Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Teen Wolf, Season 2 Episode 2: Shape Shifted





Isaac is meekly discussing his grades with his father, he seems very nervous and is dodging the question – finally admitting to a D grade. And his father loses it and starts throwing crockery around, guess we know where he got his black eye yesterday. He gets a cut under his eye from the thrown glass – which heals almost instantly. He runs out the house and grabs his bike and rides off, chased by father in the car. Jackson, the neighbour sees them leave but, naturally, dismisses it.

His father finds Isaac’s bike – but instead of Isaac he finds a monster. And that monster eats him. And we can rejoice, in fact we can rewind and watch the death all over again.

Isaac reports this to Derek (who has an awesome red-eyed effect going on) but Isaac claims it wasn’t him.

On to the main characters with Allison (she who has no personality) and Scott continuing their illict love affair in the woods filled full of traps. Scott is a little perturbed by the whole Granddaddy Argent hacking people in half thing and asks her some questions but Allison knows nothing (big surprise). For reasons unknown Scott decides against telling Allison about Granddaddy’s hacking and slashing while Daddy watches for funsies. She also actually believes her murdering parents have “date night”

Moving to Daddy Argent and Mummy Argent, they and their cronies kidnap the principal of the school and torture him. I think it’s to make him resign but, being Argents and all, they’re probably doing it for shits and giggles.

Scott and Styles are preparing for lacrosse and Scott is trying to convince Styles that he doesn’t need to get out the bondage gear for full moon (awwwww) Styles is having none of it (yaaaaay) in his usual, perfect, amusing fashion. And Styles tells him to shut up about Allison – thank you Styles, at last someone said it! Styles then drops his bondage gear out of his locker and the coach (who is kind of awesome himself) decides he really doesn’t want to know. While playing with the chains Scott goes all yellow-eyed (which is an awesome effect) because there’s another werewolf in the locker room (of course, Isaac is in the room).

Allison (the personality-less) is talking with Lydia who has already got her sarcasm and mean girlness back. Look, Allison the reason everyone mentions your aunt is a serial killer beyond her actually being one (and your dad, mum and granddad, uncles, aunts and probably everyone else) is that it’s your single defining characteristic at this point. I’m amazed everyone remembers her name. Unfortunately for Lydia, running through the woods naked means everyone stares at her like she’s grown a second head.

Meanwhile on the lacrosse field, Jackson is after a digital camera (and I love how his smug showing off of his wealth is so constantly shot down). Scott and Styles are planning an idea so Scott can get close to all his team mates one-on-one so he can sniff out the werewolf. Styles has a plan – which involves swapping Scott with Danny (in goal). Hijinks ensure until Scott and Isaac are golden eye to golden eye. Then the police arrive and take Isaac away because of his murdered father – which worries Styles because if he’s a suspect they can hold him for 24 hours and it’s the night of the full moon. And it’s likely the holding cell is not going to hold a werewolf – and Scott believes Isaac does have the urge to maim and kill, unlike him.

In class Styles says that as a teenager they’d need evidence or a witness to hold Isaac – but the police are talking to Jackson (who lives next door to Isaac and is a potential witness). Antagonising the teacher who loves them so much anyway, they get sent to the principal’s office so Scott can listen in with werewolf ears. Inside Jackson is talking to Styles’s father and telling him that he knew Isaac was being abused but, being Jackson, didn’t give a damn. He leaves and poor Styles tries to hide behind his magazine – I don’t know who to pity more, Styles or Styles’s father.


But then the new principal opens the door – it’s Granddaddy Argent (may something eat him. And how does he just swan into town and pick up that job so quickly?) Granddady murderer plays friendly friendly fluffy principal (has any student in the history of mankind ever fallen for that?) but someone has to take the fall and get detention – poor Styles.

Lydia is trying to thank Jackson for helping her when she was injured. And Jackson is… Jackson and generally an arsehole – he does advise her to stay home that night though, full moon and all.

