Part of what I've loved most about Wilfred over the length of the series was its absolute indifference to its own mythology - or, more accurately, its refusal to take it seriously in the least, instead constantly subverting expectations, logic, reality, and any sort of continuity in favor of just following its wonderfully odd muse wherever it led. But with the show concluding, an answer was apparently called for, and so the final season of the show focused on its storyline and mythology in a way the series had never done before. And while it was still filled with misdirection and oddities, the focus on a throughline robbed the show of some of its anarchic charm, as jokes and sidebars gave way to monologues and investigations. There were still some great moments (especially a long hallucinatory sequence that took "meta" to wonderful new heights), but in general, I missed the silly banter between Wood and Gann and the way the show could waste time on the absurdity of its premise. For all that, though, I can't deny that the ultimate answer as to the reality of Wilfred was satisfying, closing off some of the weirder side trails the series had opened along the way and giving us a conclusive answer that felt honest, appropriate, and character-centered in the way the show always was. And it delivered some knockout moments along the way, too, bringing some heart and pathos that I didn't know the show could do. The final season of Wilfred definitely felt lesser than its predecessors, and you couldn't help but feel it sometimes sacrificed humor for wrap-up. But it nailed the ending, and it did so without ruining the gleeful silliness of the show before it, which is what really matters in the end.
- Josh Mauthe
- Josh Mauthe
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