Wilfred (Australian TV series)

Wilfred Created by Jason Gann Adam Zwar Developed by Renegade Films Starring Jason Gann Adam Zwar Cindy Waddingham Country of origin Australia Original language English No. of seasons 2 No. of episodes 16 Production Executive producer Peter Bain-Hogg Producer Jenny Livingston Running time Approx. 25 minutes Original release Network SBS TV Release 19 March 2007 – 26 March 2010

Wilfred was a comedy television series created by Australian actors, Jason Gann and Adam Zwar and broadcast on SBS TV in 2007 and in 2010. IFC recently acquired Wilfred for international broadcast; however, a U.S. remake starring Elijah Wood is currently being produced to be shown on cable channel FX in 2011.

Cast and crew

Cast

Cast	Role	Occupation
Adam Zwar	Adam	Actor/Writer
Cindy Waddingham	Sarah	Actress
Jason Gann	Wilfred	Actor/Writer
Angus Sampson	Cyros	Actor
Kym Gyngell	Jack Underwood	Actor/Comedian
Damian Walshe-Howling	Keith	Actor

Crew

Cast	Job
Adam Zwar	Writer/Creator
Jason Gann	Writer/Creator
Tony Rogers	Director/Creator
Jenny Livingston	Producer
Peter Bain-Hogg	Executive Producer
Sam Mallet	Music
David Stevens	Cinematographer
Richard Hamer	Film Editor
Rob Hornbuckle	Production Sound Mixer
Helen McGrath	Boom Operator
Mike Cowap	Project Manager
Paul Di Cintio	Location Manager

History and Overview

Wilfred the series was based on the original short film Tropfest winner of best comedy in 2002. This also starred its creators, Adam Zwar and Jason Gann, Gann winning best actor at the Tropfest awards. The story of Wilfred was based on a bad date that Adam went on.

Each episode follows the story about a girl named Sarah, her dog Wilfred and her boyfriend, Adam. After their first date, Adam goes home with Sarah and meets her scruffy pet dog Wilfred, but Adam (as well as the audience) sees the latter as a human dressed in an unconvincing dog costume. The dog develops a grudge against his owner's new boyfriend and tests him to see if he is capable of being his new "daddy". Thus the unsuspecting Adam, who is keen on winning Sarah's heart, has Wilfred to contend with.

A compilation of all eight episodes of Wilfred was released on DVD in Australia by SBS in April 2007.

Characters

Wilfred (Jason Gann)

Wilfred is Sarah's dog. He is possessive of his owner, and insecure and manipulative towards her boyfriends. He smokes (marijuana and tobacco) and is prone to malapropisms.

Adam (Adam Zwar)

Adam is Sarah's short-term boyfriend. He does not cause any trouble and trouble rarely comes his way – that is until he meets Wilfred. When Adam hooks up with Sarah, he thinks all his Christmases have come at once. Sarah is the ultimate package: attractive, intelligent, and with her own place. Adam tries to be friends with Wilfred but in return receives only very few words of gratitude and ends up being a victim of Wilfred's plots to sabotage his relationship with Sarah. Throughout the time he lives in Sarah's home, the two begin a psychological war to be Sarah's “special little man”.

Sarah (Cindy Waddingham)

Sarah, like any modern single parent, is trying to create a stable life for herself and Wilfred. Sarah has a long list of failed relationships, which have left her suspectedly after Wilfred's manipulative plots. Sarah is the only thing that stands between Wilfred and Adam being friends and to Wilfred, she is the most important thing of his life.

