I wanted to love last night’s House, and there were parts of it I really dug: Wilson is the most underused character on the show, and getting a whole episode devoted to Robert Sean Leonard was a real treat. But the plotting felt sort of off to me, so while it hit some true emotional notes, the path to that payoff didn’t quite click.
We opened on House’s lack of house-guesting manners and the welcome thrill of hearing Hugh Laurie rock out on “Faith.” Wilson was headed off to his annual hunting trip (Parks and Recreation shout out?) with a friend House IDed as a “self-important jerk.” Please, everyone, make sure your pot/kettle paperwork is all filed by the end of the year. Said jerk turned out to be PopWatch favorite (and avid Twitterer) Josh “Jeremy from Sports Night” Malina as one of Wilson’s former patients. He explained that Wilson’s treatment had helped him beat a six-months-to-live prognosis a full five years ago. He still seemed kinda jerky, though, and then his arm got paralyzed and the whole episode was set in motion: Cancer dude was sick! Again!
Wilson had what he called a “House moment” with a creative inference, but he guessed wrong. “Your caring is clouding your diagnosis,” admonished House, and that was the theme of the episode: Can Wilson be as good a doctor as House, given that he’s a big old softie? Well…no. “I can handle it when things go wrong; you can’t,” House said later in the episode, and again, true. Sure, House is a big stinkin’ jerk, but if there’s anything I’ve learned from 20 years of watching medical shows — and I have learned a lot, in case any of you want me to diagnose your obscure illnesses or explain how UNOS works or what Occam’s Razor is or what “matching” means or what happens if a doctor is exposed to HIV — it’s that being too emotionally attached to your patients isn’t a good thing. In this case, it costs Wilson a lobe of his freaking liver, even with House’s nastily snarled “Don’t be a doormat, Wilson.” Too late.
The best scene of the episode (the best scene of most House episodes, really) was the final fight between House and Wilson. Our beloved oncologist asked his BFF to be with him during his liver surgery, and House balked: “If you die, I’m alone,” he said, and I swear he was close to tears. I know House has taken a turn for the worse, but Hugh Laurie is still all A-game. I think that’s why so many of us are still so invested in the show. It’s definitely why I am.
In related news, Cuddy wanted to move in with Lucas, which is more annoying than anything else: Are we seriously supposed to buy this relationship as anything but an arbitrary obstacle to an eventual Huddy pairing? Cuddy’s a responsible single mother — and she’s moving in with some creeper detective she’s been dating for a few months? Give me a break. Please. Like an actual pause from this nonsense.
At the end of the episode, Wilson was back on Team House, even snatching up the loft Cuddy wanted to move her crappy relationship into; instead, it will be the spacious Chez Hilson. I like these guys living together, but Wilson’s conclusion that “She hurt my friend; she should be punished” was jarring. That’s just not the Wilson we know, even if he’s in the throes of regretting giving up part of his liver (don’t worry — it regenerates! livers are the best!). And if we’re going to keep score, doesn’t Cuddy kinda lose here? Hasn’t House hurt her a lot more than she’s hurt him? And she deserves to be punished for turning him down?
Anyway, a few other thoughts:
++The Pigeon sisters are the neighbors on The Odd Couple, which House referenced when Wilson came home drunk. Snerk.
++ “Right, that’s room 12A” is a reference to a beloved Monty Python sketch, and Wilson’s reaction totally slayed me: It looked like he didn’t get the reference, and was too irritated to even ask what it was.
++ Taub putting his hand out to take the chart from Wilson was hilarious and perfectly timed. There’s such a funny show buried in here sometimes.
++ I get that this House isn’t a documentary, but the totally ludicrous doctor-gives-patient-his-liver plot really irked me, especially because we didn’t see Wilson jump through any hoops. He convinced Cuddy with a 30-second spiel. I wish we had seen him have to go to required counseling or something and really explain himself.
