Not-So AMAZING STORIES

Article first published as TV Review: AMAZING STORIES on Seat42F.

Apple TV+ dips its toe into the anthology format this month with a reboot of AMAZING STORIES, now airing. Each week, the fresh episode will have a new cast and premise, diving into something supposedly amazing, hence the title. The hour-long episodes tell a singular story arc.

I like anthology series in general. From The Twilight Zone to Black Mirror, and even the season-long anthologies like American Horror Story, there are some really terrific examples of the genre. There are also some very bad ones, whose names I won’t name right now, but they typically don’t get renewed for a second season. I think AMAZING STORIES is likely to be one of the latter.

The first episode, “The Cellar,” stars Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf) as Sam Taylor, a present-day man who slips back in time a century and falls in love with Evelyn Porter (Victoria Pedretti, You). Sam really wants to get back to his own time and his brother, Jake (Micah Stock, The Right Stuff), with whom he was renovating an empty house. But once he meets Evelyn in said house, he decides he’d like to take her with him. That’s just fine by her because, even though she has a fiancé, William (Gabriel Olds, Heroes), the marriage is her controlling mother’s (Sasha Alexander, Rizzoli & Isles) choice, not hers.

The story is a classic, if not wholly original. O’Brien and Pedretti are excellent, and act the hell our of their roles. The emotional moments and arc are fully believable, and since that is what the episode is hung on, its an enjoyable watch. The plot is self-contained enough that it stands on its own and doesn’t need sequel or follow-up. These are all staples of strong anthology series.

Where it fails and does so utterly is in the logic of the story. Or rather, the lack thereof. A barometer in the basement makes the characters time travel. They can’t control when it happens, and although it’s said to be triggered by a storm that only happens rarely, Sam goes back and forth several times, sometimes extremely conveniently. There’s no rhyme or reason, and no satisfying explanation as to how the device is used so much but soon can’t be used again. It feels like the character stuff was written first, and then only later did the writer try to figure out how to actually make the premise work. And this explanation was rushed, with little care taken to flesh it out all that much. Time travel is tricky and easy to screw up. It feels like this one didn’t even try all that hard.

To be honest, I’m not completely surprised given the producing credits on the show. While the original AMAZING STORIES was produced by Spielberg, the reboot was developed by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, best known for the ABC series Once Upon a Time. That show could be great occasionally, but frequently suffered from a lack of cohesiveness. Its best parts were character interaction, and it was most satisfying when dealing with family relationships. But it rarely landed an arc solidly because so little care was taken with making everything make sense. In fact, character development was undone if a sequence was desired that required different perspectives.

“The Cellar” is much the same, and would fit right in as a Once Upon a Time installment. It has a fairy tale-esque quality that is magical with a pleasing love story at its center. But it also falls short of quality storytelling because it seems corners were cut, or things were rushed, and it just has an unfinished air about it.

The nice thing about anthology series is that every week there’s a brand-new chance to get it right. But if you choose to lead with such a poor example, I don’t hold out much hope for future installments.

AMAZING STORIES is currently streaming on Apple TV+.

DVD Review: ‘Teen Wolf – Season Three, Part Two’

Article originally published as DVD Review: ‘Teen Wolf – Season Three, Part Two’ on Blogcritics.

MTV’s Teen Wolf did what a number of high-episode-count cable shows have done this year, splitting its season into two halves. The episodes that aired last summer have already been released on DVD, and now the most recent run has its own three-disc set with Teen Wolf Season 3, Part 2. These 12 installments aired from January through March of this year, and arrived in stores just ahead of season four, which premiered this past week.

For those unfamiliar with the show, well, you probably don’t want to jump in here. It’s a highly-serialized story, with long arcs and constant character development. It’s about a boy, in his teens, who becomes a werewolf, of course. But it’s also about growing up in general, accepting responsibility, and figuring out who you are. Plus, there are lots of battles and sneaky enemies and special effects and romantic interludes that satisfy the target audience of the network. It is much better than most MTV fare, and while not genre-busting, is good enough to watch, even if you’re past the typical demographic. So start at the beginning, not with this set.

