Wilfred (U.S. TV series)

Last updated

Wilfred
Wilfredintertitle.png
Genre Black comedy
Created by
Based on Wilfred
Developed by David Zuckerman
Directed by
Starring
Composer(s)
Country of originAustralia United States
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes49 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Producer(s)
  • Mark Grossan
  • Reed Agnew
  • Eli Jorné
  • Susan V. McConnell
Production location(s) California
Cinematography
  • Bradford Lipson
  • Kurt Jones
  • Tom Magill
Running time20-26 minutes
Production company(s)Zook, Inc.
Prospect Park
Renegade Australia
SBS Australia
FX Productions
Distributor 20th Television
Release
Original network FX (2011–13)
FXX (2014)
Original releaseJune 23, 2011 (2011-06-23) –
August 13, 2014 (2014-08-13)
Chronology
Related shows Wilfred (Australian TV series)

Wilfred is an Australian-American comedy television series that aired from June 23, 2011 to August 13, 2014 for a total of four seasons. Based on the Australian SBS One series of the same name, it stars Elijah Wood and series co-creator Jason Gann, reprising his role of the eponymous dog. The series was adapted for the American television channel FX by Family Guy veteran David Zuckerman. Season 4 premiered on June 25, 2014. Wilfred moved to FXX for its fourth and final season. [1]

<i>Wilfred</i> (Australian TV series) Australian television series

Wilfred is an Australian comedy television series created by Adam Zwar, Jason Gann and Tony Rogers based on their award-winning 2002 short film. The story follows the lives of the eponymous dog Wilfred, his owner Sarah, and her boyfriend Adam, who sees Wilfred as a man in a dog suit. It was directed by Tony Rogers, produced by Jenny Livingston and stars Gann, Zwar and Cindy Waddingham.

Elijah Wood American actor

Elijah Jordan Wood is an American actor, film producer, and DJ. He is known for portraying Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003).

Jason Gann Australian actor

Jason Gann is an Australian actor, writer, and executive producer. He is best known for his role as the title character in the Australian comedy series Wilfred, directed by Tony Rogers, and the U.S. reboot of the same name.

Contents

Episodes

The show follows a young man named Ryan (Elijah Wood) and his neighbor's dog Wilfred (Jason Gann). In the opening episode, Ryan concocts a drug cocktail in order to die by suicide. After this failed attempt, Ryan's neighbor, Jenna (Fiona Gubelmann), knocks on his door to ask him to look after Wilfred, whom Ryan sees and hears as a man in a dog costume.

Fiona Gubelmann American actress

Fiona Victoria Gubelmann is an American actress. A native of California, she has appeared in a number of single-episode roles in television, including CSI: NY, My Name Is Earl and Knight Rider, as well as a handful of films including Employee of the Month and Downstream. She starred as Jenna in the FX comedy series Wilfred.

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
1 13June 23, 2011 (2011-06-23)September 8, 2011 (2011-09-08) FX
2 13June 21, 2012 (2012-06-21)September 20, 2012 (2012-09-20)
3 13June 20, 2013 (2013-06-20)September 5, 2013 (2013-09-05)
4 10June 25, 2014 (2014-06-25)August 13, 2014 (2014-08-13) FXX

Cast

Main

Recurring

Chris Klein (actor) American actor

Frederick Christopher Klein is an American actor who is best known for playing Chris 'Oz' Ostreicher in the American Pie comedy teen films, and more recently, the serial killer Cicada on The Flash.

Gerry Bednob is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian American actor and comedian of Indo-Trinidadian descent. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Toronto, and worked as a high school counselor before turning to comedy and moving to Los Angeles. Bednob often refers in his standup acts as Bangladeshi, as his grandfather was from East Bengal in British India which is present-day Bangladesh.

J. P. Manoux American stand-up comedian

Jean-Paul Christophe "J. P." Manoux is an American actor, voice actor, comedian and television personality best known for his work in multiple Disney productions, including S.T.A.N. in Aaron Stone, Curtis the Caveman and Vice Principal Hackett in Phil of the Future, and the voice of Kuzco in The Emperor's New School. He voiced Scrappy Rex in Scooby-Doo. Manoux was also a contestant on Jeopardy!, Family Feud, and Wheel of Fortune.

Production

Development

Wilfred is based on the critically acclaimed Australian series of the same name and was adapted for FX by Family Guy veteran David Zuckerman. [2] Wilfred is produced by FX Productions while the executive producers include: Zuckerman; [3] [4] [5] Rich and Paul Frank; Jeff Kwatinetz; and Joe and Ken Connor from the original Australian series. Wilfred co-creator Jason Gann and Randall Einhorn serve as co-executive producers. Einhorn directed 10 episodes of the first season and Victor Nelli, Jr. directed three. [3] The pilot episode was filmed in summer 2010, [4] [5] written by Zuckerman, and directed by Einhorn. [5]

FX (TV channel) American cable television network

FX is an American pay television channel owned by the Walt Disney Television unit of The Walt Disney Company through FX Networks, LLC. It is based in Los Angeles, California. Originally launched on June 1, 1994, the network's original programming aspires to the standards of premium cable channels such as HBO, Showtime, and Starz in regard to mature themes and content, high-quality writing, directing and acting, and sister channels such as FXX and FXM. FX also carries reruns of theatrical films and terrestrial-network sitcoms, and advertising-free content is available through the FX+ premium subscription service.

