Even though ‘Dreamcatchers’ struggled on a few minor fronts, it was still the strongest episode of season five so far.
The set-up of Tracy’s transformation paid off here with some great monster hunting and more than a few great character beats along the way. My favourite part was watching Kira actually kick some ass for a change. I’ve mentioned it a few times before, but she’s not really gotten much of an opportunity to shine in her own right lately, and this episode looks like it's setting up some interesting things for her. We still know very little about what she can do, so I hope there is a lot more Kitsune exposition coming our way.
The brutality of Tracy’s death surprised me. I think in part because of Malia’s involvement. She made a lot of progress when she stopped herself from killing Tracy. She’s always been quick to act on her impulses, and it would be very like her to have killed Tracy without thinking about the teenage girl she was just a few days before. But she did, and she had to watch her die anyway. It was pretty harsh, but maybe that’s what makes this season’s big bad so dark.
I feel like part of the “doctors” introduction has happened off screen. There’s this assumption on the part of the writers that we already know who they are, and have a vague idea what they’re up to. Maybe I’m going to eat my words next week when we find out more. Either way I think there are some exciting possibilities where these guys are concerned. They certainly stand out amongst the previous villains we’ve met.
There were a few moments that felt little shaky this week. In the past Teen Wolf has been mostly successful in selling the absurdity of the situations that characters fall into. The Kanima venom poisoning half the cast and hanging the poignancy of their attempts to break free on some extreme facial expressions and swelling music didn’t result in anything other than silliness.
Elsewhere, some of the supporting cast aren’t fitting in for me. Though I appreciate Mason’s integration into the group, it feels a little contrived. Hopefully Liam’s mini pack isn’t hinting at what this show’s future could be. I’m not on board for a Liam-centric re-boot.
Plus
I’m not sure, but isn’t Lydia immune to Kanima venom? I’m not sure if she was paralysed, or just really badly wounded (her hands did move).
He Said, She Said
Lydia: “I’m mostly just following a feeling.”
Kira: “Your feelings usually lead to dead bodies.”
Lydia: “Well, let me know if you find one.”
There’s still a bit to improve on, but this episode helped season five hit some sort of stride. Hopefully it’s an upward trajectory from here.
3.5 out of 5 dreamcatchers.
Originally posted at PandaTV.
No comments:
Post a Comment
We love comments! We moderate because of spam and trolls, but don't let that stop you! It’s never too late to comment on an old show, but please don’t spoil future episodes for newbies.