"House" based on Sherlock Holmes?

[Green Lantern]

I had coffee with a "crazy science geek" friend of mine. After discussing why Richard Feynman was no fan of string theory, how gunning down peaceful protesters has been a time-honored American tradition/Libya, and other esoteric topics he put forth his theory that "House" is actually based on Sherlock's character. Both are sociopaths, substance abusers, care little for rules and regulations, unimpressed with authority, and are uninterested in humans beyond solving their particular problems. House even has three or four Watsons.

At first, I wasn't sure if this made sense, but given that Sherlock Holmes is one of the most well-known (if not beloved) characters of fiction, it's understandable that a writer might consciously or unconsciously model his protagonist on him.

Agree? Disagree?

[Unidyne]

Perhaps indirectly.

I read somewhere that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had modeled Sherlock Holmes after a lawyer who was originally a medical student. According to legend, he successfully defended a man in a trial by showing that since the accused had very bad eyesight, he could not have made his way to the scene of the crime, climbing over two fences and across several sets of railroad tracks, at night, when there was no moon.

The "scientific reasoning" of the lawyer was supposedly the inspiration for the "world's greatest detective".

[Demosthenes]

House is indeed based on Sherlock Holmes, according to creator David Shore. The drug addiction, the Dr. best friend, the musical instruments, and so on, are all intentional hat tips to Holmes. House's apartment even has the same address (221B).

2006 video of David's Shore talking about basing the character on Holmes:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/21606/house-d ... he-concept

[JamesVincent]

I would have said yes, House was based on Holmes. The intuitive reasoning, the leaps of logic, the personal life issues. Holmes was a more friendly person but there was too much similarity in their styles not to be coincidence.

[Cpt Banjo]

House has become too formulaic. Inevitably, he and his team go through 3 or 4 false diagnoses until the last 5 or 10 minutes of the show, when House has an epiphany and discovers the patient's real disease. Holmes would never take so long and go down so many false trails.

[Cathulhu]

As a former member of the Sound of the Baskervilles, I had noticed the Holmes resemblance pretty early on, the anti-social behavior and substance abuse being the first clues, and then Wilson/Watson clinched it for me.

[Green Lantern]

House is indeed based on Sherlock Holmes, according to creator David Shore. The drug addiction, the Dr. best friend, the musical instruments, and so on, are all intentional hat tips to Holmes. House's apartment even has the same address (221B).

2006 video of David's Shore talking about basing the character on Holmes:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/21606/house-d ... he-concept

Thanks, D. The address should have been the tip-off (as well as the music).

One major difference is House's lechery. Holmes seemed almost asexual.

Maybe Cuddy is his Moriarty?

[rogfulton]

Until I heard that the show's creator said so explicitly, I would have said no based on pretty much the same reasoning as CaptainK with an emphasis on the getting the wrong diagnoses multiple times per show.

I would also add that, while the drug use parallel is particularly strong, House eventually admitted it was a hindrance and got treatment, I don't recall Holmes ever did.

The relationship is even stronger when you notice the pun of their names. Unfortunately, it's rather like finding out Gene Hackman was the blind hermit in Young Frankenstein. Once you know, you can't unsee it.

[Demosthenes]

As a former member of the Sound of the Baskervilles, I had noticed the Holmes resemblance pretty early on, the anti-social behavior and substance abuse being the first clues, and then Wilson/Watson clinched it for me.

I agree. I've been watching House since episode 1. I had been a major fan of Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwgS1ctxglw

When the House/Holmes thing came up early in the series I reread all of the Holmes stories so that I'd catch the references.

BTW, the Doyle books are all available for free on Kindle...

[Demosthenes]

SPOILER ALERT

I would also add that, while the drug use parallel is particularly strong, House eventually admitted it was a hindrance and got treatment, I don't recall Holmes ever did.

House's sobriety was temporary...

[fortinbras]

The odd thing is that, to opthalmalogist Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes's use of cocaine was NOT described as an addiction. Back in late Victiorian and early Edwardian England cocaine was probably not regarded in the same way as low-rent opium; after all, at that time Coca-Cola included a tiny bit of it.

[Demosthenes]

The odd thing is that, to opthalmalogist Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes's use of cocaine was NOT described as an addiction. Back in late Victiorian and early Edwardian England cocaine was probably not regarded in the same way as low-rent opium; after all, at that time Coca-Cola included a tiny bit of it.

Read The Sign of Four. Holmes is an addict.

