So this 2016 series finally arrived on Netflix.
But after all my chomping at the bit, it turns out this teen series was made for ..*GASP* .. actual teens.
Despite the Grange Hill vibe, adorbs faux wolves and a truckload of denial, I could not regress back to 13 to enjoy it.
So instead let me rate some of the best ‘fanged and furred’ that have come under my hypercritical gaze.
American Werewolf in London – 1981
Pretty much the benchmark for the modern werewolf movie.
(No I’m not a film historian so sue me if I just made that up.)
It had a sly wink to old tropes and created some new ones. Plus black comedy and AMAZEBALLS effects that hold up almost 40 years later. Yup it’s that old! BUT still looks a gazillion times better than shit CGI. (I’m talking to you Underworld.)
Rating : 8 out of 10.
Points off for only one woman (love interest) and spawning two terrible sequels in the 90’s.
Company of Wolves – 1984
An awesome feminist re – telling (and deconstruction) of Red Riding Hood and other wolfy stories. Despite the lack of budget there are some fab fairy tale moments.
With a handful of spare change and the left over Direwolves from G.O.T, Neil Jordan could remake the bejesus out of this. (Please, please, please…)
Rating : 6 out of 10
Points deducted for obvious Alsations and un-hot werewolves when in man form.
Ginger Snaps – 2000
Twisted sisters in the burbs are tight until Ginger gets bitten by a lycan and her period follows.
When I first saw this, I loved it like the holy grail for having chicks as the main business and throwing in a sly bitch about menstruation. It also put a new twist on the werewolf life cycle.
Rating: 6 out of 10.
Points shaved for seeming a bit dated and done now. Fun fact – this also spawned two flawed but oddly intriguing sequels.
Dog Soldiers – 2002
Soldiers on a drill in Scotland bump into some hairy beasties.
Serious horror and the best werewolves I’ve ever seen. No bad CGI, cringy animatronics or sad stunt doubles in mohair. Big win for the scary monsters.
Rating – 7 out of 10.
Points deducted for story deficit, female deficit (It’s no longer 1981, shame on you) and moor deficit. Werewolves need wide open spaces to hunt you down.
Teen Wolf – 2011 – 2013 (Teen things always suck after 3 seasons)
A fit guy in a blood soaked ripped shirt with yellow eyes. Grrr. That’s pretty much the show.
Kidding.
Kind of.
The wolfing out is lame (hairy elf ears and intense muttonchops) and it is an Abercrombie and Fitch ad BUT there’s also dark storylines, creepy horror tropes, kickass chicks, good banter, high school hi-jinks and gayness.
Rating – 8.5 out of 10
Points given for gayness.
Because how many other halfway decent supernatural shows have gay boys or a gay werewolf in them, like it’s just a normal Tuesday?
I said HALFWAY DECENT…
Howling at the screen 