What was House M.D.’s pilot episode called?

House M.D.’s pilot episode was titled “Pilot.” It introduced Gregory House, Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, and the diagnostic team that investigates a young teacher’s unexplained illness.

The episode aired on November 16, 2004, as the series premiere. It establishes House’s distinctive approach: he challenges assumptions, distrusts easy explanations, and pursues a diagnosis through a combination of testing and deduction. The pilot also introduces James Wilson and the hospital’s administrative environment.

“Pilot” is a straightforward title, but viewers sometimes associate the first episode with the phrase “Everybody Lies,” because that line became strongly connected with House’s philosophy and the show’s marketing. “Everybody Lies” is not the pilot’s official title. The episode was written by David Shore and directed by Bryan Singer, who also served as an executive producer.