<i>Family Guy</i> American animated sitcom

Family Guy is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children, Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog, Brian. The show is set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, and exhibits much of its humor in the form of metafictional cutaway gags that often lampoon American culture.

David Zuckerman (TV producer) American tv producer

David J. Zuckerman is an American writer and producer and is best known as the original showrunner and executive producer of the animated comedy series Family Guy, as well as the creator of the American adaptation of the Australian television series of the same name, Wilfred.

Unlike the Australian version—which concentrated equally on Wilfred, his owner, and her boyfriend—the American version is presented as a buddy comedy between Wilfred and Ryan. [6]

Buddy film film genre in which two people of the same sex (historically men) are non-romantically paired, with a contrast in personality, sometimes accentuated by an ethnic difference between the two

The buddy film is a film genre in which two people—often both men—are put together. The two often contrast in personality, which creates a different dynamic onscreen than a pairing of two people of the opposite gender. The contrast is sometimes accentuated by an ethnic difference between the two. The buddy film is commonplace in American cinema; unlike some other film genres, it endured through the 20th century with different pairings and different themes.

Adapting the Australian series

There was interest in continuing the series on SBS, and even talk about a possible movie. [7] However, Renegade Film, the company that produced the original Australian series, was unable to sell it in its original version to any other countries. [8] Gann left to create an entirely new series for the US that used the format of the original and additional Australian seasons were not pursued. Gann was initially hesitant to make a US series stating, "I had no interest in making the same show again, just surrounded by people with different accents." [7] However, the show in the US differed greatly from the original series.

When the show moved to the US, head writer and show creator Jason Gann took a more advisory role in the writers room, only penning six episodes of the show's four season run. [9] Gann has expressed that writing the US version is more taxing than writing the Australian version. His pitches often got rejected and ultimately in the transition he gave up a lot of creative control. [7] This resulted in departing from the Australian series in several ways.

When David Zuckerman took over the series he expressed that the show's lack of international appeal was due to a lack of clear rules that the fantasy elements of the show could follow. He made it a priority to set and follow certain rules in the new series. In reworking the character of Wilfred and his relationship with Ryan for an American audience, Gann used the film My Bodyguard as a reference point. [7] The show took on a much more lighthearted and hopeful tone as the original series was often cited as being extremely cynical. [8]

The show was pitched to Gann as a whole different vehicle for the same character he played in the Australian version. Because the character was so crude, and because he'd have to be in a dog suit all the time, Gann originally didn’t want to play Wilfred. [7] However, he feels the character is actually very different from Australian version having a lot more sides and overall "more fun." [7]

On more than one occasion Gann has suggested that part of the reason the show had poor ratings in the US was because the show got bogged down in mythology and at times made comedy secondary stating, "Season Three, we really tried to steer it back closer to where we were Season One, and make it really comedically satisfying. I really felt we achieved that, but it wasn’t enough, I guess." [10]

After the close of the final season in the US, Gann has considered going back and doing a third Australian season. [9]

Casting

The casting of Elijah Wood as Ryan was announced on June 29, 2010. [4] [5] Ryan is described as "an introverted and troubled young man struggling unsuccessfully to make his way in the world until he forms a unique friendship with Wilfred, his neighbor's canine pet." [11] Series co-creator Jason Gann also reprises his role of the eponymous dog Wilfred, a character described by Zuckerman as being a mixed breed dog who is "part Labrador Retriever and part Russell Crowe on a bender". [4] [5] Fiona Gubelmann stars as Jenna, Wilfred's owner and Ryan's next-door neighbor, who works as a local news producer. [12] Dorian Brown was then cast as Kristen, Ryan's controlling and condescending older sister. [13]

Filming

Wilfred is shot using a DSLR, the Canon 7D, using a three camera setup. [14] The show is now shot with a DSLR, the Nikon D800. [15]

Reception

Critical reception of the US adaptation of Wilfred was comparable to that of the original Australian series, with generally positive reviews. Review aggregation website Metacritic gives season 1 of the series an average score of 67 out of 100 based on reviews from 25 critics. [16] Curt Wagner, writing in Redeye ( The Chicago Tribune ), said "Stuffed with absurd situations and piles of bad taste, Wilfred is the strangest new show on TV. And the funniest." [17] David Wiegand, in the San Francisco Chronicle , wrote, "Wilfred works on many levels, something that may not become apparent until after you stop laughing." [18]

