James Wilson (House)
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 the protagonist, Dr. Gregory House. Wilson is Dr. House's only true friend; he frequently provides him with consultations and aid. Wilson is the head of the Department of Oncology at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.
| James Wilson | |
|---|---|
| House character | |
| First appearance | "Pilot" (1.01) |
| Last appearance | "Everybody Dies" (8.22) |
| Portrayed by | Robert Sean Leonard |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | James Evan Wilson |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Head of the Department of Oncology |
| Family | Danny Wilson (brother) |
| Spouse | Dr. Sam Carr (ex-wife) Bonnie (ex-wife) Julie (ex-wife) |
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.