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AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! (Series Spoilers Galore!!!!)

posted 10 years ago by budarc
23 replies | jump to latest

Tears. Emotions. Feelings. I just finished watching the finale and my mind is still reeling trying to put it all together. I feel like I just got done watching something great, but I have yet to place all the pieces. I think a series rewatch is in order. For now, I'm just going to try to work out my thoughts stream-of-consciousness style.

First of all, I want to get some preliminary notes out of the way. I've been lurking this board for awhile and I've read a lot of people's thoughts and theories as to how to series was going to turn out, and I'm happy to say a lot of them were spot on. Ryan finally saw Wilfred as a real dog. Check. Ryan didn't get his happy ending with Jenna. Check. IT WAS ALL IN HIS HEAD. Holy sh@t. We all suspected it from the start, but actually seeing all the weird Fight Club imagery really puts all of the pathos in perspective. It's so fundamentally sad at its core. Those shots of Ryan talking to himself and playing both parts while (real dog) Wilfred just sat there is so tragic. The fact that all of this took place in his mind, that he created this whole elaborate fantasy, including all the different explanations of Wilfred is so complex and convoluted on so many different levels. (Sidenote: That's one of the things that I loved so much about Adaptation.)

And although the series seemed to pin this down as the definitive answer to "What Is Wilfred?" I still find myself doubting it. I guess it's because throughout the run of the series, the show has been teasing and hinting at so many possibilities, I still don't believe it. In a way, I thought it would be more esoteric and intangible, but I guess it still is in a way. After all, there was that whole red herring/out of left field talk about Ryan being The Chosen One and raised in a commune and all this talk about good/bad gods (how could Ryan have predicted all of that ahead of time?). It just makes you wonder how much of it is fantasy and how much of this last episode actually takes place in the "real" world. Could it still be plausible that Ryan died at the beginning of the pilot episode? All the hazy imagery at the end sure made it feel that way (anyone seen The Zero Theorem?). I really like how throughout the series they explored EVERY SINGLE POSSIBILITY and they're all still possible, depending on how you choose to look at it. We get to have our cake and eat it too.

So how do I feel about all this? I don't know. I love it. But I feel sad. I guess I need to "have a good cry about it and then let it go" like Wilfred suggested earlier in the episode. I want to say, I really like the way these last two episodes took their time and really let us say GOODBYE to the characters. The whole experience of Wilfred dying at the vet (after being dispatched by a car two episodes ago; the fact that we finally see him as a real three-legged dog makes it even sadder) and Ryan saying his goodbyes, and the clip show elements, and all those tender moments shared between the two...it's working on so many different levels. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he's in love with his delusion. After all, the final episode is entitled "Happiness." Ryan's happy place is with Wilfred. And he's no longer relegated to sitting in the basement and hiding his secret from the rest of the world...now he's able to accept it and transform his mind anywhere he wants. (At least that's what I got out of the final scene...when he looked into the door that leads down to the basement, he went to the happiest place he could think of.) The more I think about it, the more perfect it seems.

And can I just say how HAPPY I am that they didn't go the traditional route and have Wilfred's death be a martyrdom for Ryan and Jenna? I'm glad they kept that true to the spirit of the show (and something someone like me can actually identify with). The fact that he accepts his insanity in such a positive and upbeat way is oddly endearing and lovely. It's something I can relate to in my experience.

Well, that's it. I'm sure I left out some stray thoughts. I'll spend the night reading other people's thoughts and theories online until I pass out from sheer exhaustion. I still intend on watching the series again from the beginning armed with all this new knowledge. The producers said they knew where the series was headed from Day 1, so I feel confident that new clues will pop up in subsequent viewings.

I still feel weird about it ending. I don't want to accept it. Like with Lost, I'm unable to "let go." I don't know where to go from here.

[–] budarc 10 years ago

I'm still living in my own mind, so I'm going to reply to myself on here as well.

I tried to go back and look at my (also long-winded) post called "What Is Wilfred?" that I wrote over a year ago, just to see what my predictions were back then. I was disappointed to see that IMDB decided to purge all posts from back then, leaving a paltry five pages worth of history. Dammit.

