Wilfred: Season 4, Episode 5 “Forward” (B)
This episode had a bizarre introduction and structure to it, utilizing the black-and-white flashback device to fill in missing pieces of time much more than ever before. It was strange to see Ryan torturing Wilfred, both because it was physical rather than emotional and because it usually happens the other way around, as it inevitably did later in the episode. It’s about time Ryan started baiting Wilfred to do something devious to catch him in an exaggeration or outright fabrication, and it would be nice if, for once, Ryan managed to gain the upper hand in a situation. What was different and interesting about how this played out is that Ryan’s efforts to get Wilfred thrown out of the preschool interview for Joffrey – complete with alcohol, a gerbil, and ski mask – were allegedly done in Ryan’s best interest. For once, that may have been true, since Amanda was at the school. The revelation that she was a janitor and not a teacher was a sad one since she was clearly so distraught by her breakup with Ryan. The suspicion that Wilfred is an evil dog and not actually Ryan’s friend is somewhat legitimate, though I think Wilfred is capable of plenty of malicious behavior all on his own without being possessed or impersonated. He’s also pretty terrible at making tied-to-a-chair puns while exacting his revenge, infusing some uncomfortable comedy into an uneasy situation that seems less and less like it will end on a positive note for our good friend Ryan.
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