Wilfred (American TV series)

Last updated

Wilfred
Wilfredintertitle.png
Genre Sitcom
Black comedy
Created by
Based on Wilfred
Developed by David Zuckerman
Directed by
Starring
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes49 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Mark Grossan
  • Reed Agnew
  • Eli Jorné
  • Susan V. McConnell
Production location California
Cinematography
  • Bradford Lipson
  • Kurt Jones
  • Tom Magill
Running time20-26 minutes
Production companiesZook, Inc.
Prospect Park
Renegade Australia
SBS Australia
FX Productions
Original release
Network
FX (seasons 1–3)
FXX (season 4)
ReleaseJune 23, 2011 (2011-06-23) –
August 13, 2014 (2014-08-13)
Related
Wilfred (Australian TV series)

Wilfred is an American sitcom 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, and moved to FXX for its fourth and final season. [1]

Contents

Plot

The series follows Ryan, a depressed ex-lawyer who is the only one able to see Jenna's (his neighbor) pet dog (Wilfred) as a man in a dog suit. Throughout the show, Ryan and Wilfred become close, spending nearly every day together. Wilfred is vulgar, a bad influence, pushy, and often mean. Wilfred pressures Ryan to learn life lessons, reveal past memories, admit shortcomings, and do things he otherwise would not do through strange and sometimes abusive methods.

Cast

Main

Recurring

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 to commit 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.

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 13June 23, 2011 (2011-06-23)September 8, 2011 (2011-09-08)
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)

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]

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]

Adapting the Australian series

There was interest in continuing the series on SBS, including talk about a possible film. [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 U.S. 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 U.S. differed greatly from the original series.

When the show moved to the U.S., head writer and show creator Jason Gann took a more advisory role in the writers room[ clarification needed ], only writing six episodes of the show's four-season run. [9] Gann has noted that writing the U.S. version was 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 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 the 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 U.S. was because it 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 U.S., 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

The first season of Wilfred was shot using a DSLR, the Canon 7D, using a three camera setup. [14] The following seasons were shot with a Nikon D800. [15]

Reception

Critical reception of the U.S. adaptation of Wilfred was comparable to that of the original Australian series, with generally positive reviews.

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 78% score based on 41 reviews with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Wilfred is proudly vulgar and offensive, but a sentimental undertone lends the show some pleasing poignancy." The second season holds a score of 69% based on 13 reviews with an average rating of 7.4/10. The critics consensus reads, "Wilfred continues to be scaldingly funny with a deft humanistic touch but, like its titular character, it may be getting too coy with its narrative mind games." The third season holds an 86% score with an average rating of 7.6/10, based on 14 reviews. The critics consensus reads, "Wilfred returns to a lackadaisical groove as its third season leans heavily on the combustible chemistry of Jason Gann and Elijah Wood, who both bring a hangdog charm." The fourth season holds a score of 100% with an average rating of 7.8/10, based on 10 reviews. The critics consensus reads, "Wilfred rewards patient viewers with answers to its labyrinthine mythology during a final season that is harrowing, mind-bending, and ultimately moving." [16]

Review aggregator website Metacritic gives season 1 of the series a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 based on reviews from 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Season 2 holds an score of 57 out of 100 based on five reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [17] 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." [18] David Wiegand, in the San Francisco Chronicle , wrote, "Wilfred works on many levels, something that may not become apparent until after you stop laughing." [19]

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." [20] Tom Gliatto of People Magazine also gave a less positive review, calling the show " The Odd Couple redefined by psychosis and whimsy. I'm not wagging my tail." [21] [22]

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. [23] The second season aired from June 21 to September 20, 2012. On October 31, 2012, Wilfred was renewed for Season 3, [24] which aired from June 20 to September 5, 2013. On October 2, Wilfred was renewed for a fourth and final season, [25] which aired from June 25 to August 13, 2014.

Possible film

In an October 2013 interview, Jason Gann noted that a possible film is out of his hands, but if fans wanted it, he could see the show coming back in a streaming capacity much like Arrested Development . [26] 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] As of 2024, the status of the film remains unknown.

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. [37]

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References

  1. ↑ Marechal, AJ (October 2, 2013). "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 (September 8, 2011). "Wilfred's Jason Gann on Bringing His Show to America, Elijah Wood's Appeal, and Writing for an Imaginary Man-Dog". Vulture. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  8. 1 2 Knox, David (March 7, 2010). "Wilfred: Old dog, new tricks". TV Tonight. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 Barta, Preston (June 25, 2014). "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 September 9, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Interview with the dSLR professionals behind the "Wilfred" TV show". Eugenia's Rants and Thoughts. Retrieved September 7, 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". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Wilfred". Metacritic .
  18. ↑ Curt Wagner (June 22, 2011). "Review: FX's 'Wilfred' has a dog complex". Redeye (The Chicago Tribune). Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  19. ↑ Wiegand, David (June 22, 2011). "'Wilfred' review: Show could be man's best friend". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ Gliatto, Paul & Chi, Tom (June 27, 2011). "Picks and Pans Main: TV". People Magazine . Retrieved August 3, 2013.[ dead link ]
  22. ↑ Tucker, Ken (December 26, 2011). "Best (and Worst) TV of 2011". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 9, 2012.
  23. ↑ Emily VanDerWerff (August 6, 2011). "FX renews Wilfred, Louie, and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia | Newswire". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  24. ↑ 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.
  25. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (October 2, 2014). "'Wilfred' Renewed for Fourth and Final Season". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  26. ↑ Marechal, AJ (October 2, 2013). "FX's 'Wilfred' to End After Fourth Season". Variety.
  27. ↑ "US Wilfred premieres tonight; Renegade Films interview". Encore Magazine. June 28, 2011. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  28. ↑ Alex Strachan (October 24, 2011). "Man & dog & man in dog suit". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved October 25, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
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  30. ↑ "Wilfred Premiere on Jack TV". JackTV.com.ph. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  31. ↑ "BBC Three - Wilfred, Series 1 - Episode guide". BBC.
  32. ↑ "BBC Three - Wilfred - Episode guide". BBC.
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  34. ↑ "ПРЕМЬЕРА: Уилфред - Официальный блог телеканала 2х2". Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  35. ↑ "ESTREIA 'WILFRED' - Detalhe da Notícia | FX". Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  36. ↑ ""Wilfred" feiert Premiere bei ProSieben Fun". TV Wunschliste.
  37. ↑ Idato, Michael (October 11, 2013). "Wilfred producers seal Russian deal". The Sydney Morning Herald.
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