Which fictional detective inspired Dr. Gregory House in House, M.D.?

The fictional detective who inspired Dr. Gregory House in House, M.D. is Sherlock Holmes.

The series deliberately adapts elements of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories to a medical setting. House uses observation, deduction, and elimination to solve diagnostic mysteries, much as Holmes uses clues to identify criminals. The surnames House and Holmes also form an intentional parallel.

Additional similarities include House's drug dependence, his difficult personality, and his close friendship with Dr. James Wilson, whose role echoes Dr. John Watson. House's apartment number, 221B, directly recalls Holmes's address at 221B Baker Street.

The inspiration does not mean House is a literal version of every Holmes story. Medical cases replace crimes, and the series develops its own characters, hospital politics, and ethical conflicts. Viewers sometimes cite only the shared deductive style, but the show includes several explicit names, settings, and character parallels.