TW 305 & 306 - Family, friendship and fear of fridges
Hey, what do you know, we've found out a few new things about Scott, werewolves, Stiles and Lydia, sex in the TW 'verse, and even a little about Boyd. Yay.
Spoilers for TW 305 and 306
Scott and his Derek Daddy issues
Scott was freaked out because he thought Derek was dead. I find this interesting for a couple of reasons. He's made it clear he dislikes and distrusts Derek since day one. Understandably enough at first, when he thought Derek had given him the bite and might be killing people, but it's gone on long past that.
Up until now, I thought it was unreasoning habit -- Derek was a useful scapegoat for all Scott's problems. I still think there's an element of that to it, but now there's a new dimension. Just taking 305 into account, Scott's reaction to Derek's death seemed just as extreme and illogical as his hatred, and when people react like that, there's usually something else burbling away underneath it. I've suspected for a while, given Davis' fascination with daddy-issues, that Derek had become Scott's stand-in (and safe to hate) father-figure, despite Derek himself seeing it as a brotherly relationship. If this is the case it means that Scott has actually accepted Derek as family, and is punishing him place of his absent father.
Poor Derek, I get the distinct feeling that Cora is in a similar place to Scott in this regard -- from the little we've seen so far, she speaks to Derek more as a blamed parent than an equally abandoned sibling.
This actually says quite a lot about Derek's character if true -- it means both Scott and Cora trust him to keep right on being there to take care of them while they act out, because you don't pull that shit with people you consider strangers/acquaintances or people who might turn on you.
But then we get to 306, and it's implied Scott's mainly worried about Derek being dead because it means Scott will be the Alpha in his place. Not a daddy issue in sight.
Anything I say about Scott's angst will devolve into a rant, so all I'll say is that I'd be interested to see how daddy issues play out for Scott and Derek, especially if Scott's father turns up later in the season; and I'd be a lot less interested in Scott's angstorama about being an Alpha, for reasons involving episodes 112 and 212.
Werewolves
Huh. So werewolves are susceptible to certain types of supernatural influence that humans are not. Interesting. In S2 Derek said that there was a balance in the supernatural (and that the Kanima's master was unbalanced), and I wonder if this is what he meant? Putting aside Hunters (which are not supernatural so far), the balance sheet for werewolves is pretty good -- great abs, wolf powers, the ability to Vogue like nobody's business, and a pack. But here are the balances: Kanimas, being extra susceptible to "magic", mountain ash, wolfsbane.
I hope this is explored more. I really want more about werewolf culture.
And speaking of werewolf culture, Deucalion is now definitely a bad guy, and not just someone with motives we don't understand -- he's deliberately set up his own pack as well as Derek. Nasty. I'm more and more convinced he's an Argent who was turned. He's so much like Gerard, and I bet there's a story there. I hope Davis shares soon.
Stiles and Lydia (and Allison and Scott, and Danny and Ethan)
Okay, I get the feeling that Davis has this mantra: "remember to make Lydia strong, remember to make her strong" and so he keeps throwing in all her super-smart lines without any real background. It's been grating a bit for me, because we don't know why Lydia's embracing this now -- she just decided to let everyone know she's smart because Jackson left? No, there has to be something else. I wish Davis would show us all these something elses. But anyway. I'm liking Lydia a lot this season, but the "smart" lines feel a bit forced.
So that mini-rant aside, I adore her and Stiles sleuthing it up, and I also adore her and Allison being a dynamic duo. Two developing friendships! That we actually get to see happening on screen! Awesome. This fulfills my friendship kink in the best way.
I could actually see Stiles and Lydia as an end-game from here, towards the end of S3. I'd rather they stayed friends, and we got to see them be real friends to each other, having each other's back, and riffing off each other in life-saving situations. Like they did in 306. *happy sigh* That would be so great. A one-sided crush turning into a mutual and genuine friendship.
I'm glad Allison and Scott took a backseat this episode, as it's bringing out interesting new sides to Allison (like her friendship with Lydia). The shower scene was creepy, but the way Crystal Reed played it was really great. The way the show is walking the line with Scott's obsession now that he and Allison are broken up is surprisingly well done -- he's creeptastic at times (eg. rewarding himself with a tattoo for not stalking her. I mean, good job on not stalking her Scott, and if the tattoo worked, then fine; but at the same time... stalking was the alternative? Ugh), and the show flirts right with crossing the line into not okay. Reminds me very much of being a teen and unsure of where boundaries are.