Still, Wilson’s the best, and the idea of him and House achieving domestic bliss together as roommates in an architectural wonderland puts a pep in my step. How about you, PopWatchers? What’d you think of “Wilson,” and, er, Wilson?
Photo credit: Michael Yarish/Fox
I loved it. House and Wilson’s relationship is the best part of the show and I would happily watch an hour of them just hanging out any day of the week. I also enjoyed seeing House’s team do bizarre things with diagonsis from a different perspective.
I know this show is full of medical inaccuracies, but how could Wilson have donated his liver if he’d been drinking the night before? I thought maybe the sister of the accident victim/ potential donor would be the one to give part of her liver to Cancer Guy.
When Meredith gave part of her liver on Grey’s Anatomy, she was on bed rest for a month; Wilson donates his liver and he’s gallivanting around buying condos the next day. Love medical soap operas!!
Actually there was a bit of a time lapse, it wasn’t ‘next day’ sort of thing. That’s what the montage at the end was for.
I was surprised at the bold comment “Religion killed another person”….I also loved Wilson’s perspective of House’s team whizzing by with random patients.
Yeah, I really liked both of those things.
Best episode since House got out of the funny farm. The best exchange of the episode was the one at the end when Wilson says, “She hurt my friend. She must be punished.” and House replies, “Baby steps.”
Watching House and Wilson this season is like watching a wonderful stew take shape: House is becoming more like Wilson and Wilson is becoming more like House.
That was a great line…I watched it multiple times on my DVR.
You Crazy! This was a great episode! I loved it. True, Cuddy was being beyond irrational when she said she is moving in with Lucas. Hence,it was such a delight to see Wilson get back at her. Regardless, it was fantastic to see House from another perspective.
I also think Wilson bought the Condo because he does not want Cuddy to move in with Lucas
My take on it is, that Wilson sees Cuddy moving in with Lucas as her trying to punish House, because ultimately it does, and because he knows House is trying to pro-actively find happiness (he’s being more honest and trusting), it made it that much more infuriating for Wilson.
Who was Cancer Guy’s ex-wife – where have I seen her before? Maybe Wilson should ask her out. I loved the “Argument Clinic” joke!!! Amazing how fast Wilson recovered from donating part of his liver, compared to Meredith on Grey’s Anatomy – I guess R.S.L. isn’t preggers, ha ha. That 2-BR apartment was spacious, but it didn’t look like a “loft” to me. What rock did they find Lucas under? I thought his character was long gone. I’m not a Huddy shipper. I would rather see Cuddy with a hot young guy (some smart junior executive type in expensive suits) than creepy Lucas. Michael Weston was great on Burn Notice, but he doesn’t fit here.
Michael Weston was great as House’s new friend, but once he was put in a “romantic relationship”, his idiosyncrasies became just plain creepy.
I’m not getting the Michael Weston reference. What does he have to do w/ Lucas?
To Gen: Michael Weston is the real name of the actor who plays Lucas. He also had a stint on the show Burn Notice with the character, also named, Michael Weston.
That was Katherine LaNasa. She was one of Charlie’s flings on 2 1/2 Men. She’s hot!
The ex-wife had a run on Two and a Half Men as the Evelyn clone that dated Charlie for a while.
Thanks, Larry and Anne. I knew I’d seen her before.
Wilson’s comment about ‘she hurt my friend’ wouldn’t have been jarring if you’d realized he was being sarcastic. You could tell by his facial expession it wasn’t meant seriously, especially since Wilson was the one to constantly tell House ‘you are not okay’ with the Cuddy situation, which even House finally admitted to. That said, I love having a Wilson-centric episode with the case for House’s team so far in the background it was scarcely noticeable (it was nice to have a break from the team).
Yes, it was great to have a break from the team (or the “Cottages” as they are called on TWoP). I’m sick of their drama. I only watch to see House and Wilson and the patients.
The ex-wife’s name is Katherine LeNassa. I saw her last week on a rerun on the Ghost Whisperer. And she played a police officer on Seinfeld many years ago–she made Jerry take a lie-detector test to prove he watches Melrose Place (she didn’t have blong hair back then).
who cares
meanie
Cool, thanks for the info on the actress.