Some of the less positive reviews included Mike Hale, who wrote in The New York Times : "Some shows aspire to cult status; this one goes straight there, practically bypassing the need to be broadcast at all," but concluded: "Gann's bits of doggie business ... are reliably humorous, but beyond that the show doesn’t offer a lot of bark or bite." [19] Tom Gliatto of Weekly also gave a less positive review, calling the show " The Odd Couple redefined by psychosis and whimsy. I'm not wagging my tail." [20] [21]

The series premiere hit a positive note with viewers as it became the highest-ranking debut sitcom ever for FX Networks. It continued to remain in the top 10 shows for Thursday night cable television throughout the first season. It was picked up for a second season on August 6, 2011. [22] The second season aired from June 21 to September 20, 2012. On October 31, 2012, Wilfred was renewed for Season 3, [23] which aired from June 20 to September 5, 2013. On October 2, Wilfred was renewed for a fourth and final season, [24] which aired from June 25 to August 13, 2014.

Possible film

In an October 2013 interview, Jason Gann expressed that a possible movie is completely out of his hands, but if fans wanted it, he could see the show coming back in a streaming capacity much like Arrested Development . [25] In a June 2014 interview, Gann stated that he and Elijah Wood would be interested in a Wilfred film "if the story is there…" [9]

International broadcast

Russian adaptation

After winning awards at MIPCOM in 2013, Renegade films sold the Wilfred concept to Russian producers. A third version is being created for Russian networks retitled Charlie. [35]

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References

  1. ↑ Marechal, AJ. "FX's 'Wilfred' to End After Fourth Season". Variety. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  2. ↑ Knox, David (May 12, 2010). "Wilfred is coming to America". TV.com . Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "Wilfred Official Website". FX . Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Ausiello, Michael (June 29, 2010). "Scoop: FX snags Elijah Wood for new comedy 'Wilfred'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Lang, Brent (June 29, 2010). "Elijah Wood to the Small Screen, for FX's 'Wilfred'". The Wrap. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  6. ↑ Curtis, Amy (July 12, 2011). "Interview With Fiona Gubelmann On Wilfred". We Got This Covered. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Keller, Joel. "Wilfred's Jason Gann on Bringing His Show to America, Elijah Wood's Appeal, and Writing for an Imaginary Man-Dog". Vulture. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  8. 1 2 Knox, David. "Wilfred: Old dog, new tricks". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 Barta, Preston. "Interview: WILFRED's Jason Gann On Hanging Up the Dog Suit". NT Daily.
  10. ↑ Wilson, Kyle. "Interview: 'Wilfred' Star Jason Gann Talks the Mythology of the Final Season". Nerdrep.
  11. ↑ "Elijah Wood as 'Ryan'". FX . Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Fiona Gubelmann as 'Jenna'". FX . Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Breaking News – Development Update: Thursday, December 2". TheFutonCritic.com. December 2, 2010. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
  14. ↑ "Interview with the dSLR professionals behind the "Wilfred" TV show". Eugenia's Rants and Thoughts. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  15. ↑ "Wilfred adds Nikon D800 it's hdslr mix" on Creativeplanetnetwork.com, article of 17 September 2012, online the 8 January 2014
  16. ↑ "Wilfred".
  17. ↑ Curt Wagner (June 22, 2011). "Review: FX's 'Wilfred' has a dog complex". Redeye (The Chicago Tribune). Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  18. ↑ Wiegand, David (June 22, 2011). "'Wilfred' review: Show could be man's best friend". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
  19. ↑ Mike Hale (June 22, 2011). "Two Men Hang Out on a Couch. But One Appears to Be a Dog". The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  20. ↑ Gliatto, Paul & Chi, Tom (June 27, 2011). "Picks and Pans Main: TV". magazine . Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  21. ↑ Tucker, Ken (December 26, 2011). "Best (and Worst) TV of 2011". Entertainment Weekly.
  22. ↑ Todd VanDerWerff August 6, 2011. "FX renews Wilfred, Louie, and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia | Newswire". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
  23. ↑ Bibel, Sara (October 31, 2012). "'Wilfred' Renewed by FX for Season 3". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  24. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (October 2, 2014). "'Wilfred' Renewed for Fourth and Final Season". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  25. ↑ Marechal, AJ. "FX's 'Wilfred' to End After Fourth Season". Variety.
  26. ↑ "US Wilfred premieres tonight; Renegade Films interview". Encore Magazine. June 28, 2011. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
  27. ↑ Alex Strachan (October 24, 2011). "Man & dog & man in dog suit". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved October 25, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  28. ↑ Cassandra Szklarski (October 19, 2011). "Wilfred's surly Aussie in a bad dog suit anchors FX Canada launch". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  29. ↑ "Wilfred Premiere on Jack TV". JackTV.com.ph. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  30. ↑ "BBC Three - Wilfred, Series 1 - Episode guide". BBC.
  31. ↑ "BBC Three - Wilfred - Episode guide". BBC.
  32. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
  33. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
  34. ↑ ""Wilfred" feiert Premiere bei ProSieben Fun". TV Wunschliste.
  35. ↑ Idato, Michael. "Wilfred producers seal Russian deal". The Sydney Morning Herald.
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