, Will takes wealthy Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried) hostage and goes back to the ghetto. He realizes it’s not enough to take time from the wealthy, he needs to redistribute the time to the poor. Sylvia falls in love with Will and joins him on a crime spree to spread the wealth of time around as much as they can before they are caught…or their own clocks run out.

We’re lead to believe that a small portion – the one percent? – of the population not only controls the vast majority of wealth, but is actively engaged in preventing the 99 percent from ever progressing outside of their “time zone” by strategically raising taxes and interest rates whenever people start accumulating too much time.

The only option left appears to be playing Robin Hood by robbing the rich to give to the poor. The viewer forgives Will and Sylvia for living a life of crime because they never keep more than a day’s worth for themselves, giving away the rest to those in need.

Several times throughout the story, we hear references to “maintaining the system” of the haves and the have-nots. Leon isn’t concerned with catching murderers or other violent criminals, only time thieves. Philippe Weis (Vincent Kartheiser) tells Will and Sylvia that there’s no beating the system of “Darwinian capitalism” that he loves, and yet he is consumed with “keeping the system from crumbling.”

“In Time” works as a contemporary political allegory if one actually believes that a small handful of bankers and corporations personally control all the wealth in the world preventing any possibility of upward mobility from the middle and lower classes. But there are flaws in the execution of the storytelling. The amount of dialogue devoted to stating obvious plot points is painful. When asked why he’s traveling to New Greenwich, the rich district, Will responds with essentially, “I’m going to take all their time!”

The Minutemen, or gangsters who steal time from the poor, at first appear to be central to the plot but end up nothing more than a pointless loose end waiting to be tied up. And the rookie Timekeeper we initially think will bring a conscience to the law enforcement team never serves much purpose except to ask questions, giving Leon a chance to throw some exposition into the conversation.

Seyfried’s breathy monotone and glassy-eyed delivery is, for once, perfectly suited for her character, a sheltered young woman whose life is characterized by monotony. Timberlake has never been able to pull off “thug” for me, and his bravado feels skin-deep. Murphy never gets to utilize his creepy side, and seems bored from start to finish.

The DVD features a fair amount of deleted and extended scenes, most of which offer good character or culture insights.

Speaking of the big game, this weekend’s predictions and revenue results go as follows:

1. Chronicle ($17 million) - Films usually have big drops because of the Super Bowl on Sunday, so the key to winning will be the film that can start the strongest on Friday. Currently, “Chronicle” has that advantage with its advance social media presence and appeal to action audiences, which are very strong right now.

2. The Woman In Black ($12 million) - Daniel Radcliffe opens a film without his “Harry Potter” safety net. Sadly, as has been the pattern with all CBS film releases, marketing hasn’t been strong. The picture is relying entirely on Radcliffe’s name to try and pull a weekend win. That points to a diminished opening, especially on Super Bowl weekend.

3. The Grey ($9.5 Million) - Super Bowl weekend is very rough on holdovers. This will be a large drop, but the film will continue to do very well at the box office overall.

4. Big Miracle ($9.1 Million) - This film will beat some projections, but not by much. Family audiences will take the plunge, but that can only take you so far in just 1700 theaters.

5. Underworld Awakening ($6 Million) – Keeping in line with those big Super Bowl weekend drops, even Ms. Beckinsale will be greatly affected by the gridiron classic.

Bonus Call: “How about a sports one?”

#. Super Bowl XLVI (Patriots 34, Giants 24) – In an epic rematch of Super Bowl XLII, look for Tom Brady and his high-powered offense to finally outlast New York’s incredibly sound defense.

Happy football weekend, everyone.

This weekend’s predictions and revenue results go as follows:

1. The Grey ($15 Million) – This wilderness action film falls right in place for its target audience and is receiving strong critical reviews. That should allow enough momentum to take the top spot. Be warned. Liam Neeson has very strong box office appeal in action films (“Unknown,” “Taken”), and has a solid history of beating box office projections.

2. Underworld Awakening ($12.4 Million) - The sci-fi sequel continues to do well and is hunting at an “Underworld Evolution”-like box office pace. Look for another solid runner-up finish for Ms. Beckinsale–A.K.A. “Ms. January.”

3. Red Tails ($12 Million) – Sensei nailed this film’s opening with his $19 million call. Again, look for a solid hold and a gross that could even give “Underworld” a run for its money this weekend. You’ll also find a great article here from Christian Toto addressing the film’s success.

4. Man On A Ledge ($11.2 Million) – This particular film is offering ticket discounts, much like last year’s “The Lincoln Lawyer.” ”Lawyer” had the benefit of having Matthew McConaughey, though, who remains a healthy box office draw. The cheaper tickets will boost the numbers, but not to “Lincoln Lawyer”-like heights. “Ledge” will have to corner action audiences more on concept than star appeal. That’s a tough order with “The Grey” in direct competition.

5. Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close ($10 Million) - The indie book adaptation will benefit from its recent Oscar nominations but only slightly. The “Oscar boost” at the box office for nominated films is nowhere near where it used to be.

