Two peas in a pod? Hardly. But their relationship goes much deeper than "just friends." They're in a "bromance."
According to the Urban Dictionary, bromance: "the complicated love and affection shared by two straight males.” Not necessarily up on all the latest pop-verbiage, this was new to me until recently when Nightline did a piece on it a few months ago. I am told that bromance is mutual, while the (also popular term) “man crush” is a one-way relationship.…
Article comments
26 - Barbara Barnett
Why? I find sewing clubs boring, but I don't feel the need to crash their message boards and tell them that. Probably because I'm not 12...
Thanks, Jordan.
27 - action kate
Re the "I love you" in "97 Seconds" --
Remember that in this scene, as often happens, House is carrying on two conversations simultaneously (although he usually does it with two different people, Wilson is quick enough to handle both). One is about the patient House is treating, whom Wilson has stepped in to handle, and the other is about the clinic guy with the knife whom House emulated. Included in the discussion about the knife guy is Wilson's distress that House doesn't seem to care whether he lives.
The final exchange of this scene, I think, also has two conversations going on, in the sense that the lines have dual meanings.
Wilson says, "Just looking at you hurts. I'm going to order up some extra pain meds." House responds with "I love you," and Wilson gives him an eloquently wry, pained shrug/eyeroll in acknowledgment. The two conversations are:
1) Wilson: "Just looking at you hurts."
House: "I love you" meaning "I'm sorry my quest for knowledge was self-destructive, which caused you grief." It's a little sarcastic -- House sort of parodying how a husband would apologize to his wife over a similar emotional exchange -- but not completely so.
Wilson's Shrug: meaning "Yeah, you love me, but that didn't stop you from doing something stupid!"
2) Wilson: "I'm going to order up some extra pain meds."
House: "I love you" meaning "Thank you for giving me narcotics to numb the pain without insisting I beg for them."
Wilson's Shrug: meaning "Yeah, well, that is one of the things I do for you, right? I write your pain med scrips."
It's a typically dense, layered exchange, with whole volumes of nonverbal messages going back and forth between them. I can't think of many other actors, or characters, on TV who could have pulled it off.
28 - Buds
Great article, BB!
Something someone mentioned here gave me the idea of a nice parallel in the House-Wilson (people can come up with bromance, I came up with friend-relationship) "frielationship". The first of the two incidents is how House plays practical jokes on Wilson to help him cope and come to terms with his divorce. The parallel to this is how Wilson kidnaps and tortures House's flying V to help him get over his team leaving him and hire a new team.
I don't know if anyone else has mentioned or noted this, just struck me while reading the comments.
29 - pocono resorts Steve
I love this show! lol
I have a friend who looks just like House
30 - Orange450
Great article, as usual!
This may not qualify as a true House/Wilson "together on screen" scene, but it's worth highlighting, IMO. During "TB or Not TB" when House and Wilson have been eating lunch in Coma Guy's room and watching Dr. Sebastian Charles' news conference on the TV. House notices a symptom and goes running into Charles' room, just as Dr. Charles goes into distress. Meanwhile Foreman has come into Coma Guy's room.
As House shoves his face into the TV camera and announces "it's not TB", while behind him, the flurry and confusion of treating Dr. Charles escalates - Wilson sits, calmly eating House's chips and equally calmly remarks "compelling television".
In a series full of wonderful House/Wilson moments, that remains one of my all-time favorite in the humor category. Wilson manages to convey a world of meaning in two words and a curl of his lip. I still laugh out loud whenever I think of it :-)
And who can forget "Resignation"? "I'm not on antidepressants - I'm on SPEEEEED!" RSL was brilliant - no other word for it. What a scene! I laughed until I was breathless, and then I laughed some more until the tears were rolling down :-) If for nothing else (and I do think that there's plenty more), I thought that RSL deserved an Emmy for that one alone.
I have several others that I want to include, and also an alternate interpretation for the "you have no idea why you sent her off" scene in "Need to Know". (I think it's possible that Wilson may have had more insight here than he typically gets credit for.) But I'll have to come back later, because I've got to run right now.
p.s. just wanted to quickly add that I agree 100% with your take on the "I love you" in Ugly.
31 - Sue
Hugh Laurie said in an interview that the producers and writers are not that far ahead of the current episode regarding planning out the series. If you go by just the words and not how the actors interpret them, you would miss the nuances we deliberate over. Take the "I love you" line. We have many interpretations based on how House delivers the line. Any word could be delivered with a very different meaning than was originally planned. Doris Egan said the final outcome can be different than what she imagined it would be. The magic they capture on screen has to be taken into consideration when planning future episodes.
