Dr. Gregory House is devoid of bedside manner and wouldn't even talk to his patients if he could get away with it. Dealing with his own constant physical pain, he uses a cane that seems to punctuate his acerbic, brutally honest demeanor.

While his behavior can border on antisocial, House is a maverick physician whose unconventional thinking and flawless instincts have afforded him a great deal of respect. An infectious disease specialist, he's a brilliant diagnostician who loves the challenges of the medical puzzles he must solve in order to save lives.

House's roster of medical cases comprises the inexplicable ones other doctors can't solve, and he has assembled an elite team of young medical experts to help him in his effort to solve these diagnostic mysteries.

House's team includes neurologist Dr. Eric Foreman, who might have a slightly suspect past; immunologist Dr. Allison Cameron; and old-money intensevist Dr. Robert Chase. House also has a good friend in Dr. James Wilson, an oncology specialist with whom he consults on a regular basis.

There's also some volatile chemistry at work between House and Dr. Lisa Cuddy, the Dean of Medicine and hospital administrator. Cuddy is in constant conflict with House over his duties at the hospital, but even she must admit he may be the most brilliant doctor on the staff. With a patient's life in the balance, House will do whatever it takes in the race against the clock to solve the case before it takes a life, from sending one of his team to break into a patient's home in search of clues, to attempting a controversial, high-stakes, trial-and-error form of treatment to see how a patient responds. House's methods may be suspect, but his results are not.