Wilfred

We’re gonna switch it around a little this time. Today I am going to be reviewing a TV series instead of the usual movie. We are  going to be talking about the TV series Wilfred (2011), a comedy based on a popular Australian series of the same name. First off, this is one of my favorite shows - and it is WIERD. I’d say 90% of people who have tried watching this show have hated it, and I’ve only been able to turn one of my friends on to it. But it is an amazing show, and I’ll tell you why.

Season 2 cover (Image courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org)

Wilfred is about a young man named Ryan Newman who is struggling to find his place in the world. He is depressed, confused and facing family and work problems. But everything changes when he meets his neighbors dog, Wilfred. Everyone else sees Wilfred as just a dog, but Ryan sees him as a full grown pot-smoking, hard-drinking Australian man in a cheap dog suit. Ryan develops a unique friendship with Wilfred, and they go on a series of comical adventures as Wilfred teaches Ryan to overcome his fears and live life in the world around him.

Like usual, I’m gonna start off with the actors. Ryan was played by Elijah Wood, who is known to most as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. Wood did an excellent job playing Ryan. He showed both parts of Ryan’s personality perfectly. He was the perfect fit to portray Ryan’s kind-hearted, shy personality along with his strange, awkward, emotionally unstable side. I also think Elijah Wood just had that perfect look for Ryan’s character.

Next off, Wilfred. Wilfred was played by Jason Gann, one of the creators of the show. Gann was also a perfect fit for the character he was playing. He did a great job showing Wilfred’s mysterious, shady yet lovable and funny character. Also, one of my favorite things about Wilfred is his accent. Wilfred wouldn’t be Wilfred without his heavy, hard to understand Australian accent. Gann really did an excellent job making this show what it is.

If I had to use one word to describe the plot for this story, it would be “confusing”. And “weird”. And “funny”. You really can’t describe it in one word. And that’s what I love about it, there are so many different factors that make it a great show. One of my favorite of these factors are the brain games. This show really messes with your head, either with plot twists, cliffhangers, or tricks. The main plot of the show is Ryan trying to figure out who Wilfred is, where he came from, and what his goals are. Lots of episode and scenes leave you thinking that Wilfred is bad. But by the end of the show, you realize that everything Wilfred did was to help Ryan, even if he went a little over the top to reach these goals. Not only was this show amazing in that way, but it was hysterical too. Wilfred is classified as a dark comedy. And it definitely satisfied the comedy part. The show made fun of how dogs act in many ways, and it was hilarious seeing a man act that way. For example, Wilfred would often chase birds, eat human food off the table, and make love to his stuffed bear. Wilfred would try to talk to people, completely unaware that they could not hear him. He also had a hilarious relationship with his best friend Ryan. They would fight and play tricks on each other, and later be drinking beers on the couch. I think the plot to this series was really well done, and there is so much to the show than meets the eye.

(Image courtesy of http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com)

Since there are too many episodes to choose my favorite scenes or lines, I’m gonna give you guys a list of my top ten episodes…

10. Conscience

9. Pride

8. Identity

7. Dignity

6. Questions

5. Confrontation

4. Distance

3. Regrets

2. Courage

1. Happiness (Season 4)

So that’s it. I would give this show a solid 9/10. Remember to comment any movies or TV shows that you want me to review. Thanks for reading!