May I Join Your Pack? (Teen Wolf related)
Feb. 1st, 2013 01:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
geeklover80I've finally taken the plunge and watched Teen Wolf. I'd taken a glimpse at the first episodes months ago, after that huge After Elton poll. While I liked what I saw, I wasn't in the mood to keep watching just then. (It didn't help that the first moment Derek showed up in the woods my boyfriend turned to me and was like "What is this Twilight?) But a few weeks ago I decided to check it again, partially because I was missing Merlin. I really don't want to get as obsessive about another show as I did with Merlin, but I need another goofy sci-fi/fantasy show to watch. For now I think I'm safe from becoming obsessed with it (then again that's what I said about Merlin.)
While not obsessed, I really, really do like it. I had started watching the first few episodes one by one. When I got to the fourth one, I became really intrigued. I decided to watch a couple more episodes, then do something else. I ended up watching the rest of the first season in one day. And the same thing happened with the second season. I started watching them one by one, but by the third, I was really into the story, and spent the next day watching the rest of the series, even though I really did have more important things to do.
It's a slightly cheesy show, but I like the action and there's a lot of witty lines, and good friendship, and man candy as far as the eye can see. I never thought I would find a show as homoerotic as Merlin, but man so many of the guys look like they are thisclose to making out whenever they're together. I also like that the women aren't complete doormats. I'd hear some things about the show before I watched it - like Scott could be very annoying and whiny, that Allison/Scott were ickily sweet, etc. I agree somewhat. Scott can be whiny at times, there was one scene with Derek trying to train him, I just wanted Derek to smack him. But most of the time, I don't find him that bad and sometimes his whining makes sense. I've been surprised to find myself liking Allison/Scott. Sometimes I do find them too sickeningly sweet, and Scott's obsession with her annoying. But I think Tyler Posey and Crystal Reed have good chemistry and I buy that they're in love. The only time I hate them is when they're broken up. Not necessarily because I hate them not being together, but because the break-up's never make any sense to me. Like in the first season I get Allison being upset that he locked them in the room when they were being attacked, but it just seemed over the top for her to push him away. And now at the end of the second season, I don't get it either.
I would say that my favorite character is probably a toss-up between Scott and Stiles. Stiles is the type of character I generally love, the snarky comic relief guy played by someone with talent, who's dramatic chops shine when given a chance. I don't always love Scott individually, and sometimes I find TP limited, but Scott is a part of most of the dynamics I really love: Scott/Stiles, Scott/Derek, Scott/Isaac, Scott/Allison, Scott/PapaArgent.
SPOILER ALERT
I'm sure most TW fans know this, but just to be safe, in case some are staying spoiler free for the upcoming season. I'm not too broken up about Colton Haynes leaving. On the one hand, I was almost sucked into the Lydia/Jackson stuff in the second season finale. But overall, that relationship was written so poorly. At first they're just the shallow, popular couple who barely seem to like each other. Then he breaks up with her so callously. She seems to get over it quickly. Then in the first season finale, all of a sudden he's really worried about her. Then the dynamic switches back to Jackson being a bastard and uncaring when she goes missing. Then they're making out a few episodes later, with little build-up. But I still some of the stuff with them in the finale touching. But I won't miss them that much. Plus, I think CH was hands down the worst actor on the show. I know most of these actors will not be winning Oscars any time soon, but most of them do a good job, most of the time. CH just seemed to try way too damn hard and felt like he was always trying to ACT with his face like he was some B-movie actor from the silent film era. I tried to get my boyfriend to watch a few episodes of the show, and even he was like "That guy is trying way too hard." I will miss his delcious, delicious chest. I also thought he had great chemistry with Scott, and especially with Derek. But I'll live without him.
