You know, I’m surprised it took me this long to watch a new werewolf themed show by the same man who brought me Teen Wolf, but here we are. Wolf Pack left me hesitant after the first episode, but halfway through its eight episode run, I was hooked. Jeff Davis has got the touch.
Within the first few episodes, I had the same reaction that I had in watching the Teen Wolf movie. I felt myself cringe at some of the dialogue and action taking place. But as I said before, after enough time, I grew invested in the story and could ignore those more corny beats. The first thing that surprised me about Wolf Pack was that it wasn’t a spinoff of Teen Wolf. Gun to my head I would have said it was up until I watched the very first episode. It’s apparently based off a book of the same name written by Edo van Belkom. I also learned that while Jeff Davis was the creator of this series, he wasn’t nearly as heavily involved in the writing and directing of most of the episodes. Just the finale, which actually really matters if you want to stick the landing. As in most good season finales, he answered just enough questions while leaving us with a juicy cliffhanger. If the series fails to get picked up for more seasons (in my gut I feel this is likely), then I think the fans were left in a good spot to make their own interpretations.
Anyways, the opening of the show doesn’t waste any time and instead shows us a California residents watch as a wildfire engulfs many of their forests and towns. A school bus full of high school kids also gets to watch a sea of animals stampeding out of the forest. They’re just dumb teenagers, so naturally they have all left the safety of the bus while this insanity ensues. In all the chaos, outsiders Everett and Blake get bitten by a wolf and so their lives change forever. It’s clear both of them have not-so-great home lives, and while at first Blake refuses to buy into what’s pretty obviously happening to them, Everett makes sure he’s still there for her every step of the way.
Also there for them, kind of, are born werewolves Harlan and Luna. Twins who were taken in as babies by California Park Ranger, Garrett. He’s made it his life’s mission to help these two keep the wolves in them at bay. Unlike in Teen Wolf, once the wolf in them is in charge, it’s usually only carnage coursing through their veins. They still have their own special skills enhanced by the moon, but they’ve never transformed before. They start to realize that whoever bit Blake and Everett must be their dad because they all interact with each other like a pack would. It’s not until later in the season that they learn who actually bit Blake and Everett, but they decide to work together to save them.
Throwing a wrench into things is a very persistent and extremely secretive arson investigator, Kristin Ramsey. She tries to keep realism into the situation she’s investigating, but it also seems like she’s no stranger to potentially supernatural happenings. It’s just a shame so many people have to die before vital pieces of the puzzle get put together, though I promise when it does, it’s so, so sweet. Of course, it wouldn’t be a show by Jeff Davis if there wasn’t some teen romance involved, and trust me, there is plenty. And given that the show streamed on Paramount+, it was almost no holds barred. It was strange to see at first, but I think not having these limitations only did the show more favors.
The cast was made up of mainly newer actors, though they all brought something unique and magnetic to the show. Of course, Sarah Michelle Gellar can do no wrong as Kristin, and I loved all of her scenes with Rodrigo Santoro’s Garrett. Those two have terrific chemistry! Again, I’m quite doubtful this show is granted a second season, but if it is, I can’t wait to see more development in the relationships. Teen Wolf fans will obviously be obsessed. An actual fan can confirm.