Even though MTV has bestowed upon us such shows as Jersey Shore and Teen Moms (and Teen Moms 2, for that matter), once in a while they have a show that’s actually entertaining, funny, and doesn’t kill half your brain cells in one sitting.
While I won’t pretend Teen Wolf is without flaws, it does have its merits. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine. And although I don’t admit it to friends and family members (too late now, right?), I anticipate those Monday nights when I can sit down and lose myself amongst the werewolves and forget that I’m just a regular human with no superpowers or kickass fighting abilities.
So, why even give this show a chance with MTV’s track record? I’ve got a few reasons.
Beauty
Let’s just start off with the most superficial one: the main men and leading ladies. I mean, come on. What are they feeding them, and where can I get some?
First, we’ve got the trio: Tyler Posey (Scott), Dylan O’Brien (Stiles), and Crystal Reed (Allison). Scott is our main werewolf, and it’s his story that we follow. Stiles is his best friend. While mostly there for comic relief, he’s also brilliant (if somewhat ADHD) and has helped Scott out of more than one tricky situation. And then there’s Allison. She’s Scott’s girlfriend — and also happens to be the daughter of a werewolf hunter.
Not to be left behind, you’ve then got the supporting cast who are no less important (and no less gorgeous). Tyler Hoechlin plays the badass Derek, who’s got more than a few tricks up his sleeves. Holland Roden plays the shallow popular girl (Lydia) who just happens to be a super genius. And then there’s Colton Haynes, who plays the ever-so-complicated Jackson.
Brawn
Even though it’s no longer cool to like vampires, werewolves are still enjoying the last two minutes of their time in the spotlight. Disney princesses and men in tights are quickly taking over. This show does a great job of putting the spotlight on the more traditional sense of the beast. No giant wolves here. Even though the makeup and special effects fall a little flat for me, I think they do a great job of making the transformation — and the whole idea of a real-life werewolf — as realistic as possible.
Brains
I’ll gladly be a fan of a show that portrays its women as strong and intelligent. First you have Allison. Even though she’s in love with Scott, she can’t deny her family’s tradition. She’s an expert archer and kind of a badass, too. And in these past few episodes of season 2? Yeah, she can definitely take care of herself.
Then there’s Lydia. On the surface she’s rich, snotty, and shallow. She hides her intelligence because it isn’t cool to be smart. Now, I think some of it is simply a plot device — they need someone to know random bits of useful information that no one else does. (I mean, really. What 16-year-old girl studies Classical Latin, gets bored, and takes up Archaic Latin?) But, in the end, it gets the message across: nurture your talents…even if you have to hide them out of embarrassment.
Villains
One of the best things to come out of this series is the bad guys. They’re all three-dimensional and complicated, not to mention terrifying. For some, you kind of hate them and you kind of like them at the same time. (Think season 1 Damon from The Vampire Diaries.)
Derek has been a werewolf for a long time and all he wanted was vengeance for his sister’s death. But now that he’s the top dog, he doesn’t always take the moral high ground. But at the end of the day I think he knows what’s bad and what’s really, really bad. At least there’s some sort of distinction there.
But some of the villains are just pure evil. Gerard, for instance, will go to any length to get what he wants. He’s ruthless and unforgiving. And when he holds all the cards, sometimes all you can do is duck and cover, and hope for the best.
Humor
This show has great plot twists and cool action sequences, but the one thing that really stands out to me is the humor. There are perfect one liners and great bits of physical comedy. The chemistry between the actors is palatable, and it carries right on through the TV screen and into your living room.
In this vein, I have to put the spotlight on Stiles. He’s absolutely the number one reason why I continue watching this show. And if I didn’t convince you with any of my other reasons, please just trust me on this one. Dylan O’Brien’s comedic timing is impeccable. He has, by far, the best lines. (Like, “I’m 147 pounds of pale skin and fragile bones. Sarcasm is my only defense.”) He often tends to be the brunt of so many jokes — his relationship with Derek is terrifying and hilarious at the same time. (Sterek, anyone!?) He’s also got a major crush on Lydia, who spends most of season 1 unaware that he even exists. He’s the underdog, and who doesn’t love that?
If men with big canines and lots of hair are your thing, if you hate boring bad guys, or if you just love a good laugh, then Teen Wolf is definitely your kind of show.
So, what do you think? Does Teen Wolf sound interesting or are werewolves just not your thing? If you already watch the show, what are some other reasons that keep you coming back for more?
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