I was watching my DVDs yesterday. When Hugh is on the screen in Hi-Def, even if he is stock still, he is mesmerizing. He forces you to focus your attention on him. I don't find that when he is being himself. There is something about how becomes House and is House that commands you to look at him and focus on him. He comes across the camera like no other actor I have seen. I don't know if the effect is the same on conventional tvs. There is so much variety in his personas, he can be very different from second to second. I find the shots where he is not doing anything to be the most compelling. I never thought I would buy a DVD of any program or movie, because once you know the story there is no reason to have a copy to re-watch. I am so glad I have my DVDs.
32 - hl_lover
Despite the intense rudeness and childishness of a smattering of the above posters, you have handled yourself with considerable grace in your responses, Barbara. Kudos to you!
I really don't have anything to add to the fantastic discussions above, but wish to congratulate you on a wonderfully written article. House's "I love you" in 97 Seconds was impulsively spoken but probably at the same time heartfelt, certainly in keeping with the 'bromance' concept. (I suppose that's the replacement term for 'buddy film'. It actually works better, doesn't it?)
I just adored "Act Your Age" for all the House/Wilson moments. Yes, they weren't very 'angsty', but they made me laugh until I almost cried. Great stuff, and one of my all-time favorites.
Thanks again for the great and timely article!
33 - Barbara Barnett
Orange--Great scenes you've mentioned! Wilson on Speed; House on anti-depressants! I'd love to know your alternate take on the Need To Know scene.
That scene in TB or Not TB was probably a favorite in a not-so-favorite episode in season 2 (although, I've re-watched it and conclude that this was really House's sense of justice being irritated, rather than his "I'm going to be a jerk" streak).
There is so much variety in his personas, he can be very different from second to second. I find the shots where he is not doing anything to be the most compelling. I never thought I would buy a DVD of any program or movie, because once you know the story there is no reason to have a copy to re-watch. sue--I so much agree. My absolute favorite moments are just Hugh and the camera watching him: think, react, brood, agonize, wait. They are fabulous moments, sometimes not even written into the script--but it's what HL brings to the role. Makes House an unforgettable and indelible character.
HL_L--thanks for your nice comments. People all have their opinons and I'm grateful for the incredible support I've gotten in the 11 months I've been writing for BC and the years before that on LiveJournal as sasmom ;)
I agree that those Act Your Age scenes are simply golden. They were humorous and they were great. I loved the scene towards the end when House tells Wilson he should go in and kiss cuddy. House's barely suppressed giggle goes down in my list of favorite House moments.
34 - Orange450
“It often appears that House is the needy one in the relationship, and Wilson the doormat (feeding on neediness) that House sucks the lifeblood from with his neediness. Why would Wilson put up with it? Is it just this need to be needed? Is that simply Wilson’s “pathology?” Is he an emotional vampire, as House suggests?”
Barbara, I think you did a great job of capturing the complexities of the relationship between these two. I agree with those who’ve said that House probably needs Wilson more than Wilson needs House. And I have an additional answer to the question you’ve posed here:
House lets very few people in. Wilson knows that, and I think that in a sense, he values being one of the very few. It's not that he doesn't care deeply for House - of course he does - but I think he also knows what an accomplishment it is to have broken through the barriers that not many others have gotten past, and become the innermost of the “inner circle”. It doesn't sound like a very altruistic reason for a friendship, and I have to repeat that I know there's much more to it than that, but I think there’s a bit of that in it, too.
“Love Hurts: As House readies for his dreaded date with Cameron, Wilson lies on his sofa giving advice. (Condoms pre-treated with antibiotics!) To me, that scene in House’s apartment really crystallizes their relationship. Wilson’s tomcat bravado; House’s nervous awkwardness. But Wilson’s assurance to House that the corsage (as sweetly silly a gesture as it is) would be appreciated by Cameron is a great moment.”
