Wonderfalls (TV Series 2004) Poster

(2004)

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9/10
The Lion, the Monkey and the Creamer
Gypsybelle17 December 2005
What the heck was Fox thinking? OK what do the network execs ever think? Do they think? Did they ever listen and lick the light switch? Sheesh... Wonderfalls was one of the most fun series Fox has ever had on the air..and they AXED IT without giving it a chance! Obviously they are NOT as in tune with their viewers as Jaye Tyler was with her inanimate objects! Check the other many viewer comments here on IMDb.COM and you will see the truth. There are so many reviews here and I haven't read all of them, but out of those I did see, NONE of them were negative. Amazing! This fabulously quirky show was so much better than the one it was 'up against' - Joan of Arcadia. That show was B.O.R.I.N.G. All of the characters and the acting on Wonderfalls was so much better - not to leave out the great script writing and plot development! The dialog and scenarios were hilarious! Perhaps this show was more original than the producers at Fox could fathom? I was so let down when it was unduly canceled...I had a void...wanted more! Crazy you say? Maybe...but it was one show that was so enjoyable that I looked forward to each episode knowing that I would definitely be entertained. I was so happy to get the DVD set and even my skeptical husband ended up looking forward to watching each episode. The strange part here is he always assumed that Wonderfalls was a 'chick show' and wouldn't watch it when it was live. He ended up really liking it when I 'forced' him to watch the first episode on DVD...he insisted on watching the rest of the shows! Fox failed this show by lack of true marketing and shifting of time slots! Fox has done that with so many other great shows. Where's the justice? Fox needs to lick the dang light switch and get with it! Bring back Entertainment and get rid of the idiotic 'reality' shows you want to shove in our faces.
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8/10
I Love It!
Mr_Sensitive8 September 2005
IMHO this is by far one of the most creative show ever created. I love it I got to say. There nothing likes it. Though it might lie in the same categories as Tru Calling and all that, but this is much different. One thing for sure you'll never know what coming and that what special about it.

Wonderfall doesn't only offer brilliant story each and every episodes, it also delivered great directing and soundtrack. Not to mention the excellent casting of Tyler family. Also the show comes with a little dark humor. Caroline adds extra beauty to the show.

It might sound favoritism. But I love the show. I think it simply great.

Recommendation: One Of The Best Show.

Rating: 9.9/10 (Grade: A+) Please Rate My Review After Reading (Yes/No). Thanks!
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8/10
Bryan Fuller's whimsy at its best
SnoopyStyle27 September 2013
Jaye Tyler (Caroline Dhavernas) is a disaffected college graduate living in her trailer, and working in a dead end job in a Niagara Falls souvenir shop. Her days are pointless until the souvenirs starts talking to her. They command her in cryptic messages, and they just won't shut up. She's never sure about their meaning, and can never predict the wild outcomes. Jaye is forced to break out of her apathy and falls for bartender Eric Gotts (Tyron Leitso). She begins to repair her relationships with her family.

This is Bryan Fuller's whimsy at its best. The talking nick nacks are wonderful. Dhavernas is adorably bitter. The show is filled with great actors. It was canceled almost immediately by Fox after 4 episodes, and only 13 episodes were ever made. It never got a good audience but also never got much of a chance.
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Lick the Lightswitch: "Wonderfalls" is a delightful, if short-lived, romp and the most unpredictable show in recent memory
liquidcelluloid-117 April 2005
Network: Fox; Genre: Comedy, Fantasy; Content Rating: TV-14 (for strong language and strong sexual content); Available: on DVD; Classification: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);

Season Reviewed: Complete Series (1 season)

Jaye Tyler is a loner living in Niagara Falls who, after graduating college, has fallen into a care-free comfortable rut living in a trailer park and working as a retail clerk in the Falls souvenir shop of Wonderfalls – that is until the souvenirs, and anything in the world with an anamorphic face, starts talking to her, insisting she do things in cryptic single sentence messages or there will be dire consequences (or at least lack of sleep). When followed, the resulting ping-pong effect appears to be the work of a divine plan, but soon Jaye becomes smitten with a local bartender and the figurines are telling her to do things that go against every fiber of her being. A reluctant savior, Jaye's hand is forced into the lives of others and befuddles her family in a fight that may not just cost her comfortable life and a budding romance - but her sanity.

