FX Networks has been steadily gaining ground in the primetime television market, finding success with long running series such as Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, Sons of Anarchy, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and more recently with the cartoon spy spoof Archer. Determined to maintain a steady viewership, championing an American reboot of the critically acclaimed Australian gem, “Wilfred”, was a no-brainer.
Ryan, played by Elijah Wood, is an unmotivated, suicidal and yet somehow naive ex-lawyer crying out for some sort of help. Instead he finds his exact opposite in the renegade, train wreck of dog belonging to his new next door neighbor Jenna, vibrantly portrayed by Fiona Gubelmann. The only problem is that he sees Jenna’s loyal friend Wilfred, played by a superbly wry Jason Gann, as a man wearing a drab grey dog costume.
What follows are hilariously misguided adventures in which the hapless Ryan, begging to break free from the routine of life, must corral and often learn to cope with the shenanigans that arise. Separation anxiety, mistrust, animal angst, suicide jokes and heavy use of marijuana round out the first episode in what is sure to be a sleeper hit for any fan of black comedy. Like “Fight Club” meets “Harvey”, with a splash of “The Hangover” thrown in, “Wilfred” is a dark, raunchy and raucously witty half hour of television.
Sporting an unavoidable, candy apple red TV-MA warning before the opening and after each commercial break, “Wilfred” manages to push the boundaries of acceptable and fully censorable television while still being perfectly accessible to the new audience. In an uncharacteristically comedic turn, Wood’s performance is both typically fragile and simultaneously impeccable. His peculiar relationship with Wilfred is sold perfectly in the brief, touching moments between a man and his best friend. Gann, who played the same role in the original production, is superb as the callous canine and shows no remorse for his ability to manipulate Ryan into achieving whatever wicked end suits him.
If it were real, the disturbing escapades between Ryan and his man-in-a-suit friend would showcase an alarming psychological conflict as Ryan attempts to change his life at its utmost core. Finding a mischievous outlet for the malaise within himself, Ryan manages to carry out a physical rebellion by projecting his inner “Tyler Durden” upon the neighbors dog. Still this isn’t real and therein lies the humor of each fantastic and yet somehow very possible scenario Ryan finds himself in.
A must for anyone with a healthy sense of humor and twice as funny for those who own pets, Wilfred is poised for a successful run on FX as it already has a very strong following. Get in on this show during the first season and you will be rewarded as it moves on.
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