Is KIRSTIE Still a Star?

Article first published as Is KIRSTIE Still a Star? on TheTVKing.

TVLand is known for creating new sitcoms that feel dated. They do this by hiring the stars of old shows and putting them in a familiar tone with similar writing. It's not the freshest, most original method of making television, but it tends to satisfy TVLand viewers, who tune in to watch the classics, if Hot in Cleveland's success is any indication.

The latest entry into this genre is Kirstie, which premiered this week with a double episode, "Pilot; Arlo Moves In." As one might expect, the show stars Kirstie Alley (Cheers, Veronica's Closet), though rather than playing a character named after the actress, her role is that of Maddie Banks, a Broadway star. That's kind of strange, considering that the title of the series really has no connection at all to the story or characters. But it should serve to draw fans of Alley in. Make no mistake, her fans are out there, as she can truly act well when she wants to.

In the "Pilot," Arlo Barth (Eric Petersen), whom Maddie gave up for adoption many years ago, finds his biological mother after the woman that raised him dies and quickly insinuates himself into Maddie's life. By the second half hour, "Arlo Moves In," they are sharing an apartment. Arlo is a man-child who is very rough around the edges, but he'll teach Maddie to care as she tries to teach him how to adjust to her world. It'll probably be a slow learning curve in order to preserve the premise as long as possible.

Maddie really doesn't have friends, just employees who she spends her time with, so she has plenty of room in her life for Arlo. One wonders what she did with all her free time pre-Arlo, but Kirstie doesn't dwell on that, sticking to a few, simple routines Arlo can work himself in to, and putting Maddie out of her element just a little bit to provide some fodder in the other direction.

Kirstie is enjoyable, but it's not because of the story. This sitcom is as formulaic as possible, and the situation feels off, especially because there is no notable connection between Maddie and Arlo in temperament nor in looks. The plot is predictable and thin. Growth will be extremely slow, if it ever comes.

But the cast is terrific. Not Petersen, so much, who serves his purpose, but is overshadowed by the veterans surrounding him. Kirstie plays Maddie exactly how so many have though of her over the years - a diva whose talent doesn't quite measure up to the reality. Rhea Perlman, Kirstie's Cheers co-star, joins her as gruff assistant and friend Thelma. Michael Richards, who had his own fall from grace post-Seinfeld, is Kirstie's weird driver, Frank. The three play parts similar to what they're known for playing, and those skills were honed in a couple of the best comedy series ever made. Toss in hilarious, better-be-recurring roles for Kristen Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies, Wicked) as Maddie's understudy and Christopher McDonald (Harry's Law) as her on-stage leading man, and you have an enjoyable program.

Now, is that enough to build an entirely new show on? Not on any other network, surely, but on TVLand, which hangs on to the past, rather than looking to break new ground or create something special in its own right, it just may have a chance. Especially because, flaws included, it's still better than most of its peers on the network.

Kirstie airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on TVLand.

Wilfred The Complete First Season bounds onto Blu-ray

FX's Wilfred was one of the big surprises from last summer. A much-changed American remake of a popular Australian show, it's about a guy named Ryan (Elijah Wood) who, after a failed suicide attempt, begins seeing his neighbor's dog, Wilfred (creator of both versions, Jason Gann), as a man in a dog suit. This dog smokes pot and encourages Ryan to do illegal things, causing trouble. Or does he? Maybe Wilfred is just getting Ryan out of his comfort zone, so that Ryan can improve as a person.

No one else sees Wilfred a man. This can create some issues when Ryan interacts with Wilfred a little too naturally in public. And Wilfred himself spends a lot of time acting like a dog, from humping teddy bears to digging holes, though he usually uses a shovel to do the latter. So the line between reality and fiction is pretty fuzzy.

Obviously this is the recipe for a comedy, and Wilfred is that, albeit, a very strange one. However, it's also the kind of mix that opens up a bunch of philosophical questions, forcing one to confront questions about oneself. What does it mean to be crazy? Is Ryan insane, or is he just freed from the shackles of conventionality? What should a person want out of life? What should one do to get what one wants? Does pot destroy your brain?

None of these questions are answered in The Complete First Season, which may make the show a bit inaccessible to a widespread audience. Viewers aren't accustomed to thinking too deeply about television, especially in the comedy vein. Without knowing what the series is really about or what is going on, it turns into a strange presentation. Perhaps fans will commit to such mysteries on a series like Lost, but will they do the same for a cable half hour?

Obviously, Wilfred did something right, earning itself a second season, which is currently airing Thursday evenings. It could be the talent of Wood and Gann, who ably carry what is basically a two-man buddy show. It could be the writing, intelligent and witty. It could be the absurd situations Ryan finds himself in, which are the hallmark of any sitcom, and which Wilfred crafts well. Or perhaps the mystery really does draw people in and make them want to keep watching, hoping that someday Wilfred will get around to explaining its conceit.

