Teen Wolf: Anyone watching this MTV show? spoilers

9961 Views 22 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Rob Helmerichs, Aug 9, 2016

Hoffer

Discussion Starter · Jun 13, 2011

I watched the first two episodes of this show yesterday. I guess I liked it enough that I haven't deleted the series from recording on my DVR.

I had to laugh at the start of this show. This cheerleader chick was pooping on football and saying how this town was all about lacrosse. She was talking to her boyfriend how he needed to be awesome in the first game so he can go pro. This is a high school girl's dream? To have a boyfriend go pro in lacrosse?

I think I figured out why they picked lacrosse for the TV show. When the teen wolf goes wolf, the gloves and helmet cover up the parts of his body that go wolf. The guy doesn't get hairy like the Michael J Fox movie. I was dreading if this kid was going to be known as a werewolf to the town like he was in the movie. I would have quit watching the show if that was the case. I guess I want my werewolf TV show to be a little darker.

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justen_m

· #2 · Jun 13, 2011

I've watched a few minutes of the first episode. It seems interesting enough so far. I'll probably finish the first and watch the 2nd and 3rd tonight (after the 3rd airs). I just hope the lighting gets a bit less dark. I fell like I need to crank up the brightness on my TV just to watch, but hopefully that's just because the scene I've watched it in a dark forest.

Alfer

· #3 · Jun 13, 2011

Why in the world did they "borrow" the name of the Teen Wolf movies from the 80's?

Kid's today don't know about that old movie.

From the reviews and write ups, this sounds like a real stinker though...not that the 80's movie was any better mind you...

Peter000

· #4 · Jun 13, 2011

I downloaded the freebie first episode from iTunes. It wasn't horrible, but not near the quality of other "teen horror" series out there. (Guess I'm thinking specifically "The Vampire Diaries).

But for Summer fare it's alright.

Michael S

· #5 · Jun 13, 2011

Alfer said:
Why in the world did they "borrow" the name of the Teen Wolf movies from the 80's?

Kid's today don't know about that old movie.

From the reviews and write ups, this sounds like a real stinker though...not that the 80's movie was any better mind you...

They probably wanted to go the Buff The Vampire Slayer route thinking they run into the same luck.

I haven't seen it yet but the pooping thing sounds disgusting.

retrodog

· #6 · Jun 14, 2011

Michael S said:
They probably wanted to go the Buff The Vampire Slayer route thinking they run into the same luck.

I haven't seen it yet but the pooping thing sounds disgusting.

Well if they are in the buff, they're either bathing, having sex, or pooping. I don't think they picked the right one either.

danterner

· #7 · Jun 17, 2011

I watched the first episode last night and it was surprisingly okay. The whole lacrosse thing seems off, but I think Hoffer may be right about the reason it was used.

sieglinde

· #8 · Jun 17, 2011

I got rid of the SP. I figured it would be one of those shows I reluctantly watch. (after the description of the werewolf etc. I was turned off.)

Hoffer

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 17, 2011

sieglinde said:
I got rid of the SP. I figured it would be one of those shows I reluctantly watch. (after the description of the werewolf etc. I was turned off.)

Dealing with the description of the werewolves, in the third episode...

We learn that there are alpha and beta werewolves. Alphas look more like your standard werewolf. The betas look more human with some wolf-like features.

We got to see the eyes of an alpha in the dark woods. I'm assuming next week we'll actually get to see it. Then again, the main guy saw a werewolf thing in a dream. That is probably what the alpha looks like.

Vendikarr

· #10 · Jun 17, 2011

It's better than I expected it to be. While the teen action (double date & wanting to play first string) is lame, they are building a solid werewolf mythology.

Vampires have been getting all the love in recent years. It's time for werewolves to be more than vampire foes.

I just never would have expected a decent genre show on MTV.

TIVO_GUY_HERE

· #11 · Jun 17, 2011

Show is better than I thought it would be ( It is MTV ya know.) I even had to go into my "Channels you receive", and click on MTV, haven't had that on my channel list in years.

The guide info wants to tape it every time it's on, and MTV isn't the best channel to try to record something by Time.

David Platt

· #12 · Jun 18, 2011

Alfer said:
From the reviews and write ups, this sounds like a real stinker though.