Byran Fuller just may be the most talented and most unlucky writer in the business today. After getting hosed by Showtime and MGM in an ownership dispute with his modern masterwork "Dead Like Me", Fuller now teams up with Todd Holland ("Malcolm in the Middle") for "Wonderfalls". Being on Fox it was naturally canceled after 4 episodes (another blip in Entertainment President Gail Berman's holocaust on scripted television). Don't look at it as a short-live series, look at it as a failed pilot that mistakenly got on the air somehow; because cute, quirky, completely insane TV shows like this rarely get made in the first place. The network gatekeepers usually make sure of that.

What is so fresh and invigorating about "Wonderfalls" is that it plays like a catalog of things that everyone (and common sense) says that you aren't supposed to even try in a TV show - only done extremely well. Plot points feature an exorcism (which I lambasted in Fox's disaster "The Pitts"), psychotic female stalkers, lengthy film homages and an on-paper unlikable, increasingly morally ambiguous heroine. Even gutsier, the tone and visual style fluctuates with each episode as the show plays with different genres. The episode themes vary from a non-linear crime & mystery, a psycho thriller, a "Scooby Doo" caper, a classic romantic comedy and a high school drama. The shows are paced brilliantly, filling the hour full and throwing one creative twist after another at the audience ever few minutes. The show is giddy over itself, eager to get to the next wacky twist. If nothing else, "Wonderfalls" certainly takes the prize as the most unpredictable show in memory.

Fuller's talent, aside from writing some hysterical dialog banter, is giving real weight to each character. A product of the medium, the amount of detail put into Jaye's family and friends here simply could not be done as well in the time span of a movie. That is what keeps the show grounded in reality as the plot lines unapologetically sling-shot out of orbit and into the realm of the surreal, absurd and impossible. The "Wonderfalls" show-runners also re-create the sleek, speed-up visual style that "Dead" used so effectively.

Fuller keeps in the tradition of Georgia Lass giving us complex and cliché-resistant heroines. The affect and credibility of the entire series rests on the back of Caroline Dhavernas' Jaye, who picks up this monumental task effortlessly. She wears the many varied emotions of the series across her face and jumps through the script's many required hoops. She juggles the show's dramatic weight, the fear and confusion of Jaye's power, the giddy joy of playing a girl not afraid to anger the audience and a gift for physical comedy. Jaye is cartoonish but never over the top. Like Linda Cardallini in "Freaks and Geeks", a joy in "Wonderfalls" is just watching Dhavernas hilarious expressions. It is a terrific performance.

The entire cast is note-perfect in ways to numerous to mention. But to only pick one, Katie Finneran stands out, delightful and consistently hilarious as Jaye's in-the-closet, cut-throat lawyer sister Sharon.

"Wonderfalls" also could be an answer to CBS's similarly themed drama "Joan of Arcadia". While I like "Joan" quite a bit, "Wonderfalls" magnifies its tiny flaws while taking everything about it to the next level. Where "Joan" drifts off into side stories about Joan's family, "Wonderfalls" remains crisp and focused. Where "Joan" is dark, brooding and melodramatic, "Wonderfalls" is light, colorful and vibrant. The dramatic moments are played subtly, but with a heart firmly on its sleeve.

"Wonderfalls" works within the parameters of network television and transforms everything that is so often botched into something beautiful. As the show drives toward its all-to-short ending (all the episodes seeing the light of day on DVD), the series' final act evolves into an arresting "will-they-or-won't-they" love story set-up in the first half (as a dead-on Tracey/Hepburn quick-banter relationship). While the notion of getting the audience to root for two characters getting together by the end is as old as dirt and "Friends", it is rarely done as well and as honest as this one. It is satisfying and touching in a way I did not expect.

"Wonderfalls" may be the best show you've never seen. I will not soon forget it. And simply hearing a description won't do it justice. It is a delightful, candy coated television treat. An authentic expression of generation-Y looking for its place in the world and not ready when it finds them. "Wonderfalls" is another triumph for the ingeniously creative Fuller, who seems to be the only person in the world trying to put a spark in TV. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

* * * * / 4
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10/10
"Touched By a Crazy Person"
davidemartin18 March 2004
I have not laughed so hard at a TV show in weeks. Especially since I didn't expect this to be a comedy. I figured at best it would be a slightly quirkier version of TRU CALLING and JOAN OF ARCADIA, but I had no idea how quirky!

This is not the life-or-death struggle of TRU or the adolescent angst meets philosophical growth of JOAN. It's definitely more light-hearted. But then, Jaye isn't dealing with a god, just a headstrong Indian maiden who's shacking up with a god under Niagara / Horseshoe Falls.

