House M.D. is explicitly based on which fictional detective?

House M.D. is explicitly based on Sherlock Holmes.

The series adapts several elements of Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories. Gregory House resembles Holmes in his exceptional deductive ability, abrasive personality, drug use, musical interests, and habit of solving problems through observation and logic.

House’s closest friend, Dr. James Wilson, parallels Dr. John Watson. House lives at 221B, the same famous address associated with Holmes, and his surname echoes “Holmes” through the show’s title. Episodes also commonly begin with a mystery and reveal the solution through accumulated clues.

The inspiration does not mean House M.D. is a direct retelling of a particular Holmes story. It is a medical drama that transfers the detective format from crime investigation to diagnosis. This is why the show is often described as a medical mystery as well as a hospital drama.