Since it seems Steve is not going to mention it, David Shore, creator of the television show House M.D., has confirmed (in an interview with Zap2it) that the character of Gregory House is partly based on Sherlock Holmes (as Steve theorised at a lunch some time ago while I expressed scepticism. I was wrong. I admit it.)
For those who don't know, the characters of Holmes was based on a real person named Doctor Joseph Bell, friend and mentor of Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote the books. (He also based the character of Watson on himself, which always seems curious to me.) So it's kind of appropriate that he should, in turn, inspire the creation of a fictional doctor. It has a lovely symmetry to it.
Anyway, for those who are interested, here is what Wikipedia has to say on the topic (err, warning, spoilers):
For those who don't know, the characters of Holmes was based on a real person named Doctor Joseph Bell, friend and mentor of Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote the books. (He also based the character of Watson on himself, which always seems curious to me.) So it's kind of appropriate that he should, in turn, inspire the creation of a fictional doctor. It has a lovely symmetry to it.
Anyway, for those who are interested, here is what Wikipedia has to say on the topic (err, warning, spoilers):
Among the characteristics the two characters share are their ability to come to rapid conclusions after the briefest examination of a client/patient, their drug use (cocaine for Holmes and Vicodin for House), and the fact that each character has only one real friend (Dr. Wilson being a direct reference to Dr. Watson) who connects the cerebral hero to human concerns. (The drug Vicodin is often distributed by Watson Laboratories, Inc., with Watson written on the backside of each pill.) In addition, both House and Holmes play a musical instrument (House plays the piano and Holmes plays the violin). Also, in one episode House's apartment number is revealed to be 221B, Sherlock Holmes's Baker Street address. On the pilot episode, the main patient is named Rebecca Adler, possibly after Irene Adler, a well known female character from a Sherlock Holmes story. Another patient, whom House failed to diagnose twelve years ago, has the name Esther Doyle which evokes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle- the author of Sherlock Holmes. The patient who shot House in the second-season finale was named (at least in House's subconscious) Jack Moriarty, i.e., Holmes' nemesis Professor James Moriarty. Perhaps most tellingly, the characters' names (Holmes and House) are homophonically-related synonyms.For those who want more, try this. It's alright for some.
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