Wilfred - FX

The Gist

Wilfred
Buy it here and support our blog

After a failed suicide attempt, ex-lawyer Ryan Newman (Elijah Wood) feels like everything in his life is slipping through his fingers. Hours after the attempt, his cute neighbor, Jenna (Fiona Gubelmann), who's hardly given him the time of day before, asks if he could watch after her dog, Wilfred (Jason Gann), for a few hours. But Wilfred is no ordinary dog. Though he may appear a normal, average dog to everyone else, to Ryan Wilfred appears to be a full grown, Australian man in a scruffy dog suit. Freaked out at first, Ryan isn't sure what do to with this dog who can speak and act like a person. But after a bit of bonding, Ryan finds that he'd have a hard time finding a more loyal friend than Wilfred.

What We Think
Reviewed by Dream Catcher
Number of Seasons: 2
I've been meaning to watch this show forever, but have never known what channel it was on, or what time or what day or what ever. I finally got around to it this summer - like a lot of TV shows, actually. I had a feeling just from the premise and the few commercials I'd seen that this show would be quirky to say the least. And I was right. But it's the kind of indie quirkiness that makes you laugh and think and love. In short, I think this show is pretty great.
So I'll get this over with first. It's pretty inappropriate. Lots of swearing, sexual references, drug use, and whatnot. For a TV show, how scandalous! But honestly, if you've ever watched a PG-13 movie, you're all right. There's a lot of crude humor, and more pot-smoking than is really necessary, but you'll live. I don't really mind it, but I just thought I should warn you.
Characters, and I'll start out with the greatest; Wilfred. I may never look at a dog the same way again, but he's hilarious. He's the crudest of them all, but he's a dog. The humor of it is voicing the thoughts of dogs, but also adding some swearing and drug-addiction and stuff that absolutely makes no sense for a dog to be doing (ex: in one episode Wilfred is using a typewriter to write his will, in many episodes he smokes a cigarette - how could a dog do that?). The simple blunt-ness and ridiculousness of Wilfred as a character is what makes the whole show so funny. He's so well-written that even when he does something obviously wrong, or mean, or stupid you still be angry with him. And Jason Gann does such a ridiculously good job playing the part. Ryan, played by Elijah Wood, is very different from Wilfred. Having almost killed himself, he's pretty much hit rock bottom by the time he meets Wilfred. And if you think about what it would be like to be him for a moment and hallucinate a talking, cussing, smoking man in a dog suit in place of your neighbor's pet...that would be pretty freaky. Ryan is the constant voice of reason to Wilfred's constant voice of insanity. I think that Elijah Wood plays him well. As far as the first season goes (I haven't completed season 2 yet) there isn't really a point where I got annoyed with Ryan or even Wilfred, which is good considering they're the main characters. So many shows now write characters that annoy you so easily. They're too whiny, they're too harsh, they're too boring, blah blah blah. You know? But not here. Sure, the show has some annoying characters -  but only the ones that are so obviously meant to be annoying are actually annoying. I root for Ryan to get his life together, and for Wilfred to help him and be his friend. I want things to work out for the both of them. A refreshing change of pace since lately shows such as Glee have left me hanging on so many fronts (yes, I'm calling Glee out on it's increasingly awful character-problem). I believe that Wilfred has some well-thought-out, lovable characters that (to my delight) and actually well-written.
I'll just mention one more thing, and that's plot. I know this wasn't an original. This was adapted from an Australian show by the same name (which, trust me, I intend to watch right after season 2 is over), and it really is one of the stranger things I've watched in my life. But I think that's what makes me like it so much. I've read a few other reviews that have, disappointingly ended with vague well..it's strange verdicts, and I have to say that a lot of people would not like this show in the slightest. A lot would think it's not even funny. Some would say that the only reason it airs at all is because it's different, not good. I dunno. I guess I don't believe it. Yeah, it's strange. Yeah, it's unlike anything else on TV, and that doesn't necessarily make it award-winning and legendary, but it means something, right? If it's different enough...I dunno. I always think different is worth a shot. People thinking outside the box is rare enough these days. Let's not squander it.
I've gone on a tangent and I apologize. Plot...let's see. Like I've said, it's about a guy and his best friend...who's a dog. Different. I like it. There's a lot of comedy, a lot of heart (surprising, but there really is some feeling in there, too!), and even some wonder. What is Wilfred, exactly? Is Ryan just hallucinating? Or is there something a bit more mysterious to the whole thing? I honestly have no idea. They've lead me to believe both at one time or another. I enjoy not really knowing, having them trick me every few episodes, throw in a HUGE twist at the end of season 1. To the writers of Wilfred: You are Awesome.
That's all, folks. I guess this show isn't for the faint-of-heart or what-have-you. But I like it. I do. It's different, it's funny, it's indie, it's addictive.

Real Teen Rating ~ A : Definitely check it out!