Episodes

Original Air Date	Episode Title	Synopsis	#
19 March 2007	"There Is a Dog"	When Adam is invited back to Sarah’s place after meeting her at a concert it all seems too good to be true, until he is introduced to Sarah’s dog, Wilfred. Wilfred offers him a bong and quickly sizes up Adam as a lightweight. Wilfred encounters Adam again during the night and has no problem coercing him into making nachos. Adam awakes from a bad dream, unsure of exactly what he has got himself into. When Sarah leaves to do some shopping Wilfred explains to Adam the source of Sarah’s unhappiness. Adam tries to help by cleaning up the yard but a discovery spooks him into a panic. His attempt at escape is interrupted by Sarah, who easily convinces him to stay for dinner. Even Wilfred appears to be warming to Adam, providing him with a change of clothes and even accompanying him to the pub. Over a couple of beers Wilfred questions Adam’s motives and reminds him that he’s the one who’ll have to pick up the pieces if he walks out on Sarah. Back home, some dinner, some TV and the young lovers seem to be slipping into a relationship of convenience.	1
26 March 2007	"Dog Day Afterglow"	Adam and Sarah’s relationship is blossoming. When things are at their best, Sarah takes the opportunity to tell Adam how important it is that he and Wilfred get on well. She gives Adam the ‘single mum’ speech: She and Wilfred come as a package. Adam convinces her that he loves Wilfred and to prove it he decides to spend some quality time with him. Wilfred is in his den – depressed. He’s sleeping more than usual and he’s gone off his food. He says that he is very sick and “could be on the way out” – this may have something to do with the pizza Adam bought him the night before. He gives Adam a list of instructions of what to do should he die. Because Adam has done the “naughty boy” on Sarah – he is therefore obliged to look after her. Adam and Wilfred have a bonding session in the den – swilling beers and pulling bongs. Wilfred bemoans his lost tennis balls. A cheerful Adam offers to climb on the roof and retrieve them. In doing so, he falls and has to be taken to hospital. He wakes to find Sarah by his side. She tells him that Wilfred has been worried sick and has been fretting. When Adam arrives back home in a neck brace – Wilfred greets him with genuine glee. But this is short lived.	2
2 April 2007	"Dogs of War"	Sarah is aware of the growing tension between Wilfred and Adam and calls a meeting. She demands a ceasefire. Adam apologises to Wilfred and Wilfred says, “No hard feelings.” It seems like they’re all friends, but as soon as Sarah’s back is turned Wilfred threatens to tear out Adam’s throat. A silent but deadly psychological war is waged behind Sarah’s back. The potential for explosive violence is at every corner. Adam makes some extra special lamb-chops and asks Wilfred to join Sarah and him for dinner. When Wilfred suggests they swap plates, Adam is reluctant. Wilfred grabs a stable table and takes his dinner into the den. Another scheme goes horribly wrong and Sarah ends up in hospital. Wilfred and Adam are faced with the possibility of life without Sarah.	3
9 April 2007	"Walking the Dog"	Adam and Sarah are taking Wilfred to the beach. In the car, Wilfred gets wild at the kid in the next car. At the beach, Adam and Sarah share some quality time together as Wilfred plays in the shallows. Adam and Wilfred play in the water, with a tennis ball. They drift further out and get caught in a rip. Wilfred catches a wave all the way into the beach, to the cheering of the sunbathers, while Adam waves frantically and has to be saved. Wilfred joins the crowd and watches as Adam is resuscitated. Later, Adam ties an angry Wilfred to a table outside the surf lifesaving club. He and Sarah go in for a beer. They come out to find Wilfred gone, along with the table he was tied to. They search everywhere, then go to the police. Adam is in trouble once again. Adam and Sarah arrive home late at night. Sarah is devastated, Adam is white and guess who they find inside? Wilfred and Adam exchange a glare – this is war.	4