Bonus Calls:

6. One For The Money ($8.5 Million) – A ticket special is also being offered on this one. The film is similar in design to 2010’s “The Bounty Hunter” but will come nowhere close to that film’s $20 million opening. Sadly, star Katherine Heigl will again find herself with disappointing box office numbers, much like her previous action comedy “Killers.”

Does Sensei have it right, or will another film top the weekend?

This week’s predictions and revenue results go as follows:

1. Underworld: Awakening ($28 Million) – The market is set up perfectly for action/adventure fare, and this film’s fan base is already dialed in. It will easily set a new franchise-best opening. A similar comparison is the “Resident Evil” franchise: films that feature female action leads against horror elements and open during months not seen as blockbuster fare (“Resident Evil” in September and “Underworld” in January). Despite this, the films generally open very well, and this “Underworld” will open even higher than “Resident Evil: Afterlife’s” $26 million opening in 2010.

2. Red Tails ($19 Million) – No question the film will resonate well portraying an important chapter in military history. There also remains a significant audience who will watch the film as a continuation of Martin Luther King Holiday celebrations. These factors will help it land a much higher than expected finish.

3. Contraband ($13 Million) – Why just have one top finisher from Kate Beckinsale when you can have two? We used to call actor Sylvester Stallone “Mr. October” because of the success his films enjoyed during that month. Does “Ms. January” have a ring for Ms. Beckinsale?

4. Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close ($11.7 Million) – This book adaptation has a solid “feel good” quality to it, but Tom Hanks isn’t the box office draw he used to be. Saddled with a mid-January opening against a well-known franchise won’t help things either. Still, we predict the film will post a healthy mid-range opening.

5. Beauty And The Beast 3D ($10 Million) – The “tale as old as time” will continue to ring well with family audiences. Of note, “Finding Nemo 3D” is now scheduled for a September 14th release later this year.

In other calls: Look for “Haywire” to open around $7 million.

That’s Sensei’s take this week. Feel free to have at him…

All calls this weekend are 4 day (Fri-Mon) to incorporate the holiday weekend:

1. Contraband ($24 million) – Up to a few weeks ago, this weekend appeared an easy win for “Beauty And The Beast 3D.” This is in light of the success “Lion King 3D” had last year. Things have now changed. With the success of “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” leading the way, action audiences are more likely to see “Contraband.” It also helps to have actor Mark Wahlberg star, which may attract audiences nostalgic for “The Italian Job” and hence lead to this surprise finish.

2. Beauty And The Beast ($20 million) – Sensei did very well predicting “Lion King 3D”’s run at the top, and the addition of the new short film “Tangled Ever After” will help this film be the prime draw for families throughout the weekend. “Contraband” will open very strong early though, making it tough to catch. “Beast” will close the gap, but we predict “Contraband” holds for the win.

3. Joyful Noise ($15.7 million) – Dolly Parton’s latest project is fun and lively, and the film’s musical pedigree will help its box office tremendously. Queen Latifah is a very good box office draw, and as long as this film stays positive (no political or controversial sucker punches), it will do very well this weekend.

4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol ($14 million) – The film deserves high praise for helping set up this box office weekend. By exciting action/adventure audiences (as opposed to disappointing them), they are now returning in greater numbers.  Again, this film will pull solid numbers and even jump back over “The Devil Inside,” which knocked it from the top spot last weekend.

5. The Devil Inside ($12 million) – This horror flick posted a very high opening last weekend, but it now returns to box office reality. The film will post a significant drop much like “The Last Exorcism” did in its second week. Still, considering how inexpensive the film was to produce ($1 million), can’t complain about that profit margin.

In other calls, look for “The Iron Lady” to pull in around $4 million off its expansion.

Sensei predicts a “Contraband” win, but how do you see it?

This weekend’s predictions and revenue results go as follows:

1. The Devil Inside ($18 Million) – From the film’s marketing, it’s clear the producers are hoping for “Paranormal Activity”-like success. Sensei disagrees and feels the film is more like “The Last Exorcism” and “The Rite.” Because of this, look for a mid-range opening that just fights off the “Mission.”

2. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol ($16 Million) – Despite being knocked off the top spot, Brad Bird’s actioner still controls enough of an audience to post this healthy drop. Whether Tom Cruise is a bankable star again is another story.

3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows ($10.7 Million) – Guy Ritchie’s sequel will not equal the domestic gross of the first “Sherlock Holmes” ($209 million). Still, grossing more than $250 million worldwide doesn’t make it a complete disaster either.

4. Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked ($9.8 Million) – The film will break the $100 million mark, which usually means a hit. Unfortunately, the previous films in the series each grossed more than $200 million, making this the odd one out.

5. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo ($8.6 Million) – This adaptation of the Euro hit was expensive to produce. The box office results so far have been very lackluster. Unless some positive buzz kicks up, look for this film to continue fading.

That’s how Sensei sees it. Do you agree or foresee “Mission” winning again?

Takes an awful lot of guts to Speak! Truth! To! The! Out! Of! Power!

