Back-to-back character studies last night: First, the Wilson-centric episode of House was an excellent showcase for Robert Sean Leonard to expand upon the wry mannerliness of his oncologist with a heart (or, last night, liver) of gold.
After that, on the ever-improving Lie To Me, Tim Roth took his Cal Lightman to a place where Lightman and his behavioral savviness couldn’t help but shine: gleaming Las Vegas.
The result was a neat contrast. The Wilson plot played up the doctor’s kindness, his alert sensitivity to others’ behavior. When he diagnosed a patient’s new symptoms simply by noticing a cold sore on the mouth of this patient’s girlfriend, Wilson crowed, “I had a House moment!” But we were meant to understand that it was really a Wilson moment. Accused of being a “doormat” — a label the ever-modest Wilson even applied to himself — Wilson was the most welcoming doormat this House has had in quite a while.
Lightman could not be more different from Wilson. The way Roth inhabits him, Lightman is all about invading other people’s spaces — when he enters a room, he really sprawls, stretching out in a chair, letting his limbs flop with insoucient confidence. For someone who’s an expert at body language, Lightman uses his own body to own every inch of the TV screen.
“Vegas doesn’t bring out the best in Cal,” said Kelli Williams’ Foster, but of course she was wrong for fans of the show. Hired to suss out the perpetrator of a kidnapping plot, Lightman was in his element: surrounded by professional liars in this episode directed with the typical zip of Elodie Keene. These included wizardly magician and David Mamet fave Ricky Jay. But Roth, fast becoming a peerless prime-time ham, was never upstaged by the murmuring Jay. Whether bedding a female poker player or lying in wait for a possible criminal by… well, lying in the back of a car with Mikhi Phifer’s Ben Raynolds as though a stake-out was an occasion for a nap, Lightman was the coolest cat ever imported from Britain.
Did you watch House and Lie To Me last night?
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Comments (1-15) of 53 Add your comment
I think Wilson said he had a “House moment” when he (incorrectly) diagnosed a disease bc he noticed a cold sore on his friend’s girlfriend.
you are correct.
You are both right–thanks, apologies, and I’ve corrected that.
you’re right
Haha do they not have a medical consultant on House. The Dr. held the ultrasound probe with his left hand (a non no) and was scanning the mans groin while the US screen showed a diseased gallbladder. Hilarious!!!
BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Out of curiosity, why can’t the probe be held in the left hand? What if you are left-handed?
I think you can be left handed but you would have to put the machine where you face it which is awkward for the patient, but then again maybe not…it would be at their feet and you could see the images better.
If you’re left-handed, it’s just one of many things (computer mouse, desks, can openers) that you just have to deal with.
I thought this episode was better than most but it was a choppy mess.
I agree – I always enjoy Wilson, but I actually think it was sort of a cop-out by the writers because of how the season’s been going so far. They know that people are upset over Jennier Morrison, but a Wilson-centric episode is bound to bring in even those viewers who’ve left and maybe get them to stay, because hey, let’s face it, Wilson rocks.
Shame this didn’t convince me. While I love Wilson, the TV show that was once called “House” (and has now been renamed “Huddy”) is still done for me.
Too little, too late. I officially ‘divorced’ House last night for the crime of being a boring show over the last two years.
Kudos to Robert Sean Leonard and a fantastic House episode (with the exception of the Cuddy/detective storyline, which I am sick of). As for Lie to Me – giving Tim Roth a free rein in this year’s episodes is the best thing that could have happened to the show. His acting elevates American television, and is consistently fascinating and entertaining.
Missed Lie to Me because of work, but I absolutely love that show. Please Fox, give the show time to find it’s audience and allow the cast members to gel into their performances. If you do that, Lie to Me will be as big as House.
I work Monday nights too, but I set the DVR for both House and Lie to Me…I love Tim Roth and he was in his element last night. I love to watch him walk. I decide he is a shoulder walker and then he moves another way and I have to rethink it…fascinates me and his accent is wonderful.