The back half of season three focuses a lot on Scott (Tyler Posey), of course, now the Alpha of a pack.  It’s not a role he slips into easily, but it’s definitely one he’s been building towards for some time. We know Scott will make a fine Alpha, but I’m glad Teen Wolf decides to chronicle his rocky beginning in the job, as that’s only natural for someone so young stepping up into such a powerful position. As he tries to be a better person alongside this, one wonders how he will eventually prioritize his life and the warring parts of it.

This is not made easy when Scott’s best friend, Stiles (Dylan O’Brien), is turned against him. This makes it much harder for Scott to do what he needs to do, needing to stop a villain, but reluctant to hurt a friend. It also lets O’Brien play another side of the popular no-longer-just-a-sidekick kid, probably why his face is in the middle of the DVD cover, not Scott’s. It certainly makes for some very tense moments.

For those who’ve already seen these episodes, you will know a major death shakes up the end of this season. (I won’t spoil who it is, so if you haven’t seen it, you’re safe to keep reading.) It’s really unprecedented for Teen Wolf to take out someone so important, and if I didn’t know that the performer wanted to leave, I’d be shocked the writers would do such a thing. Creatively speaking, this will breathe new life into the narrative direction going forward, and really lets Teen Wolf dig into some deep emotion, but it’s also sad to lose a beloved part of the fabric.

Season 3B is a time of consequence. Often, in an action-based show, there are big developments, but the pacing is such that it quickly moves on. Teen Wolf Season 3, Part 2 tries, and often succeeds, in telling a tale where the ramifications of one’s choices are felt. This may not seem like a novel concept, and it isn’t completely, as the best TV shows always do this. But for a program like Teen Wolf, the inclusion is not a given, and I like how things come back to haunt our heroes. It makes them more well-rounded individuals.

If you’re not one of those that go for feelings, there’s still plenty of excitement and freaky-deaky stuff. These installments are full of supernatural powers and new races. Scott, Stiles, and Allison (Crystal Reed) have to deal with visions from their “open” minds. Were-coyotes join the fray, there’s a banshee to contend with now, and mass murderers pose a threat. Kira (Arden Cho, the recent Tomb Raider video game), a kitsune, which is a mythological Japanese trickster, is introduced, and she’s only part of the Asian lore in these episodes. So buckle in and enjoy the ride.

I complained about the sparse extras in the first half of this season, and this latest release is even worse. The only thing included is a featurette called “Following the Pack: The Fans of Teen Wolf.” It’s eight-plus minutes of footage from the Supernatural Fan Expo, including brief clips of interviews with cast members talking about their audience. There is little substance, designed more to show us that people like the show. There’s also a booklet of some fan art included in the package. Some of it looks kind of cool, but it seems a bit amateurish for a hit show to include such things. I see this is completely unnecessary, and wish the production had put together something to give us more insight to the series, being deeply disappointed by the lack of extras here.

Teen Wolf Season 3, Part 2 is available now.

DVD Review: ‘Teen Wolf – Season 3, Part 1′

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Teen Wolf – Season 3, Part 1′ on Blogcritics.

MTV’s Teen Wolf is back! Before the network can even air the entire third season, the first 12 episodes have come to DVD in a three-disc set. With a handful of special features, this is a relatively sparse release for the purpose of getting the most recent installments into the hands of the fans as quickly as possible. Or maybe, cynically, it’s just to make more money.

I’m rarely a fan of the partial season release. Sometimes, it can seem justified, such as when Battlestar Galactica took a year-long hiatus mid-season, since there was a huge break before new episodes. But Glee, Royal Pains and Doctor Who have been known to rush partial seasons out when the hiatus is short, and that usually seems like it comes from a place of greed. Teen Wolf is in this latter category, having gone off the air in August and slated to return in January. However, MTV is bad about changing their TV listings constantly, making reruns hard to find and record, so perhaps this will help some people who missed some episodes.

