Wonderfalls - The Complete Series (DVD, 2005, 3 Disc Set)

It pains me to watch another show that was cut down in it’s prime by the greedy FOX executives. As far as canceled shows go, Wonderfalls might be the best ever. This was one excellent show. Ah, I keep wanting to watch more, but sadly, there is no more. I always get sad when I know there’s a very limited amount of a good show.

But enough with the pity party. Wonderfalls is about a girl named Jaye, who works in a gift shop in Niagara Falls. Jaye is many things, but hero is not one of them. She’s lazy, rude, and occasionally mean. But that changes when a wax lion turns his head and talks to her. Her family (one of the most entertaining families on TV) calls it an episode and drops it, but Jaye knows better. The show is a cross between Joan Of Arcadia, Gilmore Girls, and… something else. It’s a truly unique experience.

So from that point on, different animal shaped things, instruct her to do tasks. And these tasks, much to Jaye’s dismay, change peoples’ lives. The messages range from “Get her words out.” to “Don’t give her money back.”, or my personal favorite, “Get off your ass.”. This may sound like a cheap knock off of Joan of Arcadia, but trust me, it’s no where close. Joan, while an incredible show, always took itself too seriously. Wonderfalls NEVER has that problem.

The acting in Wonderfalls, however, is a mixed bag. Caroline Dhavernes is brilliant as eye-rolling, trailer-trash Jaye. When the time comes, she softens her character in a way that is neither obvious, nor unbelievable. Tyron Leitso plays Eric, the bartender who stays in Niagara Falls after his honeymoon was cut short by his wife cheating. Cute as he may be, he is not good. It’s simple as that. It wouldn’t be a big problem, but he soon turns to Jaye for “comfort” so there is more of him than is necessary.

Now, since I have gushed enough, let’s get down to the dirt. Most of the dream sequences done here would have sunk a normal show, but they mostly work on Wonderfalls. But there are moments where they go one too far. Such as, when Jaye is afraid she’s going to break Eric’s heart, she imagines his heart shooting out of him and then her stomping repeatedly on it. It’s just too cheesy. Then, when Eric’s wife is introduced, she fails miserably at being evil. Maybe it’s because I remember her fondly from Firefly, but she still chokes.

In addition to that, the episodes are incredible at the beginning, but stray from their original premise later on and become too soapy. I understand the need for it to bring Eric and Jaye’s storyline to a close, but I wasn’t entertained by it. The episodes are much better when they are structured around the animals’ instructions. The last two episodes are a return to form and provide a satisfying ending to the series.

As a whole, I loved this series. It’s obvious right off the bat that FOX made a glaring error canceling this quirky and wonderful show. If you take a look at all the great shows FOX canceled: Wonderfalls, Family Guy, Firefly, Dark Angel, Harsh Realm, Arrested Development. If the network had given these shows time to find a viewer base, they would have the best lineup of any network. Shame on you, FOX.

The Good: Incredibly quirky and stylish. Awesome writing. Episode 3 is one of the best hours of TV you will ever watch.

The Bad: Spotty acting. Falters from it’s premise in the middle. Awful theme song. Occasionally is a bit too cheesy.

The Verdict: A

Not intended for kids, Wonderfalls is an adult fantasy show that is about growing up, the choices we make, and how the world works-- and it does it without diving into offensive language or crossing the line into pandering behavior.

I'd say it was well worth the cost, well worth the time, and just plain fun.

.