When MTV’s Teen Wolf first premiered in June of 2011, its first season was surprisingly successful, despite low expectations based on the mere fact that it was a show called “Teen Wolf” on a network that does not exactly carry the best reputation when it comes to producing high-quality television.
If one were to survey fans of the show (which includes myself), they would most likely say that the success of the first season was mainly due to the fact that it focused heavily on its charming characters, such as the incredibly selfless Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) and his rather sarcastic best friend, Stiles Stilinski (Dylan O’Brien), and the relationships that they held. Although the first season had its share of intriguing plotlines and conflicts, the show never seemed to stray from what was making it a hit—the teens themselves.
Now, three years later (as I sit here and contemplate just how long I have dedicated my time to this show), Teen Wolf finishes up its fourth season. Unfortunately, this particular finale was just another underwhelming addition to an overall disappointing season.
This season, fans followed their protagonist Scott as he came to terms with the fact that he is now the Alpha (or “leader”) of his own wolf pack, which now includes a very young (and very moody) freshman boy named Liam that Scott bit himself.
In addition, Scott must also deal with a budding relationship with fellow supernatural being Kira (Arden Cho), along with this season’s baddies—including Peter Hale (Ian Bohen), who is hungry for the power of a “True Alpha,” and the seemingly indestructible Kate Argent (Jill Wagner).
As mentioned above, Teen Wolf’s initial success was simply due to well-written, relatable characters with loveable personalities. This not only included Scott and Stiles, but also original-Alpha Derek Hale, (Tyler Hoechlin) whip-smart Lydia Martin (Holland Roden), as well as many characters that have since left the show.
However, after the Season Four finale, it became evident that Teen Wolf has strayed from its roots. In a season that was supposed to focus on the developing powers of Lydia (according to various writers of the show) she was essentially pushed into the background for a good portion of the episodes. Even fan-favorite Derek suffered a similar fate, as he took a backseat during most of the season’s action.
The addition of completely new characters, including Stiles’ love interest Malia (Shelley Hennig), also perpetuated this issue, since their storylines seemed to take precedence over most others.
Along with the issues of character development and the overwhelming amount of new additions, Teen Wolf’s fourth season suffered from an over-abundance of conflicts and villains. Each episode seemed to contain a different struggle or problem for the characters, leading to confusion as to what the actual, overarching conflict of the season was.
In addition, the decision to include both Peter Hale and Kate Argent as this season’s baddies just seemed unnecessary, and contributed to the frenetic feeling of the season as a whole.
Simply put, Teen Wolf needs to return to what made it successful in the first place.
Instead of hyping up intense plotlines and physical confrontations, the show should place more of a focus on its endearing characters, their relationships, and their more personal struggles as they continue to balance high school and the supernatural world.
PHOTO TAKEN from zap2it.com
