House ("Wilson", 11/30/2009)

This is one of the episodes I've been waiting for since the beginning of the season.  This episode center's around the yang to House's yin, Dr. James Wilson.  Aptly titled "Wilson", we follow Princeton Plainsboro's head of oncology as he treats a former patient and friend.  House, meanwhile, "does his thing" off camera, only coming into the story to advise (or antagonize) Wilson as we watch him tackle a House-style mystery.  Rather than viewing this story as a novelty, I see it as another stepping stone toward balancing the medical mystery aspect with the much-needed character development.



The important part of this episode isn't the patient's mystery, or what Wilson does while treating the patient.  In fact, Wilson is predictably Wilson in this episode.  He is involved, caring and compassionate often to a fault.  The real meat in this episode is that by the end Wilson takes a step closer to being like House, and House takes a step closer to being like Wilson.

Many episodes in seasons past have had montages that include House and Wilson smiling, laughing and being... well, being friends.  Now, in the sixth season, we're starting to see House's humanity.  He's growing as a person.  Yes, he's still abrasive, acerbic and arrogant.  But we are being given an extra dimension to the complex genius that is Gregory House.

Keep up the good work, writers and producers!