Teen Wolf season 3 is quickly approaching, and we want to make sure new fans are ready to tune in on June 3.
The window for initiating new fans is closing, and although there is still time to catch up with the show on Netflix or iTunes, we know there are some of you who remain stubborn about tuning in.
So, this is our attempt to round up more people for the premiere while acting as ambassadors for the show. Supernatural fans, former Buffy fans, people who like to watch TV in general, we wrote this article for you.
Truth is, we should probably question your judgment a bit if you aren’t at least a little skeptical of Teen Wolf before you actually watch the show. Because yes, we get it. The fans are completely aware how cheese-tastic and bloody awful the show looks at first glance.
It’s not like we’re going to fault you for being resistant. For crying out loud, the motto of the fandom is ‘Everybody hates Teen Wolf until they start watching Teen Wolf.’ Which: Accurate. But it’s really unfair that everybody’s pent up resentment over the supernatural/romance genre (thanks, Twilight) is sort of sabotaging the show. Because the thing is, this program is totally legit. If you would be so kind as to give our little show a chance, we swear to you it’ll be worth it.
Note that this article contains spoilers in an attempt to get you ready to watch season 3 without having to go back and watch all 24 episodes. (Though, really, you should.)
Stiles Stilinski
Stiles is basically the gateway drug into Teen Wolf. Like, if for no other reason you make it through an episode of the show, it will be because of Stiles. It’s hard to even describe what it is about Stiles that everyone loves – but it’s a lot. He’s the best friend, side-kick, the comic relief… But he’s also so much more than that.
What you get pretty quickly when you watch the show is that Stiles is 367% dedicated to his friendship with Scott (aka THE TEEN WOLF). Their bromance is so epic and profound that in 150 years time, little theater geeks will be performing scenes from their broship like we recite lines from Romeo and Juliet.
Stiles is actually the one to discover that Scott is a werewolf, mostly because he’s crazy enough to even consider the idea in the first place. Scott thinks his friend is insane (as we all would, to be honest) or that maybe he overdid it on the Adderall again (an actual thing they say on the show), and promptly ignores his claims.
This happens a lot on Teen Wolf. Stiles has a pretty insightful and smart idea – to which Scott ignores. But it works for them. Because Stiles is endlessly loyal and Scott always comes around in the end. They love each other and they work it out. Don’t ever fall for what the shippers try to tell you. There is only one OTP on this show, and that is Scott/Stiles (*whispers* and maybe Derek/Tragedy, but we’re getting there.)
The beautiful thing about this show is that it doesn’t rest on one character, storyline, or ship to keep you interested. Stiles may be what hooks you into watching, but he is FAR from the only thing that will keep you around.
Scott McCall
So while you’re busy falling in love with Stiles, there are some other things happening as well. Without you even realizing it, you’re also going to become unbelievably attached to every other character on the show.
For instance, it’s not uncommon to get completely blindsided by love for Scott McCall. Technically the boy carries the show, but the hero’s journey has been seen in every facet known to man, so audience members can kind of unconsciously disengage from these characters. (Seriously, ask someone who their favorite character in Harry Potter is, and see how many people actually say HARRY.) Which is why it might take you a second to APPRECIATE who Scott is. But once you do – watch out.
Scott is kind, and sweet, and dedicated to the idea that people are ultimately good. (Except for maybe Derek… Those two sort of got off on the wrong foot… It’s a long story – just assume they have a tense working relationship.)
For some reason, in fandom he’s gotten the reputation that he’s not smart? But that’s canonically incorrect. He’s actually pretty bright. He just sometimes looks at the world a little naively. But that’s because Scott wants to believe the best in people and make things work by hurting as few as possible.
He has a beautiful relationship with his mom; maybe the best, most realistic, partent-to-child relationship on TV these days. We’re talking Veronica/Keith Mars, Seth Cohen/Sandy levels of good. Maybe even better than that – because those characters didn’t have to deal with their child becoming a creature of the night.
And, of course, we can’t mention Scott without bringing up Allison as well.
Allison Argent
If we were to paint a picture of who Allison Argent is, it would look something like Katniss Everdeen – the bow wielding goddess herself – in 4 inch heals and blown out hair.
Allison is from the Argent family, who are basically a group of hunters dedicated to tracking and killing supernatural creatures. More specifically: werewolves. (Although, given their reputation, anything would probably due in a pinch.) Growing up, she doesn’t know about her family’s extracurricular activities, but she catches on pretty quickly once she moves to Beacon Hills and starts falling in love with our teen wolf.
Allison is fun and happy and generally a peppy person. But she goes through a lot over the course of two seasons and it wears on her. She loses her aunt (rightly so), her mother (unjustly so), and in a way her grandfather as well (DIE DIE DIE), so she starts placing her blame and anger on anyone who’s in her way. Never fear though, her redemption story is in the works and it won’t be long before she’s back on her feet again, joining the good guys in their fight against evil.
The Scott/Allison romance is textbook tragic young love, both from opposite ends of the spectrum with really strong elements pulling them apart. Think Buffy and Angel – except Angel is a floppy haired puppy made of sunshine, and Buffy could kill you in your sleep while reapplying her lipstick and doing a back handspring. Sure they can get a little nauseating at times, but the fact is they really do work well together. They manage to stay on the same page and have a very realistic young love vibe. This isn’t Dawson’s Creek and they aren’t making up reasons to have drama. They just legitimately run into tactical problems while trying to be together.
Plus, another cool thing that was foreshadowed at the end of last season is that this show doesn’t operate on destiny. Maybe this couple will be endgame or maybe they won’t. We’re not really sure. And that uncertainty makes this pairing that much more realistic. Because what teenager knows for certain who they’re going to be with forever? Maybe they THINK they know, but the writers of this show aren’t letting anyone off that easily. And boy do we love them for it.
Werewolf 101:
Derek Hale
Derek (aka Broody McBrooderson) is not the happiest character in the world. But then again, you would probably be pretty grouchy too if your whole family had been charbroiled extra crispy.
Yeah, you heard us right.
Apart from being a werewolf, Derek is a pretty normal guy, vulnerable to the same things that most boys are. You see, when he was 15 he made the mistake of getting involved with an older woman: Kate Argent (Allison’s aunt). Unbeknownst to him, Kate was a psychotic bloodthirsty monster who tricked Derek into trusting her. Then, the second his back was turned, she literally set his world on fire. Out of dedication to the Argent mission, Kate burns Derek’s family alive in their home: Werewolves and humans alike.
The only people who survived the fire were Derek and his older sister Laura, because both were at school at the time of the ‘accident.’ Their uncle Peter also made it through the tragedy, but only just barely. Even with his super werewolf healing, the man remained a husk of person spending the next 6 years in a coma.
So you could say Derek has some baggage. And by some, we mean airports and airports full.
The hits just keep coming to this poor leather jacket wearing soul as well. The only reason Derek actually returns to the town of Beacon Hills is because Laura is murdered, and he comes back to seek revenge. We’re not going to reveal who or what killed Laura (just in case you do want to go back and watch seasons 1 and 2), but we will say that it all ends in a bloody and psychologically damaging mess. Derek actually becomes an Alpha at the end of season 1, but this new power isn’t without its consequences.
So it’s pretty safe to say that Derek is entitled to his dark exterior, scruffy jaw line and SERIOUS trust issues. Like, he’s the king of trust issues. To the point that his stubborn ‘never going to let anyone in again’ attitude causes a lot of the hi-jinks in Beacon Hills, which brings us to season 2.
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