Episode no. Season 6
Episode 10 Written by David Foster | Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter Original air date November 30, 2009 | |
"Wilson" is the tenth episode of the sixth season of House. It aired on November 30, 2009. The episode, uniquely centered on Wilson and a day in his life, was notable for departing from the usual House-centric storyline.
Contents
Plot
House wakes Wilson from sleep at 6:30 am by playing his guitar and singing "Faith" by George Michael. House is curious as to why Wilson is not getting ready for work, and Wilson explains that he is not going to work - he is taking a day off, and going hunting. He returns to bed but is followed by House who states that the person Wilson is going hunting with is a "self-important jerk" who does not even know his name. Wilson ignores him and goes back to sleep.
The hunting trip is with Tucker, a former oncology patient who credits Wilson with saving his life 5 years prior. Tucker wants to reward "Jim" in various ways (such as taking him on this hunting trip) for saving his life. They follow a ritual of sticking an empty chemotherapy bag into a tree, Wilson labeling it with the number of years Tucker has been free of cancer and Tucker shooting the bag. Wilson turns away, using a hunting whistle to try to attract turkeys, Tucker misfires, narrowly missing Wilson. Wilson turns around, Tucker is on the ground and complains he cannot move his arm.
Tucker is summarily brought to the hospital for diagnostic tests. Initially, Wilson diagnoses the man with transverse myelitis after noticing that Tucker's girlfriend has a cold sore, and prescribes Acyclovir. House bets Wilson $100 that it's actually a recurrence of leukemia. Tucker is discovered to have acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a different form of leukemia than the one he was treated for five years ago. The cancer seems very treatable, but Tucker does not initially respond to treatment. During the treatment process, Wilson decides to employ a double dose of chemotherapy, which cures the cancer, but leads to severe liver damage. Wilson realizes that without a transplant, Tucker has about twenty-four hours to live.
House informs Wilson of a motorcycle accident victim who might be a potential donor, but his sister, an Asian woman who appears to be a member of Mahikari, is unwilling to allow organ donation. They visit her home and attempt to convince her, but she objects, not wanting to violate her brother's remains before burial. House then suggests a loophole to her: according to some definition, her brother is not truly dead yet - to donate his liver would be a last generous act of a living man rather than a violation of his body. Even though this is successful, the liver has already degraded beyond usefulness and House angrily declares this another patient being killed by religion. Remembering Wilson had donated blood to him before, Tucker realizes his friend would be a compatible donor and impinges on their friendship by pleading for Wilson to donate a portion of his own liver. Wilson realizes that to do so would be professionally derelict, placing him in an ethical quandary wherein he would feel obliged to donate tissue to any needy patient. Nevertheless, he considers complying due to a sense of guilt over prescribing the chemotherapy. House finds this moral dilemma quite asinine, given that Wilson is blaming himself for treating his patient's cancer. Enraged at being called a "doormat", Wilson tells House to move out of his apartment.
Wilson gives in to Tucker's plea(after seeing how the man had reunited with his estranged family in light of his dire situation) and plans to go ahead with the operation to donate a portion of his liver to Tucker. Before the operation, Wilson asks House to be there for the operation. House, showcasing a rare moment of vulnerability, initially refuses by revealing to Wilson that "If you die, I'm alone". At the operation, as Wilson is being anaesthetised, he sees House at the viewing area and smiles just before the anaesthetic fully kicks in. After the operation however, Tucker reveals that now that he's going to live, he is summarily casting his family aside again to pursue a love interest almost the same age as his own daughter. Wilson contains his reaction, but it's clear that his view of Tucker is now similar to House's.
Meanwhile, the relationship between Cuddy and Lucas continues, shown from Wilson's point of view. Cuddy wants to buy a new home through Wilson's realtor ex-wife, Bonnie, and is seeking House's approval, also indirectly through Wilson. Saying she has hurt him, House schemes and plots to interfere with this, again through Wilson. Wilson brings House to the apartment that Cuddy had wanted, and tells House he has bought it, explaining it is because she had hurt House and the two of them needed a bigger place.
Music
Critical response
Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club rated the episode A-, saying he really enjoyed the episode and was excited not because of big moments or shocking revelation but rather because of how well the friendship of House and Wilson was played.