Season premiere review: Wilfred ‘Uncertainty’/’Comfort’ – The Seas of Opulence

When Wilfred is at its best, its finding surreal ways to reinforce some of the most basic emotions and ideals in life. The lessons are always simple – most of the dramatic material comes from the mythology behind the show, trying to find definition in what Wilfred really is and what he means in his life. ‘Uncertainty’ addresses this in a very meta way, using Ryan’s life as a way to point out to us that not knowing the answers is good thing sometimes, because it’s only when we can embrace and accept the unknown that we can live and begin to understand ourselves. Does it overly convolute things revolving around the picture Ryan drew, or Wilfred having a clone? Definitely, but again, it speaks to the show’s pathos: there is some shit in life we just can’t explain, and trying to find definition in these things will ultimately drive us insane.

‘Comfort’ is essentially about the same thing, using death instead of sanity as its “unknown” element. Again, there’s a distinct point being made about how it doesn’t really matter in the long run: whether it’s Wilfred’s owner dying or Ryan’s mailman friend being a Satanist, things like religion and prejudice against certain ideals only close our minds to the opportunities of the world. Wilfred embracing religion doesn’t help him ignore the fact he ran away from a rich life – nor would it provide Ryan with any direction in his life. Ryan is trying to find himself, not the answer’s to life’s big questions: and to do that, he has to embrace life, not sit back and try and analyze or understand everything around it (reinforcing the points made in ‘Uncertainty’).

Though the episodes are similar thematically, I think ‘Uncertainty’ is a little more effective, despite its point being a little more obvious. There are some great little jokes thrown into ‘Uncertainty’ that were a little out of the norm for Wilfred (like Wilfred using the other side of Ryan’s board of clues for his own board of clues), where as ‘Comfort’ was more of the usual farts and Wilfred humping shit kind of humor that we’ve become accustomed to.That’s fine, but I think ‘Uncertainty’ hits its cerebral moments better, even if the episode really is just pointing out to the audience to chill out with the theories. In the end, it doesn’t matter: the show is about Ryan’s journey to find himself, and Wilfred’s presence (and the reason for his presence) is only a small piece of this puzzle. ‘Uncertainty’ and ‘Comfort’ both come to a singular conclusion: whether you believe in Wilfred or God being real, there’s a certain power to believing in something, embracing the unknown without seeking definition for it.

‘Uncertainty’: B

‘Comfort’: B-

Other thoughts/observations:

– hopefully this is the last time we’ll hear about the “Amanda thing”: still disappointed how that played out in last season’s finale.

– Jenna drops some hilarious sounding “oh my gawds” in this episode… I’d love to see this become an annoying recurrence throughout the season. I don’t know why I laughed so hard at them, but they cracked me up.

– Jenna: “you can’t always help who you fall in love with; and you can’t always help the ones you love.”

– Charles Beaversworth… not really that funny.

– Wilfred: “Anne [Frank] and her rules.”

– “Eternally dalliancing” is the greatest misuse of a word I’ve heard in a long time.

– “All the answers will come in good time.” But do they have to?