There's a pretty good write-up of the finale here: http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/14/wilfred-happiness-review-2

I want to reward you if you've read down this far. Jeff Cardoni just uploaded some brand new tracks from tonight's finale. You can listen to them on his site: http://jeffcardoni.com/wilfred

He's a cool dude. I e-mailed him about a possible score release about a week ago and he responded almost immediately. Unfortunately, he said he didn't think a soundtrack would be called for. Which is terrible news because this stuff is just fantastic.

[–] Carol_in_HR 10 years ago

thanks for the ign article link! great read.

Hail HYDRA! \0/

[–] mick1998 10 years ago

I'm still living in my own mind, so I'm going to reply to myself on here as well.

I see what you did there. Clever. Livin' la Vida Loca.

[–] alwayshungryy 10 years ago

Thanks for the link to the music! :)

[–] budarc 10 years ago

I put together a makeshift soundtrack consisting of all the tracks on his website and a few select song choices, if you're interested.

https://mega.co.nz/#!8YIW2RDQ!cLO_qFzFgfc80zm9cveYvHkjs8ZLtLUrjZiF6I-M _o4

It's not much, but it'll have to do until they finally decide to release a score. Something to stick on your iPod and listen to as you drift off to sleep...

[–] hoov-4 10 years ago

Thanks budarc for the posts and music. You hit a home run. Thanks again!

[–] budarc 10 years ago

I've updated the link with more songs from the series, plus put all the cues in chronological order (after my latest rewatch). Enjoy.

https://mega.co.nz/#!QQgCXAxa!eu5ZW73-fTPbdsB9W_t415dA4Gjz_3PnI-x-VirH7Jg

[–] TheBayHarborButcher 10 years ago

I'm probably in the minority here, but I wanted to see Wilfred be a God and see Ryan and Jenna end up together. I would have been happy to see the show end right after Wilfred died and we got to see him as a real dog. I just like the idea of some greater power intervening in a troubled man's life to bring him happiness.

Even so, I'm not completely disappointed with the show's ending. I still think it was a great series. It's definitely one of my favorites, and will be a show I miss watching.

[–] budarc 10 years ago

I like that episode 9 ended with that idea in place. I don't feel like the finale took anything away from that, it just built upon it. I feel like the show offered us multiple endings and we got to enjoy each one in its moment (even Ryan "getting" the girl in episode 8). And in a way, you can still believe the whole thing about Wilfred being a God (Mataman or Mattdamon or whatever) since it lines up with the beliefs of the Flock of the Grey Shepherd, which is still open to some interpretation (it can't be a coincidence that all that information checks out). I'm still trying to figure out the significance of the tennis ball, though...

[–] steffeeric 10 years ago

I took it is Wilfred is a God but he is only in Ryan's head as well. He helps make his life more exciting and judging by the conversation Wilfred is pretty much like the record keeper in Ryan's head. I think Wilfred washing up his tennis ball at the end shows he does have a tint of divine power although he is only in Ryan's head...therefore Ryan is crazy but is also the chosen one at the same time.

[–] raptorshark 10 years ago

In regard to the tennis ball, since he chucked it into the ocean, and it came back I took it as Ryan's "sign" that Wilfred (the "real" dog Wilfred) was still with him. Like in the "normal" way someone is still with you after they've passed, not the crazy way haha

edit:grammar

[–] brumms78 10 years ago

I'm not convinced about any of the things you checked off. In my perspective, Ryan died when he took the pills in the milkshake before his mom showed up. After it appeared he awoke, everything from that point forward was not real.

[–] budarc 10 years ago

I accept that too. What I like about the finale is that it leaves certain ideas up in the air.

[–] Malachi_Monteiro 10 years ago

Would probably explain the couch on the beach, being a place in afterlife.

[–] raptorshark 10 years ago

that is a solid theory. He was talking to his sister after that though (which could have been also not real)

[–] la_cinematheque 10 years ago

It's interesting that you compared the ending to Lost, because I think the series as a whole suffers from a lot of the same problems as Lost. Namely, too many twists and turns. I think the general appeal of Wilfred for most fans was the dark humor, the absurd and surreal hijinks, and the underlying themes about finding fulfillment—probably in that order. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the "will they or won't they" Jenna relationship and the whole "what is Wilfred?" mystery were no one's favorite things about the show, yet those elements dominated the final two seasons in a way that wasn't a ton of fun to watch.

