The first House M.D. episode is titled “Pilot.” It introduces Gregory House, his diagnostic team, Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, and the series’ format of solving an unusually difficult medical case.
In the episode, House and his fellows investigate the illness of Rebecca Adler, a kindergarten teacher whose symptoms lead the team through several competing diagnoses. The story establishes House’s dependence on a cane, his use of Vicodin for chronic pain, and his willingness to disregard hospital procedures when he believes a different approach is necessary.
“Pilot” aired on November 16, 2004, as the opening episode of the series. The title is a production term commonly used for a program’s first episode, but in this case it is also the episode’s official title. It should not be confused with later episodes that revisit House’s history or introduce replacement team members.