As we get closer to the premiere of season 3 of Wynonna Earp I thought I’d share a couple reasons why I love the show as much as I do and, possibly, both entice you to watch it and whet the whistle of anyone who’s already a fan and counting down. Welcome to Why Wynonna Earp.

Love

Wynonna Earp is home to one of the best ships out there: WayHaught.

From the moment Wynonna’s sister Waverly Earp and Purgatory Sheriff Nicole Haught met, sparks flew and viewers were treated to something we don’t often get to see on TV –– a woman openly, confidently, and unabashedly coming onto another woman from the moment they meet. On top of that, while Waverly’s dating a guy at the time, she doesn’t spend a whole lot of time or drama on the fact that she’s attracted to Nicole.

There’s some of the usual uncertainty you have with any new “do you like me?/do you like ME?” courting, but once Waverly and Nicole get together, it’s a whole new ballgame. I’m pretty sure WayHaught kisses would power a small country. They certainly fuel the joy of the fandom.

Language

Ask any Wynonna Earp fan what their top favorite lines from the series is and it’s a good bet Season 2‘s “This may be a shit show, but it’s our shit show” will be among them because, let’s face it, it’s a great line.

It’s also immensely relatable.

Wynonna’s cranky. She’s straightforward. She’s the girl your mama warned you about. She’s also got one hell of a mouth on her. She’s also a badass.

Come to think of it, everyone on the show has a potty mouth. Which is a bonus if you ask me.

Lady Parts

One of Wynonna’s biggest strengths is her ability to roll with the punches. In a town like Purgatory, you never know what sort of day you’re going to have, what with demons and goo and sudden pregnancy.

Also able to roll with the punches? Showrunner Emily Andras who, when she discovered that her lead actress Melanie Scrofano was pregnant, got Wynonna pregnant, too. Like, super pregnant. Almost immediately. (These things happen when your actress gets pregnant during hiatus).

But the beauty of the whole thing is that not only did the show figure out a way to incorporate Scrofano’s pregnancy instead of hiding her behind desks or masking her tummy but they incorporated some of the funny, scary, and downright vaginal things women go through when they’re pregnant.

In Summation

Most of us navigate through our lives dealing with a variety of problems, triumphs, crises, and those idiots who love to just sit in the middle of the lane in a parking lot waiting for someone who isn’t backing out until next Tuesday (if that’s you, sorry but it’s really annoying). Some days we triumph, some days we come home and eat a pint of ice cream and call it a win.

Wynonna Earp is flawed. She screws up. She’s basically killing things because they’re trying to kill her and her family. It’s not some grand quest. It’s basically her desire to get back to the way things were and keep everyone alive in the process.

Like Buffy Summers before her, Wynonna Earp has been chosen by fate. Like Buffy, Wynonna has her own circle of friends and family. Like Buffy, there’s generally a Big Bad.

But, as much as I love Buffy, I never related to her. I couldn’t see myself in her. Whereas Wynonna Earp in all her donut-eating, whiskey-drinking zero fucks-giving glory is the sort of hero we might be if we discovered we suddenly had to fight demons in our sleepy little towns.

Look, life is messy and complicated. Relationships are confusing. People are usually just trying to go about living their lives as best as they can without suddenly losing it in the changing room because they can’t find a pair of pants that actually fit their butt and then deciding to go to Mrs. Fields (don’t judge me).

If any of this sounds like you, then pull up a barstool and let’s get messy. No judgment, just cheap whiskey, nachos, and kicking demon ass.

Let’s do this.

Wynonna Earp premieres on SYFY July 20 at 9 P.M. PT/ET with a special preview on July 16.