Why is Fox waiting to renew 'House,' its top-rated drama? Well, the show needs to cut its budget by 20 percent.

According to Deadline, Fox is trying to cut the license fee with Universal Media Studios, attempting to bring each episode around the $5 million mark to produce.

However, UMS reportedly cannot produce 'House' in its current incarnation on just $5 million. The network and studio are not budging. 'House' brings in more than $1 billion in syndication, Fox license fees and international rights.

Cast members Lisa Edelstein, Robert Sean Leonard and Omar Epps are in talks to return for the eighth and possible final season. The trio make around $175,000 per episode and could see that and their episode order reduced. Hugh Laurie's $400,000 per episode salary will not be touched.

In other TV news ...

• 'The Wire' star Seth Gilliam will stop by 'The Good Wife.' Gilliam will appear in the season 2 finale as a man on trial for murdering a judge. [TVLine]

• Mark Burnett will produce the Emmy Award ceremony on Fox. Burnett, who is an Emmy winner himself, has produced the MTV Movie Awards and People's Choice Awards. The ceremony will air on Sept. 18. [LA Times]

• Former 'Doctor Who' star Christopher Eccleston will not return for a 50th anniversary special. Graham Norton asked Eccleston if he'd take part in any special, to which he responded "No. Never bathe in the same river twice." [Blastr]