The dialogue is hysterical. As I'm typing, I'm rewatching the pilot. Discussing Jaye's suddenly odd behavior, her sister suggests "I think we should put her down." Her brother agrees "It is just like going to sleep."

Or when she notices the bartender's cell phone is ringing in his back pocket--- "Your ass is ringing." Bartender: "My ass rings a lot." Jaye: "Have you ever thought of setting it on vibrate? Bartender: "I'm not sure I'm secure enough with my manhood to do that." Jaye: "So, why do you have an ass if you don't answer it?"

Caroline Dhavernas is great. She's got the subtle comic skills to pull off a role that could so easily have been a burlesque. Her reactions to the inanimate objects' demands are priceless, as is her portrayal of Jaye's incredible boredom at her mind-numbing job.

The rest of the cast-- well, we haven't seen much of them but I'm impressed. William Sadler was great and he only had five or so lines. And Diana Scarwid as Mom is great at casually tossing off lines like "I don't want her talking to my therapist. She might give him ideas!" Katie Finneran as sister Sharon is much more engaging than Dru's sister or Joan's brothers.

The visuals are neatly done. The animated lampshade, the flashbacks, the talking knicknacks.... I love the use of a 3D Viewmaster as a motif for changing scenes!

One odd note-- this seems to be hiding it's Canadian setting. Jaye mentions in the narration "the greater Buffalo New York area." And of course American quarters get extreme closeups a few times. But the Wonderfalls shop is definitely on the Canadian side. You can't see Horseshoe Falls from the NY side.
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10/10
Yet Another Great Show Killed By FOX Network.
KoshNaranek25 April 2004
I first caught "Wonderfalls" on March 18th, with the encore showing of the pilot, and was immediately hooked. The next three episodes were Must-See TV for me. Great show! Great cast (especially the lead, Caroline Dhavernas)! Great writing! However, like other great shows on FOX (notably BRIMSTONE and KEEN EDDIE), "Wonderfalls" was doomed. They air it in impossible timeslots (Friday night slot of death, or across from "C.S.I." and "The Apprentice"), and then wonder why it doesn't get great ratings. DOH!

