House

[Alice Holmes]

I'm pretty sure there hasn't already been a thread on this, but if there has, sorry.

 

So, as I'm sure many of you know, the American show House is a spin-off Sherlock Holmes take. It stars Hugh Laurie as a cranky, brilliant doctor, who uses deductive methods similar to those of Sherlock Holmes.

 

I've taken the opportunities that I've had to watch it, but I don't consider myself an expert on the show. I was wondering if any of you had, and I'd love to know your opinions on Dr. House versus Sherlock Holmes.

 

[Alice Holmes]

Does no one have an opinion???

[MeganObviously]

I'm a little late to the party, I know this is an old thread!

 

But I love House. I am ashamed to admit I didn't know House was based on Sherlock Holmes until recently, even though I've watched all the seasons!

 

I would say it's loosely based though, House does make some extraordinary deductions for his patients, he also has a similar personality to SH in that he doesn't generally care about people, he has one friend (whose initials are JW), and an addiction to vicodin. Thats as far as I can see the comparisons go!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Didn't I read somewhere that his street address was 221b Baker Street?

[MeganObviously]

I just Googled, it is yes! My SH obsession started last year, and House was already finished. So I wouldn't have been making connections when I was watching. But now I want to rewatch the whole series!

[julincaiyi]

Thanks for your kind advise!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

There was some discussion in one of these threads on whether or not "House" had any influence on the making of "Sherlock". It did. Gatiss and Moffat said that they did watch "House" and they loved his curmudgeon type attitude and adopted it for their version of "Sherlock".

[Riddle]

I've never watched it but I guess the name is a pun of sorts: Holmes / House.

I'll put 'House' on my to watch list and check it out next. So many shows, so little time. I'm currently working my way through Dr. Who which will take a while, I'm still on David Tennant. I like to watch one thing at a time (apart from stuff that's currently onTV), I'm a bit OCD like that. Although I don't always see things through to the end, some series get binned after a few episodes. I've binned 'Elementary' already.

[Alice Holmes]

Elementary is stupid.

 

House is good. Watch House.

 

Plus it's hours of Hugh Laurie not behaving idiotically, so it may be disconcerting at first.

[Boton]

Bumping this topic, mostly because I've been thinking a lot about House lately.

 

I love the House/Wilson relationship and the way the show handles some of the canon.  Wilson is definitely John "Three Contienents" Watson, given that one of his ex-wives says something to the effect that "no one works harder to please a woman than James Wilson."  And Wilson has three ex-wives, which I guess is non-canonical backstory for Watson in many cases.  

 

I like the "Mary Morstan" character in House, although I only recently realized that was the purpose of Amber.  Amber is a lot like what we've seen to date of Sherlock's Mary -- she's basically a female House that underlines how much Wilson looks for similar traits in both his best friend and his love interest.  Wilson even at one point says something like "I guess that's just what I'm attracted to," in reference to House and Amber's similarities.  I definitely thought of that the first time I saw the "Addicted to a Certain Lifestyle" scene in HLV.

 

Also, I like the way that House handles both the drug use and the celibacy of the canon Holmes.  Yes, House is addicted to Vicodin far more than Holmes was addicted to cocaine or mophine, but House is largely addicted because of the infarction that damaged his leg, thus making it a more modern, socially-acceptable reason to be using (abusing) the drug.  There are references to recreational use in the past, but we don't see it happen.  In regards to celibacy, House makes use of a string of prostitutes and only rarely has what could be called a relationship.  I know using prostitutes is not a new idea in a Holmes character, but I think it's a relatively neat way to say that House has compartmentalized his sexuality into a biological function with no emotional involvement.

 

I'm still trying to decide if there's an Irene Adler.  And whether it's Stacy or Cuddy.  Any other House viewers want to venture an opinion?

[Carol the Dabbler]

I like the "Mary Morstan" character in House, although I only recently realized that was the purpose of Amber.  Amber is a lot like what we've seen to date of Sherlock's Mary -- she's basically a female House that underlines how much Wilson looks for similar traits in both his best friend and his love interest.  Wilson even at one point says something like "I guess that's just what I'm attracted to," in reference to House and Amber's similarities.  I definitely thought of that the first time I saw the "Addicted to a Certain Lifestyle" scene in HLV.

Oh, now that's a bit scary! Either that -- or Moftiss have decided that House is canon, and decided to borrow that bit?

[Arcadia]

I loved House at first but he just got too ... much, after a while. I hope that's not what happens to Sherlock.....

[Boton]

 

I like the "Mary Morstan" character in House, although I only recently realized that was the purpose of Amber. Amber is a lot like what we've seen to date of Sherlock's Mary -- she's basically a female House that underlines how much Wilson looks for similar traits in both his best friend and his love interest. Wilson even at one point says something like "I guess that's just what I'm attracted to," in reference to House and Amber's similarities. I definitely thought of that the first time I saw the "Addicted to a Certain Lifestyle" scene in HLV.

Oh, now that's a bit scary! Either that -- or Moftiss have decided that House is canon, and decided to borrow that bit?

