Running Wilde – “Pilot” – Review

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Say hello to my new favorite show, Running Wilde!  After just one episode, I’m totally hooked and already dreading its inevitable cancellation. 

Running Wilde is the story of reunited childhood sweethearts Steven Wilde and Emmy Kadubic, played by Will Arnett and Keri Russell, respectively.  Wilde, a selfish trust fund slacker, has been harboring a thing for Emmy, a jungle dwelling environmentalist with a tweenage daughter, since she disappeared from his life twenty years ago.   When Emmy receives an invitation to a gala where Steve will be receiving a humanitarian award, she sees this as the opportunity she’s been looking for to get Wilde Oil to stop drilling and save an ancient tribe she’s been living with. Her daughter, Puddle, sees this as her chance to get out of the jungle and lead a normal life.  Puddle’s scheming eventually pays off, and her mom decides to stay, living in Steve’s treehouse, and take Steve on as a project.  In her words, “I believe I can make you a better man.”

This show is the latest offering from Arrested Development creator Mitchell Hurwitz, and it shows.  Aside from featuring Will Arnett, who infamously portrayed Gob Bluth on Arrested Development, there are a lot of other aspects that are similar.  A lot of the show is told in voice-over by Puddle.  The clever writing, quick wit, and zany characters are all there, too.  This is what leads me to the conclusion that it will inevitably be cancelled.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish this by any means, but it seems like a likelihood that can’t be avoided.  Arrested Development was one of the most inspiring and genius shows of the last ten years, but was totally unappreciated in its time.  I’m not sure that enough time has passed that the American public will latch on to something so similar and let it succeed. But I will tune in every week until that fateful day, and each week I will hope that Running Wilde will find the success it deserves.

One Comment

1. 

   Russ

   September 22, 2010 at 11:33 am

   The visit of “Doctor Magazine” was the funniest television scene I think I have ever seen. My wife and I could not stop laughing for at least five minutes. What a wonderful surprise for this season.

   Reply