Wilfred Information

Wilfred is an American sitcom television series which debuted on June 23, 2011, and is 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 Wilfred. The series was adapted for the American television channel FX by Family Guy veteran David Zuckerman.

Plot

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 commit suicide. After this failed attempt, Ryan's neighbor, Jenna (Fiona Gubelmann), knocks on his door to ask him to look after her dog for the day.

Cast

Main cast

• Elijah Wood as Ryan Newman, the depressed and looking-for-more-in-life protagonist. Originally a washed-up lawyer, Ryan was suicidal and lost until he met Wilfred, who advises him to live life his way.
• Fiona Gubelmann as Jenna Mueller, Ryan's perky, attractive neighbor and Wilfred's owner.
• Jason Gann as Wilfred, Jenna's seven-year-old dog. He is protective of his owner and manipulative toward Ryan, to whom he becomes a mentor. He smokes cigarettes and copious amounts of marijuana, drinks beer, eats mainly junk food, and is prone to various vices. While Ryan and the viewers see Wilfred as a man in a dog suit, he is a normal dog through everyone else's eyes. In Season 2 Wilfred's full name is revealed to be Wilfred Fazio Mueller.
• Dorian Brown as Kristen Newman, Ryan's older and controlling sister.

Recurring cast

• Ethan Suplee as Spencer, the rude and loud neighbor.
• Chris Klein as Drew, Jenna's husband, whom Wilfred dislikes.
• Gerry Bednob as Mr. Patel, the grumpy and cheap Indian neighbor.
• J.P. Manoux as Leo, Kristen's husband.
• Allison Mack as Amanda, a biochemist and former love interest for Ryan.
• Steven Weber as Jeremy, Ryan's new boss at a medical firm.
• Rob Riggle as Kevin Jesquire, Ryan's co-worker.
• Nestor Carbonell as Dr. Arturo Ramos, Kristen's lover and boss
• Dwight Yoakam as Bruce, a mysterious man from Wilfred's past who may only exist in Ryan's imagination. He is the only other character on the show who views Wilfred the way Ryan does.
• Mary Steenburgen as Catherine Newman, Ryan and Kristen's institutionalized mother.
• John Michael Higgins as Catherine's doctor.

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. Wilfred is produced by FX Productions while the executive producers include: Zuckerman; 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. The pilot episode was filmed in summer 2010, written by Zuckerman, and directed by Einhorn.

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.

Casting

The casting of Elijah Wood as Ryan was announced on June 29, 2010. 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." 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". Fiona Gubelmann stars as Jenna, Wilfred's owner and Ryan's next-door neighbor, who works as a local news producer. Dorian Brown was then cast as Kristen, Ryan's controlling and condescending older sister.

Filming

"Wilfred" is unique in that the entire series was shot using a DSLR, the Nikon D800, using a three camera setup.

Reception

Critical reception of the US adaptation of Wilfred was comparable to that of the original Australian series, with generally positive reviews. Review aggregator website Metacritic gives the series an average of 67 out of 100. 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." David Wiegand, in the San Francisco Chronicle, said: "Wilfred works on many levels, something that may not become apparent until after you stop laughing."

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." Tom Gliatto of People Weekly also gave a less positive review, saying, "The show is The Odd Couple redefined by psychosis and whimsy. I'm not wagging my tail."

The series premiere hit a positive note with viewers and curious watchers 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. The second season premiered on June 21, 2012. On October 31, 2012, Wilfred was renewed for Season 3.

International broadcast

• Australia " Premiered on Eleven, June 28, 2011, in the Tuesday 9:30 pm timeslot, and currently being repeated on The Comedy Channel in the Monday 9 pm slot.
• Belgium - Premiers on 2BE, March 21, 2013
• Canada " Premiered on October 31, 2011, in the Thursday 10 pm timeslot, as an anchor title for the launch of the FX Canada network.
• Philippines " Premiered on Jack TV, March 20, 2012, in the 9.00 pm timeslot.
• United Kingdom " Premiered on BBC Three, August 16, 2011, in the 10.30 pm timeslot. Season 2 premiered on August 16, 2012, during the 10 pm timeslot, remaining on BBC Three.
• Latin America " Premiered on FX, November 13, 2011, in the Sunday 11.00 pm timeslot.
• Russia " Premiered on 2"?2, August 27, 2012.
• Spain " Premiered on FOX, September 14, 2012.
• Germany " Premiered on ProSieben Fun, February 24, 2013
• Turkey - Premiered on FX, March 1, 2013