The House, M.D. episode featuring the patient known as “The Jerk” is titled “The Jerk.” It is the eighth episode of the third season and originally aired in 2006.
The episode centers on a teenage chess prodigy who becomes seriously ill. His arrogant behavior makes him unpopular with the medical team, but the story challenges the idea that a patient's personality should affect the care he receives. House is especially interested in the gap between the patient's public behavior and the disease causing his symptoms.
“The Jerk” is notable because its title describes the patient's manner rather than a medical diagnosis. The series often used provocative or character-based episode titles, which can make titles easy to confuse with insults used in dialogue.
It was written by Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner and directed by Katie Jacobs. The episode belongs to the period when House's original diagnostic team was still central to the show's structure.