Parents' Guide to

Wilfred

By Matt Springer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Druggy, vulgar high-concept comedy is short on laughs.

TV FX Comedy 2011
Wilfred Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 5 parent reviews

age 13+

Sucks that it's being cancelled

This is my favorite FXX show. It's rated TV-MA-L for frequent use of the word s*it and explicit onscreen pot smoking. Some episodes are TV-MA-LV for also having graphic violence (Like when Wilfred get's hit by a car and it shows his arm being chopped off and the blood squirting out after).

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 18+

Valid warning!

Warnings well worth heeding!

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (9):

There's the germ of a great comedy series at the heart of Wilfred, which takes the term "high concept" to a whole new level. A talking dog that gives a sad-sack single dude advice, especially one with as much personality as actor Jason Gann brings to the role, could have a long life on cable as an underground cult hit. But the show has too much cheap vulgarity and inexplicable racial humor to properly support its clever concept.

When it comes to cable shows, there are still moments when it feels as though writers have a certain quota to fill on scatological jokes, swear words, and sexual innuendo in order to get a paycheck. Wilfred often feels as though it's merely trying to provide cheap shocks and occasional laughs, rather than anything more substantial. If the occasional laughs were more plentiful, or even if the offensive jokes were at least funny, that might help redeem the show. Instead, Wilfred is a dog -- both the character and the show.

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate