Watercooler: Is Wilfred Off the Leash?
Jason Gann, Elijah Wood, Fiona Gubelmann
Last night, FX debuted Wilfred and either we're high, or this is the most audacious comedy on TV right now.
Based on an Australian hit, this weirdly entertaining head-trip stars recovering Hobbit Elijah Wood as Ryan, a suicidal ex-lawyer who begins to see his neighbor's pet — the titular pooch, played by the Aussie original's Jason Gann — as a foul-mouthed pothead in a dollar-store dog costume. Hazy hilarity ensued as Wilfred tried to train Ryan how to get back into the game of life amid a pack of druggy gags and one porny toy-humping scene that's sure to go viral among the Furry community.
It's like Harvey on homegrown ganja, and while some viewers may have a ruff, sorry, rough time with the conceit, we have to throw FX a bone for their bravery. Is it totally fetch? Far from it (the writers might want to ease on the smoke jokes and give Wood something more to do than play wimpy), but Wilfred has heart and a shaggy appeal. And in the dog days of summer, that's enough to earn some buzz.
What did you think of Wilfred? Mutt or best in show?
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