The show definitely has its flaws. Like I said, I've had some problems with the Scott/Allison storyline. And I find that their are logic problems and plot holes. Maybe this will be dealt with in the third series, but why didn't Scott tell Allison that her mother tried to kill him? What exactly about the hostage situation at the police station made, whoever it was, decide to give the Sheriff his job back? What exactly is the Scott's boss' role in all this? Why exactly did it have to be Lydia, who resurrected Peter? I swear I watched the last part of the season finale, scratching my head. I actually like some of the mysteries on the show and that I can't always figure out what's going on. But I do think that they need to provide more answers and quicker than they do. A lot of times, it feels like they draw out mysteries and either we never get a real answer or they wait until the last few episodes to reveal the truth. I was watching Once Upon a Time the other day and one of the characters was asking someone why they did something and he actually answered the person right away. I actually remember thinking "If this were TW we wouldn't find out the answer until the fifth season."
Now here comes the opinion that may get me strung up, ;), but I don't quite get Sterek. Well, it's not that I don't get it exactly. But, I rememeber during the After Elton poll, a lot of Sterek fans would post links to videos and I noticed that there weren't a whole lot of scenes in those vids. And people mentioned that they didn't have a lot of interaction. I thought that maybe that meant they had limited interaction in the first season, and it got better in the second season, or their interaction was something significant, but they didn't have a lot of scenes together. And it's not that I don't see how a fanbase can be created from limited character interaction. I loved Jack and Ianto from Torchwood, and especially in the first series, they barely interacted, and their relationship was never as fully fleshed out as it should have been. And they still have a sizeable fanbase. I don't know...I just figured with how...dedicated Sterek fans can be, I just was expecting more.
Not that I don't see chemistry between TH and DO. I definitely see the chemistry and those characters work well together. I've found most of their scenes hilarious and have watched some of them more than once. I've even read a couple of Sterek fanfics since I started watching. For right now, they're kind of like Dean and Castiel from Supernatural. I think they're a great comedic duo, but I don't feel an enormous desire to see them make out. I think I could fall for them if they get more to do together in the third season.
I don't think I'll get my boyfriend into the show like I did with Merlin, Sherlock, The Walking Dead, and other shows. Like I said before, he's constantly making snarky comments about it every time he saw me watching it. And when I got him to seriously take a look at one episode he said that he liked the plot, but the werewolf effects were some of the worst he's ever seen. I can't remember how he described it exactly, but it was funny. But anyway, I like the show and if anyone has any favorite fic or vid recs, I'd love to see some of them.
Up next, maybe, Suits. Not sure since I hardly ever watch shows on the USA network.
Stacey
While not obsessed, I really, really do like it. I had started watching the first few episodes one by one. When I got to the fourth one, I became really intrigued. I decided to watch a couple more episodes, then do something else. I ended up watching the rest of the first season in one day. And the same thing happened with the second season. I started watching them one by one, but by the third, I was really into the story, and spent the next day watching the rest of the series, even though I really did have more important things to do.
It's a slightly cheesy show, but I like the action and there's a lot of witty lines, and good friendship, and man candy as far as the eye can see. I never thought I would find a show as homoerotic as Merlin, but man so many of the guys look like they are thisclose to making out whenever they're together. I also like that the women aren't complete doormats. I'd hear some things about the show before I watched it - like Scott could be very annoying and whiny, that Allison/Scott were ickily sweet, etc. I agree somewhat. Scott can be whiny at times, there was one scene with Derek trying to train him, I just wanted Derek to smack him. But most of the time, I don't find him that bad and sometimes his whining makes sense. I've been surprised to find myself liking Allison/Scott. Sometimes I do find them too sickeningly sweet, and Scott's obsession with her annoying. But I think Tyler Posey and Crystal Reed have good chemistry and I buy that they're in love. The only time I hate them is when they're broken up. Not necessarily because I hate them not being together, but because the break-up's never make any sense to me. Like in the first season I get Allison being upset that he locked them in the room when they were being attacked, but it just seemed over the top for her to push him away. And now at the end of the second season, I don't get it either.