That said, this show didn't dig an inescapable hole for itself like Lost. The writers wisely created a whole slew of endings that both address every clue brought up over the course of the series AND leave room for many interpretations. Basically, anything a given viewer could have wanted to happen did, and every option makes both logical and emotional sense. I have to hand it to the people in charge for wrapping things up in such a satisfying way, which seemed nearly impossible before the last 3 episodes.

For my part, I like that Wilfred was just a regular dog and that Jenna and Ryan didn't end up together because she was clearly never interested in him romantically. I like that all the cult and god stuff has an explanation, but at the same time it isn't "real"; it was all a delusion Ryan was exposed to as a young child by his birth parents, and it shaped the nature of the delusions he went on to have as an adult. I didn't want there to be any supernatural elements present or any assertions about an afterlife or purgatory because that just seems stupid to me, and the great thing is there's just as much evidence to support my preferred view as there is for someone who wants to believe Ryan died in the pilot, died in the beginning of the last episode, or that the cult is real, etc.

What I didn't like was some of the inferences that could be made about mental illness. Words like "crazy" and "insane" were thrown around way too much and in the end when Ryan discovers he's been hallucinating for YEARS, he doesn't seek any kind of help. Between the mom, Amanda, the birth dad, and finally Ryan, the entire series has been one long demonization of mental health issues, then it has the gall to end with the message that people who are struggling with such issues shouldn't do anything about it? So irresponsible. And that lip service thrown in about Ryan's birth dad being on medication to stop his delusions only shows that the writers were aware of this very serious flaw.

Overall the show was an interesting ride. It had a lot of problems, but overcame most of them in the end.

[–] budarc 10 years ago

On the contrary, I loved Lost, which is why the similarities I pointed out were a positive aspect of the show for me. The whole mystery of "What is Wilfred?" is what separated the show from a one-joke premise and raised it above all the other comedies out there. Without that, the series would have run out of steam quick (and we already have the Australian version if you prefer the straight take). Also, I liked that the "will they or won't they?" relationship evolved and transcended the way it did, with Ryan pretty much calling Jenna out on her stupidity, and her just taking it (because she knows he's right), which he wouldn't have had the balls to do at the beginning of the series. As for simplifying mental illness, I think a lot of us (well, I'm speaking for myself here) relate to Ryan on many different levels, even if we haven't gone "full Wilfred" yet. It's the same subversive element about Fight Club...where it's just a perverse, f'ed up world and sometimes people have to learn to live with their problems. That's not to say there won't be negative repercussions in the future for Ryan (especially if anyone catches wind of the "murders" that took place in the show), but I really liked the way they chose to end it: hopeful, even in the face of true adversity.

[–] la_cinematheque 10 years ago

You touched on another thing that really bothered me about the show, which is how people seem to be using the character of Jenna to support and justify sexist attitudes. To so many viewers she's stupid or, worse, a bitch just because she didn't dump her long-term relationship and later marriage for the creepy, manipulative stalker next door. Ultimately, she was selfish and used Ryan, but she also owned up to that eventually and Ryan pursued her anyway—that he got hurt again after that is on him. Besides, Ryan was obsessive, plotted to destroy her relationship, and tried to con her into liking him for years. But he's a hero in the end for standing up to her? I don't think the writing was pushing that angle, but it's pretty gross so many people are getting that as the takeaway.

Also, "learning to live with your problems" probably inspires a lot of warm & fuzzies because passivity is easy, but it's a bad lesson. Being proactive, responsible, informed, etc. is a far better path and is the only way toward legitimate hope and change.

