House was loosely based on Sherlock Holmes, and people fell in love with Hugh Laurie’s fascinating take on the character. Longtime fans of the show might gravitate toward climactic season finales or episodes focused on interpersonal drama within the team, but first-time viewers looking to see if they like House will want to start with the best of the classic format: a truly well-executed medical mystery.

House’s unconventional diagnostic methods solve seemingly impossible cases, so the characters in House excuse his biting bedside manner and unpredictable behavior. House’s struggles with pain, addiction, and loneliness are an undercurrent of the show’s entire run. House thrives on moral dilemmas, and the best episodes have the team in continuous debate about what choice is ethical. From incredible guest stars to shocking twists in the case, some episodes are perfect to get new viewers interested in House.

10 Histories

Season 1, Episode 10

House loves to rely on medical history, but when he accepts a homeless Jane Doe patient, there are no records to guide the team. As a result, they must rely on more assumptions, and House uses their reactions to the patient’s homelessness as a litmus test to determine whether they can look past their initial biases. This episode is an early example of a bittersweet House ending where the team gets the correct diagnosis too late, solving the mystery but losing the patient nonetheless.

House seems to take the case just to irritate Dr. Eric Foreman, who immediately assumes the patient is faking symptoms to stay in the hospital. Throughout the episode, House pushes Foreman to look past his initial assessment. By the end of the episode, Foreman sees the patient as a person, even making an effort to find her son so she does not have to die alone. House's keen observation and questioning of what others take for granted are central to his genius.

9 Three Stories

Season 1, Episode 21

One of the best episodes of House breaks up the usual story structure by having House lecture a group of medical students, telling them about three overlapping cases in anachronistic fashion. As House lays out the cases, the students frequently jump to false conclusions, and he uses these moments to teach them the importance of looking beyond an initial diagnosis. House knows most doctors see but do not observe their patients holistically. David Shore, the creator of House, won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for “Three Stories.”

This story shakes up the normal House format and gives the audience context for House’s disability.

The episode would already be a standout even if it did not become evident halfway through that Patient #3, a drug addict who showed up with leg pain, was actually House himself. House always explores moral complicity when it comes to patients, and House emphasizes how the patient’s drug-seeking behaviors made the doctors believe him less when he showed up with excruciating but very rare muscle death. This story shakes up the normal House format and gives the audience context for House’s disability.

8 Autopsy

Season 2, Episode 2

House often sees parts of himself reflected in his patients, and this episode’s patient of the week, Andie, is no exception. Andie, a terminally ill 9-year-old with cancer, displays such bravery in the face of her own death that House becomes convinced it must be a symptom. Andie serves as a foil to House: she remains happy despite her illness, while House uses his disability as an excuse to avoid leading a fulfilling life. Both characters grapple with the continuous pain of living weighed against the release of death.

House often grapples with complicated questions of morality, and in this episode, House's team debates the practicality of using their time and resources to help a patient who only has a year to live. True to form, House himself is only focused on solving the puzzle. Andie’s grace profoundly impacts everyone on the team, even House. Taking a cue from Andie’s outlook, House finds inspiration to embrace joy where he can. This moment leads him to buy the motorcycle that becomes his signature mode of transportation over House's eight seasons.

7 Clueless

Season 2, Episode 15

House often says "Everybody lies," and while his cynicism occasionally misses the mark, his distrustful nature is often the key to solving a case. In “Clueless,” the patient’s seemingly perfect, adventurous, and open marriage lies at the heart of the mystery, but House wagers that the relationship is not as it appears. This episode highlights House’s sharp observational skills and biting humor while delving into the themes of trust and deception in relationships—an ongoing exploration throughout the series.

House’s instincts prove correct when he uncovers the wife’s sinister yet “almost poetic” role in her husband’s mysterious illness. Only House could combine a suspicious mind with a children’s chemistry set to save the patient, winning his $100 bet in the process. The mix of dark humor and a gripping medical mystery makes “Clueless” a quintessential House episode.

6 All In

Season 2, Episode 17

House typically has to be tricked or coerced into taking a case, which makes it all the more notable when he becomes invested in a case Dr. Lisa Cuddy dismisses. House notoriously does not form bonds with or even meet patients, but House breaks this pattern in "All In." He is chasing his white whale, recognizing the same symptoms that killed a patient of his 12 years ago in a new case. Desperate to solve the mystery before history repeats itself, House’s rare emotional investment makes this episode stand out.

“All In” also highlights the deep friendship between House and Dr. James Wilson, a cornerstone of the series.