I love Hilson, and I love the idea of them living together. But Cuddy? Really? I don’t ever see Huddy as a reality.
Funniest scene was House’s team in the background flying through the hospital hall with their patient, with Taub throwing over his shoulder to Wilson “it wasn’t the golf” comment as six of them hurried their large patient’s gurney to wherever they needed to treat him. It was like a Marx Bros. sight gag. It was an hysterical, but throwaway moment.
Ha ha, that was my favorite part too! Quite possibly one of the funniest moments in House history
Absolutely!! I think I rewound my DVR recording 5 times to see that part! Taub’s dry comic delivery was SO spot-on~~ (it was “it wasn’t the tennis,” btw, building on the unbelievable revelation House made at the beginning of the ep about this morbidly obese mariachi singer being a tennis pro–it was hilarious that the writers had Wilson walk out of the room so that the ludicrous comment (which would normally be the awesome epiphany/House explains moment in a House-centric ep) just hanging there ridiculously~ I do love that the writers took this chance to show us how crazy House’s team and desperate, life-saving shenanigans look from a bystander’s POV. Comic genius!
Of course, it isn’t just the comedy that I loved about this ep–WOW, so much emotional growth in House and Wilson’s relationship this ep! And it wasn’t even campy, throwaway bones for Hilson fans (as it was in the following ep, where Wilson proposes to House…cute, funny, but ultimately not as satisfying as real emotional growth as in “Wilson”). I loved House’s confession (that Wilson is all he has, so he’s afraid he’ll die)–quite possibly the greatest moment in the entire show. Hugh Laurie really is A-game all the way, as you said. ^^ That and all the cute, “domestic” scenes in the montage following Wilson’s surgery where House (looking more Sherlock Holmes-ish than ever!) is reading his evening paper comfortably at Wilson’s bedside. That level of connection between them was so wonderful to see… thank you for the Real!Hilson, writers!! Keep it up!!!
P.S. I guess I’m the only person in the universe who thinks Luddy is cute? ^^; I think a goofy guy like Lucas would be a great balance to strict mommy Cuddy for the baby. Plus, as a high-powered dean of medicine, Cuddy could really use a stay-at-home dad who isn’t threatened by her high-poweredness. If that makes any sense? I actually think Cuddy will be very happy with Lucas… ^^
YES!!!
Author: what the h*ll are you talking about? Your writing style is like having to decipher Morse code. Annoying.
Wilson going hunting is just not believable.
Of course, and Wilson and cancer guy made it clear they had no clue what they were doing. LOL.
After the last episode of House when Cuddy sent House on a 3-hr. trip to a non-existent Thanksgiving party, I realized I couldn’t watch this show anymore. I simply don’t want to spend any time with any of these children and all their neuroses and game-playing.
I’m with you on that one. They all need to grow up.
To quote you from above….who cares?
Nice catch!
I loved this ep! House and Wilson belong together! I really hope the move into their new apartment is a permanent one. Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard are TV gold.
I will watch any and all Wilson-House scenes. Most likely over and over again. I love these two. I love their crazy friendship. I love how much philosophy gets expressed in their conversations/fights. Though it is telling that this was an entire episode about Wilson and Hugh Laurie still had the best scene. His “if you die, I’m alone” line was devastating. Hugh Laurie is so great!
There was a very brief moment when Wilson is recovering from surgery, and he and House are laughing together, but you don’t hear it. I would love to know what House and Wilson joke about when they’re not sniping at each other. You so rarely see House — or Wilson –laugh. Smirk, yes, laugh, no.
I love watching House and Wilson. I like Cuddy, but I feel she and House are just not believable as a future couple. I’d love to see them both move on (but not with Lucas). Meanwhile, this was the best ep since he got out of the asylum. And I enjoyed House’s cases taking a backseat to Wilson’s.