16 April 2007	"The Dog Whisperer"	The doorbell rings. It’s TV vet Jack Underwood. He has received Adam and Sarah’s letter and has come to help Wilfred with his behavioural problems. Jack spends some ‘one-on-one’ time with Wilfred, who is on his best behaviour. Jack and Wilfred get on like old mates and Wilfred shows Jack his latest hole: a crater he can stand in. Wilfred convinces Jack that he is of sane mind and it is Adam who has the problems. Jack gives Adam a dressing-down and convinces Sarah to let Wilfred sleep on the bed. Adam can hold his silence no longer. He tells Sarah that Wilfred is manipulative and trying to come between them. Sarah has never heard of anything so ridiculous and refuses to choose between the two. But if she did have to choose…	5
23 April 2007	"Dog Eat Dog"	Sarah sees an ‘old friend’ on TV. Adam and Wilfred, being on each other’s wavelength, crack jokes about this ‘old friend’. Their mirth comes to a grinding halt when Keith turns up on the doorstep. Keith is a well known film star. Wilfred gives Adam a wry smile – “you've got your work cut out for you”. At that moment, Keith introduces his dog, Cyros (played by Angus Sampson). Wilfred also has his work cut out for him. Keith introduces ‘totem tennis’ to the backyard. Keith and Sarah play. Keith plays Adam and humiliates him. Sarah plays Adam and a fierce competition ensues. Adam is way too aggressive and freaks Sarah out. Meanwhile, Wilfred and Cyros have been bragging to each other. Wilfred: Ever caught a tennis ball hurled towards you at 79 km an hour? Cyros: 89 km an hour. Cricket ball. Keith suggests that everyone just chill out. He takes Sarah down the road to get an ice-cream. The conflict grows between the two factions. They are all vying for Sarah’s attention. Adam and Wilfred band together to deal with the situation at hand.	6
30 April 2007	"Barking Behind Bars"	Adam and Wilfred are at the park. Wilfred is petulant and Adam has a plan. Adam goes for a walk, telling Wilfred to have a play. Whilst he is gone Wilfred is captured by two dog catchers. He calls to Adam who walks on by. Adam goes home and explains to a concerned Sarah that Wilfred has been run over and is dead. Sarah insists on seeing the body but Adam says it was very messy and he had a mate on a farm bury and burn it. Sarah is devastated, but with Adam’s support she can get through this. Meanwhile, Wilfred is in the slammer and has made himself ‘top dog’. He taunts the ‘screws’. He is on death row. The other dogs help him escape with an elaborate scheme. Sarah conducts a backyard burial ceremony for Wilfred and all hell breaks loose.	7
7 May 2007	"This Dog's Life"	Sarah breaks up with Adam. This comes as a surprise. Although Adam is upset, he says he understands and tells her to call him should she change her mind. We follow Adam home to where he lives. He puts his bag in the kitchen, checks his answering machine and emails. We catch a glimpse of Adam’s life without Wilfred and Sarah. But he’s philosophical about it – and vows to throw himself into his work. The next day an executor of Sarah’s ex-boyfriend’s estate turns up and informs Sarah that the house has to be auctioned immediately. Wilfred calls on Adam’s chivalrous nature and manages to get him to do something about it with unexpected and disastrous results. Wilfred and Adam are inextricably entwined once more. Can things ever be the same?	8

IFC recently acquired Wilfred. Episodes can be seen at http://www.ifc.com/wilfred/

Season 2

Season 2 aired from 8 March to 26 May 2010 on SBS TV.

Trivia

Adam Zwar met Cindy Waddingham and director Tony Rogers while filming a commercial for HBA health insurance (he was the bucktoothed client who sprayed the slogan "Three for free").

Controversy

Besides the content and thematic matter shown within the series, Wilfred also came under scrutiny when the Herald Sun reported in March 2010 that up to A$1.5M of government money was allocated to the production of the series. The report aroused the ire of Family First Party Senator Steve Fielding, who accused the show of displaying "acts of bestiality".

International broadcasts

Wilfred has been sold to overseas markets including the United States, where the broadcast rights to the series were purchased by IFC.

U.S. version

In June 2010, cable channel FX announced that Elijah Wood would star in an American remake of the series, to be aired in June 2011, with Jason Gann reprising his role as Wilfred.

See also

• List of Australian television series

External links

• Wilfred on IFC
• Official website
• Wilfred at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com show
• Wilfred at Australian Television
• Wilfred at the National Film and Sound Archive