Wilson conversation post!

[discofunction.livejournal.com]

Since I enjoyed this post about Wilson's background so much, I thought I'd start another (inspired by a recent conversation on tumblr.) These are the questions that plagued me most about Wilson and I've discussed them with fans a lot over the years but you all have such interesting and valid views, I'd love to hear them!

1) Why did Wilson live in a hotel for so long! (from moving out of House's apartment in Season 2 until he moved in with Amber in Season 4!) He obviously made a conscious decision to, it's not like he couldn't get an apartment!

2) The Grace thing. Yes Wilson was known as a bit of a ladies man... but moving in with a dying patient?

Some lonely hotel room Wilson to jog your memory:

Comments

[discofunction.livejournal.com]

Ok. Since I started the conversation, I will add my views!

1) My initial thought about the hotel thing was just that the writers forgot and didn't bother to write him a scene where he get's an apartment (don't start me again on the writers dropping plots for Wilson!) BUT. Maybe not? When Wilson moves in with Amber, House actually mentions, "Went by your hotel this morning. They told me you moved out..." -so clearly the writers wanted this extended hotel living arrangement to be canon! So WHY did Wilson live in a hotel for almost 2 YEARS of the show!?
My theory is that Wilson feels that while he’s living in a hotel that it’s just ‘temporary’ -getting an apartment would mean moving on and accepting that he has messed up his life (in his view) -failed his third marriage and would have to face living alone and his crippling loneliness (he says that the only things that work for him are his job and his friendship with House!) It's like he's telling himself that this is just a blip, staying in a hotel is a temporary solution to a temporary problem. He doesn't want to move out and live alone and face the fact that this is his life (a life that doesn't fit the persona he wants for himself!) It's also very possible that Wilson has never lived alone before and it scares him -he pretty much went from med school to marriage after marriage and then to House and then to Grace! (and we see in Black Hole how difficult Wilson finds having to 'make a home' and furnish his apartment) So that's my view!

2) Grace. I was always a little uncomfortable about this. It seems a very sad set of circumstances. I don't think their relationship had anything to do with attraction or love. Just both needing someone. He needed to be needed and she obviously needed some love and care at her lowest point. It's all kind of sad really. I can't imagine what their interactions would have been like- she seemed too ill for them to really date and from what she says about being spaced out on pain meds, I don't know how she could even be in the frame of mind for it. House blurts out "Your having sex with our miracle woman" -but I don't think the emphasis of their relationship could have been about sex...I think they just "needed" each other rather than loved each other. We all know about Wilson's need to be needed and I guess this was a vulnerable time for him -his wife no longer needed him and House had wanted to kick him out (although sadly, Wilson seems to have overlooked the fact that House NEEDS him more than anyone, he went to great lengths to make Wilson stay (In the form of pranks rather than asking, but hey, that's House's way!)

I assume inevitably Grace would have gotten sicker and possibly died at some point...it's never mentioned again but I wonder if Wilson knew when she died and if he did he obviously kept it to himself and that makes me sad. In my own little head canon of Wilson's life I believe it happened during S3 and was part of a series of events that led to Wilson feeling the need to go on anti-depressents. I don't believe he just decided to take them because he was feeling down about his failed marriages and the Tritter arc... I think more happened. I think he is a very sad, very troubled man and these days I'm starting to wonder whether his refusal to treat his cancer was a bit of a suicide mission! With all his struggles and troubles, Facing cancer was the final straw...
*Oh god Wilson! *sob* *sob* *sob*

[taiga13.livejournal.com]

It's like he's telling himself that this is just a blip, staying in a hotel is a temporary solution to a temporary problem. He doesn't want to move out and live alone and face the fact that this is his life
That was my take too. As you say, he couldn't even decorate his own apartment - he's so used to reflecting the people he's with, he sort of ceases to exist when he's alone.
I don't think their relationship had anything to do with attraction or love. Just both needing someone.
The episode writer, Doris Egan, wrote a blog post about the episode. She said Wilson and Grace were "very fond" of one another, that she would even describe it as a form of love if people didn't over-romanticize the word, and that Grace was very glad that Wilson broke the rules to be with her. Not excusing what he did, just saying that in the writer's mind it wasn't about him using her. (She also clarified that he'd never done it before.)

[discofunction.livejournal.com]

he sort of ceases to exist when he's alone

Aww yes :-( like house said, "you are whoever you are with needs you to be"

just saying that in the writer's mind it wasn't about him using her

Oh to clarify, I don't think he used her at all. I just mean that their relationship wasn't born out of romance or lust, if you like. They liked each other and being together was comforting and what they needed at that time. (I'm not sure I'm explaining myself well! Lol!) There is something kind of bittersweet about their relationship.
And as I said, I think (although never mentioned in canon) that Wilson would have been pretty cut up when she did eventually die.