Outside of school Isaac is being taken for a little ride by the police and Derek, in a much nicer car, wants Scott to come with him. Scott takes the opportunity to blame Derek for Isaac and Scott wants a tantrum – but Derek says that there’s something much much worse in Isaac’s house (Isaac’s father did mention the basement) and that he needs Scott’s help (so stop being such a damn drama llama)

Daddy Argent and Granddaddy Argent are discussing Isaac, granddaddy Argent wants to know if he’s a werewolf and, if so, he’s going to make with the choppy choppy. Daddy Argent has managed to scrape together the shreds of his conscience to complain that genocide isn’t all that great and he is a 16 year old kid so can we refrain from the choppy choppy? Granddaddy ignores that and asks if there’s any proof, and Daddy falls into line. He’s made his token protest. This makes him the Good Argent (may something eat them all soon). They also talk to Allison about Lydia.

Jackson has got his camera from Matt (the camera guy who took photos of Kate Argent’s funeral) and is an arsehole in the process. He wants to film himself shift during the full moon. I’m amused that he denies he’s making a sex tape but the way he does it implies he’s making a masturbation tape instead. There follows much posing and shirtlessness as he sets up the camera in his bedroom. After a long night of expectations, he doesn’t shit, he’s rejected the bite.

Scott and Derek break into the crime scene of Isaac’s house to leave their DNA and finger prints everywhere – and Derek says he knows Isaac isn’t lying and didn’t kill his father because he uses his many many senses oh, and, sniffing your fellow lacrosse players was really noticeable. In the basement they find Isaac’s motive for killing his father – signs of someone being trapped in the basement and a chest freezer where Isaac had been locked inside.

Scott tells Derek this is why Isaac wanted to be a werewolf (obviously) and demands Derek stop turning people. Derek points out Isaac knew about everything, including the Argents, and was completely willing, so why not? I have to say I kind of agree with Derek there – and while Scott thinks they’re foolish for discounting the Argents, at the same time he is dating Allison Argent – something Derek knows so others will find out. Derek also points out that it’s much better to be in a pack than an Omega. Scott is still denying the whole pack (whyyy?) but he will help get Isaac free because he’s innocent.

Allison, meanwhile, is a little perturbed about being asked about Lydia by her murderous family – and that one of the murderers has just gone out dressed as a police man with a box which, upon calling Styles, is confirmed as wolfsbane and that he’s going to kill Isaac. Allison is not having that and finally showing some moxie, gets her bow and goes hunting Argents (am I the only one faintly amused that her mother barges into her room without knocking and virtually rips the plaster off the walls looking for her hidden boyfriend, but at the same time Allison is free to wander out in the middle of the night at any time?) She shoots out the fake wolfsbane cop’s tires and then shoots him in the leg. Go Allison – maybe we’re finally seeing some personality from this character.

Styles tells Allison where Scott is and she goes to Isaac’s house with the chain. It’s full moon and because Scott has rejected Derek’s help, he’s changing so Allison chains him up in the chest freezer prison with a lot of angst. And more angst. And ye gods more angst. And, oh for gods’ sake guys it’s one night, deal with it already. After taking an angst break, Allison realises she is not alone in the house and sees a monster-y thing (that does not look like a werewolf) and screams. Scott hears it and starts busting out of the freezer – which is not designed to hold a werewolf. He arrives, Allison pulls a knife and the lizard-like thing runs for it.

At the police station Styles and Derek are discussing plans – really, Derek, bite Styles please, you make a much better duo than the endlessly whining Scott. Without a plan, Derek goes in and relies on his good looks to distract the policewoman at the desk (who may actually be the first POC on the show ever) which sounds cheesy and silly but he is an awwwfully good looking man (with the WORST and CHEESIEST lines EVER). Styles gets to sneak round, bitterly cursing, but the key is missing. Leaving a blood trail and likely bleeding to death, wolfsbane, fake cop is in the station (now that’s dedication to genocide) and he runs into Styles. Poor Styles. While being dragged away he manages to pull the fire alarm but still gets dragged to the holding cell. The broken holding cell – Styles was right, it’s not built to hold a werewolf. Isaac is free and takes issue with the Argent – breaks his arm and knocks him unconscious. Derek pulls out his Alpha to save Styles from Isaac – his roar driving Isaac back to human form. Good to be the Alpha. Derek and Isaac leave, leaving poor Styles to explain the wrecked cell and unconscious man to his father.


Styles makes this show. Enough said. And I love the eye effects – subtle but really well done