Wilfred: The Complete Original Series

This two-season (2007-10) Australian television series crossed the Pacific for broadcast on the Independent Film Channel, but never found a large American audience (although a remake with Elijah Wood later appeared on the FX Network). The storyline focuses on the rocky relationship between hard-luck Adam (Adam Zwar), his lovely girlfriend, Sarah (Cindy Waddingham), and her dog, Wilfred, who appears as a canine to everyone but Adam, who sees him as a man in a dog suit (Jason Gann). Adam and Wilfred have a love-hate relationship that often goes to extremes—Adam allows Wilfred to be captured by dogcatchers, but later the pair team up to bury a lawyer whom Adam accidentally shot to death. In some ways, Wilfred plays like a riff on Mister Ed, with Adam being the only one who can hold lengthy conversations with the cantankerous pet. The chemistry between Zwar and Gann is strong enough to move the show over the bumpiest of scenarios, which helps since Wilfred's penchant for nasty vulgarity often becomes tiresome (subplots involve marijuana, laxatives, and sex toys). Compiling all 16 episodes from the series, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, a “making-of” featurette, a crew montage, outtakes, and bloopers. A strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)