U.S. News and World Report:

Republicans were joked about by a margin of 3 to 1 over Democrats on late-night talk shows last year, but the biggest joke for Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon was President Obama, according to a new George Mason University study provided to Whispers.

Republicans took the top title because so many of them were speared by Fallon, Leno, and David Letterman, according to Robert Lichter, president of the school’s Center for Media and Public Affairs. …

But when it came to the top target of the 2011, Obama and shamed former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner came in first and second. Obama was gored by 342 jokes, Weiner 220. Third was former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain, followed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 186 and Osama bin Laden at 172.

Lichter noted that far down on the list were the winners of Tuesday’s Iowa GOP caucuses, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul. “This shows,” he says, “that it’s hard to vote for somebody while you’re laughing at them.”

But, he adds, it’s probably not an ominous sign for the president that he’s late night’s biggest joke target. Lichter tells Whispers that his totals are far below the 500-plus that used to slam former Presidents Clinton and Bush every year. “Obama is substantially lower than any other president,” said Lichter.

And this was during an off-year without any kind of major election.

These brave establishment Palace Guards will be much, much worse this year.

This week in box office business is always an interesting one. You’ll find small drops and even increases in a film’s box office compared to the previous week. Rarely do weekends like these happen during the box office year.

This weekend’s predictions and revenue results go as follows:

1. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol ($28 million) – With no new major releases this week, it all comes down to who can hold their audience the best. This one has the full inside track with its high screen count as well as high audience ratings to fuel word of mouth.

2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows ($19 million) – The film long thought to be dominating the box office right now will again have to settle for the runner-up position.

3. War Horse ($17.3 million) – A very good opening last week. Spielberg’s latest film will continue to fuel a run off Oscar buzz and drama audiences seeking something different.

4. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked ($15.9 million) – This will be the last significant boost the film receives from kids and younger audiences. It’s far behind “Chipmunks 2″’s box office gross and will struggle significantly as we enter the new year.

5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo ($14 million) – The film’s sub-par opening last week leads to low numbers again this week. It will lose a significant fraction of the adult audience to “War Horse” to add to its woes.

In Other News:

Matt Damon’s “We Bought A Zoo” and sci-fi film “The Darkest Hour” will again struggle and not make the top five. Despite similar timing, “New Year’s Eve” will receive a small boost but will also miss the top five altogether.

Happy New Year, everyone. Remember to get in those resolutions.

This weekend’s predictions and revenue results go as follows.

1. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – ($28 million, Fri-Sun) ($42 million, Wed-Sun) – Last weekend confirmed analyst fears about the current box office outlook. Things are very weak right now. This film’s healthy opening on only 425 theaters (300 IMAX) was the only bright spot. With solid reviews and high audience ratings, the film will power ahead to beat the new “Sherlock Holmes” film.

2. Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows – ($19 million, Fri-Sun) ($28 million, Wed-Sun) – After its low opening, this one will struggle to equal the gross of the first “Sherlock Holmes” ($209 million domestic). The film also loses a large portion of its target audience to “MI4’s” theater expansion this week. Still, it will pull in respectable numbers over the holiday. Whether it will be enough for a second sequel is another story.

3. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – ($17 million, Fri-Sun) ($25 million, Wed-Sun) – David Fincher’s latest does have the book audience, but overall interest in R-rated serial killer-inspired mysteries is very lackluster. “Girl” will have to pull numbers exclusively from older audiences which translates to mid-range openings already seen in films like “J. Edgar” and “Moneyball.”

4. Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked – ($14 million, Fri-Sun) ($21 million, Wed-Sun) – This family film opened much lower than “Chipmunks 2’s” opening last weekend. It will get a slight boost from holiday family audiences, but don’t expect great results. The film is trailing its predecessor’s gross by an almost 2 to 1 margin. That doesn’t bode well.

5. The Adventures Of Tintin – ($12 million, Fri-Sun) ($20 million, Wed-Sun) – The film has a unique advantage in that it will bring in some older audiences (off its Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson tie-in) as well as family ones. That will give it enough steam to beat Matt Damon’s “We Bought A Zoo.”

Bonus Picks:

#. We Bought A Zoo – ($9.4 million, Fri-Sun) – The film’s premise is clever but Matt Damon’s not the biggest box office draw right now. Adding to the film’s problems will be competition from “Tintin” and a “Chipmunks” film hoping to salvage itself financially.

#. War Horse – ($4.8 million, Christmas Day) – Healthy start for Steven Spielberg’s second project opening this week (“Tintin” the first). This one has more of a “Seabiscuit” feel than a “Secretariat” or “Hidalgo” in terms of horse driven fare. When combined with its early Oscar buzz, the film is positioned to do very well.

#. The Darkest Hour – ($2.2 million, Christmas Day) – Film is opening in the vein of counter-programming to grab audiences, but a sci-fi invasion film on Christmas? This one has disappointing numbers written all over it.

Phew. Biggest weekend column yet. From Sensei White Lotus and Master Iron Fist, it remains a pleasure to be with all of you week after week. All our best and fond wishes of a joyous holiday.