TV Review - Teen Wolf: Season 2

The finale to Season 2 of MTV's Teen Wolf aired August 13 and I admit that it's been a guilty pleasure. The first season was cheesy but in a True Blood meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer kind of way. It was at times operating on the same level as Twilight, but the cast of actors and the team of writers were all a thousand times better. Plus, the characters in this series actually have sex, while incorporating horror elements and humor that far outclasses the whole Bella Swan and Edward Cullen thing.

But, before the horror and the humor, let's talk about the homoeroticism. This show has a cast of young, gorgeous-looking guys and takes ample opportunity to show off their well-muscled bodies. Season 2, in fact, opens with Colton Haynes who plays Jackson, the co-captain of the Beacon Hills High School lacrosse team, emerging half-naked from moon-lit water in slow-motion. Throughout the season, Haynes appears shirtless or nearly nude about a half-dozen more times. Often, he's wet and in slow-motion as to highlight his chiseled physique.

Tyler Posey who stars as Scott McCall, the titular character and hero of the series, has a total unnecessary scene where he's in nothing but a towel. Tyler Hoechlin who co-stars as Derek Hale, the alpha werewolf, for no reason at all, has a nude scene where it's just his skin against an all-white background. That's in addition to all three of those characters, Scott, Derek and Jackson, doing an episode inside a gay bar with tons of hot, shirtless boys.

Aside from Hoechlin's pectoral muscles, the one thing that's really outstanding is the new opening title sequence. It's essentially a rip-off of what David Fincher did for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), but it's so awesome in its own right that I loved it. It had great special effects, which continue into the show. All the supernatural shots are very much believable from the blood to the bombs to the makeup of the new monster, the Kanima. The opening title sequence also perfectly sets the tone because there is a lot of murder and mayhem, which does make the series exciting and thrilling and fun.

Tyler Hoechlin as Derek in "Teen Wolf"

Last season, one teen had to deal with transforming into a supernatural animal. This season, four teens have to deal with transforming. Three of which are new to the series: Isaac, Erica and Boyd. Next to those three, the series also tossed in two other new characters, Gerard and Matt, and fully integrated them into the murder mystery and villain story. At the same time, the writers also had to bring back last season's villain, Peter Hale, played by Ian Bohen, and turn Allison, played by Crystal Reed, into Katniss from The Hunger Games or Merrida from Brave, basically a believable chick with a bow-and-arrow, as well as juggle the arcs of Scott's best friend Stiles, played by Dylan O'Brien, Scott's mom, played by Melissa Ponzio, and tease us with next season.

There was a lot going on this year, but the makers of this show made it all work. This season flowed naturally from the previous but is a vast improvement. I think it's such because unlike the first season, which has maybe one or two that come to mind, the second season has ton of memorable moments in episodes that I watched repeatedly.

One such memorable moment is when Derek seduces Erica. Another is when Scott confronts Boyd about becoming a werewolf. There's any scene with Coach Finstock, played hilariously by Orny Adams. The reveal of where the bestiary is or what's on Jackson's videotape, as well as the hostage scene in the police station, are all memorable moments too. They all possess the right amount of tension and terror to keep me on the edge of my seat, even on repeat viewings.

Five Stars out of Five.
Rated TV-14-V.
Running Time: 1 hr.
Available on MTV on Demand.