MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

In 2011 MTV unleashed Teen Wolf, a television series that is, one some level, based on the 1985 Michael J. Fox vehicle of the same name. The premise reads like anything else of its ilk that you might find on any teen-centric television network. Scott McCall, an, awkward high-schooler (read: a remarkably attractive teenager that people don’t talk to for some reason) gets bitten by a werewolf and must then keep this life-changing incident a secret. His best friend, Stiles Stillinksi helps Scott navigate these tumultuous waters as Scott finds that there are things far stranger than werewolves in his hometown of Beacon Hills.

The difference, between this and other shows of the same vein, is that beneath the melodramatic gazes, the sex between stupendously attractive people, and the gratuitous violence, Teen Wolf is a television show whose most important tenants are rooted in optimism, hope, and faith. The necessity for this show is evident, as Hollywood continues to manufacture negativity.

In 2012 The Washington Times’ Emily Esfahani Smith wrote an article entitled “Hollywood’s Cynicism Is Breeding Disconcerting Cultural Standards.” In it she points to shows such as such as Mad Men and Breaking Bad and posits, “In each of these cases, immoral actions leave a great deal of human suffering in their wake…and no redemption, no good…comes out of it.” In this paper I will showcase the ways in which Teen Wolf overturns some of the cynical tropes found in popular television, and instead opts for messages of community, family, and love. The importance of this paper lies in the need to draw attention to a show that, beneath its slick and popular veneer, offers up inspirational messages though its narratives.