[–] budarc 10 years ago

Jesus, it's just a show. We both took away different things from it, and that's fine. Jenna was stuck in a self-destructive cycle with Drew and she even confided to Ryan that she deserved something better (which Ryan then threw back in her face and she couldn't argue...believe it or not, THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME). Ryan was a different person when he was with Jenna; he was kind, generous and sharing. I believe Ryan's character is redeemable, which is why I refuse to accept your blanket statement that he's just a "creep" (especially since he was battling for good inside himself for the duration of the series). As for the rest of your dismissal, I believe Ryan ultimately found peace within himself, regardless of whether his terms were acceptable by society or not. He didn't require any outside help and he reconciled within himself. To me that's applaudable, even if not entirely realistic (and yeah, you should get help if you start talking to a man in a dog suit). That's my opinion anyway.

[–] budarc 10 years ago

Here it is in David Zuckerman's own words, which backs up some of my findings:

I think everybody expected [Ryan and Jenna] to end up together, and one of our goals on WILFRED was to surprise the audience. We started thinking about non-traditional endings. Bittersweet endings where characters get what they need, but not necessarily what they want. With this in mind, we all agreed it was best to have Jenna end up with Drew. She’s such a sunny, happy character that it felt especially sad to give her a more tragic ending. I love Jenna, but I think Ryan will be better off without her.

I think the ending is similar to A Beautiful Mind. Ryan, like John Nash, is never going to be “cured.” The best he can do is learn to understand and embrace the part of his psyche that is Wilfred. As Wilfred says, “I tell you the right thing to do, you don’t do it, so I make your life a living hell until you do what I told you to do in the first place.” Ryan learns to listen to his instincts, the part of himself that can help him survive. It’s just that his instincts manifest themselves as an Australian man in a cheap dog suit.

http://www.nerdly.co.uk/2014/08/14/wilfred-series-finale-interview-wit h-david-zuckerman/

[–] raptorshark 10 years ago

I fully agree with your last 2 posts. If Wilfred went the "he was dead the whole time" route like Lost I would have raged. Just seeing the mention of Lost gets me riled up. Such awesome potential ruined by terribad writing...

Anyway, I agree with the Jenna thing too. Maybe she as trying to let Ryan down easy cuz she realized he was a nutcase while she was sleeping with him.

I very much enjoyed the show as a whole, even thought some episodes were a little too serious. I like the parts with the dog humor that dog owners can appreciate/relate to (making the ball disappear, falling in love with the dog in heat etc). Those were my fav parts, when it got more about the human drama with Ryan's family (his Sister's baby/husband etc) was when I was more bored.

Also I read another post about Ryan causing Wilfred's cancer from smoking in a closet with him (cuz the basement = the closet) which I thought was interesting

[–] another242 10 years ago

If Wilfred went the "he was dead the whole time" route like Lost I would have raged.

Why do people keep perpetuating this misinformation? That's not how Lost played out.

The first five seasons split the episodes between present time and flashbacks (or flash-forwards), in order to show how events impacted the characters' motivations and behavior. It's a decent way of giving the backstory on 20+ characters while moving the current story forward.

The final season was split between the present time and the afterlife. When each of them died, they went to this Purgatory-ish place to wait for the rest of the group. The ones that left the island (via the plane in the series finale) lived the rest of their lives. In the case of Rose and Bernard, they stayed on the island but also eventually died. We don't see those events because they don't matter, what mattered was what went on with the island, that some people died along the way, and the rest eventually passed for other reasons.

The writers tried to enforce the notion that the Purgatory world is totally separate by the fly-through sequence of the island in the season 6 premiere: it's underwater. Because the island really only existed in the real world, not in the afterlife. In the Purgatory world, the plane landed at LAX safely.

If they were dead the whole time, why are there two different versions of the island? Why couldn't they remember anything from the island at first? Why would it be such a significant event, for example, when Sawyer and Juliette meet up again in the afterlife? If they were dead the whole time, then they met in some alternate Purgatory and then forgot it when they went to a secondary Purgatory?

That theory opens more questions than it answers and contradicts a lot of concepts from the show. It's a one-line summary usually from people who didn't like the series and/or didn't watch every episode. Call it corny, call it ridiculous, call it unsatisfactory. But as someone who has watched the entire series 3 times, I can tell you they were NOT dead the entire time.

[–] sundae_mourning 8 years ago

i'm replying to this solely because i enjoyed reading your theory and want to be able to quickly find it again.