Wilfred – Sacrifice … and more signs

“Love is a willingness to sacrifice.”
– Michael Novak

Did you ever see The Red Balloon?

It was an annual staple in my grade school, a treat I and many of my classmates looked forward to each and every year. I remember being fascinated by it the first time I saw it … and that fascination still holds true today. It’s an Oscar-winning French film short (with but a hint of dialog) about a boy who is befriended by a seemingly sentient red balloon. It is filled with wonder and sacrifice and longing and hope … just like this episode of Wilfred. So it was completely appropriate imagery from The Red Balloon was used to great effect here.

A balloon was present throughout “Sacrifice”: Ryan bought one for the beautiful Italian Cinzia upon meeting her for the very first time … that same balloon led him into his courtroom nightmare which was the watershed moment of the episode … and it was ultimately sacrificed itself — along with Ryan’s dream of heading to Italy with Cinzia — by none other than our titular Wilfred.

Speaking of Ryan’s courtroom nightmare: If you’ve been watching the show all this time and haven’t caught a clue Wilfred doesn’t hold enormous sway over our faltering, underdog hero, you’ve been too busy looking for the next knuckle-dragging joke or situation to arise. There’s so much more packed into it than appears on the surface … and some pretty cerebral stuff, too. While I freely admit the show muddles my brain at times with its juvenile fluff, it does throw us a bone by offering interesting and spiffy concepts now and again.

Did this episode hold true to the possibility Ryan is dead? You betcher Buster Browns it did, Bobo-Nose. You need go no further than look at the underlying statements said by both Cinzia and Wilfred at the beginning and end of the episode, respectively:

“Never underestimate the power of a dream.”

Notes:

• Interesting and revealing to see Ryan’s job held as much muck-raking as it did. He was an expert at digging up dirt on his opponents’ clients to sully their reputations.
• Wilfred speaks Italian. Who knew?
• Guffaw worthy moment of the show for me: Drew’s (Chris Klein) monosyllabic (and approving?) “Bro!” when he realizes Ryan is pining for both Cinzia and his girlfriend Jenna during the nightmarish courtroom scene.
• Forget his misunderstood yearning for Jenna: Ryan had the opportunity to break free from the idea of Wilfred in this episode by heading abroad with Cinzia … but his wimpy-ness won through once more, as it so often has in the past. Bonehead.

Quotes:

• “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Ryan.” — Wilfred
• “Ryan, I’ve always had your best interests at heart. But I’ve never asked for anything in return … except for a bunch of stuff.” — Wilfred

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Sep 02, 2011 @ 16:12 EST5EDT