Teen Wolf 2.12 Master Plan

There was a certain amount of Master Plan that was every bit as outlandish and crazy as I thought it was going to be, and then there were moments where I was surprised with how grounded and personal it was. I guess that fact that both these clashing tones merged together so well means that it was incredibly strong.

Teen Wolf 2.11 Battlefield

What started out as time dedicated to the emotional fallout of the past few weeks quickly ascended into some insane set-up for the next week’s finale. The episode was less about crazy action and more about ramping up the excitement and getting all of the right pieces in place for what’s promising to be a big blowout in Master Plan; it was an extremely successful pre-cursor.

Teen Wolf 2.10 Fury

In terms of well constructed mysteries, the resulting conclusion should always be somewhat satisfying, at least in terms of explanation and exposition. As an episode, Fury was pretty exciting, but the conclusion to the season long quest to discover the truth about the Kanima’s master was kind of half assed and contrived. It spoiled things a little, for me.

Teen Wolf 2.09 Party Guessed

Party Guessed was an emotionally charged jumble of explosive plotlines, gross out moments and stimulating action. It’s hard to stop myself from rambling on week to week about how strong this season of Teen Wolf has been, but since every episode so far has been top notch, I’m going to have to forgo the option to seriously talk the show down; it can’t be done.

Teen Wolf 2.08 Raving

Raving was all about raising the stakes. Things were chaotic enough already, but now it feels like there’s that much more to be afraid of, and even more for these guys to lose. Not only that, but this episode also toyed with the, up until now, opposing sides in this war against the Kanima, at least where the wolves are concerned.

Teen Wolf 2.07 Restraint

I’m so confused, which isn’t really a bad thing when it comes to shows like Teen Wolf. Mind games are part of their shtick, so finishing an episode and wondering where the hell the last 40 minutes went means something is going very right. On top of the usual twists, Restraint wall-to-wall crazy, with a hell of a lot of screaming, and even more people being blown about like dust bunnies. I’ll tell you one thing; this show is anything but boring.

Teen Wolf 2.06 Frenemy

Frenemy, another perfect blend of teen and fantasy, was equal parts scary and hilarious. A lot about this show is over the top, and unbelievably far-fetched, but it never shrugs off the big stuff; like the implications helping someone who has been thrust into a situation that’s not entirely their fault, even if they’re a murdering snake outside of daylight hours. It’s things like this that only serve to make Teen Wolf a more hard-hitting drama than it’s perceived to be.

Teen Wolf 2.05 Venomous

Those of you who are familiar with some of the reviews I’ve posted in the past will know that I’m a sucker for a teen fantasy show. Though I’m happy enough to accept any series that straddles either side of the fence, genre wise, it’s the shows that blend the teen melo-drama with the over-the-top horror that really get me going. Venomous was the perfect representation of the type of series that I love, as the traditional teenage theatrics and not-so-traditional monster hysteria collided in an altogether amazing episode of Teen Wolf that was both exciting and intense.

Teen Wolf 2.04 Abomination

The best thing for a fantasy show to do after it’s established its roots is to expand its “universe” by adding new layers and depth to its basic formula. I’ve already mentioned that Teen Wolf has given this a try by adding in new plot pieces, like this new monster that’s terrorizing Beacon Hills. Abomination was all about shedding light on this new addition to the show’s mythology. It may not have been the season’s most exciting episode, but the show capitalised on this exposition by bringing even more new information to light, broadening its story field immensely.

Teen Wolf 2.03 Ice Pick

When a show undertakes an expansion of its primary cast, there’s a cautionary tale to go along with it. Too much energy focused on any new arrivals could mean that the pre-existing, already well established characters will be sidle-lined, leading to hostile fan reaction, and a resulting drop in quality. In Ice Pick, two new secondary characters were brought into the fold, but the success of their introduction lies in this show’s ability to always keep its core cast front and centre.

Teen Wolf 2.02 Shape Shifted

Teen Wolf is starting to show it’s affinity for mastering moving parts this season. Shape Shifted not only did justice to the already strong story arcs introduced last week, it also birthed a few new ones that emulated the formers’ success. Also, Allison Katniss Everdeen-ing it up was pretty bad-ass.

Teen Wolf 2.01 Omega

There are shows out there that come straight out of the bat, all guns-a-blazing. There are others that emerge with a subtle confidence, never trying harder than they need to in order to draw in an audience. Then there are ones that start out weak, with awkward writing, hard to like characters and only a small flicker of appeal. It’s only in the rarest of cases that these shows develop into something more. The Vampire Diaries did it, and I guess it’s time to add Teen Wolf to that list. There was a certain self-assuredness that developed during the second half of Teen Wolf’s debut season, eventually taking hold during its strangely impressive season finale. Omega solidified that confidence, almost taking it to the next level. Teen Wolf is on, people.