Teen Wolf: Season 1, Episode 1

Shannon here. I thought I'd try something new here at Hexed, an actual episode by episode run down of thoughts and ideas for a show we are following. I always take notes for the shows Suzie & I discuss on the podcast, from things like lore notations to character introductions, from favourite quotes to predictions. I was thinking about it and realized, why not share them? Since I like to start things from the beginning, Teen Wolf gets to be the honourary test case for sharing the fun!

It 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 trailer or read spoiler articles. It will also include predictions for future episodes, but all the views are entirely from the perspective of watching the actual episode. Okay, let's get started!

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

Teen Wolf Season 1

Episode 1: Pilot / Wolf Moon

Focus:
Scott, a benchwarming asthmatic lacrosse player in high school is bitten by a wolf and starts to experience heightened senses & strength. Also serves as an introduction to the location of Beacon Hills, California and Scott's life including his best friend Stiles, the start of school, lacrosse tryouts, a new-girl-in-town Allison and popular kids including fellow lacrosse player Jackson & girlfriend Lydia.

Title Reference:
I've seen this episodes noted as both Pilot (self-explanatory) and Wolf Moon (also rather self-explanatory given wolf in the episode and it taking place in and around the full moon).

Characters (in order of appearance):

• Scott McColl - protagonist, initially a severe asthmatic, lacrosse player (historic benchwarmer), works at Animal Clinic, bitten by a wolf or more likely a werewolf
• Stiles- Scott's best friend, son of a cop, lacrosse player (historic benchwarmer), potential researcher type
• Stiles' Dad - cop
• Jackson - jock dude (lacrosse player) that is mean to Scott
• Lydia Martin - pretty girl that ignores Stiles
• Allison Argent - new girl in town
• Coach
• Derek Hale - per Stiles: he's a few years older and his family burned to death in a fire 10 years ago
• 3 Hunters, and the main one is Allison's Dad

Didn't survive the episode: 1 unidentified woman in the woods

Images of the main players for the visual folks:

Scott and his best friend Stiles


Conflict fellas: Derek (likely a werewolf) and alpha hunter duke/Allison's Dad


The Humans/High Schoolers/Unawares (as far as we know!): Allison, Jackson & Lydia


Relationships:

• Scott & Stiles are best friends
• Jackson & Lydia are a couple
• Scott asks Allison out and takes her to the party (but takes off on her and later apologizes)
• Derek says that he & Scott are now brothers

General Comments:

• Interesting to see the focus of a dis-empowered teen guy who gets strong - I'm curious to where they will go with that and what the audience reaction will be.
• Scott's character is totally sweet (the workingn at the Animal Clinic really set that in stone).
  
• I really like Scott & Stiles friendship, although I did goof on first watch though as I thought the first time we see Jackson (super-jock) that he was Scott's friend Stiles and whats confused hy he was so mean to him. I also was convinced Jackson's name was Kyle. Although, Jackson in lacrosse helmet looks a lot like Stiles. Very strange - especially because I should remember the actor from last years summer show The Gates! If that happened to anyone else, easy difference is Jackson has longer hair!
• I liked the humour and Stiles is easily my favourite character so far - love the awkwardness and also th willing to go lengths for his friendship with Scott.
• Little on the fence with the effects, some of them looked great (glowing eyes, hands & ears growing), some not so much (deer stampede, furry face, 3D-ish inhaler and lacrosse ball).
• I thought the first episode was a lot of fun, has some great awkward humour interesting characters and fun nods like Kafka's Metamorphosis.
  
• Definitely going to keep watching and will be curious to see where they go with it.

Lore:

• Scott bitten on abdomen by a wolf (we saw the bite), or more likely a werewolf
• The wolf bite heals fast
• Scott has enhanced hearing and sense of smell post wolf-bite
• Whistle throws Scott off
• Scott has awesome reflexes post-bite, and refers it to like having all the time in the world to react
• Cats freak out around Scott
• Scott's eyes glow when he tries to calm the hurt dog down
• Scott's asthma doesn't act up post-bite
• Dog barks at Derek
• Dancing with Allison triggers change in Scott
• Thought of Allison in danger triggers change in Scott

Potential lore-ish stuff that isn't yet confirmed, explained or clear yet

• Scott was not bitten on the full moon
• Scott doesn't appear to be stronger though, he drags big food bag (could be force of habit)
• Scott goes to sleep and wakes up in woods, when wakes up
• Stiles does lots of research on werewolf stuff included: wolf howls to signal it's location, bloodlust can be charged by anything that angers him or raises his pulse (both of these trigger a change)

Keeping an eye on:

• Lydia - she was too nice too soon to Allison and so shouldn't be making eyes at Scott when she's clearly with Jackson. Will this be a love triangle? Can't have teen supernatural/horror/romance show without one!
• Allison - didn't love that she 'freaked out like a girly girl', she seems a little tougher than that, and huge irony that she cares about hurting the random dog when her father is a hunters.
  
• Derek throws the hunters around and helps Scott while in human form
• Derek never says he bit Scott

Arc:

• So far not much here, don't even know if there will be one. A theme of underdog getting power has lots of potential for both misuse and good use. I see the potential for Jackson and Scott to be rivals and obviously a Scott/Derek mentorship, possibly strained. The hunter vs hunted will be interesting see see how it plays out.

Predictions:

• I see a potential love triangle with Scott, possibly with Allison/Lydia - will the popular girl be interested in the *best* lacrosse player?
• Looks like we are dealing with a change-at-will as oppose to change-by-full-moon as Scott's was bitten before the full moon.
• Theme of control or the repercussions of losing control are quite likely if they continue on the route of charged by anything that angers or raises his pulse.

Questions:

• Are we dealing with werewolves, shapeshifters, or something else? (I'll just use werewolves til we know)
• How many werewolves are there?
• Did Derek bite Scott, and if so why?
• Why was the girl killed and not bitten and who killed her?
• Can girls be werewolves?
• Is Derek a werewolf? We didn't see him change. If he is, is he the last of his pack?
• Why did the dog at the party bark at Derek?
• Did Derek's family really die in a fire?
• Why is Derek back?
• Who were the other 2 hunters?
• Does Allison know about werewolves and that her father hunts them?
  
• Did Stiles really wearing a suit to the party? :)

Great Quotes:

• I'm a nerd by association. I've been Scarlet-nerded. - Stiles to Scott
• I can't sit out again, my who life is sitting on the sidelines. This season I make first line. - Scott to Stiles.
• I freaked out like a girly girl - Allison
• Is it really so bad Scott? That you can see better, hear more clearly, move faster than human could ever hope? You've been given something that most peple would kill for - Derek
• Hey, we'll get through this. C'mon if I have to I'll chain you up on full moon nights and feed you mice. I had a boa once, I could do it. - Stiles to Scott

Left off at:

• "To Be Continued" cliffhanger after the reveal that Allison's Dad is the lead hunter who shot Scott with a crossbow (and Scott actually waving...).

Feel free to contribute your predictions too, as long as they are from the perspective from watching only this first episode. You can also listen to Suzie & I chat all about this episode of Teen Wolf on Ep 62 of Hexed here. Thanks!