Well, like others have said before me, FOX can go to Hell. Producers, PLEASE do not take cool, new shows to FOX. I sure as Hell won't be watching there.
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10/10
Wonderful Wonderfalls!!
Dan-12117 December 2004
Witty, whimsical and wonderful!! These are some of the words that best describe this show. I absolutely love it!! Caroline Dhavernas is just perfect for the part of the slacker reluctant protagonist. Her character is sarcastic yet adorable at the same time. The supporting cast is equally great as well. Katie Finneran's character seems straight-laced but at the same time so unexpectedly hilarious. Tyron Leitso is just so charming. It is such a pity that this series was canceled so soon. Anyway, I am savoring every minute of every episode as they are being shown here. My favorite episode is 'Cocktail Bunny'. The 'licking the light switch' scene was just the best!!
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10/10
Best show that nobody ever watched!
tommymacman2 March 2006
I love TV, if you can make me laugh and think at the same time, that's even better. This show did that. The great (timeless) story of a modern day Joan Of Ark. The use of fairly unknown stars. The perfect social commentary on the young adults of today. The awesome comedic timing made this show one of my favs (I bought the DVD the day hit hit the shelf). And I'd never thought that I would say this, but I have never related to a character as much as I did to Jaye. I too am a twenty-something, who happens to be a proud card carrying member of Gen Why? I too have been educated, but I work at a dead end job with no real need to excel or stand out. I too have been known to be a little cold towards the general public. But once again, Fox canned it, and took away another comedy that was to smart to be a comedy (Arrested Development). Upside is, there are the DVD's. If you have never seen it, check it out, and if you have, watch it again.
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9/10
Yes, it was canceled. Get it on DVD
loonduck9110 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Honestly, canceled shows get a bad reputation. Why was this canceled? Oh, it must have been bad. Well now what should I watch? Oh, I know! Maybe Simon thinks that a singer is bad this week! Wonderfalls began airing on a horrible time slot, so after two weeks they moved it, but since all the TV media still said it was in it's old time slot no one knew when to watch it, and the ratings were bad, so it got canceled. Wonderfalls is a very good show with a very strange premise. A woman named Jaye Tyler, who has a college degree but works at a store called (what else) Wonderfalls, and lives in a trailer park, mostly because she just doesn't like people in general starts hearing voices that come from various animals that shouldn't be talking. A wax lion. A quarter. A stuffed animal called a lovesick a--. She doesn't know why these animals tell her to do things, but whenever she doesn't, bad things happen, and whenever she does, good things do, often turning out in ways that are not what you expect, and in situations that seem to go from bad to worse, but really are better than how it would have turned out if Jaye hadn't interfered. Here's the thing: The clues are things like "Save him from her," and "Don't give her money back." THEY MAKE NO Sense, and leave Jaye to figure out what they are on her own. This isn't helped by Jaye's overprotective and suspicious family, her Lesbian sister, her also smart alek friend, and a new crush on a bartender that is in fact already married and moved from New Jersey to Niagra when he caught his wife with a bellhop. Also, Jaye actually doesn't care about helping people. SHE JUST WANTS TO BE LEFT ALONE! The show has a fresh modern voice through the main character Jaye, who sees everything as it is, even when it isn't. And the show is a dramedy, which means that even though it is designed to make you laugh, and the situations are impossible, it is supported with clever, uncliched writing, a talented cast, and characters you can really feel for. The show was canceled after 4 episodes (with an aggravating preview for next week) to be replaced immediately with repeats of a reality show that lasted for one season. It is however available on DVD. The effects are mediocre after 3 years, but other than that it has stood the test of time. All of the plots wrap up after the 13 made episodes, so you can sort of think of it as a very long movie with incredibly convenient breaks. All in all, Wonderfalls is a very clever high quality show that is definitely worth your time.
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9/10
Great show .
This was a fantastic show . It was quite funny and clever ,and it have hilarious moments as much as dramatic and touching parts . The story focus in Jaye Tyler , a cynical girl that is unhappy with all in her life : her work ,her relationship with her family ,and almost all about her . Suddenly ,one day , inanimate start to talk to her ,saying cryptic comments .At first she believes that she became crazy ,but soon she realizes that the advices given by the things start to help her , and soon in that way she starts to help people , and starts to be closer with her family . The performances are pretty good , and the characters are very likable . From the same creators of "Malcolm in the Middle " , we have here a interesting original show that it's very enjoyable and unpredictable . Excellent .
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7/10
Canceled fore it's time
copperncherrio13 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
A show canceled before it's time. Only one season and 13 episodes, FOX did another great up job of canceling yet another descent and unique show (Prematurely canceled FOX shows: Firefly, Undeclared, Arrested Development, Family Guy, etc). Wonderfalls is a story of an ivy league educated girl named Jaye working at shop at Niagara Falls, and one day toys with heads start talking to her in blatant demands and one subtle hints. Her comments, attitude, and overall demeanor are comparable to Daria, Veronica Mars, Juno: the basic modern sarcastic, yet caring girls. It's a story of magical sequence of consequences, similar to that of Pushing Daises but without the brilliant artfulness of costumes or colorful stories… both do have Lee Pace, sigh.

Review after finishing the series: Wonderfalls is unique but not inspiring, the people Jaye (main character) ends up helping in each episode are annoyingly creepy and general jerks. It doesn't have the helping feel of Leverage or the The Pretender, since it is a comedic show. But if the universe of talking animal heads are giving you hints, at least help those that really need it. After a few episodes I got annoyed at the simple outline of her misreading the hints that the universe give her. But quite honestly, Leverage and The Pretender … alright most shows have a basic outline. It also doesn't help that I watch shows back to back to back… until I finish the series or at least one season.

Despite that little disgruntle with the show, Wonderfalls is a touching comedy of a sarcastic no care, uninspired, family avoiding girl who slowly learns humanity: the value of family and friendship with each adventure of helping people. Overall it's a funny and charming show, that should not of been canceled.
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8/10
Perfect miniseries
ReganRebecca7 January 2017
I only started watching Wonderfalls after it was cancelled. I know that show runner Bryan Fuller had plans already laid out for multiple seasons but at the same time the show works perfectly on it's own and comes to a satisfying conclusion.

The show is about Jaye, the baby in a family of overachievers (and the only one in her family who doesn't have a rhyming name, to emphasize how much she doesn't belong). To the complete befuddlement of her family Jaye works a dead-end retail job, lives in a trailer park and mostly avoid them. That is until one day Jaye begins hearing voices telling her to do things. The voices always belong to an inanimate toy or object with a face on it and though they offer her no explanation for the tasks the coerce her to perform their actions often lead, in befuddling and confusing ways, towards good.

There isn't a lot of explanation to the why's and hows of how Jaye hears voices but they aren't needed. The entire cast is perfect. Caroline Dhavernas is great as Jaye, Tyron Leitso is great as a heartbroken bartender who quickly becomes her love interest. The members of her family aren't a good physical match for Dhavernas, but they really do seem like a family and are all hilarious at physical comedy. There are also so many fabulous guest stars that just completely own their episodes.

It's a great, funny, smart show that perfectly works as a whole. If only there could be more series as great as this one.
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7/10
you should see it, but...
owens-dt29 January 2007
The first of three disks was wonderful. Offbeat and quirky, Caroline Dhavernas seems perfect for this role. I loved it. But, starting with disk two, the episodes become more and more bizarre. Also, Jay'e anger and hostility do not have any underlying foundation, so we don't know what is driving her. I pretty much gave up on the series at the little kid and the Russian mail-order bride. Just too weird. (I did watch all 3 disks because I bought the series).

The original idea for the series was pretty interesting-talking stuffed animals-but the writers just could not develop any coherent plot. In fact, there is no plot-the same characters pretty much start from square one each episode, which leaves the series with nowhere to go. I encourage others to watch, because it is one of a kind. And I love Caroline Dhavernas.
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3/10
The corny factor strikes back
Lomedin11 September 2013
Yet again another cult classic from the people who brought us Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies.

The premise of this show is somehow interesting and original. However, it goes down when the plot starts becoming ANOTHER romantic tale and the supernatural stuff is left as a way of achieving that corny effect.

I must say that I find Caroline Dhavernas a gorgeous woman, and so I enjoyed watching her and her decent acting. That, however, cannot save the show from becoming a sort of cheesy romantic tale that we have seen huuundreds of times.

This, I'm certain, won't put off the myriad of fans who follow up anything the creators come up with. On the contrary, it may even be a positive point for them.

Alas, ladies and gentlemen, feel free to use at will the NO button of "Did you find this review helpful"
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Wonderful!
vegemite-toast2 November 2004
Fresh, intelligent, insightful and hysterically funny, Wonderfalls is a show you'll come back to time and again.

The series has oft been criticised as a cheap Joan of Arcadia carbon copy, but Wonderfalls is by far the superior of the two.

Whereas JoA has a painful tendency of falling into a soppy family drama -- tears and revelations and tight embraces and fluffy bunnies -- Wonderfalls is constantly slick and on top of it. It, too, has its share of emotional moments, but never dwells on the soap; rather, biting back with its trademark humour.

To give an example -- Jaye and Eric share a lovely moment standing at the top of the falls, where Jaye has the chance to scatter a deceased character's ashes (very cutely, in a souvenir barrel). It's a sweet moment, and as the barrel plummets into the foam, Jaye turns -- to find herself face-to-face with a cop, who promptly fines her $250 for littering.

Caroline Dhavernas is perfect for the starring role of Jaye Tyler, an underachiever whose expectation-free reputation belies her true intelligence. Jaye doesn't like people in general, revels in the role of the bitch, when suddenly she's forced to do good by the nagging of toy animals. In following these cryptic messages and helping others, Jaye herself begins to develop a warmer sense of compassion and a sharper understanding of those around her, while still retaining her delightfully badass attitude.

Dhavernas steals our hearts in a way Joan of Arcadia's Amber Tamblyn has never been able to manage.

It is sad that Wonderfalls -- by far the better of the two shows in every aspect -- was the one to get the axe, but at least we can console ourselves with the promised DVD release later this year/early 2005.
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9/10
Shame on you, FOX
KarisLOVER9 July 2006
It pains me to watch another show that was cut down in it's prime by the greedy FOX executives. As far as canceled shows go, Wonderfalls might be the best ever. This was one excellent show. Ah, I keep wanting to watch more, but sadly, there is no more. I always get sad when I know there's a very limited amount of a good show.

But enough with the pity party. Wonderfalls is about a girl named Jaye, who works in a gift shop in Niagara Falls. Jaye is many things, but hero is not one of them. She's lazy, rude, and occasionally mean. But that changes when a wax lion turns his head and talks to her. Her family (one of the most entertaining families on TV) calls it an episode and drops it, but Jaye knows better. The show is a cross between Joan Of Arcadia, Gilmore Girls, and… something else. It's a truly unique experience.

