When a terrifying supernatural creature is awoken, a group of Californian teens must join forces to uncover the secret that connects them before the full moon rises.
Wolf Pack, developed by Criminal Minds and Teen Wolf creator Jeff Davis, opens with a wildfire spreading across the forest. But amidst the flames lies a far bigger threat. Nothing particularly revealing is shared throughout the pilot. Don’t be too disheartened that. There is enough curiosity sparked for you to sink your teeth into moving forward.
Wolf Pack adopts the age old metaphor of teens taking on the world whilst their parents sit by idly, clueless to the danger at hand. This time, lore plays to the advantage of the show’s core four – Everett (Armani Jackson), Blake (Bella Shepard), and siblings Luna (Chloe Rose Robertson) and Harlan (Tyler Lawrence Gray).
Being a teenager can be a rough ride. We have to navigate relationships woes, exams, figuring out our own identities, mysterious animal bites… Ok, so maybe that last part’s more on the fictional side, but we can’t imagine it’d be fun, right?
Isolation and anxiety seem to be central themes awaiting exploration over the progress of the show. We see this particularly through Blake and Everett. The pair are ultimately left to fend for themselves, burdened by overbearing pressures bestowed by their parents.
So, they’re misunderstood, right? Every teen knows that feeling. Both Everett and Blake are trying their best to fit in with this world, despite their efforts to disassociate from their peers.
Nevertheless, the two are convincing in their roles and easily likeable as the show’s protagonists. But where Everett and Blake succeed in their individuality, Wolf Pack struggles to separate itself from cliché and just a tiny bit cringe-worthy tropes that have you rolling your eyes from the sheer predictability.
Even the dialogue suffers at times with certain phrases and delivery of lines coming across as strained – you might actually find yourself wondering: “Do kids really talk like this these days, or am I getting old?” Fear not because no one talks this way.
It’s all good fun though. Every great show goes through a rough patch, especially when trying to find its feet, and while we’re not saying Wolf Pack will be a masterpiece, it has potential.
And speaking of, remember 20 years ago when a certain legendary stake-wielding heroine was last spotted surrounded by a bunch of prospective vampire slayers? Let’s be real, how could we forget any of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s roles? She is an era-defining icon, and she is making a long-awaited comeback to the horror genre as arson investigator, Kristen Ramsay.
Gellar’s performances always whack the nail on the head from the moment she stalks on screen to decades later – we’re still mad Helen Shivers didn’t make that final stretch. We’ve witnessed Gellar exploit sincere vulnerability whenever Buffy is overwhelmed with the sacrifices of a slayer, and we’ve even empathised with the vindictively callous Kathryn Merteuil; but now, Gellar is back in action, and oh how we have missed her.
As the saying goes, all good things come to those who wait. Anyone hoping to see Gellar grab the bulls by the horn and go in guns blazing will have to slam on the breaks. Her character, much like the story, is an enigma.
In fact, Gellar’s presence in the pilot is minimal, but that only leaves us desperate for more. The actress dominates what little screen-time she has; we can’t take our eyes off her, and Kristen’s involvement only adds to the mystery. Hopefully the arson investigator won’t be sitting idle for long, although she appears eager to be thrown in the deep end of the supernatural thrills.
Wolf Pack doesn’t leave any lasting impressions with its debut episode – apart from Gellar’s brief appearance. This is just the beginning though and there’s more than enough secrecy to get eyebrows raised. And we’ll definitely be tuning in to crack this code.
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Wolf Pack is now streaming on Paramount+ where episodes will drop weekly.
