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List Price: $29.98 | | Label: 20th Century Fox
Salesrank: 2801
Released: February 1, 2005 |
| Our Price: $21.95 |
| Used Price: $15.98 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
"From the producer of Angel and Firefly comes Wonderfalls with 9 never aired episodes. Although a recent graduate of Brown University, Jaye Tyler decides to ignore her degree, live in a trailer and work at a tourist gift shop in Niagara Falls called Wonderfalls—-much to the despair of her well-to-do family. But Jaye’s aimless life takes a startling turn after a lion figurine begins talking to her. Her family calls it an "episode," but Jaye knows better.
Fearing for her sanity, Jaye nevertheless starts doing exactly what an increasing number of inanimate objects tell her to do and is amazed when her outrageous actions begin changing people’s lives in unexpected ways. "
Description of Wonderfalls - The Complete Series:
Wonderfalls is probably the most hilarious show you've never seen. An hour-long "dramedy" about a young woman who hears the voices of inanimate objects--which instruct her to help out total strangers--the show aired on Fox in early 2004 to critical acclaim and dismal ratings. After airing four times in terrible time slots, the show was quickly canceled, but not before a hue and cry from a small but fervently devoted cadre of fans went up, begging for all 13 episodes to be released on DVD. Thus, the highest-profile DVD release of a canceled show was born, and the nine unaired episodes of Wonderfalls are finally seeing the light of day.
You may be wondering: is it worth it to check out a show that was axed so quickly? The answer is an unqualified yes, as Wonderfalls is quirky without being precious, sardonic without being bitter, and smart without being a show-off about it. Jaye (Caroline Dhavernas) is a graduate of Brown University who's opted not to put her education to work, and instead lives in a trailer and works at a tourist shop in Niagara Falls, to the consternation of her affluent, successful family. All seems to be going well for this self-proclaimed slacker, until one day a small toy lion speaks to her in enigmatic epigrams, commanding her to help people. Loath to deal in any compassionate way with the rest of humanity, Jaye warily obeys, if only to make the voices stop. Soon, though, she finds herself to be an unwilling humanitarian and accidental hero when more inanimate objects start talking to her, and more people turn out to need her help.
The premise may sound a bit too off-the-beaten-path, but Wonderfalls' meddling with the ethereal was grounded in a keen awareness of post-college life and the travails befalling young twentysomethings who had no idea where their life was going. And instead of being sanctimonious or inspiring, the show was instead a complex mix of the heartfelt and the angsty, and Dhavernas was one of the most cynically hopeful heroines to grace the small screen. The rest of the cast was also topnotch, including Kate Finneran as Jaye's high-strung sister, Diana Scarwid as her caustic mother, and Tyron Leitso as bartender Eric, whose tentative romance with Jaye was both affecting and hilarious. Think of Wonderfalls as less of a failure and more of a rare opportunity to see some of the most creative television in recent memory. --Mark Englehart
Wonderfalls - The Complete Series Reviews:
Missing discs 
2009-11-21 - I ordered this item and received 2 copies of Disc 3 and was completely missing Discs 1 & 2. What use is a series when I'm missing 2 thirds of it?!?!?!
Really bad quality assurance. Such a shame. Maybe try checking that the item contains what it should before sending.
Alluring concept, poor execution 
2009-09-02 - The show concept and description are so alluring and esoteric, and I love the idea of a rational, intelligent, university educated (but aimless) young adult who places great value in guidance provided by inanimate objects....but alas, the show's casting, writing, and acting all reflect the desire to capture that all too familiar male 16 to 30 audience.
The episodes are simple and redundant. There is little character development. Most characters are reduced to cultural and family stereotypes through poor acting and even worse dialogue. Shallow does not begin to describe Wonderfalls.
On paper, Wonderfalls had the potential to be another Northern Exposure. Admittedly, the cinematography and set design/location choice are superb. But eye candy will only take you so far, and in the case of Wonderfalls, it was 4 episodes broadcast, and a premature archive of 8 (or 9) more.
I made it through the first four episodes before putting the disc back in the box and listing it on a well known auction site.
In the end, I was hard pressed for an answer to this question: "Why does a 24 year old Brown graduate act like a 17 year old high school student and engage her friends, family, and colleagues in vacuous, drivelling conversation?
Supposedly, the anchor character Jaye has a degree in philosophy, but can't bother to wonder at the miracle that allows her to communicate with inanimate object. My final conclusion is that the show is inanimate, and the flamingos profiled in the 2nd episode (who repeat ad nauseum 'Get off your ass') exist to encourage the viewer to do just that and find better narrative driven TV. There surely isn't worse.
The included documentary on Wonderfalls is nothing more that absolute auto-fellatio from the major actors, producers, etc....on what a great show Wonderfalls was. TV land never knows when to admit a failure. The show tanked for good reason, and you can't blame the bad timeslot for all of this show's faults.....
Love love love it 
2009-07-12 - The only upsetting part of this series is that it only lasted 1 short season.
This show had so much potential to be so much more than it ever got the chance to be.
The series is quirky, to say the least, but the humour, the writing, the acting, and the stories are always entertaining, rarely disappoint... and they always manage to keep you guessing as to what will happen next. And just when you think you've figured things out, they change it up yet again.
Good fun, it's worth checking it out; it's one of my favorite television series now, no wonder everyone kept telling me to get things in gear and watch this series - you should too!
Amusing. 
2009-06-30 - This show is amusing to watch since I sometimes catch myself talking to inanimate objects. It's interesting to watch how each episode plays out and the humor is quick and intelligent. Too bad it was so quickly canceled off the air.
TV at its best
2009-05-28 - Wonderfalls, from the minds of Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies) and Todd Holland (Malcom in the Middle), was a pleasant surprise. I did not watch the show while it was on air during its four-episode run, but discovered it recently by becoming a fan of Bryan Fuller and Lee Pace through Pushing Daisies. The show follows Jaye, an underachieving and antisocial retail clerk in Niagara Falls who begins to hear inanimate animals talk to her. She becomes "fate's bitch" as she listens to the animals to help those she encounters and to bring about her own transformation. Caroline Dhavernas is excellent as Jaye, making a seemingly difficult-to-like character lovable. The supporting cast of her family and friends is great, establishing interesting characters in their own right, and bringing out different dimensions of Jaye. The show may be a little too quirky and original for some, but the quality of writing, directing, and acting makes this one of my favorite shows because it is extremely funny and delightful. Though it was prematurely canceled, the season comes to a satisfying conclusion after thirteen episodes. I highly recommend Wonderfalls, especially to Daisies fans. Simply television at its best, I can't praise it enough.