The third season kicks off roughly four months after season two. Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) and his friends are now juniors. It’s not an easy start to the year, as Scott and Allison (Crystal Reed), whose family has given up werewolf-hunting, are still broken up, making for some awkward moments. Lydia (Holland Roden) and Jackson (Colton Haynes, who is now on Arrow instead) are also split, but Jackson has moved to London, which makes things for Lydia a little bit easier. With Jackson gone, Lydia has some free time on her hands, and Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) is only too happy to fill it playing detective with her.

But fans know that Teen Wolf not about tame puppy love. There’s fresh danger afoot in town, as a gang of Alphas led by Deucalion (Gideon Emery) wants Derek (Tyler Hoechlin) to join them, and just to make sure there’s no going back, they plan on slaughtering the rest of Derek’s current pack. To start, they take Boyd (Sinqua Walls) and Erica (Gage Golightly) captive, and things spiral out of control from there.

Even worse, a Darach (basically an evil Druid) is also hanging around, and they aren’t the most non-murderous people on the block. Meaning, lives are in danger when a Darach is near. If only Scott and the others could figure out who the Darach is, they might be able to put a stop to the terrible deeds being committed.

It all ties together as allegiances shift, secrets are revealed, and relationships are changed. Teen Wolf does a good job of connecting dots, even quite a bit down the road, letting an important bit come out at just the right moment. It’s a skill others of its peers have also figured out, so it’s not alone in this regard, but it provides the draw that keeps viewers coming back week after week.

Well, that, and the body count. Teen Wolf has not shied away from getting rid of characters when the story calls for it, or even sometimes just to pump up the excitement level, and Season 3, Part 1 is certainly no exception to that. With the monster population dense and human sacrifice part of rituals being performed, quite a few people die over these twelve episodes, making for higher stakes danger and plenty of scares. Good thing the show boasts a large recurring cast!

As far as extras go, there are deleted scenes, a gag reel, another shirtless montage for the female (or guys who like guys) fans, and a single featurette entitled “Back to the Pack.” The latter is a TV special that aired prior to season three in which the cast discusses the first two years and previews what’s coming up in the third. It may have been beneficial to watch back in June, but if you plan on viewing it with this DVD, I recommend watching it before the included episodes.

Teen Wolf Season 3, Part 1 is available now.

Teen Wolf Season Two Review

Article first published as DVD Review: Teen Wolf Season Two on BlogCritics.

MTV’s Teen Wolf Season Two, available now on DVD, is a three disc-set that features all twelve episodes of the series that aired last summer. This batch continues the story started in season one, and takes things to a new level, with new, more sinister dangers and fresh additions to the mythology.

Each series has its own way of approaching what werewolves are and how they work, but a generally accepted part of the conceit is that when a person is bitten by a werewolf, they turn into one. Teen Wolf challenges that notion this year as Jackson (Colton Haynes) gets bitten, but does not turn. How? Why? What does this mean?

I like that Teen Wolf makes this kind of bold move, surprising characters and viewers alike. The reasoning behind Jackson’s apparent immunity is not immediately apparent, and has everyone trying to figure out what’s going on. Jackson is affected, but not in the way we expect him to be. Among the various monster types, I’m not sure something like this has really been attempted before, so I praise such an original idea.

Jackson’s resistance presents a problem for Derek (Tyler Hoechlin), who is now an Alpha. He is supposed to be able to lead his pack and tell them what is going on, but this not something he knows anything about. Luckily, there are others that are more susceptible to what Derek offers, newcomer Isaac (Daniel Sharman, Immortals), for one, which means that Derek isn’t without followers. But Jackson does present a challenge to his position, both in theory and in what soon becomes a very real way.

Of course, Scott (Tyler Posey) can’t just fall in line behind Derek. He is the star of Teen Wolf, and isn’t one to cower in a shadow. Scott and Derek may work together sometimes, but that doesn’t mean that Scott will just accept Derek’s actions when he doesn’t agree with them, whether Scott is in his pack or not. This creates some fresh conflict between the two, which is quite interesting.

Posey, while not the strongest performer on television, is growing into the role. Others do a little better than the show’s lead, but his acting is improving as his goes, and he does present a character viewers will root for. Given more time, he will likely continue to get better as the show progresses.

