Television has changed. Once considered the disposable daily newspaper of film, something in the last decade or so has changed the way we feel about television shows. It used to be that the only way you could see a show twice was if you caught the repeat. Then came the VCR, and some people taped and kept the shows they liked. Now we have television series collected onto DVDs in boxed sets complete with extras. Some of these are clearly collected for their nostalgic value (Knight Rider, anyone?), but others are treated with the same respect as movies. It’s great for the fans of a show to be able to re-watch entire seasons to re-examine the episodes and find new things to love about their favorite shows.
But don’t forget: this is Freak Films, and this episode of Freak Films is about a TV show that never got a chance to find all its fans.
Only four episodes of the amazing Wonderfalls were ever shown on the air, despite the fact that 13 were made. Thanks to the prevalence of TV shows going to DVD, we can now see all the episodes that otherwise would have been lost. At least in all their ignorance and lack of faith (Remember when they cancelled Family Guy-- twice?), Fox stepped up to the plate and released what would have been the entire first season to the delight of its few, but rabid fans.
It almost makes up for that day when all the episodes of Temptation Island will make their inevitable appearances on shelves across the world.
I happened upon Wonderfalls one night completely by accident, and it just happened to be the very first episode. I loved its quirky charm and fancy camera work, but most of all I loved its heart and the wonderful characters. It reminded me of Amélie meets Cupid meets Ally McBeal, with a little bit of Joan Of Arc thrown in.
From first meeting Caroline Dhavernas as \"Jaye Tyler\", I was smitten. Both the actress and character are amazing finds. Jaye is an over-educated 26-year-old who has carved out a nice little pocket of the world where she never really has to accomplish or interact with anything in the world around her. This includes her family (who, other than her, all have rhyming names: Karen, Aaron, Sharon, and Darrin). And then toy animals and statues start talking to her and make her help people. Wackiness and plot twists abound, but always keep you guessing all the way to the end.
Wonderfalls is right up there with Arrested Development and Sports Night as some of the best television writing ever produced, which is why I was so devastated when I found out it was cancelled. But thanks to this new era of television respectability, it has a second chance to find an audience that will grow to love and appreciate it the way I do-- but back off from Caroline Dhavernas, because she’s mine! All mine! (Call me?)
So if you missed this show for the one month it was on the air, you have no excuse now. If you were one of the brilliant cast or crew members who worked on this gem, kudos to you. Consider this an open invitation to pimp anything you do in the future here at tastes like chicken.