WONDERFALLS

'''Wonderfalls''' is a television program that was featured on the Fox television network in 2004.
The show's premise is centered on Jaye Tyler (Caroline Dhavernas), a recent Brown University graduate with a philosophy degree, who holds a dead-end job as a sales clerk at a Niagara Falls gift shop. Jaye is the reluctant participant in conversations with a variety of animal figurines — a wax lion, brass monkey, stuffed bear, and mounted fish, among others, which direct her via oblique instructions to help people in need.

Contents

Production history

Fan support and DVD release

Cast and crew

Episodes

Planned episodes

External links

References

Production history

Originally scheduled to debut in the fall of 2003, its premiere was delayed until early 2004. When it finally debuted in March 2004, ''Wonderfalls'' received positive reviews from critics, but had trouble attracting viewers. The pilot episode, “Wax Lion”, received a higher Nielsen rating when it was repeated the Thursday after its premiere, and the show was moved from a Friday night timeslot to Thursday. However, there was little notice or promotion of the time change, and the show was subsequently cancelled after airing the fourth episode. (A fifth episode was advertised but never aired.)
Immediately after the show’s cancellation, its producers attempted to interest other networks, including The WB, in picking up the series. If they had been successful, ''Wonderfalls'' would have been the first American series in history to change networks in the midst of its first season. In addition, some episodes were shown in theatres in Los Angeles during the summer of 2004 in order to drum up support for the series. These episodes, many of them rough cuts without full effects and score work, were also released onto the Internet, aided by the producers themselves, who helped distribute them via the BitTorrent protocol.
The show now lives in syndication on the Logo cable network.

Fan support and DVD release

Despite its cancellation, ''Wonderfalls'' developed a loyal fanbase. A campaign spearheaded by fans (and an accompanying website) was launched, and several members of the cast and crew visited the site and encouraged the grassroots support. ^[1]
Based on the groundswell of support, and the fact that much of the series had not aired, 20th Century Fox decided to release a DVD set featuring all 13 episodes on February 1, 2005. The DVD set includes commentary by the producers and cast members on half the episodes, a behind-the-scenes documentary, an examination of the show’s visual effects, and one of the two music videos produced for the theme song, “I Wonder Why the Wonder Falls” by Andy Partridge.

Cast and crew

The series was a United States/Canada co-production, filmed in Toronto, Ontario, and with several Canadian actors cast in lead roles (including the show’s star). It was created by Bryan Fuller (''Dead Like Me'') and Todd Holland (''Malcolm in the Middle'') with executive producer Tim Minear (writer and director for ''Firefly'' and ''Angel'').

★ Jaye Tyler — Caroline Dhavernas

★ Mahandra McGinty — Tracie Thoms

★ Eric Gotts — Tyron Leitso

★ Aaron Tyler — Lee Pace

★ Sharon Tyler — Katie Finneran

★ Darrin Tyler — William Sadler

★ Karen Tyler — Diana Scarwid

★ Alec (aka "Mouthbreather") - Neil Grayston (recurring role)

★ Heidi Gotts - Jewel Staite (recurring role)
Some sources use the two-word spelling '''Wonder Falls''' for the title, although the DVD lists it as a single word; the title of its theme song is two words.

Episodes

Fox aired the first four episodes out of sequence, although the episodes as a whole were produced in a different order than was intended for broadcast. The page below shows the episodes in the order in which producers intended them to be viewed.
Main articles: List of Wonderfalls episodes

Planned episodes

Although the series creators had intended for the 13 episodes of ''Wonderfalls'' to tell a standalone story (perhaps anticipating cancellation after the first season), apparently, the writers were already thinking as much as two years ahead. According to an interview featured on the 2005 DVD release of the series, the producers revealed that they already had plans for a second and third season. Among the projected storylines mentioned on the DVD:

★ In the second season, Jaye’s therapist would document their sessions, eventually publishing a book on her, which would lead to her being institutionalized with “Jesus Syndrome” in the third season.

★ An accidental-pregnancy plotline was also planned for Jaye's lesbian sister Sharon.

★ A new "Wax Lion", one who was intact, would be introduced, who would advise Jaye against listening to what the original "Wax Lion" said.

★ The young boy who receives a mail order bride from Russia in the "Lovesick Ass" episode would come back in the opening of Season 3 in the same institution as Jaye. He began suffering from pyromania after Jaye broke his heart, which he first manifested by burning Eric's car at the end of the episode.

External links

★ ''Wonderfalls'' at The TV IV

★ ''Wonderfalls'' at Television Without Pity

★ Save Wonderfalls + Thanks from Bryan Fuller

★ Get Her Words Out Forum ("Get off your ass" campaign)

★ Wonderfalls Scripts, Music Video, Interviews, & deleted scenes

★ Lyrics to ''I Wonder Why The Wonderfalls'' by Andy Partridge of XTC

★ Cancellation notice from Tim Minear

★ Wonderfalls Tour - Guide to filming locations seen on the show

References

1. http://www.savewonderfalls.com