So from that point on, different animal shaped things, instruct her to do tasks. And these tasks, much to Jaye's dismay, change peoples' lives. The messages range from "Get her words out." to "Don't give her money back.", or my personal favorite, "Get off your ass.". This may sound like a cheap knock off of Joan of Arcadia, but trust me, it's no where close. Joan, while an incredible show, always took itself too seriously. Wonderfalls NEVER has that problem.

The writing is some of the freshest and best I have seen since Gilmore Girls. The characters are vibrant, personality filled, but avoid the typical clichés. The episodes themselves are very well written. Karma Chameleon, episode 3, is one of the best hours of television I have ever seen. The twists are amazing and unpredictable. The dialog is reminiscent of the instantly quotable banter of Gilmore Girls, but is not as fast. It's just supreme. This line will go down in history.

Jaye: "You're a lesbian? It's not too surprising." Sharon: "How is it not surprising?" Jaye: "You drive an SUV."

The acting in Wonderfalls, however, is a mixed bag. Caroline Dhavernes is brilliant as eye-rolling, trailer-trash Jaye. When the time comes, she softens her character in a way that is neither obvious, nor unbelievable. Tyron Leitso plays Eric, the bartender who stays in Niagara Falls after his honeymoon was cut short by his wife cheating. Cute as he may be, he is not good. It's simple as that. It wouldn't be a big problem, but he soon turns to Jaye for "comfort" so there is more of him than is necessary. Her family is (mostly) a riot. Jaye's sister Sharon, who realizes in the first episode, that she is gay, is fantastic when paired with Jaye. They play off each other like pros. When Sharon is minus Jaye, however, she can be a bit boring. The parents are both perfectly cast. The mother has almost a Valium-induced breeziness about her that is hysterical. The father is good in his role, as well.

Now, since I have gushed enough, let's get down to the dirt. Most of the dream sequences done here would have sunk a normal show, but they mostly work on Wonderfalls. But there are moments where they go one too far. Such as, when Jaye is afraid she's going to break Eric's heart, she imagines his heart shooting out of him and then her stomping repeatedly on it. It's just too cheesy. Then, when Eric's wife is introduced, she fails miserably at being evil. Maybe it's because I remember her fondly from Firefly, but she still chokes.

In addition to that, the episodes are incredible at the beginning, but stray from their original premise later on and become too soapy. I understand the need for it to bring Eric and Jaye's storyline to a close, but I wasn't entertained by it. The episodes are much better when they are structured around the animals' instructions. The last two episodes are a return to form and provide a satisfying ending to the series.

As a whole, I loved this series. It's obvious right off the bat that FOX made a glaring error canceling this quirky and wonderful show. If you take a look at all the great shows FOX canceled: Wonderfalls, Family Guy, Firefly, Dark Angel, Harsh Realm, Arrested Development. If the network had given these shows time to find a viewer base, they would have the best lineup of any network. Shame on you, FOX.
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9/10
Hooked 20 minutes into the pilot
sarahjadesigns30 March 2014
10 years ago, I watched the pilot episode of Wonderfalls on TV for the first time. About 20 minutes in, the main character, Jaye Tyler, starts chasing after a quarter following a little wax lion's instructions to do so. As she runs down stairs to try and catch the bouncing coin she asks herself, "oh my god, what am I doing?!" At this point, I was completely sold on this show.

Seemingly banal and pointless instructions from (normally) inanimate animal objects like "lick the light switch" or "take a picture" have huge ripple effects that ultimately improve Jaye's life and the lives of those she encounters. This show has often been compared to "Joan of Arcadia", which on the surface is apt. However, Wonderfalls is so much more fun and charming. Watching underachiever Jaye go from thinking she's completely lost her marbles to begrudgingly doing what the talking muses tell her to do is nearly always hilarious. Not just because of the absurdity of her tasks, but also due to the show's characters' wit and snark.

While the show is actually pretty grounded (aside from the bossy animal figures) and deals a lot with the characters' relationships, it has at often times reminded me of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Amélie." Not surprising since one of the show's creators, Bryan Fuller, loves the movie. While Wonderfalls isn't nearly as influenced by the movie as Fuller's other show, Pushing Daisies (also excellent), there's something at the heart of it that captures some of Amélie's magic.