This being an MTV show, most of which are geared towards a certain age bracket, there is also a focus on the romance. Scott continues to see Allison (Crystal Reed), in secret, of course, since she is part of a family of wolf hunters. This does feel very much like the classic Romeo and Juliet tale of the warring families, despite the fact that not all of Allison’s relations are evil, which makes their relationship exciting to the young folks, but also prevents stability. While not completely original, the actors fill the roles well, making for good television.

The other love at the center of this year’s story line is the one between Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) and Lydia (Holland Roden). Sadly, unlike with Scott and Allison, this attraction seems to be one-sided, with Lydia not interested in Stiles’ advances. But the mental breakdowns Lydia suffers and the secrets surrounding her provide plenty of fodder to keep viewers, and Stiles, engaged, even if they aren’t really a couple.

It would actually be quite difficult to give a full summary of this second season in a few hundred words. Teen Wolf packs an incredibly amount of story into each of these episodes, and boasts an ever-expanding cast. In season two, things really ramp up, with the pacing taking off, and the plot flowing along. I liked season one, but I think the second year is when the show really begins to demonstrate what it is about and what it can do. It’s definitely one of the best things to come out of MTV, a sort of cable version of The Vampire Diaries.

And, as one might expect, there is plenty of cliffhanger at the end of Teen Wolf Season Two. However, fear not. The popular series will return this summer with all new installments to continue the saga.

Teen Wolf Season Two has an adequate amount of special features, though skews anything technical or deep in favor of those targeted at their main viewership. There’s a “Shirtless Montage,” alternate Stiles takes, a gag reel, a reel featuring fight scenes, and an introduction to Derek’s pack. There are also audio commentaries on three episodes, a look at season three, and highlights from the series panel at Paleyfest. Nothing groundbreaking here, but enough.

Teen Wolf Season Two is available now.

Teen Wolf The Complete Season One on DVD

If one drew up a list of films that should get a remake for the television screen, the campy Teen Wolf would likely not be near the top. Yet, last year MTV aired a series loosely based on the movie of the same name, and received pretty positive reviews. With season two airing this summer, those who missed it the first go-round may want to catch up with The Complete Season One DVD, on sale now.

MTV's Teen Wolf differs from the movie in many ways. For one, the television series is much darker, building suspense, mystery, and mythology into the story. Goofy humor will only take you so far, and Teen Wolf is mainly a drama, not a sitcom. As such, many of the film's conventions had to go.

But that doesn't mean that the message has changed. Teen Wolf still features a teenage werewolf, struggling not only with normal adolescence and hormones, but supercharged by the strange change that has come over him. One might draw parallels between the curse and puberty. After all, both find young men not sure how to deal with new emotions, aggression, and body hair. But Teen Wolf takes itself completely seriously, and viewers who tune in will likely do the same.

Season one sets a lot of things up. In the first episode, Scott McCall (Tyler Posey, Lincoln Heights, Doc) is bitten. The only person he can trust with his secret is best friend, Stiles (Dylan O'Brien, The First Time), who is quite impressed with the changes in Scott, once he gets over the initial shock. However, neither of these boys know what is going on, exactly, or what to do about it.

Enter Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin, 7th Heaven), a local man, who also happens to be a werewolf. Derek's entire family dealt with this issue, and the end result was most of them being burnt alive. Derek skulks the woods, and while his motivations remain unclear initially, he becomes a sort of mentor to Scott. Too bad Derek's not the only wolf around.

Scott has other worries besides wolves. Not everyone is in the dark about the werewolf race. There are a group of hunters who have long sought to rid the world of the beasts. Very unlucky for Scott, the girl he likes, Allison (Crystal Reed, Crazy, Stupid, Love), just happens to be the daughter of one such enemy (JR Bourne, The Secret Circle, The Exorcism of Emily Rose). Talk about a scary dad!

The cast is mostly young and good looking, as one would expect from a series such as this. Thankfully, most of them are also decent performers. Posey struggles a little, but has enough charm that many fans, especially the female ones, will forgive him, much like Tom Welling in early episodes of Smallville. It's likely he will grow better as the series progresses, especially when he is surrounded by even better talent.

