Wilfred (U.S. Version)

Starring: Elijah Wood, Jason Gann, & Fiona Gubelmann

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

At first glance Wilfred appears to be a ridiculously stupid show, but as a longtime fan and follower of Elijah Wood, I knew he wouldn't agree to do something like that, so I decided to give Wilfred a shot. The show is adapted from a very popular Australian show and if nothing else, it is extremely unique. Wood plays Ryan, a down on his luck man going through some changes. He has a hopeless crush on his new neighbor, Jenna, who to his surprise shows up one day and asks him to watch her dog, Wilfred. The thing about Wilfred is that he is actually a dog, that only Ryan sees as a man in a dog costume. Why does Ryan see Wilfred though, is he an angel, demon, spirit, or is Ryan just hallucinating? That is really the point of the show, Wilfred is there to help and guide Ryan, but what is he and why is Ryan the only one who sees him as human? When I first started watching this show, I thought it was absolutely hysterical. Some of the things Wilfred does and some of the words that come out of his mouth are shocking and hilarious, and how they get away with that on television is beyond me. Unfortunately the initial shock of this nut running around in a dog suit wears off pretty quickly and the episodes seem to blend together. It's a great idea and a unique show, but a lot of the episodes have a very similar storyline and don't really seem to go anywhere. The reason such a weird show works so well is it's extremely talented cast. Elijah Wood has always been a favorite actor of mine and when his quiet, reserved character is matched with Jason Gann and his extreme behavior, it's like watching a whole new take on the Odd Couple. Gann is a newcomer in America and was the one who played Wilfred in the original Australian version of the show. He's been playing Wilfred for years, he's comfortable in the role and none of this is new to him, and that's why he is so terrific. The show Wilfred can be a riot, but it gets old quick, and it's hard listening to moral lessons taught by a pot smoking man in a dog costume. That being said, it might not be the ideal show to watch on DVD as I did, but catching an episode or two on TV can defiantly make your night entertaining.