Teen Wolf: Ten Years Later

It always a nice thing when someone recommends a show to watch. Naturally, I am intrigued, but at the same time, I am not sure if the show is really going to be worth my time. Years ago, I talked with my friend Crosby, and he told me about a show he watched called Teen Wolf, which aired on MTV from 2011-2017. I wasn’t fully on the MTV train except for some cool music videos, but the channel wasn’t my thing. MTV was too cool and flashy for my taste.

But I decided to give the show a shot. Back in 2014, I was starting to recognize Dylan O Brien from Maze Runner and The Internship. I decided to get it on Netflix, and I was hooked. The series had a nice Goosebumps vibe as a young lacrosse star Scott Mccall gets bitten by a werewolf and has to deal with his newfound abilities with his hyperactive best friend, Stiles. He gets some help from a reluctant mentor and werewolf, Derek, and they have to help Scott navigate his regular high school life while figuring out who is the rogue werewolf and whoever else may want to hunt him.

Goosebumps nostalgia was reeling me in, and it was a fun watch. It didn’t have many cliche high school tropes, which was refreshing, and there is a lot of mythology and world-building like in Supernatural. 

The cast of characters is just astounding. Tyler Hoeclin (Superman and Lois) plays the reluctant mentor turned proud leader. Jill Wagner (Wipeout) is the charismatic and very attractive yet devious werewolf hunter. Holland Roden is the popular girl in school whose intellect is unmatched and has a heart of gold which she tries to hide from the world. Then there is the classic girl next door trope in the form of the beautiful, elegant and resourceful Allison Argent (Crystal Reed) with a dark past. Tyler Posey is the hero of our story who is accidentally brought into the dangerous world of the werewolf but is truly the Chosen One. Every show needs amazing parents, and Linden Ashby and Melissa Ponzio perform to perfection. Colton Haynes hits it out of the park as Jackson, the thorn in Scott and Stiles’s side, as we see his drunken rise to power in the social high school hierarchy. Finally, there is Orny Adams as the highly stressed but hilarious and irritable Coach Bobby Finstock.

The storylines on the show are so well crafted. Scott tries to live a normal life as a high school kid while trying to suppress his werewolf sensibilities, keeping his single mother from worrying and trying to stay on top in lacrosse. Peter Parker would get along well in this show. Meanwhile, he must find out who bit him and stop a rogue werewolf from wreaking havoc on the town of Beacon Hills. The series evolves as it is revealed that Beacon Hills is a lightning rod for the supernatural.

There is an amazing line from Captain America Civil War that echoes the series throughout: 

 “Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict… breeds catastrophe. Oversight… Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand.” -Vision

The mythology and world-building of this show are beyond impressive. We dive into the mentality and hierarchy of werewolves and the notion of alpha. Hunters play a role in the show, and they are relentless. It’s a good thing Sam and Dean Winchester was busy for 15+ years. Banshees are introduced and when Archen Cho joins the show as Kira Yukimura, a kitsune. She is an amazing ally, but her rich Japanese culture comes into play as the deadly Nogitsune wreak havoc, culminating in one of the most heartbreaking moments in Teen Wolf and maybe MTV history. However, Dylan O’Brien does deliver an amazing performance as a spirit possesses him as he tries to break free from it.

I could mention the Dread Doctors in Season 5, but they still give me nightmares. I am just going to leave it at that.

I have to mention the fans of the show. What an amazing fanbase. You know a show is good when there is an aftershow hosted by comedic, awkward yet compelling Morgan Evans. But the fan art alone is just majestic. The theme song is so full of artistic fervor bordering on interpretive dance and operatic flavor. I could do a whole Ted Talk or thesis on the opening alone. Each season theme opener is worth the re-watch. It’s amazing to see the impact the show has had on people. The series showcases people of many different backgrounds, and even gay characters are at the forefront, which is amazing to watch. Everyone is invested in the characters, and they are so beloved to the fans. The Comic-Con panels and live chats are proof enough. After watching a recent anniversary video on Twitter, Superfans Amanda Gurock and Kaitlyn Vella have full-time careers at MTV, thanks to the show.

Bravery, hope, love and loss, and identity and friendship and family are a constant thread throughout this series, and it gets better with each episode. I am happy to be a fan of this show. It’s also heartwarming when a talent like Tyler Hoechlin, Megan Tandy, and Colton Haynes joins the Arrowverse, and O’Brien goes on to star in a trilogy of films based on best selling dystopia novels.

Thanks, Crosby

Oh, and we can all agree that Greenberg was secretly Taylor Lautner the entire time, right?

#justiceforgreenberg

#greenbergdeservesbetter