[Pantherphil]

On the subject of Holmes and cocaine, the Sign of Four is the only story in which regular and frequent use of cocaine is mentioned. There are occasional references to his cocaine habit in A Scandal in Bohemia, the Adventure of the Yellow Face, the Five Orange Pips and the Adventure of the Twisted Lip and Adventure of the Missing Three Quarter and there are some obscure references to cases in which Dr. Watson takes Holmes to the country to deal with his "shattered nerves" (the Adventure of the Reigate Squires where he is said to be recovering from strenuous activites in the south of France and Adventure of the Devils' Foot being two examples) which may be considered by some to be part of the effort to wean him off the drugs as described in the Adventure of the Missing Three Quarter. In all of the above stories except the Sign of Four, his cocaine use is described as "occasional" and the implication of Watson's observations in the Missing Three Quarter suggest that Holmes was successfully rehabilitated. I know of no reference to Dr. Watson prescribing heroin as a cure.

The biggest boost to the cocaine addiction theme is Nicholas Meyer's novel, The Seven Per Cent Solution, and its movie dramatization.

On the subject of Holmes and House, although both characters share quirks and eccentricities, the two seem to have vastly different social outlooks.

House seems to me to be downright misanthropic and mean spirited.

Holmes frequently demonstrates loyalty and affection for his intimates such as Watson and Mycroft and appears to have congenial relations with the forces of law and order. He seems to be able to work cooperatively with the regulars such as Lestrade, Gregson, Stanley Hopkins and the bumbling Athelney Jones and seems well disposed to Mr. White Mason who matches him deduction for deduction in the Adventure of Wisteria Lodge. He also seems to have a soft spot for solving the problems of the fair sex-- Violet Hunter, Miss Violet Smith, Mary Morstan, Miss Stapleton of Merripit House, Miss Stoner,and Mrs. Ronder, the mysterious veiled lodger, among others and always treats them with gentlemanly respect. He also often demonstrates courtesy and empathy for many of the male protagonists who enter his orbit-- old Mr. Henry Baker, Mr. Jabez Wilson, Victor Trevor, Reginald Musgrave and his butler, Bunton, Henry Baskerville, Mr. Jefferson Hope, Jonathan Hall, Captain Crocker, and others. He demonstrates a considerable appreciation for animals including Toby the Hound and Silver Blaze.

Given the choice, I'd prefer hanging out with Sherlock.

[Brandybuck]

Moriarty only appeared in two of the stories. He was in fact a minor character when you look at the whole of the canon.

[Imalawman]

The odd thing is that, to opthalmalogist Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes's use of cocaine was NOT described as an addiction. Back in late Victiorian and early Edwardian England cocaine was probably not regarded in the same way as low-rent opium; after all, at that time Coca-Cola included a tiny bit of it.

Read The Sign of Four. Holmes is an addict.

Well, he seems to be able to control his addiction based upon his mental activity. When he's bored, he seems to imbibe, when he's active, he doesn't seem to need it. I recently read the two volume collection and I really did not come away with the sense that Sherlock was an addict.

[Green Lantern]

As a sometimes high school English teacher I should say that "based on" does not mean identical, but once you adjust for the American character and different Zeitgeists it seems clear.

Perhaps he also has a bit of Hawkeye Pierce in him? Especially as he enjoys screwing with people just for the fun of it.

[Imalawman]

Moriarty only appeared in two of the stories. He was in fact a minor character when you look at the whole of the canon.

Huh? You've read the canon? He may only "appear" in a couple stories, but he is a central figure and a very important figure. As far as character's go, he's a big one. There are not many repeating characters in the canon, Moriarty has to be among the most important.

[Brandybuck]

Huh? You've read the canon? He may only "appear" in a couple stories, but he is a central figure and a very important figure. As far as character's go, he's a big one. There are not many repeating characters in the canon, Moriarty has to be among the most important.

He was of course an important figure. But like Irene Adler, he gets extremely little air time.

[Green Lantern]

Huh? You've read the canon? He may only "appear" in a couple stories, but he is a central figure and a very important figure. As far as character's go, he's a big one. There are not many repeating characters in the canon, Moriarty has to be among the most important.

I wonder about that. I suspect Doyle was merely looking for a way to retire Holmes and sought a nemesis that would be worthy of his hero. But after the Return of Sherlock Holmes, Moriarty gets little play but through his surviving associates.

Irene Adler was a very compelling character and took Holmes off his game a bit. Too bad she was good for only one episode.

[Green Lantern]

GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE:

THIRTEEN IS COMING BACK!....which leads me to ask the next probing question in our House odyssey: is Thirteen House's Irene Adler?