Do you hear that noise? That’s the sound of a gajillion House/Wilson shippers going “Squeeeee!”
What does that even mean?
“Shippers” are people who want to believe certain relationships exists between characters. In this case, these are people who want House and Wilson to be together.
It is just not possible to not love Wilson! He is just so nice…and the only one that stands to House!
Maybe I’ve been watching too many cookery shows, but Wilson is too sweet (doormat) to be the lead. It had parallels to Iron Chef with egg nog as secret ingredient. I love the character… he lives to serve. The inspiration of the Holmes and Watson relationship should be adhered to. Did Watson ever assume the role of central character?
Loved House last night, its nice to see Wilson shine, and giving RSL more than three lines didn’t hurt either. Wilson has quickly become my favorite character, since Cuddy is obviously going through some kind of phase.
Lie To Me was great too!!!
I thought this Wilson-centric episode was a much welcomed break from the norm. Although we got the same basic underlying plot (dying patient, wrong diagnoses, epiphany, patient lives) we got to watch it with Wilson being the main man, and got snippets of what House’s antics look like from the periphery (very funny). Any 90’s movie buffs out there? Ashley was a lead in a teen movie in 1994 and Sandy (Wilson’s nurse) was a lead opposite Michael J. Fox in a 1993 movie. . .
Answers? http://www.orble.com/teevee-house-1130/
I liked both episodes but I’m really wanting to see more of the chemistry which was hinted at between Tim Roth ad Kelly Williams…I know they can’t get together yet…that has to be all drawn out but based on what we know about the characters, she should have displayed a bit of hurt with him sleeping with the poker player, and he should have detected it and wondered at it, kind of gotten flustered and distracted by it (if only in a subtle, nuanced way). Otherwise good episode, and good for Wilson on HOuse to buy the house out from Cuddy. He was right to do it.
Chemistry between Tim Roth and any actress would be tough IMO because he is an unattractive gnome. Sometimes people who aren’t physically attractive can, through self-confidence and personality, be sexy and seem more attractive. Lightman with his overbearing, rude behavior and his facial contortions cannot overcome his unattractiveness. Seeing him with that lovely woman last night was a “ya, sure, that’d happen” moment for me.
I saw House, it was a great episode. Regarding that loft Wilson bought, is House going to be living there too?
Yes, House is going to be living there too.
Thus the comment about the need for a bigger refrigerator.
I think he and house needed more space. Wilson is neat and House is sloppy….the new Odd Couple. House makes me nervous sometimes when he manipulates Wilson.
it’s just a tv show – there really isn’t a Wilson and a House in real life
Hence the reference to the Pigeon sisters.
favorite moments: House admitting he wouldn’t be there for Wilson’s surgery because he’d “be alone” – and then showing up in time for Wilson to see him standing there. It doesn’t get much better than that.
That was my favorite part too! I don’t think House has said anything more honest than when he said he wouldn’t go to the surgery because if Wilson dies he will be all alone. Love it!
I really liked seeing snippets of House’s cases, too. Just blips of a gurney flying down the hallway with the Cottages on top of the patient. So funny! RSL did a great job of showing new facets of Wilson’s character. My fave scenes are House and Wilson, and no, I’m not a Hilson shipper. I just love their friendship. They bring out the best and worst in each other.
The Wilson-centric episode of HOUSE last night was just wonderful. Robert Sean Leonard doesn’t get nearly enough opportunities to truly shine on the show, but in this episode he practically blotted out the sun. We got to see just why House’s relationship with Wilson is the one that truly matters the most. I know there’s been a lot of enthusiasm for House to get together with Cuddy, but eps like this one just confirm what I’ve suspected for a while now – if House belongs with anyone, it’s Wilson! Even without the physical “sex,” there is something intrinsically “romantic” about the relationship between these two men, and I love that the show’s creators don’t cower away from it. Bravo David Shore & Co. and Bravo Robert Sean Leonard and Hugh Laurie!