Wilfred is a show that, recently, has started to rely more on mystery than on comedy to drive the story. It’s always had this mysterious aura to it, but last season ramped that up to a whole new level; it was still enjoyable, but there were a few more problems in season 3 than in seasons 1 and 2. As we open the final season, though, we get a nice dose of both mystery and comedy, and it’s a refreshing start to the show’s endgame.
Of course, I’m not exactly certain what constitutes an endgame for this show. Is it finding out what Wilfred is? At this point, it really isn’t of the utmost importance because the show isn’t so much about what or why Wilfred is as much as it is about how his and Ryan’s relationship develops. So, I’m happy “Amends” opens with the ‘it was all a dream’ trope, something that usually incites much frustration amongst audiences, but works here because it places us into Ryan’s headspace yet again, taking us through his psyche as various dream elements begin to play out in reality, albeit in different forms.
True, Ryan’s mental state and Wilfred’s existence are probably interconnected, but the show doesn’t need to be searching for definitive answers right now. It can take us on a mystery ride, but at the end, it just is. It’s a show that is unwilling to play into the conventions of many other shows with related concepts, as exemplified by the fact that Wilfred thinks he’s a god in the premiere. It’s not really a serious storyline; it plays more into what Wilfred and Ryan think of each other than into any bigger theme or idea.
There are episode-specific themes, though. “Amends” is about Ryan making amends with his father and with Wilfred–the “forgive” conversation is hilarious–and “Consequences” is about what results when Drew finds out about Ryan and Jenna. Interestingly enough, there aren’t any huge consequences, as Drew and Jenna decide to leave for Wisconsin. On the one hand, it’s a cheap way to get the characters out of the way, but on the other hand, it speaks to Drew’s character (who’s in the doghouse, aka he has AIDS). The song he sings brings about emotional consequences for Ryan, basically evoking guilt about being a terrible friend.
All in all, it’s a very funny premiere that’s a great return for the show. Hopefully, as we move forward, Wilfred can be less about the answers and more about the dog.
GRADE: B+
OTHER THOUGHTS:
– “Oh, God.” “Please, just call me Wilfred.” Also loved Wilfred’s “God-Dog” discussion.
-Matt Damon should guest star.
-Chris Klein is awesome. I really want to see Drew kicking the shit out of some fungus.
-“That’s why I see you as a human being and everyone else sees you as a carrot!”
– “Wait, so you have bones on the inside of your body? Well, this changes everything.”
-I’m on Ryan’s side in the “envelope” argument. It’s AHN-velope, and I will not accept otherwise.
-Wilfred and Bear=comedy gold.
-So, who’s calling at the end? A member of The Flock of the Grey Shepherd? Evil Wilfred? Ryan’s dad-turned-Fiona-turned-Drew-turned kid in a Wilfred costume?
Photo credit: FX, Wilfred
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I wouldn’t say that finding out what Wilfred is isn’t important. It’s the ONLY reason I ever continued watching this show, the comedy is NOT enough IMO. It’s all about finding out WHAT Wilfred is.
And after all this cult stuff, and the recent episode, it looks like it’s going to be an extremely disappointing explanation.
I’m guessing something similar to Paranoia Agent.. if you believe something hard enough it becomes real, the cult believed, therefore Wilfred was created.
However, it can’t be that, can it? What would be the explanation for Ryan’s mom seeing the cat (which heavily implied it was all in his head).