Reviews Series / Teen Wolf

Definitely a very weak episode in terms of continuity, and also in character development.

Ethan appears to be in love with Danny. He looked genuinely horrified, especially when Scott asked if Danny was dying. However the development of this relationship occurred almost entirely offscreen. The same goes for Derek and Jennifer. We never did get a good explanation for why our resident surly sourwolf is suddenly so attached to this random witness to werewolf activity.

The information flows are less mysterious, but again they must have happened offscreen and we have to imagine how they went. Cora would have gone back to the loft sooner or later, if only because what meager stuff she might have had was there, and possibly found Derek in bed with Jennifer. Derek himself probably contacted and sought out an infodump from Stiles, Boyd, Isaac and possibly even Scott. That would be how he knew about Lydia and Aiden. His biggest concern would of course be what the Alpha Pack members were up to.

However, they did miss out on addressing everybody's reactions to his survival. Isaac is probably already over the whole glass thing. At this point it is common knowledge that Derek does scary things to push people away when he is trying to protect them. Scott and Stiles could expound on that topic at great length (although it would have been nice to actually see them do so). Life at the Mc Call house is probably more agreeable for Isaac than life at Derek's loft anyway. Melissa is a great maternal figure and Isaac's adoration of Scott is well into Ho Yay land. At this point he probably figures Derek did him a favor.

The fact that werewolf "sacrifices" were attempted out of town may not be significant. Unlike the other sacrifices (virgins, soldiers, healers), these were very haphazard (wolfsbane poisoning) and may have been nothing more than an attempt to remove known threats to the Darach's plans. Remember that there were technically four werewolves on the bus (there would have been five had Aiden not been suspended) and it was only an assumption on the part of Stiles, Allison and Lydia that the three werewolves they actually cared about were sacrifices. Danny was also a threat, assuming that the Darach knew what his minion Mr. Harris did about Danny's project. So his removal was defensive, not a sacrifice either.

For all that he is a antisocial sort, Derek is still a good guy. He was trying to protect people even back in season one, so a romantic connection is not necessarily needed to explain why he would accept a solo fight with Kali to save an innocent life.

The Ship Tease continues though. It was kind of noticeable that at the end Cora went rushing to Boyd, whom she cared about, while Stiles went to Derek, whom he has Ho Yay with. That Lydia, Isaac and Jennifer remained on the sidelines as spectators was probably deliberate.

This storyline is definitely being rushed, and the audience is being left to make a lot of intuitive leaps and assumptions to fill in the numerous gaps.

That Scott has some special destiny is slightly annoying. The Chosen One is a badly over-used trope, and it would be nice to see Scott become an Alpha purely based on character development and not because he was always special right from the beginning. The scene in the closet with Allison was funny though.

Overall, the writing is weak. It feels like they are avoiding a lot of relevant things in favor of really cryptic scenes. The fans are left to apply logic to work out theories about all the offscreen stuff that is apparently going on. Deucalion's comment about the pace of Scott's life recently therefore being rather ironic. The entire show is moving too fast!

Oh, just remembered, there was a little continuity. Ethan told Scott and Stiles that Derek was alive at the end of "Motel California".

Ethan said "We think he's alive." It's just very annoying that Derek's fake death was so built up and then nothing came of it.

I understood the logic we were supposed to follow to fill in the gaps between this episode and the last but having to do that created whiplash for me. I knew about what had happened off screen but I still didn't like having to accept things with no transition.

I pretty much agree with all of what you said. (You have an elegant writing style by the way.) Thank you for clearing up the stuff about the motel (though I do think that episode is officially pointless now.).

However, I don't have that much of an issue with the Scott stuff. It's his own merit as a person that's allowing him to become an alpha naturally, not a prophecy or birthright. No problems for me there.

Thank you for the compliment. Your writing is very good as well. Refreshing in this all-lower-case era we live in! :-)

I have to agree that the instant resolution to angst over Derek was kind of a letdown. Again, it feels like something that they used to rush things ahead by eliminating the need for reunion scenes in the episode 3x07.

A BIG weakness the show has is the offscreen aspect of the storytelling. Things, sometimes important ones, are just sort of assumed to happen without the need for further explanation. Combined with the lack of continuity it is a bit of a problem for viewers who like more tightly written stories.

My assumption is that "Motel California" was almost a standalone horror story episode. I will have to comment on it under its own review.

They have been sort of mixed on the predestination of Scott's Alpha status. Really, that one bit of dialogue from Deaton is what screwed things up. It would be one thing to say that as Scott has undergone character development such that he has begun to show traits that would make him an Alpha. But to say that he suspected it from the beginning, and that it is some kind of special mystical thing that happens on some cosmic schedule is another.