I would say that my favorite character is probably a toss-up between Scott and Stiles. Stiles is the type of character I generally love, the snarky comic relief guy played by someone with talent, who's dramatic chops shine when given a chance. I don't always love Scott individually, and sometimes I find TP limited, but Scott is a part of most of the dynamics I really love: Scott/Stiles, Scott/Derek, Scott/Isaac, Scott/Allison, Scott/PapaArgent.
SPOILER ALERT
I'm sure most TW fans know this, but just to be safe, in case some are staying spoiler free for the upcoming season. I'm not too broken up about Colton Haynes leaving. On the one hand, I was almost sucked into the Lydia/Jackson stuff in the second season finale. But overall, that relationship was written so poorly. At first they're just the shallow, popular couple who barely seem to like each other. Then he breaks up with her so callously. She seems to get over it quickly. Then in the first season finale, all of a sudden he's really worried about her. Then the dynamic switches back to Jackson being a bastard and uncaring when she goes missing. Then they're making out a few episodes later, with little build-up. But I still some of the stuff with them in the finale touching. But I won't miss them that much. Plus, I think CH was hands down the worst actor on the show. I know most of these actors will not be winning Oscars any time soon, but most of them do a good job, most of the time. CH just seemed to try way too damn hard and felt like he was always trying to ACT with his face like he was some B-movie actor from the silent film era. I tried to get my boyfriend to watch a few episodes of the show, and even he was like "That guy is trying way too hard." I will miss his delcious, delicious chest. I also thought he had great chemistry with Scott, and especially with Derek. But I'll live without him.
The show definitely has its flaws. Like I said, I've had some problems with the Scott/Allison storyline. And I find that their are logic problems and plot holes. Maybe this will be dealt with in the third series, but why didn't Scott tell Allison that her mother tried to kill him? What exactly about the hostage situation at the police station made, whoever it was, decide to give the Sheriff his job back? What exactly is the Scott's boss' role in all this? Why exactly did it have to be Lydia, who resurrected Peter? I swear I watched the last part of the season finale, scratching my head. I actually like some of the mysteries on the show and that I can't always figure out what's going on. But I do think that they need to provide more answers and quicker than they do. A lot of times, it feels like they draw out mysteries and either we never get a real answer or they wait until the last few episodes to reveal the truth. I was watching Once Upon a Time the other day and one of the characters was asking someone why they did something and he actually answered the person right away. I actually remember thinking "If this were TW we wouldn't find out the answer until the fifth season."
Now here comes the opinion that may get me strung up, ;), but I don't quite get Sterek. Well, it's not that I don't get it exactly. But, I rememeber during the After Elton poll, a lot of Sterek fans would post links to videos and I noticed that there weren't a whole lot of scenes in those vids. And people mentioned that they didn't have a lot of interaction. I thought that maybe that meant they had limited interaction in the first season, and it got better in the second season, or their interaction was something significant, but they didn't have a lot of scenes together. And it's not that I don't see how a fanbase can be created from limited character interaction. I loved Jack and Ianto from Torchwood, and especially in the first series, they barely interacted, and their relationship was never as fully fleshed out as it should have been. And they still have a sizeable fanbase. I don't know...I just figured with how...dedicated Sterek fans can be, I just was expecting more.
Not that I don't see chemistry between TH and DO. I definitely see the chemistry and those characters work well together. I've found most of their scenes hilarious and have watched some of them more than once. I've even read a couple of Sterek fanfics since I started watching. For right now, they're kind of like Dean and Castiel from Supernatural. I think they're a great comedic duo, but I don't feel an enormous desire to see them make out. I think I could fall for them if they get more to do together in the third season.
I don't think I'll get my boyfriend into the show like I did with Merlin, Sherlock, The Walking Dead, and other shows. Like I said before, he's constantly making snarky comments about it every time he saw me watching it. And when I got him to seriously take a look at one episode he said that he liked the plot, but the werewolf effects were some of the worst he's ever seen. I can't remember how he described it exactly, but it was funny. But anyway, I like the show and if anyone has any favorite fic or vid recs, I'd love to see some of them.
