The hunt for the shapeshifter takes some curious turns with a revelation that comes at about the right time.
What They Say:
Venomous – Derek believes that Lydia is the shapeshifter that they are after; Scott gathers forces for protection.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Getting a full on look at the shapeshifter in the previous episode, something I wasn’t sure we’d get until later in the season, definitely worked for upping the game and making it clear that there are other things out there in the world. Combining that with what we get from the Argent family, especially with Gerard in the picture now, this has a tip of the iceberg kind of feel to it. But not in a way that minimizes what we have so far or what it’s doing, but rather just says that like teenage years, the more you know, the more you realize just how much you don’t know out there. Of coruse, the mystery of who the shapeshifter is does give us something tun to deal with since there’s plenty of potential candidates for it.
Trying to figure out who it is can be half the fun, which leads to Derek doing something quite distasteful to Jackson since he thinks he’s the one. Since a snake can’t be hurt by its own poison, what better way to test someone than to slide a little bit of that poison in. Eliminating Jackson isn’t too much of a surprise though, but with the things he’s going through physically and mentally leaves you wondering what it is that’s going on with him. He’s still an intense kid with all that he can do, but there’s also so many changes going on with him, such as how he’s benching less than he used to, that it leaves you really wondering.
Of course, all of that turns you towards Lydia as the next likely based on the things that have happened to her, so that has Derek’s little band of misfits going after her next. Which is something that Scott and Stiles don’t want to have happen, so with a bit of help from Allison, they have to try and stymie their efforts as best as they can. Which is never easy when dealing with things inside of a high school situation and the way the teachers just screw around with everyone. There’s also the additional problem that it’s becoming obvious that there is something wrong with Lydia as she’s starting to see things at times and is slowly having a breakdown that’s got the potential for a lot of big damage.
There’s a lot of roundabout material that figures into this episode as they try to keep Lydia safe from Derek as he’s intent on taking her down, even if she’s not the shapeshifter since he can’t believe that he can be wrong. It plays out well in a cat and mouse kind of way but it works well since it brings in not only Stiles and Allison to protect her, but Jackson tags along as well in order to get something he needs. All while others are getting the tape fixed for him so that he can find out what it is that’s really going on. Seeing that unfold and reveal in the midst of all of this, especially as the sun sets and it gets dark, is just a lot of fun, especially as Lydia is juts so confused and chaotic in her mind about things but still going through her own strange series of lies.
In Summary:
While it takes a bit to get there, we get a lot of small revelations along the way that helps to build a good narrative of what’s going on and just how many more different things out there in the world there may be. Giving us the final truthful revelation about who the shapeshifter is definitely is a positive in the right direction since we get to expand on its own mythology, especially as we do get that final tease that there is something more out there that’s tied to it. We also get Derek coming to the realization as to why Scott hasn’t come to his side, figuring out that Scott has formed his own pack as an alpha of it. Everyone gets some very good time here throughout and even the supporting cast or periphery characters get some excellent material. The series continues to delight me with every turn and new episodes can’t come fast enough.
Grade: B+
Get More:
Teen Wolf, Full Episodes
