James Wilson (House)

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Dr. James Wilson
House character

Time on show	2004-present
Position	Head of the Department of Oncology
First appearance	Pilot
Portrayed by	Robert Sean Leonard

Dr. James Wilson is a fictional character portrayed by Robert Sean Leonard, on the American television drama House. Wilson is the head of the Department of Oncology at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Conventionally, he is the only true friend of the drama's anti-hero, Dr. Gregory House. Wilson frequently provides House with consultations and aid.

In the pilot episode for House, the viewing audience learns Wilson is Jewish; the revelation occurs when Dr. Eric Foreman says he found ham in the refrigerator of the team's current patient, whom Wilson insisted was his cousin in order to get House to take the case. He also invites House over for Christmas dinner in "Damned If You Do". When House points that Wilson is Jewish, he alters his invitation to invite him for Hanukkah dinner instead. His educational background is unknown, although in two episodes he was dressed in a McGill University sweatshirt.

He is shown to have been married several times. His current marriage, which from all clues in the series is probably his third, went on the rocks when he discovered that his wife was having an affair. In all truth, however, Wilson himself may not be innocent of cheating. In episode 2.6 ("Spin"), Wilson confessed to Cameron that an unnamed "someone" (whom he presumably met during his first marriage) made him feel "funny, good" and that he "didn't want to let that feeling go", therefore sparking his own series of mental affairs and damaging his relationships. This person's identity has not been revealed.

Wilson frequently protests his reputation as a serial philanderer, to no avail as far as House is concerned. In addition to ribbing Wilson about the oncologist's flirtatious nature with young nurses and other hospital staff members, House put the pieces together regarding the state of Wilson's third marriage: Wilson wearing the same clothes he'd worn the day before indicating he had not been home for the night; a mismatched pair of socks indicating Wilson was dressing in the dark to avoid waking his wife; a purchase of an expensive box of candy indicating some form of guilt and/or need to reconcile with his wife: all odd, small details most people outside a situation would be unlikely to notice.

As a result of his wife's affair, Wilson and his wife separated. He reluctantly took up refuge in House's apartment (episode 2.14, "Sex Kills"). In episode 2.16, "Safe," House told Wilson why he didn't look for a new apartment: "As long as you're here, it's just a fight. As soon as you get a place, it's a divorce." A few episodes later, he moved out, informing House that he had found another apartment, in spite of House's various attempts to prevent Wilson from leaving. It was revealed over the course of that episode ("House vs. God") that Wilson had lied and was actually living with Grace (Tamara Braun), one of his terminally ill patients, against all rules of physicians' ethics. House postulated that this was because Wilson feels a need to "fix" the vulnerable women he meets, and when they become well-adjusted (with Wilson's help), he becomes discontent and moves on. Wilson later moved out after Grace decided to spend her last days touring the world as she'd always dreamed of doing, and was now living on his own. On a "date" with Dr. Lisa Cuddy in "Who's Your Daddy" (episode 2.23), he admitted that he and his ex-wife were dividing possessions and friends, and neatly evaded questions about if he'd wanted children.

In the Emmy Award-winning episode "Three Stories" (1.21), House referred to "a buddy of mine people say 'thank you' to when he tells them they are dying." This was later revealed to be Wilson; House convinces him to use this skill to talk a patient into authorizing treatment in "House vs. God" (2.19).

In season 3, when a cop is trying to put House in jail for his Vicodin addiction, he threatens Wilson's career if he does not testify against him. Wilson refuses, so Tritter, the cop, freezes his bank account and impounds his car. Throughout the entire running of the series (mainly in the episode "Detox") it's made known that House's addiction worries Wilson. House publicly refuses to take responsibilty or show remorse for Wilson's plight, but his seeming indifference is contradicted by abnormal physical pain that suggests deeply-repressed guilt. The situation is exacerbated by Wilson's being barred from prescribing cancer medication, effectively killing his practice. When Wilson confronts him on this, House sneeringly dismisses him.

At the end of the episode "Finding Judas" Wilson agrees to testify, unknown to House. He finally breaks when House verbally attacks Dr. Cuddy, telling her it's good she can't get pregnant because she would make a lousy mother, and punching Dr. Chase in the face without provocation. Wilson fears his friend getting out of control; since House was cut off from his regular dosage of Vicodin, he was not thinking clearly when incorrectly diagnosing a child with a condition that required the amputation of one of her arms and legs. Fortunately for House, Chase correctly diagnosed the girl in time before her arm and leg were removed. Furthermore, withdrawal from his pain meds makes House intolerable to work with (House most likely hit Chase becuase he was fuming with frustration with his withdrawal).

Within the scope of a popular comparison that draws parallels between Dr. House and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Wilson is equivalent to Dr. Watson. This becomes evident as, throughout the course of the show, Dr. House consults upon his medical quandaries with Wilson, much as Holmes did with Watson upon his cases. His multiple marriages may also echo his association with Watson, as some Holmes critics postulate that Watson was married more than once. Wilson is also one of the few characters in the show with whom House will discuss what remains of his personal life, or who can make him laugh.

[edit] Trivia

Out of all the main characters, Wilson is the only character who has not yet been seen crying.

According to his medical degree as seen in the background in the episode 2.09, "Deception", Dr. Wilson's full name is James Evan Wilson. Therefore, his initials spell out "Jew."

Has several posters of the Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo on the walls of his office, and is even seen watching the film at the end of the season two episode 'House vs God'.