Wonderfalls Dvd

Any viewer who's dedicated to actually tracking down and supporting good, interesting, well-written and not completely idiotic television is rarely rewarded for the effort. The good ones always get the "low expectation" time slots (Friday nights); they always get the critical acclaim; and then they get the "save our show" campaign. In the case of Wonderfalls, a quirky romantic comedy about disaffected 20-somethings in Niagara Falls, the "save our show" drive started the night the first episode aired. Talk about a lack of confidence in your network support! But we dedicated viewers, in this modern age, have one innovation that makes our toil less tiresome: the DVD. Wonderfalls was sacrificed on the altar of ratings after just four aired episodes; apparently, not enough smart, interested viewers cottoned on to its quirky sensibility. It's a shame really, because the cast was excellent and the show smart and fun. It starred French Canadian actress Caroline Dhavernas as Jaye, whose philosophy degree has led her back home to Niagara and to a bad retail job where inanimate animal figurines start talking to her. Their vague and cryptic advice leads Jaye to help friends and strangers in unusual ways while she wonders if, in fact, she's actually losing her mind. The show's vaguely Joan of Arcadia premise (it was almost called Joan of Niagara) should have found purchase with the rising religious inclinations of American culture, but Wonderfalls didn't give in to its "animals talking for God" premise whole-heartedly. For one, early on the show plays with the idea that Jaye may in fact just be crazy; her lack of willing embracement of "god's will" might also make the theologically-inclined more nervous. Nevertheless, the animals talk to Jaye and she reluctantly does their bidding. But Wonderfalls is more about feeling disaffected and disconnected from what is supposed to be one's path. Jaye's family (siblings Aaron and Sharon, parents Darren and Karen) are all successful in traditional ways. Her life is further complicated by a burgeoning relationship with a bartender whose recent marriage ended when his wife banged a bellhop on their honeymoon. The DVD's primary attraction is the fact that of its 13 episodes, only four ever aired; that leaves almost half a year of unseen, cancelled, entertaining television. The rest of the show unfolded in expected ways: a series of adventures that further explore the limits of Jaye's dilemma and how she copes with hearing voices. But it also gets into the fate of her relationships and deals realistically with the fact that eventually people (friends, family, strangers) are going to hear her talking, seemingly to herself, and wonder what's up. Wonderfalls didn't change television and it won't change your life. But if you lament the cookie-cutter blandness of mainstream television and wonder what happens to shows that aren't that, here's your answer: they go unsupported by the network that paid for them; they suffer excruciatingly under the torture of test audiences; they get the worst possible time slots; and finally they get cancelled after just four weeks. But if they're very good, like Wonderfalls, they get to spread their wings on DVD. And that, for supporters of quirky TV, is a little bit like heaven. Plus: featurette, music video, six episode commentaries. (Fox)