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Wilfred

Wilfred

2011–2014Ended4 seasons49 episodes~22 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

Everyone else sees Wilfred as just a dog, but Ryan sees a crude and somewhat surly, yet irrepressibly brave and honest Australian bloke in a cheap dog suit. While leading him through a series of comedic and existential adventures, Wilfred the dog shows Ryan the man how to overcome his fears and joyfully embrace the unpredictability and insanity of the world around him.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Wilfred?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Wilfred to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Wilfred?

Wilfred earns 6 badges, led by One of a kind and Standout acting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Wilfred worth watching?

Wilfred's Midcredits score is the 82nd percentile of all shows, from 46K ratings across 2 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

82nd percentile

Better received than 82% of shows

80th percentile among Comedy80th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)78th
Approval (how many liked it)81st

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

77 /100

78th percentile of all shows

79th percentile among Comedy76th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

84% liked it

81st percentile of all shows

77th percentile among Comedy79th percentile among 2010s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

94th percentile

46K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Comedy93rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A surreal, darkly comedic show about a troubled man and his neighbor's dog that only he sees as a man in a dog costume, exploring themes of perception and personal demons.

Fans praised

  • multilayered dark comedy with psychological depth
  • therapeutic exploration of mental health, self-acceptance, and happiness
  • sharp chemistry and performances between Wood and Gann

Detractors panned

  • one-joke premise that grows repetitive and tiresome
  • humor relies on crude shock without wit
  • plot feels aimless and inconsistent

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive90

Universally acknowledged as uniquely surreal and inventive even by detractors who dislike the execution

ActingDivisive87

Elijah Wood and Jason Gann's chemistry carries the show, with Wood's straight-man reactions and Gann's manic charisma praised; detractors find Wood one-note and Gann annoying

Ending83

Finale hailed as poignant, bittersweet, and redeemingly meaningful by fans

Emotional impact82

Many fans cite profound emotional resonance and life lessons; detractors silent on this

DialogueDivisive79

Witty, philosophical banter mixed with crude one-liners; detractors call the writing unoriginal and flat

CharactersDivisive78

Ryan is a relatable everyman struggling with mental health; Wilfred is a complex, loveable-but-manipulative force; detractors find characters unlikable and stagnant

Plot and storyDivisive70

Praised for its layered psychological mystery and metaphorical depth across seasons; panned as meandering, inconsistent, and poorly paced by detractors

HumorDivisive68

Fans praise its dark, absurd, and irreverent style; detractors call it juvenile, unfunny, and shock-value driven

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 27 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 22 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Episodes

4 seasons

Season 4 · 2014 · 10 episodes

  • S4E1

    Amends

    Jun 25, 201422 min
  • S4E2

    Consequences

    Jun 25, 201421 min
  • S4E3

    Loyalty

    Jul 2, 201421 min
  • S4E4

    Answers

    Jul 9, 201421 min
  • S4E5

    Forward

    Jul 16, 201421 min
  • S4E6

    Patterns

    Jul 23, 201421 min

Watch experience

What is Wilfred like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and charged — a slow-burn watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdTense
Heaviest: late
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Absurdist · 6% of shows: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Satirical · 5% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe show plays its absurd situation with a straight face while the humor arises from Wilfred's doglike logic applied to human problems.
The rideThe show oscillates between absurdist comedy and genuine emotional tension, with the later seasons leaning harder into the darker, more serious character work.
StructureEpisodes follow a conventional three-act structure, with the mystery of Wilfred's existence unfolding serially across seasons.
Episode formatEach episode presents a self-contained, often absurd dilemma involving Wilfred, but threads a season-long mystery about Ryan's perception and his past throughout.
Season formatEach season follows a self-contained narrative arc examining Ryan's journey and the mystery of Wilfred, with the core cast remaining the same.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe show lingers as a meditation on perception and mental health, and its hopeful finale leaves viewers inspired.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7% (this title): Redemption 1% · Healing 3% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

7% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe typical episode follows Ryan as Wilfred's mischievous 'teachings' push him toward small breakthroughs in his mental health, making rebirth the dominant episode archetype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% (this title) · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

PurposeMental illness · under 1% of showsFriendship
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe show explores a man's search for meaning while grappling with depression and an unconventional, transformative bond with his neighbor's dog.
StanceThe series questions what gives life meaning, often leaving Ryan's purpose unsettled, without celebrating a clear answer.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernFolkSupportive music · original score · Jeff Cardoni
SettingA suburban neighborhood where Ryan sees his neighbor's dog as a man in a dog suit.
MusicThe score mixes melancholy guitar and piano with offbeat, playful cues that mirror the show's tonal shifts.

Content guide

Is Wilfred okay for kids?

TV-MA

Wilfred is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at moderate (53/100), language at severe (82/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (79/100) and frightening material at intense (62/100). Its violence, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany18
  • France18
  • Brazil16
  • Austria16
  • Netherlands12
  • PhilippinesPG
  • PortugalNR
  • SpainNR
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 49%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 77%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (46 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Wilfred have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Wilfred?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Elijah Wood
as Ryan Newman
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Jason Gann
as Wilfred
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Fiona Gubelmann
as Jenna Mueller
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dorian Brown Pham
as Kristen Newman
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Chris Klein
as Drew
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Allison Mack
as Amanda
Rodney To
as Dr. Bangachon
Gerry Bednob
as Mr. Patel
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
James Remar
as Henry
Mary Steenburgen
as Catherine Newman
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.

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