# House 11/30: Wilson **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532 "2009-11-30T23:46:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/41 "2009-12-01T18:13:22Z")
> [@Baracus](#): > > I don’t know. I thought that sending him to the wrong house on Thanksgiving was somewhat cruel. I can see why she wouldn’t want him there, but she really seemed a bit too pleased with herself. This. I thought this was why Wilson helped House in “getting back” at Cuddy. Not that she got serious with her new boyfriend Lucas. But I thought it was really kind of stretching it to say renting the loft really hurt Cuddy at all. Still, it was interesting to see House enjoy this side of Wilson at the end. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/42 "2009-12-01T18:20:23Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > “Lames”? I’m either missing something or that’s really lame in and of itself. Well, it’s Wilson, and he was sleepy. What would you expect? Anyway, I saw it as Wilson making a crack about House’s leg. > [@salinqmind](#): > > li’l nitpick - the Pigeon sisters were in the Odd Couple movie, not the TV show. No nitpick, there. I remember seeing them in the TV show before I ever saw the Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau film. And the [imdb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065329/fullcredits#cast) backs up my memory. Monica Evans and Carole Shelley, the original actresses from the movie, appeared as the Pigeon sisters in 4 episodes in 1970 - “It’s All Over Now, Baby Bird,” “The Breakup,” “The Jury Story,” and “The Laundry Orgy.” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/43 "2009-12-01T18:26:18Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > That’s the part I missed, but I can’t agree with some of the other motivations posted. Being in love with someone young and inexperienced with life-and-death medical decisions isn’t a sin. And leaving a marriage when you’re not in love with that person is, well, kind of grey, but not unquestionably horrible. I think the point we were supposed to get was that he didn’t really love anybody (including, possibly, the daughter that he managed to estrange) - he’s a user of people. Wilson, Cuddy and House have a strange, fascinating, dysfunctional triangle going on that makes for excellent tv, even if none of it would fly in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/44 "2009-12-01T18:26:58Z")
> [@Baracus](#): > > I don’t know. I thought that sending him to the wrong house on Thanksgiving was somewhat cruel. I can see why she wouldn’t want him there, but she really seemed a bit too pleased with herself. Please. The only reason House even went to that thanksgiving dinner was to try to split them up and generally be a manipulative jackass. She _should_ be pleased with herself. She won that round. Why would it be cruel anyway? House doesn’t have feelings, he just sometimes pretends to in order to manipulate people. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/45 "2009-12-01T18:35:06Z")
But…but…New And Improved House! On meds for his depression! ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/46 "2009-12-01T18:59:18Z")
I loved the loft but sorry that House no longer will be living at 221B Baker Street. Or is he still paying the rent on that place while living with Wilson? ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/47 "2009-12-01T19:27:13Z")
> [@Gustav](#): > > Please. The only reason House even went to that thanksgiving dinner was to try to split them up and generally be a manipulative jackass. She _should_ be pleased with herself. She won that round. I was disputing whether Cuddy had done anything to hurt him. Whether she intended to or not, her little charade did hurt him. > [@](#): > > Why would it be cruel anyway? House doesn’t have feelings, he just sometimes pretends to in order to manipulate people. Cruel was probably the wrong word. I originally went with douchey rather than cruel but the three posts before mine used douchey and I was starting to feel like part of a douchefest. Again, I am not saying she should have invited him, but I thought what she did was well-played but douchey. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/48 "2009-12-01T19:40:38Z")
What happened to House’s own apartment? Is it some condition of his being released from the institution that he must live with someone? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/49 "2009-12-01T20:18:15Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I loved the loft but sorry that House no longer will be living at 221B Baker Street. Or is he still paying the rent on that place while living with Wilson? He said that he’d gone back to his old place for his guitar, which I assume to mean that he’s still paying for his old place. I’ve forgotten the specifics of his moving out, though, so possibly I’m wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/50 "2009-12-01T20:25:32Z")
It seems to be pretty long-term, as Wilson said that “we” would be getting a post office box, so Cuddy would not learn where “we” were living. Apparently House doesn’t even check in at 221B often enough to get his mail there. Actually, I hope they play this out for a while, as keeping the boys’ domicile secret could lead to lots of good hijinks. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/51 "2009-12-01T23:10:40Z")
> [@LateComer](#): > > So are all of Wilson’s friends assholes? > > Best line (Always on the lookout for Monty Python or Blackadder references): > > Wilson: I’m not looking for an argument! > House: Right, that’s in 12A! :smack: Thanks for clearing that one up for me. > [@Gustav](#): > > Why would it be cruel anyway? House doesn’t have feelings, he just sometimes pretends to in order to manipulate people. I think House definitely has feelings, which makes his assholery all the more tragic. He has no concept of how to deal with people in a rational way, and he’s incredibly self-destructive, so he just pushes and pushes out of desperation and self-loathing. Is he narcissistic? Absolutely. But he has feelings. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/52 "2009-12-02T00:21:59Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Okay, I’ve only been watching House for a couple of years, so I’m sure I’m missing a whole lot of back story, but I honestly find this comment really distasteful. > > Cuddy is ‘guilty’ of hurting House? To the degree that Wilson will go to great expense to thwart her from buying that loft? > > What has Cuddy done other than decide she prefers to be with another man? > > Gee, what a bitch! How dare she think she should prioritize her preferences in how she wants to live her life over the wishes of a man? > And having read all the way through, I now know that Randwill made the same point. Well, I second it. I think the Thanksgiving snub was pretty distasteful. House’s biggest problem is that he is scared to get hurt if he opens up to people. He opened up to Cuddy and got hurt big time. Wilson is probably well aware of this and rightfully got mad at Cuddy for handling the situation that way. And House pays a good price for hurting Cuddy. He is virtually alienated at work and has to fight with Cuddy for almost everything. The thing is that Wilson did not want to help Cuddy from the time she made the offer, but he agreed to help her anyway because he has no backbone. Then after he gave his liver to some jerkoff, he realized that he shouldn’t be such a doormat anymore and decided to help his friend. I thought it was a very decent show of loyalty to House, who doesn’t have any other loyal friends. His staff doesn’t like him and would screw him over at a moments notice and Cuddy did not think much of screwing with him on Thanksgiving. Wilson’s gesture was very nice, and he needed a new place anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/53 "2009-12-02T00:40:22Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > I think the Thanksgiving snub was pretty distasteful. House’s biggest problem is that he is scared to get hurt if he opens up to people. He opened up to Cuddy and got hurt big time. Wilson is probably well aware of this and rightfully got mad at Cuddy for handling the situation that way. I don’t get it. In what sense did House “open up to Cuddy and get hurt”? By his own admission his only motivation for showing up at that dinner was to manipulate Cuddy and Lucas to deliberately try to break them up. And almost certainly going to act like a complete jackass in the process. And for that matter, was it even indicated on the show that House was hurt by her action? ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/54 "2009-12-02T01:25:31Z")
See, I don’t necessarily think that the Thanksgiving snub is the big thing–though it sure was crappy. I think the big thing might be that she’s dating Lucas at all. In a previous episode, Wilson described Lucas as the closest thing that House had to a second friend. I’m guessing that Cuddy probably knew that too. In light of that, dating Lucas at all is hurtful. It’s her right to do so, but it’s also Wilson’s right to think that the entire thing is massively insensitive and hurtful to his–let’s face it–really vulnerable friend. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/55 "2009-12-02T11:20:33Z")
> [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](#): > > See, I don’t necessarily think that the Thanksgiving snub is the big thing–though it sure was crappy. I think the big thing might be that she’s dating Lucas at all. In a previous episode, Wilson described Lucas as the closest thing that House had to a second friend. I’m guessing that Cuddy probably knew that too. In light of that, dating Lucas at all is hurtful. It’s her right to do so, but it’s also Wilson’s right to think that the entire thing is massively insensitive and hurtful to his–let’s face it–really vulnerable friend. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/56 "2009-12-02T11:24:55Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > I know that some of the sharpest and most discriminating people on the internet are here at the SDMB. I also note that every week, in the “House” thread, there are tons of questions about lines, jokes, plot points and character motivations. On the theory that good writing should successfully communicate its intent to its audience, would it be fair to conclude that this show is rather sloppily written/edited? I tend to feel that the more complex the characters in a work of fiction, the more room for interpretation there will be about their motivations. This implies subtlety, not sloppiness–not everyone wants ‘‘meaning’’ jammed down their throat. My absolute favorite shows have inspired lengthy discussions after each episode. _House_ is one of these shows. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/57 "2009-12-02T21:26:50Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > What happened to House’s own apartment? Is it some condition of his being released from the institution that he must live with someone? I second this - I missed the episode where he moved in with Wilson. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/58 "2009-12-02T21:30:30Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > :smack: Thanks for clearing that one up for me. > I think House definitely has feelings, which makes his assholery all the more tragic. He has no concept of how to deal with people in a rational way, and he’s incredibly self-destructive, so he just pushes and pushes out of desperation and self-loathing. > > Is he narcissistic? Absolutely. But he has feelings. And any real person’s reaction to that? “Go fuck yourself…until you learn how to be around other people, you’ll be alone.” I have a reeeeeally hard time buying the feel-bad-for-House argument. He knows what he’s doing when he’s doing it, the ramifications of it, and most of the angles of the aftermath. It’s all part of the ruse. He’s happy being miserable, for if he weren’t, he’d cease to be miserable, and he wouldn’t be the Dr. Greg House that we’ve all come to love. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/59 "2009-12-02T21:33:09Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > I tend to feel that the more complex the characters in a work of fiction, the more room for interpretation there will be about their motivations. This implies subtlety, not sloppiness–not everyone wants ‘‘meaning’’ jammed down their throat. My absolute favorite shows have inspired lengthy discussions after each episode. _House_ is one of these shows. I agree, and this is why your interpretation is wrong. (Insert stupid smiley face to show that I’m just messing with you, but only just kind of) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532/60 "2009-12-03T09:16:01Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > He’s happy being miserable, for if he weren’t, he’d cease to be miserable . . . It doesn’t work that way in real life, why should it in a TV show? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-11-30-wilson/519532.md?page=4)