Werewolves have had it rough in the entertainment industry lately. Hollywood has become obsessed with vampires, dedicating movie franchises (Twilight), television shows (The Vampire Diaries, True Blood), and even awards shows (the MTV Movie Awards might as well have been called the Twilight Awards instead) to the undead. Meanwhile, the werewolves have been relegated to supporting characters, unable to truly bare their fangs.
MTV has rectified the glaring imbalance with its latest scripted program, Teen Wolf. Loosely based on the 1985 cult film of the same name, the show follows the life of lacrosse player Scott McCall (played by Tyler Posey) as he deals with the aftermath of being bitten and turned into a werewolf. We see the looming shadow of the beast within affect every aspect of his life, most importantly a budding romance with Allison (played by Crystal Reed), the new girl at school.The title of the show itself begs for ridicule, but MTV has done an excellent job at making the series as realistic as humanly possible (pun intended). The characters, with all of their teenage angst, are relatable. Scott is a pretty likable guy, and Tyler Posey has an awkward, yet sympathetic charm that makes you want to root for him. He has some serious chemistry going on with Crystal Reed, most evident in a creepy, but cute scene involving an injured dog.
Speaking of creepy, this show is looking to be the most legitimately scary show since Nickolodeon's '90s classic Are You Afraid of the Dark? With the dark visual tones, the excellent CGI effects, and the haunting werewolf Derek Hale causing trouble, you actually feel that there is something wrong with this sleepy town. As more of the story unfolds, that feeling promises to grow.
Teen Wolf has a lot of potential to be MTV's next big hit, a refreshing change from reality shows like Teen Mom and Jersey Shore. Time will tell whether the show's bite is stronger than it's bark.
Article first published as TV Review: MTV's Teen Wolf on Blogcritics.
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