Really? I've seen quite a few positive reviews of the show. Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing a single negative one.

sieglinde

· #13 · Jun 18, 2011

I didn't see any positive ones. I think the pilot may have been real weak.

balboa dave

· #14 · Jul 6, 2011

I agree with this review. Teen Wolf started off OK, and has gotten very good. It's not quite up to Supernatural standards, but it is as good as Vampire Diaries, only less complicated. The supporting cast especially has been a welcome surprise. Plus, they've added Jill Wagner, and that's never a bad decision.

On the bullets and angst of Teen Wolf

Teen Wolf is surprisingly well written. Of course, Im willing to admit that I did not want to like the show.

From the moment I first heard about the project, I was expecting to totally jeer the series as Twilight-esque fluffy nonsense, especially coming from MTV. Thus, Ive been quite pleasantly surprised by the shows essential quality.

Im willing to place it up with Smallville as one of the few teen dramas worth watching. As a fantasy show, the writing and portrayals remind me of Supernatural, a clever show which is not afraid to be self-effacing.

The effects are good, the drama is believable, and there is very little plot-blindness or overwrought melodrama. There is of course some angsty teen hormonal awkwardness, but those parts of the story are treated as the silliness they are.

When the characters get into their awkward teen situations, there are no dramatic camera angles or over-blown symphonic scores, they are left to act like awkward teenagers and be as silly as needed for the scenes. I think this is what lowers the barrier of entry for an adult audience. The thing that keeps many teen dramas from being any good is the terrible gravity with which they depict normal teenage angst. This show has none of that.

The lore is being treated well here to. The eponymous protagonist has been bitten by an unknown "alpha" werewolf, another werewolf in town is a reluctant ally, and the protagonists girlfriend is, unbeknownst to her, from a family of werewolf hunters. This is all building into a detailed history for the town, the hunters, and for the town, three forces in a dangerous triangle, all at the mercy of the alpha werewolf, who must be someone in town, and likely someone whom the audience has already met.

The recent episodes have done well in building us suspicion, creating several characters in the town who are shifty-eyed and seem to react strangely when people talk about the werewolf who is attacking people - only the alpha is violent toward civilians.

The most impressive aspect of the shows writing is the grayness with which the "sides" of this conflict are presented. Other than the mysterious Alpha, no one in the story seems to be a real bad-guy, everyone is just reacting to the stresses that the situation has put them under.

If you havent checked out Teen Wolf yet, I would encourage you to do so, its too well-crafted not to at least give a chance. Luckily the series is available on MTV.com for your streaming pleasure.

Hoffer

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 6, 2011

I agree that the show seems to be getting better. I still like Vampire Diaries a lot more. Maybe with time, Teen Wolf will get up there for me.

phox_mulder

· #16 · Jul 6, 2011

I'm calling it.

The Veterinarian is the Alpha

Spoilered as I'm not sure this is an episodic discussion thread, or just a general thread.

phox

Hoffer

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 6, 2011

I say the thread is open to all spoilers. I put spoilers in the thread title and did not list a specific episode. Other people have all season spoilers threads. We'll just call this one that. Plus, I think I had spoilers from the first 2 episodes in the first post.

They definitely left the episode to make you think the vet is the alpha.

danterner

· #18 · Jul 6, 2011

I haven't seen the episode that aired over the July 4 weekend yet, but since people are speculating about the Alpha I guess his identity wasn't revealed in this most recent episode. Based on prior episodes I agree the vet is a good guess. My guess, though, is the school teacher.

This show is definitely better than I had anticipated. It has a LONG way to go before I'd rank it up there with Supernatural or Vampire Diaries, though.

Anyone happen to catch what they are reading in class? It was mentioned very briefly in the pilot episode -- Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis." I thought that was a nice touch.

phox_mulder

· #19 · Jul 6, 2011

Hoffer said:
They definitely left the episode to make you think the vet is the alpha.

Ya, maybe too obvious.

Changing my vote.

The Alpha is the sheriff.

phox

dswallow

· #20 · Jul 15, 2012

i just did a marathon viewing of the entire first season and first 7 episodes of the second season this weekend. I had caught part of the first episode of season 2 a few weeks ago and thought it looked a lot more interesting than I expected.

And it really was a lot more interesting than I was expecting! It was actually rather good. So good I really didn't want to stop watching but around 5am last night just had to rest, so went to bed after I'd finished the first season.

This show and "Awkward." make two series I'm following on MTV now. Good stuff!

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