Simple logic suggests that it has to be possible for the number of Alphas to increase. Otherwise their numbers, and the number of packs, would be limited to however many Alphas originally existed and could only decrease over time via attrition (e.g. Ennis). Last season Derek indicated that Scott was becoming a sort of Alpha by virtue of gathering a "pack" around himself. I, and it seems many other fans, preferred that explanation to The Chosen One scenario now being presented. There was nothing wrong with the idea of a Beta being able to become an Alpha by gathering a pack. Indeed, it actually makes plenty of sense.

So they really should have opted to pass on that trope, because on many levels it demeans Scott's development. Let's be frank, in season one he was a complete idiot. He has made a lot of progress. It just feels better to think that he is becoming an Alpha because he has made so much personal progress, rather than implying that he has made so much personal progress because he was destined to become an Alpha.

I never really noticed gaps this big before. Aside from the occasional mistake, seasons 1 and 2 were pretty tight. Or they seemed that way to me. I don't have too trained an eye for finding continuity errors and plot holes, so the fact that I found that many (and had to leave quite a few out because of the 400 word limit) means it's really bad.

Yeah, Scott was kinda boring in the first season, though I always found him pretty endearing. But seriously? Deaton thought Scott had the strength of character from the beginning? Don't think so. Definitely agree with you there.

I've always thought that beta packs could be a thing. What are your thoughts on that?

About the Ship Tease for Sterek... I met someone (on the internet, I mean) the other day who was absolutely convinced that Jeff Davis has a master plan for having it be canon, but I think he's just teasing the hell out of us. It's actually kind of annoying. I think having Sterek be canon would be suicide (because of the age gap, not the gayness). I do wish they'd be better friends on the show though. Matt was right; they are a good team.

Forgot to mention: I'm pissed about Motel California being standalone. They really can't use 'well, we had a lot to fit in because this season is action packed!' for an excuse for all the off screen stuff if they're wasting episodes like that. As cool as the episode was, it doesn't fit into the story anymore, so I don't like it.

A great many of the plot holes in seasons one and two are noted on the trope pages. Much of it boils down to particular things. Like Derek being unnecessarily secretive (because the storyline needed to build). Or Scott not doing certain obvious things (Hello, telling the Sheriff, whom he has known most of his life, that Chris Argent shoved a gun in his face!). Chris not noticing how crazy his wife, sister and father were (especially the last, as Gerard was not played in a subtle manner). Plus of course Allison going completely berserk over her mother's suicide, when Gerard was so flagrantly relishing the whole thing and obviously goading her.

Oh, and because the topic of consequences has come up (due to Derek throwing that glass at Isaac), Scott has never suffered any guilt over the fact that a sizable chunk of the Beacon Hills Police Department was murdered by Jackson, made possible largely because Scott was protecting Jackson from Derek. Or the creepiness of Allison walking the halls of BHHS with Lydia talking about boys, while there were "Missing" posters of Boyd and Erica, whom she had hunted like animals and skewered with arrows, on the walls.

So, there are times when it feels like the continuity on the show is very weak. Bad things happen. But often they are simply let go.

I actually always assumed that if a bunch of Betas got together then, much like human tribes or wolf packs, some member would become the de facto leader either by dominant personality or simply by the bulk of the group liking them. This was my impression of how one could ascend to Alpha status bloodlessly based on Derek's statement last season. Scott is good at pulling people together, including people like Lydia and Stiles who are otherwise far smarter than him. To me it made sense that if his "pack" also started to include other werewolves then he would become an Alpha by general acclaim. A Beta pack just seemed like something that would naturally spawn an Alpha given time.

I agree that Jeff is just exploiting Ship Tease, although I don't think that their respective ages are the problem. After all, we live in a Twilight era where nobody thinks there's anything weird about a vampire who has possibly lived longer than a human lifespan courting a teenage girl. Physical ages aside, Stiles is more mature than he sometimes seems, and Derek is less mature than he pretends to be. The truth is that it is not even limited to vampires. I think that their age gap would be considered trivial if Stiles were a girl.

However, he does seem to have been 16 for an awfully long time. The exact timespan of seasons one and two is vague to me, but Stiles has been driving as long as the show has been around it really seems odd that he hasn't hit 17 yet. Of course, Jeff hopes for a lot of seasons and doesn't want a Glee sort of problem I would expect. But still....

Jeff uses the tease to win over fangirls and gay viewers. It is the same as the fact that Danny is a greatly beloved character, who gets virtually no screentime or lines. For whatever reason Jeff does not seem to like gay characters (despite being gay himself) and prefers to marginalize them.

"Motel California" just needed some closure. I think the writers got so lost in writing a 42 minute horror movie that they forgot to provide it. They may back reference it later and make it fit back in better. But for now it does seem like a digression from the flow of the season.

I noticed those things, but it was mostly in passing. The problem now is that I can't ignore plot holes anymore because of how in your face the problems are.

Agh, I know! And the show tried to make it sound like Stiles and Derek were being cruel for calling for his death! Both of them are a bit quick to jump to the 'killing' option (a lot of people like to ignore the flaws in Stiles' character, but I think they make him more interesting), but in that case they were a thousand percent right. If they'd taken Jackson out earlier, a lot of people would have been saved. I don't think that Scott can be blamed completely, because he's a teenager who shouldn't be having to make these decisions. But yeah, it's so weird that he never felt guilt about it. I really liked Allison's character, but her shooting up Erica and Boyd (and not seeing through her grandfather's OBVIOUS manipulation) was a breaking point for me. I'm kinda of just waiting for her to snap again, especially since she hasn't really apologized.

Exactly. We can't feel the impact of all the horrible things that happen in the show because we don't see how they affect the characters.

Hm. That makes sense. I've always thought that there would have to be at least some packs without an alpha because of the system from which alphas come to be. And if betas rising to alpha status naturally is as rare as Deaton says, that theory is starting to look more concrete.

Yeah... *Sigh*. I don't like being one of the annoying fangirls who demands that her pairings become canon but... when you put it like that... I JUST WANT STEREK TO BE CANON. Okay, I let that out.

I think he turned 17 at some point, but I may be wrong. Do you know what I want? Stiles to have a birthday in one of the episodes, and for all the characters to give him the appreciation he deserves. He's not a perfect guy, but he certainly does more on the show than people give him credit for. (Especially in season one, where he was essentially the only one pushing forward the plot. Derek was being "unnecessarily secretive," as you said, and Scott is a Reluctant Hero. But Stiles Jumpedatthe Call. Like a boss.) Derek thought that Scott gained good control on his own, but frankly he probably would have killed someone if not for Stiles. And it continues this season, with Ethan thanking Scott for saving his life.

I don't think it really has to do with their sexualities - more bad writing.

MOST people want Sterek to be canon. Other than Destiel on Supernatural they are the most desired male-male couple in known fandom. There is no shame in admitting it. I have been advocating that the fangirls should go all Kate Argent on Jeff Davis, chain him up, onstage at Comic Con, and torture him with electricity until he submits to fan demands for Sterek. Both to get everyone the Sterek they want and warn other writers about the dangers of Ship Tease.

As of S3x01, Stiles was still 16, because he said as much to Heather when she was looking to cash in her v-card on her 17th birthday with him. If he has a birthday and we miss it then it will be a tragedy. But then we have so many others.

Stiles went to comfort Derek after the death of Boyd. Stiles tries to protect everybody, even Ethan. As you point out, the irony is that he was The Hero before Scott was! It is still being made clear over and over again. Whether it was being there for Derek, actually risking a fiery death talking Scott out of suicide or wrestling with a hostile Alpha to stop said Alpha from cutting himself wide open, Stiles can be expected to be the The Reliable One.

The writers do get some things right. It is just very uneven.

Wow really? Sterek is more popular than Johnlock from Sherlock? Cool. Maybe my dream will come true, but I don't think it's likely. The ship tease is annoying but at least it fuels fanfics?

I hold the opinion that Stiles is one of the best characters to come out of TV in recent memory. The dude is seriously awesome.

Well, we can sit here all day nitpicking the show, but the thing is that we're spending hours discussing it. We keep coming back. They're definitely doing something right. I don't think I'll stop watching unless there is a truly awful Jump the Shark moment. I'm hoping that "Currents" will be the exception, not the rule. Of course, Dennifer and Boyd's death are going to leave a permanent stain on the show.

""There is no shame in admitting it. I have been advocating that the fangirls should go all Kate Argent on Jeff Davis, chain him up, onstage at Comic Con, and torture him with electricity until he submits to fan demands for Sterek.""

Sick and wrong. Seriously, you fangirls are beyond creepy. You condemn Kate's relationship with Derek due to age and then change your mind when it suits you between Stiles and Derek. I have never liked this purely fan speculated relationship. I mean at best Stiles and Derek sort of grudgingly work together but most of the time they dislike and sometimes outright hate each other.

What made their interactions so entertaining was that in spite of their clear disdain, they had to work together. Stiles was motivated by his moral compass and desire for the greater good while Derek mainly focused on his own agenda. The result was a sort of buddy cop dynamic, with Stiles giving the finger to Derek's more sociopathic tendencies even under hostile threat.

That being said, them hooking up would be the ultimate fan-pandering Jump-the-Shark moment. The result of writers not giving a damn about their conflicting personalities, sexuality or personal dynamics, just sticking their hands up their asses like perverse puppeteers. Not everyone is so outwardly rabid and CAPTIONING ABUSIVE as comments above. Considering how Most Fanfic Writers are Female, how many Sterek fans compared to the full viewing audience can also be taken with a grain of salt.

A relationship would be a poor reflection on Derek, but an even worse reflection on Stiles. He would never be with someone with such a cold, cruel, nature.

Okay, flame-person, I'm not sure why you're so freaked about this.

We condemn the Kerek relationship because of the implied dubious consent, underage (which I DO NOT SUPPORT FOR STEREK, I JUST WANT THEM TO START DATING BUT HOLD OFF ON THE SEX), torching of Derek's family, and later sexual assault. None of these things need to be present in a Sterek storyline. I'd love to see it develop for a few seasons. Maybe they don't ever get together but it just looks like they will in the future. Or hell, they could just be good friends. Or it could never happen in any capacity - I really don't want to force the creator into anything. I'm sure the person you're quoting was joking. You know, that thing where people aren't serious?

We happen to think that their interactions show that they would have good chemistry as a couple. Don't agree? That's fine. Many people don't. Nobody's going to force you to. Contrary to what you seem to think, we aren't Nazis. If you'd like to see where we're coming from (because there is more than one valid point of view in the world in the world - LE GASP), here is an essay on why people ship them, if you'd like to try it out: http://archiveofourown.org/works/669836/chapters/1224072.

Fan-pandering? Isn't that the point of media? Making something that people will enjoy? I will say that they shouldn't just cave to whatever the majority wants if they don't truly want to see it through, but if they decided on a Sterek storyline, that really wouldn't be a sin. And despite what you said, I think many fans (although perhaps not 90%) would be very happy if it was canon.

Also, for the record, my two male friends who watch the show ship Sterek. Seriously, you're whole 'oh, those stupid rabid fangirls' thing is pretty insulting.

Okay. To what you said about Stiles being "motivated by his moral compass and desire for the greater good." Hahahahahaha, no. Just no. You've fallen into the trap that a lot of fans have - excusing his poor behavior, simply because it is rooted in loyalty instead of greed or whatnot.

Okay, so he IS generally a good person. Until a person he loves is in a thousandth of a chance of being in danger. Then he's calling for death. Seriously, have you noticed the fucked up things he's called for over the course of the show? Though he definitely does do good things, and will go out of his to help people, he's not perfect, or even particularly benevolent. Please read the above essay (which goes into depth on Stiles and Derek's moral character) or this: http://archiveofourown.org/works/776735. They will explain the truth, because I'm to lazy to go through all of it.

I'm face palming at the implication that Derek couldn't be in a healthy relationship with Stiles. If you're pulling that from the instances of "abuse" towards Stiles over the course of the show then you've lost a lot of credit. Most of what Derek does that's "cold" is towards his betas. I think the only instances in which he does something very morally wrong is when he pretty much seduced poor Erica into the bite (I nearly threw the remote against the screen during that scene) and when he was abusive towards Isaac. And unlike Stiles, he has a wonderful Freudian Excuse (well, Stiles seems to have a little one, but they're honestly not comparable). Derek is a very vulnerable person with trust issues (for good reason), and a horrible guilt complex. He copes by lashing out at the world. While morally wrong, it's very understandable and does not make him 'cruel.' He just doesn't have anyone to turn to.

Actually, I'd say Stiles has done more wrong to Derek than visa versa. He basically made a joke of his sister's death. You can imagine why Derek wasn't very warm to him at first. Later, he and Scott set him up for murder. (The fault of that situation falls on Scott, but Derek doesn't know that.) Now, Derek slamming Stiles against a door was not really okay, but hey, it was Scott and Stiles fault he even had to be in hiding. Then Stiles, not knowing Derek's history of sexual abuse, had him strip to get Danny to trace a text. Now, what Stiles did was understandable, but so was Derek later slamming his head against the steering wheel.

In conclusion: Characters are a lot more enjoyable if you don't say one is all bad and one is all good. Just saying. They both have faults, but they're both people.

Just calm down. I you didn't notice, I first said that I didn't want to be the kind of fan who demands their ships be canon. Seriously, take a deep breath and remind yourself that very few people are actually reading what we're writing here. We're just two fans, rambling back and forth at each other about a TV show. People are starving, dying of disease and getting sold into slavery all over the world right now. Get upset over that, not this.