December 8th: Wondering about Wonderfalls

kiki_miserychic requested: "what do you think was the main message behind Wonderfalls?"

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. I think there were a lot of themes running throughout Wonderfalls, but I'm not sure the show had enough time to solidify a message. However, if anything, I think it said that engaging with the world, however you can, makes the world better and makes you better.

Jaye put everything away from her behind a wall of snark and cynicism. When the animals started on her and she was forced to engage with other people and help them, she left a positive impact. Mostly. Sometimes things got worse before they got better, but they almost always got better. The interactions were frequently catalysts for people to reassess their lives and start living in a way that made them happier -- as in the class reunion episode and the "Fat Pat" episode. This was at its most tumultuous in the "return of Heidi" mini-arc, where Jaye appeared to have to sacrifice her own happiness for Eric's, but in fact, it was just a means for Eric to shed his baggage and find where he was happiest -- with Jaye.

I should note that Jaye doesn't *change who she is* -- she remains a deadpan snarker who uses her words, so to speak, as her own best defense.  In fact, most of the people she helps remain who they are. They just find a better path to express themselves or to let out the best version of themselves. When people are false, untrue to themselves, or their personal truth is hurtful to others, they are frequently disappointed, hurt, or even dead by the end of the ep.

So, in short:

engaging > not engaging