I know that I am at least a decade late to the “Teen Wolf” obsession, but I truly believe that it is a cinematic gem that needs to be treasured.
About a month ago, on a lazy Friday afternoon, my roommate and I randomly chose to put on “Teen Wolf” in the background while we both got some work done.
Little did we know that not even a week after, we would spend our days looking forward to the evenings, when the both of us would reunite in front of the TV and binge episodes for hours before bed.
We just finished our binge last weekend and are already tempted to start the rewatch as soon as possible.
Are we obsessed? Of course. Do we have many thoughts about the show and the characters? Also yes.
Firstly, I firmly believe that “Teen Wolf” is one of the most underrated shows in the 2010s supernatural high school genre.
We have all had our moments with “The Vampire Diaries,” “The Originals” and even movies like the “Twilight” saga; however, I honestly didn’t hear much about “Teen Wolf” until recently. Maybe I was just out of the loop, but either way, I still think that the show has been underrated.
Secondly, I think that “Teen Wolf” surpasses the other supernatural high school series and movies made with the quality of its characters, plot and just overall realisticness.
In terms of the plot, everything that happens actually makes sense, which is not always the case with this genre. There are no mysterious plot holes like those that exist in many episodes in “The Vampire Diaries,” nor do characters randomly come back to life throughout the series.
In “Teen Wolf,” if someone dies or is killed, that is the end (except for one special case).
The plot is interesting, and it features a new supernatural creature and overarching problem every season. The episodes balance their screen time between “normal” high school problems, like making the lacrosse team and getting good grades, and the more “supernatural” problems, like solving the mystery murders that appear throughout the town of Beacon Hills.
Apart from high school, the parents portrayed in the show are also realistic. They all have jobs, are shown at their jobs, interact with their children and have real life problems. For example, Scott’s (the protagonist) mother struggles with paying the bills in one season and Alison’s (another main character) mother is killed in a different one.
The characters are dynamic, and the actors who portray them are incredibly talented. The examples that stand out the most to me are Lydia and Stiles.
Stiles, a character who is usually full of energy, sarcastic and optimistic, becomes possessed and undergoes an intense few episodes of mental struggles, taking on an evil alter-ego. Lydia, a character who is generally level-headed and extremely intelligent, experiences physical torture and hallucinations, which cause her to suffer a lot.
Both of these storylines called for remarkable acting skills, and the two of them didn’t just deliver in those scenes, they dominated them.
The cast is also so diverse, portraying different types of personalities, genders, ethnicities, relationships, sexualities and even families. Not everyone on the show is “supernaturally beautiful,” like they are on other shows, which contributes to the realisticness of the series.
Finally, we can’t ignore the real draw of the show. For the general public, we know that Stiles, portrayed by Dylan O’Brien, steals the spotlight.
For my roommate and I, however, the real attention belongs to Derek Hale, portrayed by Tyler Hoechlin. As we were watching, we could not stop obsessing over Stiles and Derek, who we firmly believe are the true underrated and underappreciated characters of the show.
Are you looking to watch a 2010s supernatural teen show without the boredom, drama and plethora of plot holes that appear in shows like “The Vampire Diaries”? Check out “Teen Wolf,” I promise you’ll love it.
Who knows? You might just binge it all like I did and then come later back for a rewatch!