This scene has always given me the idea that Wilson may have inadvertently sunk a potential House/Cameron ship by starting House off on a train of thought that might not have entered his mind otherwise. House seems to be taking his prospective date pretty seriously while he’s primping for it. He wears the shirt that Cuddy suggested, and the way he fusses over his tie definitely conveys the impression that he cares about what he looked like " always a telling sign with a guy. And of course, there’s the corsage. (My husband once gave me one when we were dating " way back in the dark ages. Already back then it was a sweet and silly (and outdated) gesture " but he was taking things seriously ;-)). When House comments that the corsage is “pretty lame”, and Wilson answers “I think she likes lame” " well, I’ve always thought that Wilson’s remark triggered House’s recognition that his appeal for Cameron was based on the fact that he’s damaged " i.e., lame, too, even though that wasn’t what Wilson meant, of course. (Btw, none of this should be construed as regret that the ship never sailed!)
“Need to Know: Unfortunately, the final scene of the episode shows Wilson as completely misunderstanding his best friend, his motives, and feelings, accusing House of enjoying his misery.”
Oy. Almost no one agrees with my take on this one, which came to me like an epiphany one day. It struck me that Wilson was right when he told House "you have no idea why you sent her off", and when he said "you sent her away because you've got to be miserable". And it was a very good insight on his part!
I think it’s possible that House's concern wasn't that he couldn't change in order to make Stacy happy. His fear was that his whole Weltanschaung would have to change. He'd been deeply and adversely affected by the infarction *and* by her subsequent leaving. According to Wilson, he'd been "pining for five years", and even if that wasn't 100% true, strictly speaking - he'd had a very valid to brood, to be dissatisfied with his status quo, to perceive that his "reality is always wrong".
If Stacy leaves Mark and stays with him, then he has to try for a semblance of happiness. After all, he's been working hard to get her back, and - here she is. Now what? He can’t keep on brooding and pining like he’s been doing until now. I think it's *that* change that he feels incapable of - he'd have to change the mindset he's been in for the past five years, and he's just not ready to do it (although towards the end of S4 - before the finale - I did think that perhaps he was getting ready to move on). I think that’s what Wilson was getting at. As usual with this show, there’s more going on than just that, and House’s “I’ve been there before, I don’t want to go there again” is certainly a big part of it, too. But I think Wilson had a point, even if no one else does.
35 - Barbara Barnett
Orange--I've always been so taken with that scene in Love Hurts and just how seriously House took that date--and as we find out in season two how seriously he takes relationships in general. Maybe what wilson meant in talking to Cameron was that House really, really throws himself into any relationship he allows himself to enter into. He took that reunion with Stacy much, much more seriously than she did--and misread her intentions as a result. You may be onto something. have to give it some thought :)
As far as Wilson's words at the end of Need to Know. You make an interesting point (gosh, this is so much more fun than adding pages to my synagogue website! Nothing like foregoing work to talk about House!). Not sure if I agree, because of Wilson's tone. I still think he mis-read House's real anxiety. House's eyes were red; he was clearly really upset at having ended the relationship. Wilson approached him poorly. but you've given me something to chew on ;)
36 - Grace
I have to agree that Wilson misread House on why he let Stacy go. In the scene on the stairs with Stacy's husband, House realizes how much her husband loves her and all that he would do for her. House is terrified that he couldn't be what Stacy's husband is, and so he gives her 'back' to the person whom he feels would be best for her.
THAT is love.
37 - ann uk
Dear Barbara,Thanks to you and all ( or almost all) the other writers for their perceptive contributions, which often show me aspects of the series I have missed - even the ones I disagree with.
It's reassuring to know there are other House fanatics out there. It confirms my estimate that " House" is something unique in TV drama.
Also that I am not the only Hugh devotee!
By the time I catch up with series 5 I shall probably need to write a whole essay so look out !
38 - Barbara Barnett
Good point, Grace.
Ann UK--no problem! Can't wait for everyone's thoughts on season five! One week to go.
39 - Quadrivium
Wow. I really loved reading your article and all the great responses!
I just want to contribute my choice for a great House/Wilson scene. In "Fidelity" we see the whole team + Wilson in the conference room doing a DDX. House walks into his office and turns on the tv, to which Cameron says "Did he just turn on the tv?" Wilson just smiles knowingly and says "He needs to think." I've always really adored that tiny moment and the way that it illustrates how Wilson understands House in a way no one else does.
Afterwards, we see Wilson show up in House's office just as his show is ending (perfect timing!) and in the subsequent conversation House demonstrates his knowledge of Wilson at the end of the conversation about the nurse that Wilson had lunch with. "I wanted to be nice. That’s all. I mean it." to which House responds, "You always do. It's part of your charm."
