The diagnostician at the center of House M.D. is named Gregory House.
His full name is Dr. Gregory House, and Hugh Laurie plays him. House leads a specialized diagnostic team that tackles unusual cases after more routine explanations fail. His methods rely on observation, differential diagnosis, testing, and relentless elimination of possibilities.
House is characterized by a damaged right leg, a cane, and chronic pain caused by an infarction in his thigh. He uses Vicodin for pain management, and the series repeatedly explores the consequences of that dependence.
The character is intentionally modeled partly on Sherlock Holmes. Both figures are highly analytical, socially difficult, and associated with a close friend who helps interpret their behavior. House’s friend Dr. James Wilson fills that Watson-like role.