Courtesy of MTV
It’s Mischief Night/Devil’s Night/Hell Night in Beacon Hills and although there’s an disappointing lack of Linda Blair, there is a creepy escaped serial killer and a boatload of new villains.
Let’s bitch it out…
Well that was certainly a fun little episode, wasn’t it? For the first time since its return, ‘Galvanize’ feels like the fun, frightening and strange Teen Wolf that we know and love. It doesn’t hurt that the episode features a creepy threat in the form of escaped child killer Barrows (genre vet Doug Jones). The tall, lanky actor milks every horror movie convention he can as he stalks our teens around the school, looming ominously just out of the frame, waiting for the slow pan to reveal that he was right there the whole time. It’s hokey good fun that’s amplified by the Halloween time frame, which is played up like an urban legend in the opening scene at the hospital when Melissa (Melissa Ponzio) interviews Barrows amidst jack-o-lanterns and a brewing storm outside.
Strangely the Halloween atmosphere doesn’t factor in in any other context (aside from Coach Finstock’s birthday), but that’s okay. It turns out that ‘Galvanize’ doesn’t need the holiday festivities; the episode is too busy sending teens to investigate basements, conduct research in Latin and investigate bloody evidence in chemical storerooms. Oh sure, there are several instances when you have to park your brain (why are Dylan O’Brien’s Stiles and Holland Roden’s Lydia allowed return to the school in the middle of the night when an escaped killer is on the loose?!), but these plot hiccups are easily forgotten because the episode moves at relatively break-neck speed.
In between the atmospheric action scenes are some fairly deft developments in the romantic department. The twins (Max and Charlie Carver) are back to hook up with Lydia and get jealous of Danny (Keahu Kahuanui) respectively; Isaac (Daniel Sharman) and Allison (Crystal Reed) conduct “top-optional” research and Scott (Tyler Posey) has a sexy-sushi connection while dining at Kira’s (Arden Cho) house with her parents. A lot of these romantic bits add a nice levity to the proceedings, particularly Argent’s (JR Bourne) reaction when he discovers Allison and Isaac together. Too funny!
Of course Scott’s burgeoning feelings for Kira are a precursor to her kidnapping and near fatal encounter with Barrow (Scott + girls = bad news). Turns out that Barrows has chosen Kira in order to galvanize the adults into seeing that their children are monsters ala Village of the Damned (the original, not the remake, mind you). Initially we’re just meant to think that Barrow is insane, so when Scott goes down for the count and Kira gets zapped, there’s a moment when I honestly wondered if the writers might kill her off. Then it’s revealed that Kira is essentially Electro and she can conduct electricity. Riiiight – this is Teen Wolf! I almost forgot: no one is what they seem and everyone has some kind of supernatural connection. Silly me.
The fall-out of Kira’s abduction and subsequent “reveal” is left dangling, so we’ll have to wait to see what her explanation is (anyone want to bet that the conversation about her mother’s “interesting” Japanese lineage has something to do with this?). The subsequent appearance of villains in Kabuki masks in the closing scene suggest we’re only just getting into this conflict. Can’t wait!
Courtesy of MTV
Other Observations:
- Everyone enjoy the product placement involving Kira’s phone? My first reaction was “those pictures better be important because gosh that was clumsily done”. My second thought was “wow, look at all fun things that phone can do! I wonder where I can get one!” <sarcasm>
- I don’t really ship anyone on the show (except maybe Sterek, ha ha) but there’s no denying that Reed and Sharman have way better chemistry than she ever did with Posey. #justsayin’ #donthateme.
- The twins make the executive decision to return to high school because unaligned Omegas don’t have a high survival rate on their own. Makes sense. I do love that Ethan’s condition is that he won’t do math.
- I seriously doubt that Stiles doesn’t know that K on the periodical table stands for Potassium. It’s played for laughs, but Stiles isn’t dumb, so this didn’t really work for me.
- Scott not knowing Wasabi, however, I can totally buy. Plus Kira’s lamented comment that they were meant to have lasagna is a perfect (hilarious) inversion of the ethnic stereotype we initially think is being presented.
- As with the last few weeks, Derek (Tyler Hoechlin) and Peter (Ian Bohen) are stranded in their own scenes as the contents of Triskelion covered case are revealed. As predicted, they involve Derek’s mom (yum nails), whom he attempts to communicate with. Unfortunately all we get is a visual of a wolf standing on Nemeton, which is pretty, but doesn’t really turn into anything. I’m sure there’s more to come, but for now…yawn.
- Finally, tonight’s terrible hashtags include #NoMoreWerewolves (following Allison’s claim she won’t kiss Isaac) & #ScreamLydiaScream. I can only hope that no one is paid to come up with these because they are insufferable
Best Lines:
- Stiles (trying to convince Scott to ask out Kira): “You’re the hot girl that everyone wants.”
- Lydia (proving to be the voice of reason): “All of the wolves, all of the boys with the glowing eyes, are in the basement?”
- Isaac (after an offscreen yelp): “Electrified the windows?” Allison: “Yup”
- Argent (to Allison, off screen): “Another werewolf?!”
- Barrow (asking Kira if she’s seen Village of the Damned): “The original, not the remake. No one cares about the crappy remakes.” Ah yes, metacommentary, thy name is Teen Wolf
You’re up: what are your thoughts on ‘Galvanize’? Did you enjoy seeing Doug Jones as a regular (well…human-looking) human? Are you behind all of these hook-ups? Are you impressed with how long the writers have plotted to make Lydia a psychic banshee? And what exactly is Kira? Speculate away below
Teen Wolf airs Mondays at 10pm EST on MTV. Next week we’re back to rave club, with some glow in the dark body paint. Bring it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzThkfwG6YY