HOUSE: Wilson

No matter how hard I tried to be objective, my experience watching House this week was undeniably influenced by my chat with Robert Sean Leonard. As the “Wilson” episode unfolded, I flashed back to Mr. Leonard’s observations about his character, his work ethic, and the irreverent nature of Wilson’s bond with House.

As a little experiment, this recap will be woven around some of the most notable quotes from that conference call. My hope is that this change in format will be as enjoyable to read as the “Wilson” episode was for me to watch.

“You know, I’m the Carlton the Doorman of my show. I’m not the most ambitious guy. I like playing the best friend. It’s good to be the lead of a show for a week, but I wouldn’t spread it all around too much. I like my role the way it is.”

It was compelling to watch Wilson take center stage at Princeton Plainsboro. The Oncology department is a vastly different animal than the clinic or the ICU, and I was impressed with how well director Lesli Linka Glatter introduced the nuances of Wilson’s everyday routine. From the playful banter with his assistant to a distinctively different bedside manner from his best friend, Wilson’s work environment reflected someone with a sense of structure and an aversion to risk.

“Josh Malina, this great guy… is the patient, and he’s an old friend of mine, and he gets into some trouble and I have some moral decisions to make throughout the show, and yep, it’s a personal case for me.”

I am an unabashed fan of Josh Malina, since he was responsible for shaping one of my all-time favorite TV characters. As Jeremy Goodwin, the earnest associate producer on “Sports Night“, Malina provided hope to nerds like me that we could succeed at our jobs and still get the girl of our dreams.

As Tucker, a man who is grateful to those who saved his life but ungrateful to the family who sustained him, Malina exhibited significant depth. Rather than pigeonhole Tucker as a “self-important jerk,” as House described him, Malina took writer David Foster’s script and injected genuine conflict. After a cluster of episodes that went over-the-top in facilitating Cameron’s departure, this story was a nice way to bring the conversation down to a hushed tone. When Tucker explained that, “The person you want when you’re dying isn’t the same as the person you want when you’re living,” I actually paused the DVR to consider the legitimacy of that assertion. Though I would like to believe that I would behave differently under the circumstances, I welcomed a line of dialogue that provoked such a genuinely emotional response.

When you say, “move forward”, does that mean a wife and a house or a child? For some people that is forward, but I don’t think it is for everybody. I don’t know if Wilson is cut out for that. I know it sort of goes against –everyone seems to think he’s, you know, Fred McMurray, —the early Fred McMurray, not like Double Indemnity—I just don’t see Wilson as the fuzzy dad in a suburban household.

The most noteworthy arc from this episode was Wilson’s decision to take a stand against Cuddy, albeit through the non-traditional route of real estate. Though I am no fan of the Huddy saga, a stance shared by many in the GMMR community, there was something liberating about Wilson’s assertiveness on House’s behalf. Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard are the best onscreen duo that this show has, and I was grateful that their friendship provided the backbone for this story.

Only Wilson, who Leonard sees as a bleaker, darker guy than audiences assume, would take a stand on behalf of a man who awakens him with an acoustic performance of George Michael’s “Faith.” For me, the most memorable sequence from this hour is the montage following Wilson’s surgery, as House makes certain that his friend is not alone. Just as Steve Carell and John Krasinski occasionally betray their onscreen personas in their scenes together on “The Office”, I think we watched Robert Sean Leonard and Hugh Laurie reveling in the joy of one another’s company. Simply perfect…

“That’s my joke with Wilson. I think he’s a dark guy. He has three ex-wives, he lives alone, he deals with death every day, his best friend is House; I mean, he’s very odd. He’s not Mr. Rogers…he’s not the guy next door.”

Thank goodness that he is not, or else I would have very little to look forward to each week. As many of you have written over the past two years, the more Wilson, the better. Robert Sean Leonard’s fantastic performance places ‘Wilson’ alongside the season premiere as Season Six’s two elite episodes.

I am eager to read your thoughts about this departure from the House formula, and about Josh Malina’s role. Let’s get the conversation started!

How did Robert Sean Leonard do in his showcase episode? Are we beginning to see the first signs of life in the post-Cameron world? What did you think of Josh Malina’s performance as Tucker? Would you feel good about donating part of your liver to someone who fit that personality type? Let your voices be heard…

Aside from writing about House and Parks & Recreation, I am searching for a new favorite “bad TV” show. With Top Chef ending soon, my limited free time must be absorbed by something mindless and DVR-worthy . Please send suggestions to me on Twitter.