James Evan Wilson, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is played by Robert Sean Leonard. The character first appears in the show's pilot episode when he introduces a medical case to Dr. Gregory House. Wilson is Dr. House's only true friend, and frequently provides him with consultations and aid. Wilson is the head of the Department of Oncology at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.
During the show's run, the characters of House and Wilson have been compared to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Wilson's portrayer, Robert Sean Leonard, has stated that his character and Dr. House were originally supposed to play these roles; but Dr. House's diagnostic team has taken over Dr. Wilson's part. Leonard also read the script of the pilot episode of CBS' Numb3rs and was planning to audition. He auditioned for Wilson instead because he felt he would more enjoy playing the character that House went to for help and because he liked the Odd Couple dynamic of the relationship.
The character was positively received. Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger described Wilson as "the only irreplaceable supporting character" of the show.
Character biography
Wilson is one of three brothers. He has an undergraduate degree from McGill University, and graduate degrees from Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. He played tennis for his college team. His father was Christian and his mother was Jewish; Wilson was raised in his mother's faith but he celebrates Christmas in addition to Hanukkah and sometimes refers to Christian history, philosophy, and practices, as well as secular self-actualization advice.
During a medical convention in New Orleans, shortly after graduating medical school, Wilson accidentally broke an antique mirror and started a bar fight when another customer repeatedly played "Leave A Tender Moment Alone" by Billy Joel; Wilson was going through a divorce with his first wife at the time. House met him in jail and, motivated by a desire for companionship and by sheer boredom, bailed him out and hired an attorney to clear his name, thus starting their professional and personal relationship. In the Season 1 episode "Histories", it is revealed that one of his brothers is homeless and that Wilson is unaware if he is still alive as he has not seen him in nine years. Wilson has a history of failed marriages: he is married to his third wife during Season 1 and, with the discovery of his wife's infidelity, separates from her during Season 2. After the failure of his third marriage, Wilson lives in various temporary accommodations (including a stint at House's own apartment) until he meets Amber Volakis, who is a female substitute for House. He is described as "nearly 40" in "Don't Ever Change", in Season 4, and by the end of Season 8, House describes him during a semi-mock DDx as a "46-year-old oncologist". Wilson and House's relationship has been sorely tested on many occasions.
He is diagnosed with stage II thymoma in the Season 8 episode "Body and Soul" and given six months to live. In the series finale, at House's funeral, Wilson gives an honest description of House as opposed to everyone's kind words and gets a text message telling him to "Shut up, you idiot." To his shock, Wilson discovers House alive and well, having faked his death in order to spend Wilson's final months with him (House was facing a return to prison), and House asks Wilson how he wants to spend his last five months. Sometime later, Wilson and House are seen in the countryside on motorcycles, Wilson having presumably quit his job to spend his last five months as he wants. He asks House about what they will do when the cancer gets bad, but House simply tells him that "cancer is boring" and they ride off together.
Characterization
House describes Wilson as "a buddy of mine people say 'Thank you' to, when he tells them they are dying." House also describes Wilson as an "emotional vampire". On a date with Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), Wilson evades a question as to whether or not he wants children.
