HOUSE, M.D.: Why did the screen-time of characters of Chase and Cameron get cut down so much in season 4?

According to TV Guide it was to keep the show from getting stale - but they kept the characters there in case the fans didnt like it so they could bring them back (as a team) if needed.

The fact was that at the end of season two Omar Epps wanted to leave the series and so Foreman quit as Chase was fired and Cameron resigned in solidarity. Epps wanted more face time or he was going to leave the show and return to making movies. Meanwhile, Jennifer Morrison and Jessie Spencer got married in real live which is why they started the whole friends with benefits thing on the show. that is right Chase and Cameron are actually man and wife. So when season three comes to happen the plan was to get the original team back together midseason bring Epps to the fore front of the team as House's heir apparent. Then came the writer's strike and it simply did not spell out bringing the old team together ith an audience still lost as to where they left off. So, they kept Cameron in the ER, odd because that is Chase's specialty, ad left Chase in Surgery, odd because he has no qualifications as a surgeon. 13 is dying. Taub is a plastic surgeon wasting his time with House, and Kutner is the new Foreman should Foreman leave, (contract leverage). So when 13 deteriorates Cameron slides back into her position. I expect after the dead hooker gag Taub and Kutner may be fired soon and that begs Chase to come back to the team. Note that Kutner's character acts like Chase in many ways so perhaps they could keep him still. Of course they could simply place the ER under diagnostic medicine and then House gets them all in one team and even more cases to handle as he gets to pick and choose. My bet is on Foreman leaving and Chase, Cameron, and Kutner staying on. But blame the lack of face time on the writer's strike and how it messed things up and made keeping the cast together problematic. It is a money thing now.

House Md Season 8 Cast

usually tv shows do this sort of thing to prevent a show from getting boring or repetitive. Just like how everyone once and a while someone dies in a show.But in this case they decided to replace characters.