Teen Wolf could still go either way; there’s a really strange duality to the show in that it doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. It could easily slip into the cheesy, shallow fluff that it sometimes wants to be … you know, a show that would fit perfectly on MTV. Or, it could break out of its destined mold and become a unique foray into a genre that is still not quite overdone.
Let’s start with the shallow. The secondary characters are so one-note and underdeveloped. Lydia could develop into someone as complex and enjoyable as Buffy‘s Cordelia, but right now, developing her character is not on the priority list. The same goes for the coach, who is trying hard to be Sue Sylvester and it’s just not working for me.
They are also going for the cheap, and I mean dollar store, thrills. The rainbow wheel of death just as someone is standing behind Scott, so Stiles can’t warn him? Bargain basement stuff. Making us think Allison might be a wolf as she sneaks out of her house, flipping down the porch roof … finally admitting that she’s had gymnastics training. You get the point. Vampire Diaries can do the cheap thrills and make them feel like they’re sporting a designer logo.
Just a word on the bowling. I know it could have easily cropped up on The Vampire Diaries; it was really only one small step away from Founder’s Day, Miss Mystic Falls, town clean-up, the carnival … I won’t go on because I’m depressing myself. Clearly I can wrap myself around any dorky teenage date scene. It works on Vampire Diaries, only barely, because we care about the characters. I’m not there yet with Teen Wolf.
The good stuff, though, is keeping me coming back, and it only got better with the third episode. We’re starting to really see some complex backstory here. Derek is innocent after all; he didn’t bite Scott or kill his sister. We’ve got an Alpha to deal with, along with a very morally ambiguous pack of hunters.It wasn’t clear to me if the Alpha pack or the hunters (though it wouldn’t surprise me to find out at some later point that they are one and the same) were the ones who killed Derek’s sister and used her as bait to get him back to town, but it was a very nice plot twist. I also really enjoyed the scene between Derek and the mangled bus driver in the hospital: “How do you know me?” That set up another little mystery to be revealed, and it’s going to be fun watching it all come together.
We’ve got people suspicious of Scott, like Jackson who saw the ripped lacrosse glove and even Allison who followed him to the locker room after the game. Why he couldn’t have just said he was having trouble with his asthma is beyond me, but no one asked me to write for Teen Wolf, so I’ll try to keep my mouth shut on trivial points like that one.
The groundwork has been laid for a solid show … now if only they take the path that is least traveled on. That will make all of the difference.
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Jun 20, 2011 @ 15:30 EST5EDT
I watched the 2-part premiere with my 14-year-old daughter. We came away with wildly different opinions of the show and I don’t think it’s any surprise whose thumb was up and whose was down. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from this show or MTV, but as I’ve said in past comments I really try to find shows I can enjoy with my kids because it can be a great way to open up dialogue on subjects that might be difficult for them to share with their old folks and, hell, it’s just fun to do anything with the squirts! I’m afraid this show will have to be one just for her, I could find very little to enjoy about it.
There are so many things to wonder about, like who the hell decided lacrosse should be the big high school sport (and who the hell watches lacrosse *practice*?!!!)? But the thing that bothered me the absolute most of all was the coach. What did they give that actor before shooting or what exactly was he going for in his portrayal of the role? It was as if he decided to crank his crazy to 11 and then try to be the worst actor possible. I’ve seen more depth from tertiary characters on “Spongebob Squarepants.” (A show I absolutely adore, by the way.)
Sorry about the rant. I want to like this show and I will keep reading your reviews because I value your opinions. Maybe I’m just too old and curmudgeonly to ever enjoy “Teen Wolf,” but since it’s still new maybe adjustments will be made to bring it around to something really good…or at least half good. I thought “Buffy” was really cheesy when it started out, too, but it got better so I’ll keep watching for what you have to say about the evolution of this show. I’ve got my fingers crossed and my TV on another channel.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’ve been waiting to reply to you until I saw this week’s episode … and I have almost nothing new to report. It was definitely less cheesy and I’m still hanging on, but it definitely hasn’t Blown the Hatch or anything. You are so right about Buffy, but they did start with better characters than Teen Wolf … so far.
And lacrosse is pretty big in my town, believe it or not! :-)
Oddly enough, the little college I attended for my first 3 semesters was really big into lacrosse as well. I just find it an odd choice because it’s not exactly a sport the majority of viewers will identify with and in some cases they might not even know what the heck it is. To be honest, I’m glad they didn’t go with football since that’s so overused it’s almost expected. Something like basketball as a nod to the original movie would’ve been fun and definitely something more viewers could identify with (heck, even just identify!).
I do hope to hear good news in the future and I can’t rely on my daughter who thinks it’s the best thing since “Pretty Little Liars” so you’re my objective eyes here.
This show is so much better than I had been expecting that I was astonished. Perhaps Vampire Diaries did it better, but I remember just how clunky Buffy‘s first season was as well as you do. Every character is still no more than a type, to be sure, but they seem to have about half the stupidity they would have on another show, which was quite refreshing (I give Allison’s stupidity where Scott is concerned a pass due to hormones/daddy issues).
It was hard to like the show during the pilot, because every scene involving Colton Haynes just reminded me how much I missed The Gates, but it got its ducks in a row fairly quickly. Neither his character nor Scott do anything for me yet, but I loved the supporting cast almost immediately, particularly Stiles and Lydia. After four episodes, I now am much more interested in the Argent clan than the werewolves.
Lydia might not be a Cordelia, but they’ve dropped fairly blatant hints so far that she’s both smarter and more skilled than she appears. She’s actually more interesting to me than the designated love interest. Speaking of which, I didn’t think for a moment that Allison’s flip last week was trying to suggest that she was a wolf so much as to make us wonder just how much Hunter training her father had given her. That point was continued this week with the revelation of her nationally-ranked archery skill.
Really, no matter how cheesy the show may get (and it is from the director of Highlander II), they now have Jill Wagner back on a genre show, doing shoulder rolls and running around firing guns, as well as possibly being sociopathic. That’ll keep me watching until they kill her off.
I think the writers of this show are doing a good thing. There not rushing the storyline of this show.
I believe in vampire diaries Elena and Stefan fell in love to quickly
one minute she was disgusted at him-the next she was all over him.
This isnt happening here. You can still see that Alison doesn’t trust scott entirely. Plus there is still heaps of mystery from dereks past that has yet to be explained. As well Jacksons, Plus who is the Alpha?
I think the show is doing a great job at keeping its audiences entertained. After all its only on to its 6th episode.
It is cheesy, but isnt Vampire diaries as well?
Come on people. Give Teen Wolf some faith.