Guilty Pleasures: Teen Wolf

Judging only by the title, most people might assume Teen Wolf, which just started its third season Monday at 10pm on MTV, is all guilt and no pleasure. However, this show is so much more than a remake of the '80s Michael J. Fox campy classic, as it actually only resembles that movie with its basic premise of a teenage boy who's life is changed drastically when he becomes a werewolf. Instead of a high school sports comedy, this version is equal parts teen drama, slasher horror, and mythological mystery, with plenty of gripping action and wry humor thrown in for good measure. The series centers on Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) as an asthmatic bench warmer (here, Lacrosse is main sport instead of basketball) whose physical health and fitness is significantly boosted after a suspicious bite. His loyal best friend "Stiles" Stilinski (Dylan O'Brien) realizes that Scott is actually now a werewolf, prompting them to spend most of the first season trying to find the out who bit Scott and how he can be cured.

Their search leads them to Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin), an older, former student of their high school, who happens to be part of a long line of "purebred" werewolves and is searching for the Alpha wolf that killed his sister and bit Scott. Part of what makes Teen Wolf so refreshing, is its deep dive into werewolf mythology, while other supernaturally themed shows present a simplistic view so they can get back to focusing on vampires (thankfully, there are none of those overexposed creatures present in this series, nor are there any zombies or witches). Scott and Stiles learn that in order to cure a non-genetic werewolf mutt, Scott must kill the Alpha that bit him, releasing himself from its control. Yes although they don't know the Alpha's human identity, it regularly shows up to force Scott into shifting and joining him in his murderous rampaging. So in addition to solving that central mystery, Scott must also work with Derek and learn to control his inner beast so he doesn't give away his true nature on the lacrosse field or attack other students or teachers in school (there are a few hulk-like emotional situations where he comes close to shifting, even some where he actually does, and he must fight to contain it).

Further complicating Scott's animal instincts and human emotions is new student Allison Argent (Crystal Reed), as the two fall hard for each other in a whirlwind of teenage love and hormones. Even worse, Scott discovers Allison's unfortunate lineage well before she does, revealing her entire family to be serious werewolf hunters (cue the inevitable Romeo & Juliet-ification of their romance). Additionally, Allison is unaware werewolves even exist, along with the rest of the town, making Stiles' Sheriff father's investigation into all of the recent animal attacks and murders particularly difficult. In addition to Scott's nurse mother and his veterinarian boss (who seems to know more than he lets on), the cast is rounded out by Allison's popular best friend and Stiles' crush, local scream queen Lydia (Holland Roden) and her lacrosse captain boyfriend Jackson (Colton Haynes). Each of these characters get more to do as the series progresses, with additional characters added in the second and third seasons. Jackson's story is particularly intriguing as he develops from a typical low-stakes-antagonistic jock who can't handle losing the spotlight to another player, to a tragically self-serving and uninformed schemer who eventually becomes a serious threat. Each of these characters also gets to experience various horror tropes throughout the series, such as having someone/thing stalk them in the dark or being haunted by gruesome, but vivid hallucinations, and the tension of these scenes is racked up effectively.

While the first season focuses on Scott's transformation and subsequent struggle, the second season presents a host of fresh mysteries for him and Stiles (and Allison) to solve, including the emergence of a deadly lizard-like shapeshifting abomination that may have a partner. And while the first season did an excellent job of slowly revealing its central mystery along with plenty of mythology, the second season does the same only with much much more. Mysteries involving the new shapeshifter, the beast-hunting Argents, and Derek's quickly growing pack develop at a brisk pace, as new revelations only breed further questions that perpetuate the story. This systematic pacing (similar to the early seasons of Vampire Diaries) keeps the show from getting bogged down in its own mythology and mysteries, as the core characters race to solve life-threatening situations in a world they only recently discovered. In addition to the captivating plotlines, its these characters that really keep you invested in the show, as their multiple theories (which will often reflect the audience's own) and ability to see the ridiculousness of their situations make them feel authentic and relatable. Furthermore, even the non-powered characters stand out as Allison breaks out of melodramatic tropes with new arrow-based skills and Stiles moves beyond simple comic relief with substantial bravery and resourcefulness.

All things considered, if you have no patience for the supernatural genre, it will be difficult to accept this series. However, if you come with an open mind, Teen Wolf is a perfect example of how many high-concept sci-fi and fantasy shows like this rise above their simple premises and low budgets (the effects in Teen Wolf can be pretty good, or absolutely horrible like the season 3 premiere's CGI animals and shattered glass) with phenomenal writing and acting. And if you are already a fan of the genre, prepare to add a new favorite to your list.