Up next, maybe, Suits. Not sure since I hardly ever watch shows on the USA network.
Stacey
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Date: 2013-02-02 12:34 am (UTC)I hate Mrs. McCall/Sheriff fics -- for so many reasons but automatically I will back out of it. And Sheriff/Chris fics; I don't mind them as friends (there was this AMAZING chris/sheriff friends fic ... something like Men of a Certain Age ... but generally I just can't do it).
But the Mrs. McCall/Sheriff ones are my biggest NO.
And Sheriff and Stiles's relationship is my safe place. It's so real. NOTHING can happen to the sheriff. LOL. I will spend a week in denial and sheriff fic, LOL.
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Date: 2013-02-02 01:38 am (UTC)Stacey
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Date: 2013-02-02 02:05 am (UTC)I don't like Mrs. McCall. I think the sheriff is better than her. I give her credit for being a single mother, but I think she is a poor character and the sheriff deserves better.
I hate her attitude towards Stiles -- her sons supposed best friends. I think she makes questionable choices for/towards her son, and in general. I just think the sheriff could do so much better; and I don't see the sheriff giving up the love of his wife (which is canon) for another woman.
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Date: 2013-02-02 02:10 am (UTC)Though I would hope that eventually the sheriff does move on and find someone else, since his wife is dead, and she'd probably want him to move on.
Stacey
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Date: 2013-02-02 02:43 am (UTC)But Mrs. McCall? No.
I hate her attitude towards Stiles, and the way that she talks down to him. In all of their scenes I feel like she actively dislikes him, rather than putting up with him. And her attitude towards Stiles makes me think that they haven't been "best friends" for as long as fandom wants. If they had been best friends since childhood -- and through Stiles's mother's death -- I would think she would be more sympathetic; especially if he was prone to panic attacks. More than likely she would be aware of that through the hospital.
She flirts with Jackson in the hospital until she realizes that he's 16 and Scott's "friend". That oogs me out. I get that he might look older (and Colton IS older, obi), but for the universe of TW he doesn't look legal. And her "with your face you probably never hear no" -- it just feels wrong for a mother to be acting likes that.
I don't like that she acts like the "cool" mom instead of a mom mom. When Mrs. McCall quesitons Scott about doing drugs, she backs down when he calls her out/questions her. She's the parent; if she believes her child is doing drugs, she doesn't walk away because he questions her. And then she goes through his room while he's away -- because she couldn't ask him? And she does it in an immature way, imo, convincing herself that he won't notice? I don't buy it. When they have the talk (the gas/the "talk") scene -- she over reacts when he assumes she means sex. She should be having "the talk" with her son -- he's going out on his first "date" date. She shouldn't be shocked or disgusted by it, which is how it came across.
I don't know -- I guess it comes down to the fact that we see so much affection and aware parenting from one single parent family home that I am shocked by the complete opposite in another one.
The sheriff might not know everything that Stiles does (re: werewolves) but I've never doubted his parenting. And the scene when he doesn't act like the "father", Stiles calls him out on it. They have a healthier relationship with a strong parent-to-child hierarchy. Stiles has problems in school -- Mr. Harris -- and the sheriff knows. When he comes back bruised, his father's first instinct was the beat the kids who attacked him, even though he's the sheriff.
I think the sheriff is a better parent than Mrs. McCall. And added to that, we've seen the sheriff still mourning his wife and I don't see him moving on anytime soon. And, certainly, not with someone who comes across as the "cool" mom.
And, I guess, that the end of the day -- Melissa McCall hasn't really redeemed herself as a parent. She tells Scott to "do the right thing" after someone has 'died' -- but he was already doing it. He needed his mother's support when the crazy old dude threatened the two of them in their house.
I don't know -- I have a lot of feelings about this, LOL, obviously. And, also, I don't see what scenario it would plausibly happen in. How would they get together? And -- I don't believe they'd get together because they both know about werewolves.