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'Teen Wolf': What happened in that surprising new episode

'Wolf' is based on the 1980s film of the same name and has become a hit program for its network, MTV. The show stars Tyler Posey and Dylan O'Brien of the 'Maze Runner' films.

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Tonya Wise/Invision/AP
'Teen Wolf' stars Tyler Posey.

The MTV show “Teen Wolf” has aired its midseason finale and the new episode included plenty of twists for viewers.

The show “Wolf” is based on the 1985 Michael J. Fox movie of the same name and centers on Scott McCall (Tyler Posey), a teenager who is bitten by a werewolf. He becomes caught up in struggles with other supernatural creatures while also trying to get through normal high school problems.

The MTV program is currently in its fifth season and aired its midseason finale on Aug. 24. The recent episodes have involved a character named Theo, who is also a werewolf and says he is an acquaintance of Scott and his friend Stiles (Dylan O’Brien). However, in the most recent episode, Theo admitted he is a creature called a chimera and that his mission was to take down Scott and make a pack of supernatural creatures. 

Critics and fans mostly seemed intrigued by the newest plot developments in the most recent installment of “Wolf,” with USA Today's Hoai-Tran Bui writing, “It’s clear that the show was holding back all of the good stuff until this episode” and Entertainment Weekly's Samantha Highfill writing, “there are still just enough exciting twists to keep me invested.” 

The origin of MTV’s hit show is certainly an unlikely one. The movie “Teen Wolf” was not well received by reviewers, though it did well at the box office. But MTV’s version of the story has become a ratings hit for the network along with such relatively recent MTV scripted shows as “Awkward” and “Scream.”

The success of the show also shows how the supernatural craze is now found on TV in shows aimed at teens. The books often credited with helping the trend along, the “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer, were aimed at young adults but were read by many adults as well. Shows like HBO’s “True Blood,” which focused on various supernatural creatures, and NBC’s “Dracula” and movies like “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” were aimed at general audiences. 

But the ones that have succeeded recently are MTV’s “Wolf” and the TV show “The Vampire Diaries,” which is one of The CW’s flagship programs. Both networks are appealing to young viewers. “True Blood” wasn't as well received by viewers in later years and “Dracula” did not do well, nor did the film “Abraham.” By contrast, “Wolf” and “Diaries” are still going strong – “Diaries” performed well enough that it spawned a spin-off series, “The Originals.”

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