Wilfred

A reboot of an imported comedy from Australia about a guy who sees his neighbor's dog as a man in a cheap dog costume, starring Elijah Wood? Um, yes please! Those were my thoughts when this FX show first aired eight years ago. I watched the first two seasons in real time, and for reasons, some beyond my control involving the cutting of cable cords and umbilical cords, it has taken me until recently to finally conclude the entire series.

To be clear, this is not a show for everyone. Its quirky humor eventually turns darker and darker as the show goes on, and what started out as a comedy with a slight mystery, turns into more of a thrilling mystery with slight comedy. The transition between these two is carefully orchestrated over the four seasons that document Ryan's (Elijah Wood's character) tormented life and struggle with sanity.

The mystery, as one might expect, surrounds exactly who or what Wilfred is and why Ryan is the only one who can see him. The unfolding of this mystery is fraught with the kind of false leads, dead ends, and crazy theories of a stoner with a fragile grip on the workings of personal interactions.

It is also delightfully absurd and funny.

This is certainly a show that never truly made its mark on mainstream pop culture, but is certainly one that should acquire a cult following as the years pass by since it ended five years ago. A rare breed of show that is satisfying from beginning to end.