Fresh, intelligent, insightful and hysterically funny, Wonderfalls is a show you'll come back to time and again.
The series has oft been criticised as a cheap Joan of Arcadia carbon copy, but Wonderfalls is by far the superior of the two.
Whereas JoA has a painful tendency of falling into a soppy family drama -- tears and revelations and tight embraces and fluffy bunnies -- Wonderfalls is constantly slick and on top of it. It, too, has its share of emotional moments, but never dwells on the soap; rather, biting back with its trademark humour.
To give an example -- Jaye and Eric share a lovely moment standing at the top of the falls, where Jaye has the chance to scatter a deceased character's ashes (very cutely, in a souvenir barrel). It's a sweet moment, and as the barrel plummets into the foam, Jaye turns -- to find herself face-to-face with a cop, who promptly fines her $250 for littering.
Caroline Dhavernas is perfect for the starring role of Jaye Tyler, an underachiever whose expectation-free reputation belies her true intelligence. Jaye doesn't like people in general, revels in the role of the bitch, when suddenly she's forced to do good by the nagging of toy animals. In following these cryptic messages and helping others, Jaye herself begins to develop a warmer sense of compassion and a sharper understanding of those around her, while still retaining her delightfully badass attitude.
Dhavernas steals our hearts in a way Joan of Arcadia's Amber Tamblyn has never been able to manage.
It is sad that Wonderfalls -- by far the better of the two shows in every aspect -- was the one to get the axe, but at least we can console ourselves with the promised DVD release later this year/early 2005.
