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Wonderfalls is a comedy-drama television series that was broadcast on the Fox television network in 2004.
The show centers 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 various 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.
TV Guide included the series in their 2013 list of 60 shows that were "Cancelled Too Soon"
Production history
The series was an American production, filmed in Niagara Falls, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario (standing in for Niagara Falls, New Yorkand environs),[2][6] with several Canadian actors cast in lead roles (including the show’s star). It was created by Bryan Fuller and Todd Holland and executive produced in partnership with Tim Minear. Originally scheduled to debut in the fall of 2003, its premiere was delayed until early 2004. When it finally debuted in March 2004 on the FOX network, Wonderfalls received positive reviews from critics,[7][8][9] 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 time slot to Thursday.[10] There was little notice or promotion of the time change, and FOX subsequently canceled the show after airing the fourth episode. A fifth episode was advertised but never aired.[11]
Despite its cancellation Wonderfalls developed a loyal fan base. 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.[12][13]
Immediately after the show's cancellation, its producers attempted to interest other networks, including The WB, in picking up the series and some episodes were shown in theatres in Los Angeles during the summer of 2004 in order to raise support for the series.
Post-cancellation
All 13 episodes of Wonderfalls were aired to completion for the first time on Canada's VisionTV beginning in October 2004.[14]
Wonderfalls was aired by the digital cable network Logo in the summer of 2005. The same summer, the British network Sky1 picked up Wonderfalls and aired the series to completion, though not in the original intended episode order.
The Museum of Television and Radio held a two-day screening of the entire series on January 29 and 30, 2005.[15]
20th Century Fox released the complete series DVD set on February 1, 2005. The DVD set includes all 13 episodes; six commentary tracks by creators Todd Holland and Bryan Fuller, and actors Caroline Dhavernas and Katie Finneran on "Wax Lion", "Crime Dog", "Lovesick Ass", "Safety Canary", "Cocktail Bunny" (with Scotch Ellis Loring) and "Caged Bird"; a behind-the-scenes documentary, an examination of the show's visual effects, and one of two music videos produced for the theme song, "I Wonder Why the Wonderfalls" by Andy Partridge
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