By Jamie Ruby

The Story

When I originally heard that MTV was remaking Teen Wolf, I didn't know what to think. I was glad that the series would be a drama rather than a campy comedy like its predecessor; I don't think that would work very well with today's teen audience.

When it comes to what I watch, I love science fiction, the supernatural, and all that goes with it, including werewolves. I was afraid, however, that created as a show for teens, it might not appeal to an older audience as well. I was glad to be wrong.

The series does have the teenage drama and angst, don't get me wrong, but I didn't feel that it catered only to teen fangirls. It isn't all sappy romance, but thankfully isn't either only about controlling the wolf. It has something for everybody.

The series creates a good blend. It has an intriguing story line going, and the energy of the show seemed to climb as the series progressed. I found myself watching many of the episodes back to back late into the night because I wanted to see what happened next.

The story revolves around Scott McCall (Tyler Posey), a teen who is bitten by a werewolf and suddenly his life is irrevocably changes. This brings some good changes – speed, athleticism, heightened senses, etc., but of course a lot of problems.

Posey may be the wolf, but he doesn't steal the show. That honor belongs to Dylan O'Brien, who plays Stiles. His wit and sarcasm bring a lot of levity to the show. The two actors play very well off of each other.

Of course one of the overlying stories of the series, however, is still the romance between Scott and Allison Argent (Crystal Reed). Another big part of the first season focuses on the relationship between Scott and his mentor Derek (Tyler Hoechlin) and them trying to avoid the hunters as well as the Alpha werewolf.

The young cast is strong, and for the most part believable. Since the story is set in high school, there are of course some stereotypical characters like the popular girls and the jocks, but they don't fall flat. I found the supporting characters compelling as well.

It's not just the teens either. The adult cast was thought out, especially Allison's father, played by J.R. Bourne, who plays creepy really well. And Allison's mother (Eaddy Mays) freaks me out.

The other thing that bears mentioning, is that unlike other recent series and movies, the show does not bring in a bunch of other supernatural creatures to keep it interesting, and it doesn't need to. It pulls enough werewolf lore and stories to be able to stay true to that without adding vampires or something to the mix.

I also wanted to take a moment to mention the makeup. The show does a good job with the result of the transformations. At its heart, a big part of the show is a love story, and it helps to have sexy (and still human looking) werewolves.

The DVDs

The DVD set for the series is comprised of three discs, which feature all twelve episodes from season one, including an extended version of the finale, "Code Breaker." The package itself is pretty standard. It does have an insert in the front that tells everything on each disc which is beneficial; you don't have to stick them in the player to see what bonuses are on each disc.

For bonus features the set contains deleted, alternate, or extended scenes from various episodes. While the cut scenes aren't anything crucial, they are still fun to watch. A few examples include an awkward scene between Scott and his mother (Melissa Ponzio), Stiles getting hit in the face while talking to Scott during lacrosse practice, an extended scene at the bowling alley, and another with Scott and Allison before dinner with her family.

Another fun special feature is the gag reel full of flubbed lines, swearing, trips, and everything you would expect. It was fairly good for a gag reel, better than I expected.

Also included is the season one "shirtless montage," which is exactly what it sounds like. While it is obviously silly and gratuitous, it is full of some good eye candy, and it's done in a way that is also funny.

There is also a special with cast and crew interviews called "Following the Pack." It includes interviews with Jeff Davis and Russell Mucahy talking about casting, and each actor talking about their own experience with being cast, as well as more great insights, such as the fact that the character of Jackson (Colton Haynes) was originally only a guest spot, and a story from Hoechlin about how he found out he got the part from a text message from Posey. The cast also talk about their friendships outside of the show and their love for bowling together.

Next is "Love Bites," which is the cast talking about the kissing on the show (mostly for Posey and Reed), who admit that they rehearsed kissing with each other.

Another bonus is a feature on the red carpet for the Teen Wolf premiere. It's the first time most of the cast has been interviewed in that way, and according to Posey, the first he'd worn a suit. They talk about things such as who they are wearing and tips for preparing for such an event.

The set also contains commentary for specific episodes, both behind-the-scenes and cast commentary. I listened to some of both to get an idea of what fans can expect. The cast commentary did give some insights into the episodes, such as talking about things like difficulties memorizing lines and explaining some character motivations, but it was more the actors chatting and joking about what is happening in the episode, not that that is a bad thing. The behind-the-scenes commentary, however, was informative and gave some great tidbits about how things were filmed, the cameras they used, the lighting, the types of shots they used, etc. Commentary isn't usually my thing, but I did find them interesting and entertaining. I especially enjoyed hearing about the actors and their techniques from Davis and Mucahy.

All in all I think that the package is a nice set. If you missed the series last year it's worth it to go out and buy the set so you catch up to season two; it's a great show and worth the time. If you've already seen it and are a fan of the show, it's still a nice one to have - the extended episode and bonus features make it worth the purchase even if you've already seen the series. Teen Wolf is definitely a show worth watching, even if you don't fit into MTV's target audience.


DVD SPECIFICATIONS:

• Number of Discs: 3 (12 episodes; Dual Layer)
• Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French Dolby Surround
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Portuguese
• Total Run Time: Approx. 521 Mins.
• Format: Widescreen 1.78:1, NTSC

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Extended Version of Season Finale episode “Code Breakers”
• Deleted, Alternate and Extended Scenes
• Gag Reel
• Special Featurette: Season 1 Shirtless Montage
• Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes
  • Following The Pack
  • Love Bites
  • Teen Wolf cast on the Red Carpet