In House M.D., season 4 introduced Lawrence Kutner to House’s diagnostic team.
Kutner is one of the doctors selected during House’s unusual mass hiring process after members of his original team leave or move on. Played by Kal Penn, Kutner is portrayed as energetic, inventive, and willing to take risks while working through difficult cases.
The fourth season changes the show’s team structure. Rather than simply replacing the original fellows, House auditions a large group of applicants through competitive tests and casework. The process allows the series to introduce several new doctors, including Kutner, Chris Taub, and Remy “Thirteen” Hadley.
Kutner’s storyline ends abruptly in season five, when the character dies by suicide. The plot was connected to Kal Penn’s decision to leave the series for public service work. Kutner’s introduction therefore belongs to season 4, not the season in which his departure occurs.