There are a number of special features on The Complete Season One DVD, for fans who would like to go a little deeper into the show. "Meet the Cast of Teen Wolf" is probably the most interesting and informative of the extras. There is also some commentary on select episodes.

For the teen girls who love the show, there's "Teen Wolf: Working the Red Carpet," "Love Bites!" and "Shirtless Montage." A gag reel is included, too.

There are also bonuses for those who favor substance over presentation. An extended version of the season finale, "Code Breaker," is included. There are deleted, alternate, and extended scenes, which give even more glimpses into what has been filmed, and how it all comes together, and is edited down for broadcast.

Teen Wolf The Complete Season One is a worthwhile release, with enough to keep viewers engaged for many an hour. It is a pretty enjoyable series, that only gets a little too hokey and melodramatic occasionally. One could categorize this show as being part of the better programming MTV is putting out this past year or so, and worth setting a DVR for. Pick up your copy today.

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Teen Wolf two night premiere

     MTV's new Teen Wolf opened with a two-night premiere this week on Sunday and Monday. Very loosely based on the 1985 movie of the same name, Teen Wolf finds Scott McCall (Tyler Posey, Lincoln Heights, Doc) experiencing heightened senses after being bitten by a wolf in the forest, even though wolves have not been seen in the area in over half a century. His best friend, Stiles (Dylan O'Brien), realizes that signs point to Scott being a werewolf, but Scott is skeptical. Then he begins to change when angry or excited. It isn't a full change, but he gets some fur, claws, and his eyes glow yellow. Mysterious local Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin, 7th Heaven), whose family was burned in a fire years ago, may have answers, but before he can give them, the duo are attacked by hunters.

     MTV's Teen Wolf, despite looking a lot like Michael J. Fox's, as the change is only partial, and Scott can still walk upright, is a heck of a lot darker. There is no fun basketball game, but instead, Scott's skills cause serious damage and injuries on the lacrosse field, while his gear keeps the spectators unaware of the beast. Opposing team members see the glowing yellow eyes, and are rightfully freaked out, passing Scott the ball and getting out of his way.

     Honestly, the lacrosse stuff is a bit tired. Do most students really care that much about a sport? Any sport? Sure, Scott is invested because he has always sucked until now, and is enjoying being good for once. Popular jock and team captain Jackson (Colton Haynes, The Gates) also takes it seriously, because it affects his social status. But it's just a game. And dreams of becoming a "professional lacrosse player" ring a little hollow in a football-obsessed nation. When was the last time a lacrosse game aired on network television?

     The divide between the popular kids and the geeks is stereotypical and thin, at best. Jackson should welcome Scott among the winners as Scott helps the team do well, not be determined to knock Scott back down to loser status. The need to keep students segregated and not allow anyone to move up the ladder is worse than trite. It feels like Glee or High School Musical, both of which tell the tale in a much better developed way.

     But the plot isn't entirely uninteresting. Derek provides some back story and mystique, giving Scott more to deal with than just controlling his powers on the field and around the pretty girl he has a crush on, Allison (Crystal Reed). Speaking of Allison, she, too, is tied into deeper motives, as her father (JR Bourne, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) is the lead hunter who has come to town to kill the wolves. Not to mention, Derek's sister is found ripped in half. So there's a lot going on besides the teenage angst, thankfully.

     The cast is capable enough, but no one really stands out, so time will tell if any of them can handle anything special, or if this will be another show that only teens watch.

     Which makes Teen Wolf hard to judge. Elements of it are stupid and inane, but others are neat and could be deep. The series feels more like it should be on SyFy or the CW than MTV, which might be a point in its favor. At this time, the only thing to do is keep watching and see if it gets better or worse. If it stays the same, it will continue to be hard to know whether it's a good series or not, as it straddles the line.

     Teen Wolf airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on MTV.

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     To buy Teen Wolf streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: Teen Wolf - "Wolf Moon; Second Chance at First Line" on Blogcritics.