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Has Wilfred lost its pride?

It's apparent 'Wilfred' thinks it hasn't lost it (or doesn't think it has), but I felt some of my pride erode away with this week's episode. Raunch - simply for its own sake - does nothing but degrade the show.

- Season 1, Episode 7 - "Pride"

“In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.”
— Steven H. Coogler

You want crass? You got it.

This particular episode of Wilfred had crass written all over it. It was brimming with it, matter of fact.

Brimah. Ing.

I didn’t review last week’s show (Conscience) … unless you call a 22-word synopsis a review. (I do not.) I was having too much fun goofing around with the post in detailing some of the goings on at Comic-Con, specifically in the Wilfred panel I attended.

But this week — this week — all hell broke loose. Remember when I said I can only take so much raunch? Well … if you were looking for good, old-fashioned, wholesome entertainment, Wilfred wasn’t the place to show up on a Thursday night. (But let’s be fair: Wilfred is the last place you would be looking for that kind of escapism.)

Raunch — just for its own sake — does no good. In and of itself, it just sits there looking stupid all by its lonesome. It’s got to be put in the context of something, some sort of situation, to play out right. This is not what happened this week. The raunch was tossed out there like a piece of fresh-cut meat, slapped on the counter wetly and loudly in an attempt to make us laugh out loud in shock. In that, it served its purpose. But it wasn’t pretty … not by a long shot.

It’s like me putting words out there that described the actions that took place in the episode just for the heck of it. Would that be funny? Here … let’s try:

“Connivo-sample” … “bugcatchery” … “longshoremanshiping.”

See what I mean? They’re just out there, with no meaning whatsoever. They are not funny in the least.

Hey … Wilfred Powers That Be? Last week’s episode meant something. This week’s didn’t.

Catch a clue.

Quotes:

  • “Wait … Raffi. Give us your digits! Are you on Facebook … ?!?” — Wilfred to a toy giraffe
  • “What? I have had him all week! You know … you’d think you’d want your child for the weekend. At least your girlfriend will have someone to watch Thomas The Tank Engine with …” — Beth to her ex-husband
  • “You may have shampooed and parted your hair to the side, but you’re still the same old Wilfred.” — Ryan to Wilfred

 

Photo Credit: Michael Noble

8 Responses to “Has Wilfred lost its pride?”

August 4, 2011 at 11:48 PM

Man, I am so disappointed and grossed out. Last week’s was so good.! The show could be so good. But they keep going back to the lowest forms of humor, and frankly… porn. Sigh.

August 5, 2011 at 2:25 AM

It was by far and so far the BEST of Wilfred!

This episode did have meaning. If heed was taken to the opening quote, “In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes,” Ryan made one big mistake by letting his pride get the best of him by not going to his sister for help in the first place. Even on several occasions Wilfred did advise Ryan to take Kristen’s offer. Haven’t we all done something we wouldn’t do for the sake of pride?

August 5, 2011 at 9:35 AM

. . . . .

Owen:

That’s not the issue I’m currently wrestling with.

I enjoy the fact the show puts those little nuggets of knowledge at the beginning of each episode. Helps to encapsulate what the theme is each week. It’s a neat little feature. But it obviously meant something all together different for you than it did for me.

Yes … Ryan let his pride get in the way. Yes … Wilfred reprimanded him on several occasions about it throughout. And yes, I’ve done (or refused to do) things for the sake of pride.

My beef was the gratuitous, virtual pornography placed in the 22 minutes for mere shock value. That’s what didn’t have any true meaning. That’s where I abandoned my pride in watching this episode.

I saw this particular installment in a roomful of fans during a panel at Comic-Con a couple weeks ago. There were guffaws all around in the packed room, something to be expected in a roomful of Wilfred fans. I noticed there was uncomfortability in the room as well. Especially with one of the men sitting next to me – I couldn’t help but note him squirming in his chair. Can’t tell you if he was experiencing the same jaw-dropping feelings I was having or if he was diggin’ it, but I have the tendency to believe it was the former and that he really couldn’t believe he was witnessing what he was witnessing on the screen in front of us.

I stand by my statement: The raunch was put there for gratuitous and ostentatious means … nothing more.

I wasn’t proud.

August 5, 2011 at 10:13 AM

Actually I kind of agree with you here. The episode was overly graphic to a level that became utterly cartoonish and a bit boring. I found myself not really caring about the show at all this week, unfortunately.

August 5, 2011 at 5:39 PM

I’m not entirely sure what it is you’re looking for in a show about a man with an abusive pretend best friend, but I suggest you perhaps watch Fight Club or Drop Dead Fred to get an idea of where I believe this show is going.

The guy is nuts, he’s doing some proper sick things & you’re saying that you have a problem with the level of wrongness, I don’t get what you think you’re watching but it isn’t this show.

August 5, 2011 at 6:48 PM

. . . . .

Umm … Paul … ???

Perhaps you’ve missed the fact I’ve been reviewing it from the get go. Check the history here on CliqueClack.

P.S. Saw Fight Club … dug it.

August 6, 2011 at 3:16 AM

The episode was hilarious. If your looking for meaning go analyse a drama. You seem too hung up on over thinking a comedy. The ‘pornography’ was meant to be absurd which is what made it funny, the fact that you took it seriously says more about you than it does about the show.

August 6, 2011 at 10:59 AM

. . . . .

*points Myrtle to comment left for Paul above*

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