Even 10 years after this show first graced screens, I still don't get tired of watching it again. The great dialog and humor is a huge factor in the show's re-watch-ability. And while this show was short-lived, the creators did a good job of offering the viewers a bit of closure after only 13 episodes - a feat few canceled programs manage to do.

The show was beloved by its fans, who campaigned very hard to get it released on DVD through SaveWonderfalls.com. Even after it was announced that Wonderfalls would find new life on DVD shelves, the fans worked hard to promote the release and created WhatIsWonderfalls.com, a site made specifically to introduce potential new viewers to the show.

Wonderfalls is something special. Just give it a chance an it'll capture you with its charm.
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9/10
Sadly, cancelled, but available on DVD
jeremyemmet1 June 2005
I had never heard of this show before its release on DVD earlier this year. I was inspired to rent all thirteen episodes because the series co-creator/writer Bryan Fuller had created/written the pilot for Dead Like Me, which I considered one of the most entertaining television pilots ever. Wonderfalls opens in much the same way, with a young, brooding, female slacker narrating the beginning of a supernatural experience. This time around, however, Bryan Fuller was able to be a part of the entire series' creative run (he left the production team of Dead Like Me after a few episodes for reasons I do not know).

The entire series benefits from a talented cast and crew. Clever direction, judicious use of special effects and CGI (so as not to overshadow the characters or story... or, I'm sure, budget), excellent comedic timing and a bold and innovative storyline sucked me right into everything.

The central character of Jaye (her parents and siblings are named Karen, Sharon, Darren and Aaron... further singling her as the "odd woman out") is a 24 year-old slacker who works in a souvenir shop in Niagara Falls, New York (although the series was clearly shot in Niagara Falls, Ontario... the prettier side of the river). Jaye is played by Caroline Dhavernas, a French-Canadian actress who Katie Finneran describes as "The Britney Spears of Canada". I confess I'd never heard of her. Her work in Wonderfalls under director Todd Holland is both sympathetic and hysterical, and I've begun checking out her other projects.

The series also features William Sadler, who had been without regular television work since the cancellation of Roswell. Here, he is fantastic as Jaye's conservative but open-minded father.

Not only do I highly recommend the series (available only on DVD that I'm aware of), but I'll be keeping an eye out for whatever new project Bryan Fuller decides to undertake.
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9/10
8 years later and still enchanted
tickin8 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I had never heard of this show until recently when a friend lent me the DVD set. Despite eight years it remains refreshing and unique.

Funny (actually at times it's extremely funny), sensitive, unpredictable, and totally endearing. The cast do an extraordinary job. It's the type of show that could easily go off the rails but each actor reins it back just enough to make the show balance perfectly at the edge... and the result is an absolute joy watch.

Caroline Dhavernas shines. She brings so many believable qualities to Jaye that at times I wanted to scoop her up and hug her... which of course would have made Jaye furious... and therefore all the more real. Dhavernas manages to carry Jaye from a cynical, determined underachiever to frantic guardian angel with so many perfectly placed steps that the change seems natural, expected. Dhavernas doesn't abandon Jaye basic character, she matures it beautifully into the new Jaye. It's a great piece of work. One of my favourite scenes comes towards the end of the series when Heidi rummages around Jaye's trailer and sees all the muses tenderly arranged in a semi-circle at the end of the bed... very touching.

Needless to say I adored the thirteen episodes. If you get a chance to see Wonderfalls I highly recommend it.
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10/10
10/10 * Amazing Show with Character
snowdreams1818 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This series is about a college-graduate girl, Jaye, who has chosen to live in a trailer park and work at a gift shop in her hometown. Her family is pretty eccentric and become increasingly more involved in her life (her father is a doctor, mother an author, sister a lawyer, and brother a student studying religion). Her best friend, Mahandra, provides for her a way to sort things out and the new bartender, Eric, despite his complicated situation, quickly catches her eye--even though she may not admit it even to herself.

Jaye was pretty self-centered but becomes increasingly more aware of others when inanimate animal figures suddenly become animate and tell her to do things, which she always eventually does--at first to avoid their singing, which keeps her up all night, and then because she sees the good effects her "forced" actions bring. She debates if God or Satan is speaking to her and thus also debates her sanity, but can't bring herself to ignore the animals' biddings. What the animals say are never as straight-forward as they initially seem and there's no way one could guess their true meaning (unless he/she's seen the episode already) so they always keep you guessing--not to mention laughing! The dialog of the characters on this show is excellent and there's also a lot of inner conflict in the different characters regarding religion, sanity, and identity.