Plus HL's and RSL's smiles in that scene are enough to make a fangirl swoon! ;)
40 - Rachel
I like the parts where House and Wilson really let it fly with each other. There's one moment in "Half-Wit," at the very end, when Wilson knows that House has been lying to them about brain cancer all along. Wilson walks into House's office, and they look at each other -- Wilson exasperated, angry, and House with the "do we have to go through this," assessing.
But their very next sentences were about the case/patient (Dave Matthews): kind of polite, restrained, until they start at it.
And I liked Wilson's comment to House, and the acting, "Start small, House. Dinner. Pizza with a friend," then he makes a bow and gestures towards himself, as if to say, "Remember? That friend who actually likes you and would come over if you asked?"
I love the scenes between them. I read the episode scripts online, and the scripts are good, but when the actors really get into their roles, then the scene becomes brilliant.
***
I also liked that tiny scene when Wilson and Cuddy are screaming at each other in Wilson's Heart about how to go about treating Amber. House is sitting down between them, clearly with a headache, then he gets up, limps past the two of them, and says, "*Inside* voices" in a singsong voice, like a teacher, as if to say, "I know the two of you have to fight over this, I'm not angry that you have to fight, but god you're giving me a headache..."
Nice touches, all. I've never been mezmerized by such good acting before. The Brits rule.
41 - Barbara Barnett
Rachel--those two scenes you describe are surely two of my favorites!
In HW, House is in a pretty bad place (when isn't he?) and it was a nice gesture of encouragement for him to come out of his shell. It was a nice moment of understanding from Wilson. Unlike Foreman, Cam and Chase, Wilson understood that House's ploy to get into the study wasn't "to get high" but to help himself heal.
i loved that scene where WIlson and Cuddy forget for the moment that House is suffering from serious brain trauma and yell. He gets up and leaves the two of them to gain a little peace (even if it's only a few feet away).
You're so right about the acting really telling so much of the story--how much of the story is unscripted, told in silent moments.
42 - Melody Clark
I've never understood why people react with distaste to the mere suggestion that a relationship might be sexual. Do you consider that an insult? Are sexual relationships somehow beneath or less valuable than non-sexual ones? I think that assertion speaks to our culture's extreme puritanism and other problems with the whole issue of sexuality. We also don't see that love is simply one emotion. It doesn't come with borders. And then there's the whole matter of homophobia which is rampant in this culture.
I hear as many fans of male/female pairings bemoan the "insistence" on male/female romance as I do non-slash, "only brothers" people championing that perspective. At some point, I suppose, we will have no romantic relationships on TV.
I adore House/Wilson slash fiction. I don't for a moment think that relationship will happen on the series, primarily due to the network not wanting to challenge the audience with anything outside their comfort zone. Heaven forbid we be allowed to consider an alternate possibility.
43 - NancyGail
'bromance'- characters both straight, but actors are too. I cannot recall seeing a situation where that last part wasn't true.
Wilson may be manipulative, but at least he knows when to stop. House doesn't.
44 - barbara barnett
Wilson pushes pretty hard on the manipulative thing. Look what he did in Cane and Able? In the Tritter arc? Need to Know? The whole beginning of the series is dependent on Wilson's manipulativeness. It's how he got House to take Adler. And House knew by the end that he was being manipulated and took it very, very well.
45 - LPfan
I love the House/Wilson relationship. It's the true definition of a bromance. I loved your analysis of their relationship.
What bothers me is that the writers don't always stay true to their character.
Examples
In Merry Little Christmas, when Wilson finds an ODed House, he just turns and leaves. I think that Wilson would have made sure House was ok, while lecturing him the whole time. He should have reacted like he did in 97 Seconds (season 4) being there for House, while showing his disapproval. (The I Love You from House was Aww inspiring.)
Then throughout the whole third season and before, he doesn't seem to understand that House's pain is real.
And in Season 5, I can't believe that Wilson said what he did in the first episode, about them never have been friends. And then when they did get "back together" I didn't see a Wilson reaction in Last Resort. His BEST friend was being held by gunpoint, and he didn't really react.
But despite that, I love the dynamic between House and Wilson and one of my favorite moments that you didn't mention are:
In Resignation, Wilson and House dope each other, but it shows how much they care and are worried. You could tell House was hurt that Wilson didn't tell him that he was on anti-depressants, and Wilson thought House was depressed and needed the anti-depressants.
Also expanding on the scene in Wilson's Heart when Wilson asks House to do the Deep breain Stimulation, House asks Wilson, "You want me to risk my life for Amber's?" and when Wilson says yes, House doesn't hesitate to do it. For Wilson.