Oliver Wells is an intern first introduced in the season 8 episode The Fact in the Fiction.
Character Information
He shows substantial knowledge of physics, anatomy, law, history, and forensic anthropology. Despite his high intelligence, he displays a personality with overly rude, and narcissistic traits, and acts like he is more intelligent than everyone else. He was at least once shown reading a book during an autopsy while claiming that he could multi-task and take in both inputs at once.
He considers himself to have an open mind, but this has been proven to be a disadvantage more often than would be expected. During his first case with the Jeffersonian, he became so caught up in the possibility that the victim may have developed time travel, that he insisted that the team at least consider the possibility that a second set of remains found that bore a striking similarity to their first victim was the corpse of the victim's future self, rather than assume the more probable explanation that the similarities between the two victims were simply the result of them being related.
In Season 9 Episode 5, The Lady on the List, he is given a bucket list by Angela in order to change his behavior and insult him;
1. Don't be a douche.
2. Really, don't be a douche.
3. Work and play well with others, so I'm not perceived as a douche.
He is strongly disliked by everyone, with the exception of Dr. Hodgins and Fisher. Dr. Brennan even bluntly stated that nobody enjoys his company in The Woman in White. Oliver, together with most of the other interns, was invited to Brennan and Booth's wedding when they were called in to assist in solving a case so that Brennan could focus on preparing for the wedding. When he and Daisy were assigned to work the same case, they were often seen competing for Dr. Brennan's praise like children. Eventually, Hodgins reminded Oliver that he needed to get along with Daisy because she was part of their "family", and if it came to a choice between Daisy or Oliver, the rest of the team would pick Daisy to stay despite Oliver's acknowledged greater intellect.
Bones: No one likes him anyway.
Fisher: I kinda do.
(Wells looks surprisingly at Fisher)
It can be argued that Oliver Wells is the Anti-Zack, as both he and Zack Addy claim that their knowledge is vast, they are both close friends with Dr. Hodgins, and they are both polymaths able to learn from anything. However, unlike Zack, Wells shows no empathy for his colleagues as he is insensitive to others, whereas Zack's ability to express himself is awkward but still present.
Quotes (Zack Addy and Oliver Wells)
Zack: My knowledge is vast.
Wells: My knowledge is vast. Which is why I'm here, right?
Zack: I can learn how to be effective in front of juries.
Brennan: Zack can learn anything.
Wells: I'm a polymath. I can learn from anything.
Notes
- The first time he appears he carries a skull in a satchel, similar to what Brennan did in the pilot episode
- He eats string cheese to help himself think.
- He is one of the few interns to have a doctorate, and he also has a range of Masters degrees in a wide range of subjects, as a result of his becoming easily bored.
- He begins to enjoy hiking while out in the woods with Hodgins
- He suffers from Erectile Dysfunction.
- Nothing is known about his personal life outside the Jeffersonian.