I never caught that blog post by Doris Egan, I would have liked to have read it as House Vs God is probably my favourite episode!

[taiga13.livejournal.com]

Because I like you :)
http://tightropegirl.livejournal.com/10329.html

[discofunction.livejournal.com]

Awww thanks! I was going to search for it myself, but didn't get chance so your efforts are very much appreciated!
I love what she says about Wilson being the only character who can lie to House and get away with it! :-)

[discofunction.livejournal.com]

Awww thanks! I was going to search for it myself, but didn't get chance so your efforts are very much appreciated!
I love what she says about Wilson being the only character who can lie to House and get away with it! :-)

[soophelia.livejournal.com]

I agree with this.

[sassyjumper.livejournal.com]

I remember the scene that this shot is from. Wilson (well, RSL) does a little tap-tap-tap with his hands on his thighs, like he's trying to say, "OK, this isn't bad." It's really sad, just that little moment.

I agree with you on the reasons for him staying in a hotel for so long. Also, when someone is suffering from depression (and that's canon, at least in S3), it can be very hard to motivate yourself to take care of your basic needs. Living in a hotel might have made life easier for Wilson, too.

Like you said (in a rare moment of continuity), the writers actually had House mention the hotel when they didn't have to -- so, yeah, maybe they wanted to say something about Wilson with this detail.

As for Grace, I remember at the time some fans saying they thought the situation suggested that Wilson was a bit of a predator. I didn't think that was the intention. I thought it was a case where his need to please, to take care of the vulnerable, and to be the "good guy" went much too far. We know Wilson will act recklessly if he thinks he's doing the right thing. I think Grace needed him, at a time when he was looking to be needed. I don't know whether they actually were having sex -- the woman was being treated for advanced ovarian cancer. That doesn't excuse his behavior, of course. It was unethical, not to mention dumb. But I do think he believed he was helping Grace.

[discofunction.livejournal.com]

I remember the scene that this shot is from. Wilson (well, RSL) does a little tap-tap-tap with his hands on his thighs, like he's trying to say, "OK, this isn't bad." It's really sad, just that little moment

Yes! it's such a tiny scene in the middle of a bigger montage, but it always stuck in my mind. I'm pretty sure when it aired, I turned to my husband and was like, 'Oh! Poor Wilson!'

We know Wilson will act recklessly if he thinks he's doing the right thing.
I think Grace needed him, at a time when he was looking to be needed

Yes these two things are sooooo true! He does act recklessly at times- when hurting or as you say, if he thinks it's for the greater good. This was obviously not a carefully planned move, not only ethically and career wise, but he moved in with her pretty quick! And I also agree that he believed he was doing the right thing and was helping Grace. I don't think he was being predatory, I think, as you say, it was his need to be 'the good guy' and to be needed.
I think the break up with Julie kick started the depression that he eventually seeks help for in S3 (the anti-depressants.) I don't think he was acting completely rationally at this point, but his intentions were certainly not sinister in any way.

I don't know whether they actually were having sex

I think this is the bit that made me feel slightly uncomfortable. House states, 'You are sleeping with our miracle woman' but I really doubt they were having sex. She seemed way too ill to be up for it and Wilson's need to be the good guy would mean he would never dream of pushing her for it. I'm sure they shared times of intimacy but I doubt they were swinging from the chandeliers, so to speak ;-)

[soophelia.livejournal.com]

I agree. I highly doubt Wilson and Grace were having sex because she was on all of those meds and she mentioned in one scene that she wouldn't even up talking to Wilson she had taken her full dose of meds. So I think she spent a lot of time sleeping due to the effects of the meds.

[scrivo35.livejournal.com]

I don't really know why Wilson stayed in the hotel so long, perhaps it was just convenient having someone else do the cooking and cleaning for him while he was at work or the writers just forgot to move him out.
My take on the Living with Grace story arc was that she really needed him, because as he said to House, her ride didn't turn up and when he gave her a lift home she hadn't got any groceries in and she didn't have anyone else. I just think she fed his need to be needed, as he could of organised professional care for her, but chose not to. If he had sex with her it would only to make her feel that she was still desirable despite having cancer.

[discofunction.livejournal.com]

perhaps it was just convenient having someone else do the cooking and cleaning for him while he was at work or the writers just forgot to move him out.

I think the convenience was a big part. I have to say, when it first aired I just assumed the writers forgot to move him out. But since they chose to mention it when he moved in with Amber, I think one writer (at least) decided to make it canon.

I just think she fed his need to be needed, as he could of organised professional care for her, but chose not to.

Yes this pretty much sums up what I wrote in a huge paragraph further up the thread! :-)