Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Teen Wolf: Season 1 Episode 11

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We are almost at the end of Season 1 of Teen Wolf and the show, just like the summer, has gone by so fast. What craziness happened on this next-to-last episode? It's all here in another run down including predictions for the season finale. Remember, this Teen Wolf, run down will include spoilers (see big SPOILER warning below!!) for the particular episode, but only the episode noted in the post title as I don't watch trailers, teasers or read spoiler articles. Any predictions for future episodes, but all the views are entirely from the perspective of watching the actual episode and season so far.

SPOILERS and DETAILS for TEEN WOLF, SEASON 1, EPISODE 11 BELOW

Teen Wolf Season 1

Episode #11: Formalized

Focus: Scott (continues) to try to protect Allison from the Alpha even though he's banned from going to the formal.

Title Reference: There is a formal. And also could mean Allison "formally" sees Scott as the werewolf?

A little continuity, please!
  1. Before I go further I have to note a few glaring continuity issues, this is how I saw them: Scott asks, then tells, than scares Jackson into taking Allison to the formal, but Allison already told Lydia in Episode 10 that he asked her.
  2. We start with Allison upset and driving (at night), apparently after seeing Derek as the werewolf restrained by Aunt Kate. She's speeding and stopped by Stiles' Dad - who didn't we last see drinking up a storm? (could it have been an earlier night?)

Characters Development:
  • Lydia gets attacked by the Alpha (bit status unknown)
  • Derek is in capture mode for the entire episode, and an yet-unnamed hunterish guy comes in and looks like he'll be keeping him unhappy for a while
Relationships:
  • Jackson does take Allison to the formal - but to 'protect' her
  • Stiles takes Lydia to the formal (Allison convinces her)
  • Kate & Derek *were* an item
  • Scott says "I love you" to Allison
Reveals (BIG):
  • Aunt Kate & Derek had a thing back in the day! Oh my. Looks like she lured him and that had something to do with the fire, which isn't jiving with me as I thought he was a kid when it happened.
  • Allison sees Scott as a werewolf!
General Comments:
  • When Jackson broke down seeing the red eyes in the woods, and said he wanted to be one of them I almost lost it - he was so broken. Then when it turned out to be the hunters, it was even more heartbreaking. I also loved that he was concerned for his own safety at the formal, I think guys often get shoved in the 'you're a guy - you can't be scared or back down' direction and although it feels very un-heroic, it also is unusual to see.
  • Overall, lots happened but it felt pretty messy. I know we need a big set up for the finale but it's hard to forgive things like Scott not even trying to hide at the formal (why did they even make it so he couldn't go?) and other continuity guffaws.
  • I was completely surprized about the Kate/Derek reveal - I didn't see that coming, and wouldn't have believed it but when it was revealed, I did. Perfect reveal.
  • Stiles was very sweet (eventually after a few fumbles) with Lydia at the dance, it's almost like he heard the advice from Scott's Mom - he knows she's smart and told her he's liked her forever, how could that not when her over?
Lore:
  • Mountain Ash used by the vet is a repellent used to draw lines werewolves can't cross
Potential lore-ish stuff that isn't yet confirmed, explained or clear yet:
  • Nothing that I saw, but it appears the Alpha 'yell' didn't 'call' Scott, which might confuse some earlier lore.
Arc:
  • "History repeating" was a theme, it's inferred that back in the day Kate lured in Derek, a la 'girl lures werewolf and turns out she's from a family of hunters', which leads her to realize that Scott must be the Beta as he cares for Allison (as opposed to Jackson).
  • First time I've heard the term the "Hale House Fire", and technically it feels like this whole season has had connection that all come back to the fire. I think the mystery of the fire is the driving undercurrent of the season, along with the larger character arc of Scott dealing with being a werewolf.
Predictions:
  • I think the hunters are going to use Scott to get to the Alpha, and Allison may feel compelled into passive inaction for now, but in the long run, she'll help Scott & his buddies. I can't imagine her turning into one of the hunters in her family, even though she thinks Derek killed all the people.
  • I think either Lydia will survive & turn, or if she dies Stiles will become allies with the hunters.
Questions:
  • Why did Allison convince Lydia to go to the formal with Stiles, and moreover if they needed someone to go to the formal with Allison - why didn't Stiles take Allison? I love Lydia & Jackson as character, but this was clumsy way to make sure everyone was at the formal.
  • The formal scenes were pretty bad - Scott was hiding... in plain sight in the bleachers, and I'm not sure how I feel about the whole pretending to be dancing with Danny thing to freak the coach out into thinking he's coming across as homophobic.
  • Is Lydia bit? I would be rather sad if she dies. But if she turned that would be kind of cool.
  • Does Allison know that the werewolf is Derek? She only saw him wolf-ed out.
  • Why didn't Scott hear the Alpha-howl when he was with Allison? Isn't that 'a call' of sorts?
  • What was Alpha Peter doing at the formal? Trying to find someone to tell him where Derek was? That feels pretty far fetched.
  • Who was the guy who came in to see Derek?
  • Is what Kate doing against hunter rules, and if so what (if anything) would happen if it's revealed. Also sounds like he was concerned about if he had told anyone about them being together.
  • Why did Lydia want to go find Jackson? That was pretty random but served moving plot forward moment.
Keeping an eye on:
  • The vet - he seemed surprizingly comfortable talking down Alpha Peter.
  • Scott's Mom - great episode for her, first the really emotional, hilarious, embarrassing phone message and then great advice to Scott about women liking words as she fixed Scott's pants for the formal.
Great Quotes:
  • "Shapeshifter, lycan, werewolf... I don't care. It's just another dumb animal to me" - Kate
  • "Women love words" - Scott's Mom
  • "What if I get hurt?" - Jackson
  • "I'm also pretty sure I'm the only one who knows how smart you really are" - Stiles to Lydia
Left off at (2 biggies):
  • Stiles reveals to Alpha Peter that Derek has Scott's phone therefore the GPS can be used to locate him. Stiles does this under duress and with a promise from Peter that he won't kill Lydia.
  • Corralled by 2 hunter cars, Scott leaps and transforms into a werewolf in front of Allison - and for a moment it looks like he thinks she was in on it.
Next week is the season finale! Will Derek be saved? Will Allison hate Scott? Will everyone survive? Will anyone survive? So far the one thing everyone seems to agree about is that it will be a cliff hanger (poll is at 100%!), and with it being picked up for Season 2 I can't imagine them not cliff hanger-ing it. I do hope we get some closure and more reveals before they leave us hanging until next summer.

Feel free to contribute your predictions too, as long as they are from the perspective of just seeing this episode. Suzie & I will chat about this episode on an upcoming podcast of Hexed. Say tuned!

2 comments:

Amanda Propaganda said...

Derek is dead. Lydia becomes a werewolf. Peter had blood on his mouth after he attacked Lydia. He bit her. Then Stiles becomes a werewolf. Stiles and Lydia become the first two members of a pack loyal to Scott. Scott will need his own pack to fight Peter and the hunters. And then Allison will have to choose between her friends and lover, and family. My predictions.

Suzie Ridler said...

Oh I like how you think Amanda!