Which character is House, M.D.'s adaptation of Sherlock Holmes?

Gregory House is House, M.D.'s adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.

The connection is deliberate rather than accidental. Both characters are extraordinary investigators who solve difficult cases through observation, deduction, and unconventional reasoning. House's surname echoes Holmes's, and James Wilson corresponds in several ways to Dr. John Watson, Holmes's trusted companion and narrative counterpoint.

The adaptation moves the mystery from criminal investigation to medicine. House diagnoses diseases instead of solving crimes, while clues become symptoms, test results, medical histories, and physical findings. House also shares Holmes's taste for puzzles, his impatience with ordinary methods, and his self-destructive behavior.

The series includes additional parallels, including House's use of Vicodin in place of Holmes's drug use and the importance of music to both characters. However, House is not a literal retelling of a single Holmes story. He is a modern medical detective built from Holmesian traits and relationships.