House is Holmes.

Very recently I started the House MD marathon, again. I've watched the series a few times, except for the last season and every time I watch the show I get this deep insight. Today is a big day for the Sherlock fandom too, we have a series air date on the 19th of Jan and I cannot contain my happiness. But just as I was watching the 2 season of House, I realised how much house is like Holmes. I wanted to write about House and my love for House, Caffrey, Beckett and Holmes but I guess that post will have to wait. Today I'm just going to stick to Holmes and House

First of all, Sherlock Holmes is a genius, so is House. The observation is fairly obvious. Both of them have a profession that they have created for themselves. 'A consulting detective' and A dept of Diagnostic Medicine. The comparison doesn't end there. I wouldn't make a post if it did. Other similarities include a penchant for playing an instrument a violin and piano specifically.  House and Holmes choose to live alone. They have largely hermit like lives they choose to share with another 'friend'. Dr James Wilson and Dr John Watson. I will comment on the friendship later. However, it's important to note that something about these geniuses keeps them from interacting normally with others. House is a little more acidic in his tone but Holmes is equally hateful of the mundane and does from time to time make it obvious that he hates people.

Holmes and House have a think out loud system of working. Observe how easily House replaces his 3 assistants, he doesn't need these people, except that he needs them to think out loud to. House and Holmes are mystery junkies, they get off on having puzzles, it's what keeps them sane. The lack of a case has seen both of them resort to their respective addictions Vicodin and frequenting an opium den. (Heroin, Cocaine and Cigarettes too)

Their friends are people who will also rescue them, Dr Wilson and Watson are the people who keep both Holmes and House grounded in reality, they are the emotional ones. They are the people who take care about the human side of things. They inform, consult, try to create empathy for other people. Wilson is the one who keeps House in check. Every emotional breakdown that House goes through, a screw up, a messed up situation is promptly taken care of by Wilson. Of course Wilson has his own issues much like Watson. 

Both of them are obsessed with facts. They have not an ounce of interest in outcome. They have no interest in greater good, mankind and humanity. Sherlock Or House do what they do exclusively because they like the mystery. Sherlock has no interest in catching the bad guy, seeing him punished. Similarly Greg has no interest in getting involved with the patients. He has no interest in the lives, problems or emotions associated the cure.

Both the characters are intense. Both extremely practical. Both very very deeply scarred. Both beautifully imperfect. Holmes and House have very deep philosophy but that isn't sunshine and butterflies. It's bitter, hard hitting and definitely true. When Holmes says he hates the mundane, everyday life bores him, you've heard House resonate the same sentiment. He has no interest in money, he has no interest in relationships, he sees things for what they are. He looks at things as even those that are hailed by the world as important like kindness, humility, dignity and love are seen by these two for what they are worth -Not much.

The two characters have a 'love interest' (If you can call it that). Both of whom are definitely not docile or meek. Greg's initial love interest (Stacy) is a lawyer, very strong willed, in fact very reminiscent of Irene Adler. The woman who is very special to Holmes because she was smarter than him. 

The very little consideration for rules and the blatant violation of the code are fairly obvious to observe. Both of them are seen snooping around without permission. Holmes has often deputed Watson to do some amount of observation too and then from all the information that that Watson provides Sherlock has unraveled the case. House sends his assistants to snoop around patients homes collect data. While this snooping comes in handy, only House gets it. The others are merely eyes. They register what they've seen. They do not observe.

Cuddy and Lestrade are the fixer uppers. They make sure that our geniuses don't get in too much trouble for doing what they do. Now both Cuddy and Lestrade also know that the only person who can perhaps fix the issue are House and Holmes. Also worth a mention is the love-hate relationship between the fixer upper and our genius. Cuddy and Lestrade while are definitely are important they are not intrinsic to the 'process'  of diagnosis/deduction. 

Lastly, both have the light bulb moments. Our geniuses have this bursts of sudden energy, a moment of sudden clarity where the case solves itself. Every thing then on becomes obvious. For Holmes it's when he is doing really boring stuff like rearing bees, getting high on morphine, lying down and for Holmes its when he is alone with coma guy or when he is watching some ridiculous TV show or getting high on Vicodin.