All the actors in this show portrayed their characters to a "T" and interact so well together! I can't imagine a better selection.
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10/10
Want a quirky, well done single season show?
imdb-1791813 November 2007
Want a quirky, well done single season show? This is it.

Twists and wrinkles that keep one guessing about light situations that sometimes enter the level of serious philosophy.

The actors were all unknown to me, but surely work together to make the relationships work. Writing is straight forward and well timed dialog. Scenes are simple and well set. Each episode is complete, but the series MUST be seen in order to keep the basic relationships clear and meaningful.

I suggest this series for all ages. The main characters are in their twenties, but the parents who are interesting in that they have three grownup kids that still hang near home.

Worked for this 58 year old male.
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6/10
Mediocre show. If you loved Dead Like Me, you will love this.
FlorisV10 March 2017
This is sort of an OK show. There are continuous attempts at quirky, sharp dialogues with a mediocre success rate. But the cast is good and at least it's trying to be something different.

Just like in Dead Like Me there's a sarcastic underachieving girl. In Dead Like Me she has to help people cope with their own death. In this show she gets assignments from little statues to cause small but important changes in the lives of people so that they accidentally improve it.

This formula gets really old from the second episode on. It usually involves people accidentally meeting the love of their life through a twist of fate, instantly falling in love. This takes away all the intelligence the show has at moments and kind of puts it in a routine, dull, though slightly less sugarcoated Amelie (that French film) mode, the main character trying to be a do-good-er.

There's also a tendency to put characters into awkward situations but it's equally cheap and formulaic.

I watched two episodes but already felt I knew how each episode was going to be. Disappointingy this show is not about real life (even Dead Like Me, as overrated as it was, seemed to do a better job at that) and ultimately it's as dull-minded and preaching as the average young adult drama series although it so desperately tries not to be. Every single person in the show has a soulmate somewhere that's always within reach and when that person is met, through a twist of fate, there's instant magic. I was hoping this would be a show that would ridicule that sort of cheap lie, the way a lot of Woody Allen films do, showing the randomness of life, but instead there seems to be a genuine belief in fortune cookie and tile wisdoms, the type of thing that you would find in the kitschy souvenir shop that the main character works in.
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10/10
Warms the heart, tickles the brain.
imgod2u19 December 2007
After all of these years, this show is still a favorite of mine. The DVD is probably the most watched material I have anytime I feel witty and whimsical. It's a modern day The Importance of Being Earnest. There are simply so many reasons that this show resonates with me (and I suspect others). The witty dialog, the clever plot-lines, the social commentary (Jen Why?), the absolutely adorable acting and the little hidden details here and there that tickles the inner nerd when noticed.

I feel that it's impossible to express my adoration for this show in words that would convey it properly. To those who have not seen it, even if you don't watch TV, this little gem is something that you should not pass up.
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3/10
Not a loss that it was canceled...It would have suffered in the long run
juliovangel5 January 2012
I saw all these comparisons to a similar show called "Dead like Me" and in my opinion they are spot on. The problem with most of these shows that sell themselves as being "fresh", "underground", "original" with "good dialogue" and "creative" is that they lack back bone for the long run. The writers throw their best ideas in the first episodes and by the time they get to the end of the first/start of the second season, the great twists have already been given away, most of them even early in the series.

This show does not deserve this high rating; it obviously follows a pattern that would eventually lead to an early demise.
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An absolute must see
joescripts4 February 2005
Okay, so you're saying to yourself, there's nothing good on TV. Well, there was something - Wonderfalls. And it got canceled by the dark forces known as Fox. Fortunately, it's now available on DVD! Jaye Tyler is your not-so-average girl next door. She holds a degree from Brown University, but instead decided to work at a souvenir shop at picturesque Niagara Falls. Her reason? She wanted to live an expectation-free life. She's rude to the customers, a total bitch to her lesbian sister and frowns at everything good about the world, and yet, she's the most likable character you'll ever meet. Her 'sodes started when inanimate objects started talking to her, telling her in cryptic messages to do spontaneous things without a reason. She has no choice but do as they say or they'll bug the hell out of her by singing her ears off.

One simple act will lead to a series events that at the end makes sense to her and the person she's unknowingly helped.

This show had the rare combination of great writing, acting and directing. This is evident by the great on screen chemistry. Watch just one episode and I guarantee you'll be hooked and wanting more.
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