Their dynamic shines as they work together to keep Cuddy off House’s trail, demonstrating how in sync they are. While Wilson usually serves as House’s conscience, it is more entertaining to see him colluding with House for the sake of a patient. The episode’s title, “All In,” cleverly refers not only to Wilson and Cuddy’s poker game but also to House’s unwavering commitment to solving this case and his bond with Wilson.

5 Euphoria (Part 1 & 2)

Season 2, Episodes 20 & 21

House has a wry sense of humor but can also deliver deeply dramatic moments, and the two-part episode “Euphoria” highlights how high-stakes and gripping the show can be. In these episodes, the team faces a mysterious illness that claims the life of a police officer—but not before he infects Foreman, sparking a desperate race against the clock to save one of their own. The team’s relentless determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds takes center stage.

Foreman’s rapid decline, coupled with a poignant reunion with his father, delivers an emotional gut punch. The crisis even pushes House out of the hospital to conduct his own investigation. While the team rarely expresses how much they care for one another, episodes like this underscore their dynamic as a found family. The blend of suspense, compelling character moments, and intricate medical mysteries makes “Euphoria” an incredible entry point for newcomers to House.

4 No Reason

Season 2, Episode 24

House's season 2 finale is a special episode because of its intense and surreal exploration of House’s psyche. The show revolves around his personality, yet he typically hides behind a sarcastic front. In “No Reason,” House is shot by a disgruntled former patient and undergoes an experimental treatment that gives House vivid hallucinations that blur the line between reality and fantasy. By the end, viewers discover the entire episode has been a hallucination, making every interaction and conversation a reflection of House’s inner thoughts.

“No Reason” delves deeply into House’s complex relationship with his chronic leg pain. He fears that losing his pain might dull his intellectual brilliance and, on a deeper level, that his disability provides him with a justification for his anger and bitterness. House constantly changed over the seasons, and this internal struggle appears to reach a turning point when House requests the same experimental treatment he experienced in his hallucination before undergoing surgery at the episode’s conclusion.

3 Act Your Age

Season 3, Episode 19

House’s team often uncovers dark secrets during their investigations, but “Act Your Age” subverts expectations with a surprising and heartwarming twist. The case of a young girl showing symptoms of sexual maturity at an alarmingly young age leads to a sweet and innocent discovery about her father, offering a refreshing contrast to House’s typically darker reveals. This episode masterfully balances a medical mystery full of unexpected turns with an intimate exploration of human relationships.

Beyond the diagnosis, the episode delves into the doctors’ personal lives, which are deeply interwoven into the fabric of the series. House and Wilson are up to their usual shenanigans, with House meddling to determine whether Wilson was on a date with Cuddy or simply attending the theater as friends. House could be toxic to Wilson, but their friendship always endured. House’s constant interference in the personal lives of those around him is as integral to the show’s charm as the weekly medical mysteries.

2 Frozen

Season 4, Episode 11

House’s genius shines brightest when he is forced to work within limitations, and in “Frozen,” those restrictions take center stage. The patient, trapped in an Arctic research station, must treat herself while House guides her through tests and procedures via video conference. This unique setup showcases House’s resourcefulness and adaptability, as he navigates the challenge of diagnosing without his usual tools.

“Frozen” premiered after Super Bowl XLII in February 2008, designed as a standout episode to capture a broader audience.

The episode gains emotional depth as House forms an unusual bond with the patient, spending far more time talking to her than with any previous case. Her perspective—seeing the world as a puzzle—mirrors House’s own, making it bittersweet when he saves her life only to witness her romantically embrace another crew member at the station. Its high stakes, emotional resonance, and inventive premise make it a memorable entry in House’s run. “Frozen” premiered after Super Bowl XLII in February 2008, designed as a standout episode to capture a broader audience.

1 The Tyrant

Season 6, episode 3

In one of James Earl Jones’s most underrated roles, Jones portrays President Dibala, a ruthless African dictator. The team struggle with the moral dilemma of treating someone they believe to be a war criminal inciting ethnic genocides. House often explores ethical gray areas, and “The Tyrant” forces characters to not just have beliefs but act on them, making it one of the most pivotal episodes that set up the structure of House’s team for the last three seasons.

House himself is somewhat sidelined, not technically having his medical license, but of course, he finds creative and humorous ways to contribute to the diagnosis. House is always one step ahead diagnostically, pulling stunts like miming his advice only to reveal he wrote it on the shades as well, to irritate Foreman, who is nominally the head of the team. “The Tyrant” is a perfect episode of House that asks difficult moral questions while retaining the irreverent tone of the show.