The list of movies that have been turned into television series is a reasonably long one. It's safe to say that the majority of films that were adapted did not become successes. One very notable exception is under review here, 'Teen Wolf'. The film has been a cult classic since its theatrical release back in 1985. The film could best be described as campy humor and when fans first heard that a television show was to be produced based on the movie and that the network developing it was MTV, many were skeptical. However, very quickly what was skepticism became praise as the show went on to become a success with many old and new fans. MTV certainly followed type when creating the tone and look of the show. Cast a number of attractive young and adult actors, set a romantic struggle for the lead, and make the "monster" in the show appealing yet dangerous at the same time.
Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) is your typical 16-year-old boy. He's asthmatic but is still able to play on the high school Beacon Hill High School lacrosse team. He does okay in the sport but never really progressed to first string. His best friend and only other character to survive the migration from film to television is Stiles Stilinski (Dylan O'Brien). He is Scott's best friend and quite frankly one of the better characters on the show. While the show has its supernatural themes, at its heart it is a teenage romance so you need a young woman for the male lead to pine over. Allison Argent (Crystal Reed) is the new girl in town, just moving in with her mysterious father Chris (JR Bourne), and later joined by somewhat unusual Aunt Kate (Jill Wagner). Allison and Scott hit it off immediately but circumstances don't allow their relationship to blossom the way it normally would. While hanging out in the woods, Scott and Stiles happen upon a search for a young woman led by Sheriff Stilinski (Linden Ashby), Stiles' father. They find the bisected corpse of the girl when Scott is attacked by a large creature. He survives but quickly notices changes in his body; Scott can now run faster, is inhumanly strong, and possesses amazingly enhanced senses. Stiles quickly surmises his best friend is a lycanthrope. Making matters even worse Allison's family are members of a covert group of highly efficient hunters dedicated to track down and exterminate werewolves. Add to this the little twist that while Dad is dedicated to the family vocation Aunt Kate is a borderline sociopath, completely obsessed with torture, and takes pleasure in what she does.
Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin), unlike Scott, was born into being a werewolf. It was his sister that was murdered in the woods and at first, it seems he is the villain but then he reveals the truth to Scott about his species and becomes more of a mentor. This shifts things for Scott, especially when he learns that it was an Alpha werewolf that turned him, Peter Hale (Ian Bohen), Derek's uncle. He needs to build a pack to enhance his strength to his full potential. This is what the first season mainly focuses on, while also developing secondary characters making them even more appealing by the season's end.
While the show is clearly aimed at a teen demographic, the level of writing and direction makes all the difference in creating a series that appeals to an adult audience. The first season is now out on DVD, which is good news for fans looking to refresh their minds on what came before as the second prepares to launch soon.
The first season comes on a 3 disc set, containing some fun bonus features for the truly dedicated. Visually the show looks good, being transferred well onto DVD, the same goes for the audio quality, specifically during action sequences. There are quite a number of special features, such as: an extended cut of the season finale, deleted/alternate/extended scenes, gag reel, intro to the cast, the cast on the red carpet, behind-the-scenes footage, and cast commentary.
This reviewer was a fan of the original film and found himself liking the show when it was on the air. With the new season looming, one wonders where they'll take the characters this year. Only time and the occasional full moon will tell.
Grade: B
