The first episode of House M.D., broadcast in 2004, is titled “Pilot.”
The pilot introduces Gregory House, his diagnostic team, Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, and the show’s central approach to difficult cases. The episode follows House as he investigates the sudden illness of a kindergarten teacher, while also establishing his conflict with hospital administrator Lisa Cuddy and his friendship with James Wilson.
“Pilot” aired on November 16, 2004, on Fox. It was written by David Shore and directed by Bryan Singer. The episode’s structure established the series formula: a patient presents with puzzling symptoms, the team proposes and tests multiple diagnoses, and House uses a combination of medical knowledge and unconventional investigation to reach the answer.
The title is sometimes confused with “Everybody Lies,” an early promotional phrase associated with House’s worldview. “Everybody Lies” is not the title of the premiere. The pilot’s opening episode became the foundation for a series that developed a large international audience and an extensive medical-mystery format.