I actually assumed for a while that there must be something similar in ACD canon because I encountered the idea in both House and HLV. But there's nothing I've found. Maybe House does count as Holmesian universe?

 

Regardless, I think the House-Wilson-Amber (no slashes!) relationship could be a model for an eventual resolution in the Sherlock-John-Mary relationship. I always disliked Amber; I thought she was an egocentric jerk, but not nearly as lovable as House. (!) But when she died, she left this need in Wilson's life for someone who would help him refine and direct some of his basic personality traits.

 

Before Amber, House wasn't really helping Wilson all that much; the relationship went one way with Wilson helping balance out House. But after Amber, Wilson was damaged and broken too. And, to me, House and Wilson grew together to protect and support each other, each to balance the other's damage. There was never anything sexual or romantic in the least, but these two were a "couple." Anyone from that point forward who wanted one of them (for friendship or romance or work) would have to take the other. They were suddenly a set. As House said to Wilson (only mildly in jest), "You have everything you need in this room. We both do."

 

When Mary dies (which she will, I firmly believe--in season 4 or season 20), it could be the thing that fundamentally changes Sherlock and John into even more of a true team. It could be interesting if done well.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh, Amber dies -- sounds quite believable that she's their Mary Morstan, then.  (What's Amber's last name?   Hmm, Volakis -- odd that it isn't Morgan or something.)  Well, of course Mary is going to die -- we're all going to die -- but as you imply, the question is when.  What with Sherlock becoming a more caring person, they could indeed be setting up for a House-like story arc there.

 

I was thinking about this offline the other day, and remembered hearing that Dr. House's first name is Gregory.  Wonder if Moftiss borrowed that as well?  (Yes, I know, the canon Lestrade's first initial is "G." -- but why Greg, specifically?  As far as I've been able to find, no other adaptations have ever used that name.)  Is there a Lestrade-type character in House -- or did they perhaps combine the two detectives?

 

[Boton]

You're right, Caroll: Amber Volakis. It doesn't seem that House went for obvious analogs other than House, Wilson, and 221B.

 

I think there are potentially two candidates for Lestrade. I've seen one theory that it's the detective that investigates House for prescription fraud in about season 3 or 4. He looks like our Lestrade a lot but I think is too much an adversary.

 

My money is on Cuddy. She's the top administrator of the hospital who understands House, puts up with his quirks, and gives him the great cases no one else can solve. Then she lets him go back to his office and bounce a ball against the wall and list symptoms on the whiteboard of crazy and talk out loud to the team until he solves it.

 

If that's right, Stacy is Irene. As the woman who held House's medical power of attorney and therefore is responsible for the decisions about his infarction and subsequent care, she is the woman who "beat" House.

[Tunguska]

I loved House, it's one of my favourite series because I loved the character of House and his interaction with Wilson so much. I did not even realize it was based on Sherlock Holmes - I guess that's just what I'm attracted to! I do agree with Arcadia a bit though that it got a bit too much. To be honest, I still wasn't fed up with House and his character development (and regressions) but I was a bit fed up with the patient histories. I mean, it's never Lupus! (until it is!) So I did not actually mind the show ending.

[Carol the Dabbler]

... she lets him go back to his office and bounce a ball against the wall ....

Bounce a ball against the wall? (!)

[Boton]

 

... she lets him go back to his office and bounce a ball against the wall ....

Bounce a ball against the wall? (!)

That was one of his things. Sitting with his feet up on his desk bouncing a ball against the wall while he thought.

[Carol the Dabbler]

... like Sherlock in "Reichenbach." 

 

[Boton]

... like Sherlock in "Reichenbach."

That's the first thing I thought of when I saw that scene. :-). I think it's why I didn't figure out the squash ball cutting off the radial pulse thing. I was too conditioned to think that of course tortured geniuses play with a ball while they think. :-)

[Carol the Dabbler]

Can you tell me a little more about Amber?  Did she have a deep, dark past?  Had she been some sort of operative and/or criminal?

 

[Redbeard]

I have never seen House, but I still find the discussion interesting.  I am thinking I might have to see it - it sounds so GOOD.

[Pawse]

I've never actually watched any of the episodes; except for a clip just to hear Hugh Laurie's amazing American accent, the show as a whole doesn't really interest me.

[Boton]

Can you tell me a little more about Amber?  Did she have a deep, dark past?  Had she been some sort of operative and/or criminal?

 

Amber didn't have a criminal past, no.  But she was brought into the show as a House analog, in a way.  House was conducting a season-long, elimination-style interview process to choose his next fellow for his team.  Amber was one of the contenders.  She rubbed up against House a bit wrong because, like him, she would basically do anything to solve the puzzle and beat the others.  He called her "Uptight B*tch" as a nickname.

 

When she started dating Wilson, she started teaching him that it was OK to have his own opinions instead of always trying to make other people happy, which was the trajectory Wilson was on.  Wilson eventually did develop that direction, and it made him a wonderful character -- he is definitely one of my favorite "Watsons" of all I've seen.

 

Sorry I didn't see this question when you posted it!  

[Carol the Dabbler]

Thanks, Boton.  So while Moftiss may have borrowed a bit of their Mary from that character, she's certainly no carbon copy.