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Wonderfalls

December 04, 2006

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Here’s the thing about the premise of “Wonderfalls:" it’s part coming of age comedy, part science fiction drama, part Joan-of-Arc-narrative. And all of it is nearly impossible to pin down. Nevertheless, for a show that lasted on-air for only four episodes, “Wonderfalls” is repeatedly on every list of shows marked brilliant, but cancelled.

One of the most (if not the most) critically acclaimed shows of the 2004 season, “Wonderfalls” had a flawless creative team. Spearheaded by Todd Holland, Bryan Fuller (“Dead Like Me,” “Heroes”) and Tim Minear (“Firefly”), the show boasted a perfect cast and an inventive idea.

“Wonderfalls” told the story of Jaye Tyler (played with great energy by Caroline Dhavernas), an Ivy League-educated philosophy major who moves back to her hometown near Niagara Falls. She gets a job working retail in a souvenir shop, lives in an “I Dream of Jeanie”-looking trailer, and is spoken to by inanimate objects. The show not only crosses genre boundaries, it twists and shapes them into something fantastic, and something brand new. It is also a reason why Fox, and some viewers, didn’t know what to make of it.

Each episode begins with an inanimate object (a souvenir teddy bear, lawn flamingo, mounted fish -- to name a few) speaking to Jaye, and giving her instructions in the form of a cryptic quote. She must follow their instructions, even if she doesn’t know what they mean, or face the consequences -- which vary from her father getting run over in the driveway to one of the objects keeping Jaye up all night with his singing. She then finds herself performing good deeds, intentionally or not, and helping those around her.

Comments

Daniel P Winegarden wrote:

We're guilty of not finding this when it was on Fox. Netflix recently recommended Wonderfalls on DVD and my 19 year-old daughter, my wife and I all loved it. It didn't displace EZ Streets as my favorite brilliant but cancelled, but it is now in the top five. The episodes on DVD work as a long story arc, but we didn't know that up front and didn't need to know that when we started with the Pilot episode. It has a wicked sense of humor, romantic charm, and stunningly good acting. Then you see some of the stuff that survives, and you have to wonder either about networks, viewers or both. Wonderfalls should command a growing audience on DVD and reruns. It hurts to see such a creative team broken up too early.

posted at December 4, 2006 01:59 PM

dave wrote:

I just got done watching the box set. Another one of FOX's blunders. They seem to get hold of some prize material then don't know what to do with it. The finally, end up killing it out of stoopidity.

posted at December 4, 2006 02:22 PM

Dawn wrote:

I managed to catch the last episode aired by accident. I was grief stricken the next week when I found out it was off the air. I am convinced the demise was purely the responsibility of FOX. This show was smart and funny, with incredible writing and a great cast, at least they released all the episodes on DVD.

posted at December 4, 2006 03:40 PM

Jill wrote:

I was one of the few who saw commercials for this show prior to its airing, and insisted we give it a shot. My friends and I watched faithfully the first three episodes, but missed the fourth due to its being moved to a different night, and then... *poof!* Gone!
We were stunned... and yet, not actually surprised (we had made comments all along that because we liked it so much, there was no way it was going to be allowed to live), then angry. And then we tried in our own small way to help in the campaign to resurrect the show. We may not have been successful, but at least we got the DVD, for which we're grateful.

posted at December 4, 2006 06:14 PM

Lisa wrote:

I remember watching the first episode on tv with my mom and brother. My mom could not understand why my brother and I loved the show from start to finish. Truely a brilliant show.

posted at December 5, 2006 04:24 AM

jim wrote:

I saw all 13 episods on Vision here in Canada. The show was erratic with some episodes being clever, the pilot especially so, and the others?
Some were good and some were downright painfull to watch. Yes Jaye is eye candy and she was entertaining as a "don't bother me , I only work here" retail clerk. Her family had potential but when they got away from the store setting , it wasn't funny.

posted at December 5, 2006 04:39 AM

Brian wrote:

I knew the show was too good to last.Clever and fun just doesn't sell over mean and obnoxious these days.I bought the series on dvd last year when it first came out and loved it.Getting to hear the actors discuss the various episodes (dvd extras) was almost better than the shows themselves.

posted at December 5, 2006 11:24 AM

Anna wrote:

I loved this show when it was on! I recently rented all of season one at my local video store and fell in love with it all over again. I was so angry when it was cancelled, yet, in the back of my mind I knew it was going to be. America just doesn't like tv. How else do you explain a country that lets funny, quirky comedies like "Wonderfalls" get cancelled, yet keeps a show like "Friends" on for 85 seasons?

posted at December 6, 2006 05:53 PM

step wrote:

I actually watched all four episodes as they aired, something I'm proud of. I couldn't wait for the show to start, and when it got canceled, I actually shed a tear. When the fans got the show on DVD, I bought it the day it came out. This is honestly my favorite show, of all time (only The Office comes close to topping it), and it is truly brilliant, but canceled.

posted at December 8, 2006 09:59 PM

Miguel wrote:

I saw the whole season on logo and it was great. I watched it on fox as well and was so mad when it got canceled. It was truely witty and clever. Now i enjoy watching the class and keep hereing its going to be canceled that would be another great show down the tube.

posted at December 11, 2006 03:55 PM

cathyp wrote:

I loved Wonderfalls and was really bummed when it was cancelled. I bought the series DVD and discovered that they had kind of lost the charming quirkiness after the first few episodes. Some of the shows were bizarre, and not in a good way. The acting started to go WAY over the top. The characters also seemed to become mere pawns to goofy plots-- I guess much like Jaye herself. I agree that the first few episodes were brilliant, but the rest...

posted at December 12, 2006 10:27 AM

Ian wrote:

Like many others on here, I discovered Wonderfalls after it was already gone. I can therefore take one-millionth of the credit for it not being a hit while it was on TV, because I would have not only watched it, but probably been one of those over-the-top SaveWonderFalls.com people. I love this show, and mourn the loss of the stories that the writers were planning for season 2 and 3. Would have been fun. This, even more than Firefly, convinces me to keep an eye on those less-than-perfect time slots to try to find SOMETHING this good while there's still time to save it.

posted at December 12, 2006 01:48 PM

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