Review: #WilfredFX , Season 1 Finale - Ep. 13 "Identity" (The Archeologist and the Dog...WTF!)

Air Date: Thursday, September 08, 2011 10:00 PM E/P on FX

Rating ★★★★★

“The value of identity is that so often with it comes purpose.” ~ Richard R. Grant

“Identity” certainly has a purpose – to confuse the hell out of me! Pfft! This first season of Wilfred has brought me much joy, laughter, and giggle-snort moments but with everything that’s happened this season, I’m a little disappointed in the finale. It’s not bad but it’s very…confusing. I was hoping to see Ryan’s (Elijah Wood) mother, Catherine (guest star Mary Steenburgen), again to see the interaction with her feline companion, Mittens (guest star Rhea Perlman). I wanted to see if there are any similarities to Ryan’s relationship with Wilfred (Jason Gann). I even hoped for another appearance by Bruce (guest star Dwight Yoakam) to perhaps gain more insight into his past relationship with Wilfred. But what we get is more questions and lingering doubts about Ryan’s sanity and Wilfred’s ambiguous existence. And why is Wilfred typing out his will? “After I’m gone, I don’t want you and Bear fighting over my shit…or any of my other stuff.”

Ryan: “What are you? Who are you? WHY are you?!”

Wilfred (low voice): “I can’t tell you.”

Ryan: “Why not?”

Wilfred (whispers): “They’re listening.”

Ryan: “What?”

Wilfred shushes Ryan and turns on soft music as he looks around the room.

Wilfred: “Are you sure you want to know?”

Ryan: “If this is a joke…”

Wilfred: “It’s not. Ryan, remember the night before we met, the pills you took…”

Ryan (hesitant): “Yes?”

Wilfred (low voice): “They worked, mate. I’m sorry, Ryan, but they worked. You must have noticed things here are…different; shit’s a little off, right?”

Ryan (confused look): “Am I…”

Wilfred: “No. You’re somewhere in between. Your future depends on the outcome of that settlement meeting tomorrow. If Jenna gets her job back, you get to move on.”

Ryan: “So, none of this is really happening?”

Wilfred: “Everything on the island is real, but the rest is an illusion.”

Ryan (heated): “What island?”

Wilfred: “Forget that last bit.”

Ryan (angry): “WILFRED!”

Wilfred: “Shhh…smoke monster!”

Ryan (exasperated): “I’ve seen ‘Lost,’ Wilfred.”

OH! Talk about pissed! I’m watching so intently, hanging on each whispered word falling from Wilfred’s fallacious lips only to be irritatinly disenchanted. Lost? Really? Now I feel lost!

Review: #WilfredFX , Season 1 Finale - Ep. 13 "Identity" (The Archeologist and the Dog...WTF!) 1

Ryan (Elijah Wood) breaks out the super bubble machine for Wilfred (Jason Gann) to go ballistic over

All the life lessons Wilfred’s taught Ryan haven’t truly sunk in. Wilfred may not be the best teacher but at least he thinks his debauchery through. Wilfred always knows the end game. Ryan’s attempt to sabotage Jenna and Drew’s (Chris Klein) relationship is mediocre at best. He invites his sister Kristen (Dorian Brown), her husband Leo (J.P. Manoux) and the neighbor Mr. Patel (Gerry Bednob – yes, that’s his real last name!) over so , Ryan is playing up his sister’s rocky marriage for Jenna to see first-hand what she may be getting into. He’s even devised a diversion for Wilfred – bubbles. As lascivious as Wilfred is, I find it farcical he loves bubbles with such enthusiasm.

As a lawyer, Ryan, known as “The Archeologist,” dug up some damaging dirt, but he doesn’t want to resort to those methods to help Jenna (Fiona Gubelmann) win her settlement. However, after station manager, Colt St. Cloud’s (guest star Ray Wise) lawyer Dick Barbian (Keegan-Michael Key) laughs off the warnings from his colleagues about Ryan’s previous reputation, Ryan decides to play dirty.

Review: #WilfredFX , Season 1 Finale - Ep. 13 "Identity" (The Archeologist and the Dog...WTF!) 2

Ryan (Elijah Wood) is playing dirty

Ryan’s underhandedness does not pay off and after coercing his sister to provide a clean urine sample for Jenna, it backfires. Jenna is exonerated from the drug allegations but now apparently she’s pregnant! Hmm, it was Kristen’s urine so does she know who the baby daddy is? (If you haven’t noticed, actress Dorian Brown is really pregnant, they’ve been trying to hide it…key word “trying.”) Does Kristen even know she’s pregnant? Kristen had an affair with her boss, Dr. Ramos (guest star Nestor Carbonell), so it could be his. Of course now Jenna thinks she’s knocked up so she decides to call Drew and accept his proposal. But the biggest kink in all this – Wilfred does something so foolish and unexpected by jumping in front of the drug rep’s car so Ryan can switch the urine samples. Now he’s badly hurt and doesn’t remember who Ryan is. The final blow comes as Ryan opens the closet door leading to the basement – but there is no basement. There is just a closet full of blankets, pillows, and dirty tennis ball. WTF!

Luckily, Wilfred has been renewed for a second season, so we will (hopefully) get answers to some of our questions. Damn you, Wilfred. I love you but I want to kick you in nuts right now. But, you know I’ll bring you an ice pack and a blunt to make up for it later. (wink)

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.