Each episode has a one word title, which explains an emotion or character trait that is explored within. Among the highlights of the first season: "Happiness," the pilot that kicks off all the craziness; "Trust," in which Ryan learns that Wilfred may have ulterior motives for his actions; "Acceptance," where Ed Helms (The Office) plays a creepy doggy daycare owner; "Pride," which features Wilfred forcing Ryan into a relationship so that he can have his own tryst; "Anger," where Wilfred acts possessed; "Compassion," in which Ryan's mother, Catherine (Mary Steenburgen, Bored to Death), who is also nutty and sees a woman in a cat suit (Rhea Perlman, Cheers), is introduced; and "Identity," the finale that questions if anything viewers have been watching is even really happening.

Besides the mentioned actors, Wilfred has a rich guest cast of recurring characters that really help the high quality impression the show gives off. The series co-stars Fiona Gubelmann as Wilfred's owner and object of Ryan's affection, Jenna, and Dorian Brown as Ryan's controlling sister, Kristen. Additionally, in smaller roles, Chris Klein (American Pie) plays Jenna's boyfriend with anger management problems, Ethan Suplee (My Name is Earl) is a scary neighbor, and John Michael Higgins is Ryan's mom's somewhat unethical doctor.

For a show about being the best person one can be, many of the characters featured are not good people. Is this an excuse to make Wilfred and Ryan not seem as bad as they are? Or are these negative images offered up as excuses to get into amusing situations?

The two disc set of Wilfred The Complete First Season has a handful of special features. Six minutes of Wilfred's Comic Con panel is enlightening, showcasing the cast, especially Wood, speaking about the process of making the show. Even better is the ten minute "Fox Movie Channel Presents Life After Film School With Jason Gann," which has Gann talking lovingly about his creation. There are also fifteen minutes of deleted scenes, many of them, thankfully, from the episode "Compassion."

Less valuable are two featurettes that are basically sixty second mash-ups of clips. "Wilfred & Bear: A Love Affair" is just a bunch of sex scenes between the two, while "Mary Jane Mash-Up" shows some humorous moments had under the influence of drugs. Neither is very valuable, being too short to justify whipping them out at a party, and having no value for any other setting.

Overall, it's an entertaining and original series, even if the special features are a little lacking. Buy Wilfred The Complete First Season, on sale now.

Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com  Click here to read every review of Wilfred I've ever written. If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article first published as Wilfred The Complete First Season bounds onto Blu-ray on TheTVKing.com

Wilfred searches for "Compassion"

     This week brings two new episodes of FX's Wilfred, though the first, "Compassion," is far more significant than the second, so this review focuses on the first. In "Compassion," Ryan (Elijah Wood) picks up his mother (Mary Steenburgen, Curb Your Enthusiasm) from the mental institution where she has been living these past twenty years. Finding it hard to deal with her eccentricities, Ryan tries to take her back. But Wilfred (Jason Gann) has grown attached, and arranges for Mom to discover Ryan's suicide letter. Soon, Ryan ends up being treated by his mother's doctor (John Michael Higgins, Happily Divorced), though in the end, they both return home.

     This is a very important episode because it reveals just how much Ryan is like his mother. Despite Mom telling Ryan he looks like Dad, Ryan is said to have been very close to his mother while growing up. She took him to belly dancing classes and other events she considers "bonding," but he thinks, with the perspective of age, are just "weird." Removed from her direct influence for two decades, Ryan may have escaped some of the specifics that befell his mom, but the seeds are planted, and it might explain why he is such a loner.

     The clincher in "Compassion" is, in the final scene, Mom is shown speaking with her cat (Rhea Perlman, Cheers), whom she sees as a woman in a cat costume. This is exactly like Ryan's relationship with Wilfred. While next week's new episode, "Doubt," will confusingly suggests a handful of other theories as to why Ryan sees Wilfred the way he does, "Compassion" offers the explanation that Ryan has inherited his mother's mental disease. It remains to be seen if Wilfred will ever explain definitively what is going on, but this episode points to a simple possibility, and the simplest answer is often correct.

     So does that mean Ryan is doomed to see Wilfred as a man in a dog suit his entire life? What happens when Wilfred dies, as all dogs do eventually, much sooner than humans? Why has it taken until now for this illusion to manifest itself in Ryan's brain? Is there a trigger? Did Mom try to commit suicide, too?

     The biggest miss in "Compassion" is leaving out Kristen (Dorian Brown), Ryan's sister, Kristen, is not around nearly as much as she should be, and with a family reunion episode, now would be the perfect time to bring her back. Plus, it would be nice to get the chance to compare Kristen to Mom, and Kristen to Ryan. It would really have been a neat look at the dynamic of the family, and a clue to if Kristen has some of the same issues that Ryan and Mom share. Unfortunately, this does not happen. But perhaps it still can, down the line?

     Wilfred airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

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     To catch up on Wilfred with streaming episodes online, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: Wilfred - "Compassion" on Blogcritics.