# Wilfred, with Elijah Wood **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732 "2011-07-29T14:36:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/1 "2011-07-29T14:36:05Z")
Has anybody else been watching [this show](http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/wilfred/)? Or the same-name/same-star Australian series? I think I’ve seen all the episodes (several are on Hulu). It’s super mean spirited and has lots of fart and poop jokes, but it does have some legitimately funny moments. And I still have lust in my heart for Frodo. So I’m undecided. I was curious how others liked it. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/2 "2011-07-29T14:37:50Z")
I think it’s hilarious. The perfect lead in for Louie. Yeah, it’s immature sometimes, but it’s got a lot of heart. I think the best way to describe it is “Adult Calvin and Hobbes.” ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/3 "2011-07-29T14:58:46Z")
I just watched it for the first time last night. I’m not 100% sold, but I’ll definitely watch again. Wilfred and the giant teddy bear was hilarious. Is there any premise beyond “Elijah sees a man in a dog suit where everyone else sees a dog?” Any explanation why things are that way? ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/4 "2011-07-29T15:48:17Z")
Watched the first episode, just because I’d seen so many commercials for it that left me wondering WTF the show was actually about. Halfway through I almost stopped watching it because I _still_ didn’t know WTF was going on - I thought maybe I’d missed the “real” first episode that actually explained why there was a guy wearing a dog suit who everyone but Elijah Wood treated like a real dog. Stuck it out to the end, but decided it wasn’t worth watching any more episodes because I was obviously missing the point of the show. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/5 "2011-07-29T16:38:57Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Is there any premise beyond “Elijah sees a man in a dog suit where everyone else sees a dog?” Any explanation why things are that way? In the first episode, he’s depressed and tries to commit suicide, which, from what I understand, wasn’t his first attempt. Wilfred-as-a-man is a projection of himself that came into existence after that mental and emotional break-down, which explains why a lot of times Wilfred’s behavior aligns with his personal desires, I think. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/6 "2011-07-29T16:53:54Z")
Well it is certainly funnier than the Brad Pitt/Ed Norton version but i still prefer that one. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/7 "2011-07-29T17:24:16Z")
I don’t think I get it. I mean, I _get it_, I think— I just don’t think I _get_ it. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/8 "2011-07-29T17:24:22Z")
It hasn’t really explained how nobody else notices that a dog is smoking cigarettes/joints or why they communicate with him at eye level and certain other things. It also hasn’t said how Ryan pays his bills- he’s a lawyer but currently unemployed (by choice) with an obstetrician sister who is trying to get him back into the working world, but apparently money’s not an issue since he lives in a decent (not opulent) house and drives a BMW convertible. I think it’s up to the watcher to decide if Ryan is nuts or if he really can hear/talk to Wilfred. My favorite episodes so far include the one with Ed Helms as “the dog molesterer” (that’s the one where Bear is introduced); again, you don’t really know if Helms was a pervert or if Wilfred’s lying, but either way “It was peanut butter, what was I _supposed_ to do?” was one of the funniest lines on any show that week. I also liked the one last night where Chris Klein is actually able to make Wilfred behave and Ryan thinks he’s been poisoned by theobromine. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/9 "2011-07-29T17:30:48Z")
He was a big shot lawyer who recently had a break down, he probably still has plenty of money stashed. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/10 "2011-07-29T18:53:06Z")
I have it on my DVR, and I think it’s ok, but I’m not one to give up on a TV show. I think the show is WAY too preachy about whatever the subject it, but I do get my laughs out of it. I think it’s funny in the same way I think parts of Family Guy are funny…it’s funniest when Wilfred acts like a dog (the scene with the laser pointer is hilarious) ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/11 "2011-07-29T19:54:14Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Is there any premise beyond “Elijah sees a man in a dog suit where everyone else sees a dog?” Any explanation why things are that way? Not really. At first he thinks it’s from overdosing on pills his sister gave him but then she tells him they were a placebo. Probably just his general mental breakdown. > [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > I think the show is WAY too preachy about whatever the subject it Preachy?? I generally find it to be amoral and irreverent. Which parts did you see as preachy? I’m quite enjoying the show, although the after the credits bits are usually weak. Has anyone seen the original? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/12 "2011-07-29T20:03:11Z")
“Why is grass gray? Why is a rainbow dark gray, light gray and medium gray? Some things just are.” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/13 "2011-07-29T20:28:25Z")
I think it would have been funnier if Ryan, instead of freaking out about the idea of being poisoned, had nonchalantly pointed out to Wilfred that he had tried to commit suicide fairly recently, and Wilfred would only be doing him a favor by getting the job done right. (And I have to say, I was quite impressed with myself in a total smarty-pants way for knowing what theobromine was before Ryan). ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/14 "2011-07-29T20:49:14Z")
I tried. I really did. But after three episodes I gave up and deleted the timer. And I’m a real TV junkie that rarely gives up on a good premise. I just hated everybody in the show, especially the dog. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/15 "2011-07-29T21:33:47Z")
I haaaaaaate it. And **Birdman** luuuuuurves it. It didn’t show up on the Tivo last night and I got all excited thinking it was canceled, but then Tivo just caught the later showing. Stupid Tivo. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/16 "2011-07-29T21:51:06Z")
So … does the rest of the family understand what the baby is saying? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/17 "2011-07-29T22:48:25Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Preachy?? I generally find it to be amoral and irreverent. Which parts did you see as preachy? Wilfred himself. Since his character is supposed to be a “holier than thou” type arrogant person (dog?) the shows premise is basically “(insert action) happens and Wilfred uses philosophy and “logic” to convince Ryan to do (action)”. All Wilfred does is preach his viewpoint. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/18 "2011-07-30T01:42:49Z")
I love it just for Jason Gann/Wilfred. Don’t much care about the overall episodes but his performance and the writing for him to simultaneously be a person and a dog is great. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/19 "2011-07-30T03:20:52Z")
I want to like it more than I do. It’s a great premise, and well-acted, but the humor doesn’t really land for me much and I don’t like the characters. It’s in the “might recommend to friends who I think would like it more than me, but wouldn’t watch unless, eh, it’s on” pile. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732/20 "2011-07-30T06:34:27Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Wilfred himself. Since his character is supposed to be a “holier than thou” type arrogant person (dog?) the shows premise is basically “(insert action) happens and Wilfred uses philosophy and “logic” to convince Ryan to do (action)”. All Wilfred does is preach his viewpoint. Ah. I thought you meant the show itself was too preachy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wilfred-with-elijah-wood/590732.md?page=2)