But they're not icing it over as fake tension, either; rather than Allison playing the redemptive love interest for Scott at the end of the ep, they had the brotherhood scene. Stiles and Scott were great, and Lydia having Stiles' back -- perfect.
I also loved the Danny and Ethan moment, to my surprise. I was worried it would be icky, but it wasn't. There were hints of Danny's backstory; Ethan didn't come across as just a user. I'm intrigued and looking forward to where that story will go.
Sex in the TW 'verse
Which, of course, brings me to Derek and Jennifer.
Ugh. So much ugh. For so many reasons.
This scene actively made me cringe, not only because of the terrible dialogue, but because of the gross objectification of Derek once again. This scene should have been all about him, and it wasn't. It was all about his body and his pain, and not about him at all.
You know what, though, I'm now almost convinced that the horribleness is on purpose. That sex scene between Derek and Jennifer was just in such stark opposition to the Danny and Ethan scene, which seemed warm and genuine and real. We had other positive relationships too: namely the friendship trifecta (Stiles and Lydia, Stiles and Scott, Lydia and Allison), and none of them fell into stereotypical patterns. The only other het moments we had in the episode were Scott and Allison's toxic interlude, and that occurred because Scott was being controlled by an outside force, and the suicide we overheard via Lydia, also implied to be influenced by whatever supernatural force is acting at the motel.
Davis loves parallels, so I doubt this is coincidence.
We know Jennifer is real, because we saw her in the classroom the day of the bird attack, but there's something weird about her in relation to Derek -- she and Derek are always alone, and barely speak in their scenes. When they do, it's awkward, unbelievable even, and built entirely on stereotypical plot devices -- as I say, in stark contrast to the other couple (Danny and Ethan) we see having a sexual moment in the episode.
Davis can do adorable het romance -- Scott and Allison were adorbs in S1 and much of S2. Chris and Victoria were awful, but also touching in a genuine way. Lydia, while not looking for romance, is being wonderfully heterosexually sex positive this season, with no shaming or ick factor, and she and Jackson had some genuinely touching scenes too.
Peter and Lydia... well actually, Peter and Lydia were a lot like Derek and Jennifer. A lot. Right down to there being mind-control going on in the text, which Stiles helpfully reminded us of this episode.
So, the real question I'm asking myself is what this Derek/Jennifer scene does in terms of advancing the plot, because that should tell us something. And the answer is: Jennifer distracted Derek from contacting his pack, who were actively being targeted by the ritualistic killer. Did it achieve anything else at all, apart from Derek's speed-healing? I can't think of anything.
Suspicious, right?
Jennifer, who the hell are you?
With this one scene, she has rocketed to the top of my suspects list for chief bad-guy this season. Not only because she's genuinely suspicious now (this is the second time she's derailed Derek's plans through showing romantic interest), and the whole situation just doesn't add up, but because the alternative is that she's meant to be a genuine love-interest, and given the horribleness of the relationship that can only mean she's headed for a fridging. No more fridges (and that includes Isaac and Boyd's sister, actually).
Anyway, if it's a choice, I'd much, much rather Jennifer had agency and was out to screw everyone, even if that means Derek gets betrayed by another femme fatale. Of course, I would have preferred it even more if there was anything at all about their relationship that seemed real. If they had even half the spark Stiles and Lydia do this season, I'd be shipping the hell out of it. But as there's not, I'm now firmly aboard the Jennifer-is-a-secret-monster train.
Jennifer: you'd better be a super-awesome monster, even better and more dramatic than Kate and Gerard. I want to be able love to loathe you, and look back and be creeped out by everything you've done so far.
And if you're not a secret monster, and you are fridged? I'm going to be really angry that Davis used het tropes in such a lazy way just to give Derek someone to lose.
Boyd and my issues with fanon
Okay, I've been saying since the end of S2 that fandom is full of it when it comes to Boyd. He didn't get many lines in S2, so fandom seemed to take that as "he's strong and silent" and then read into it that it meant he was thoughtful and serious and Derek's second in command.
What rot. Boyd doesn't say much, but he's not a stereotype. And you know what else? He's a hothead. Nearly every decision we've seen him make has been spur of the moment. He just does shit, and damn the consequences.
S3 is bearing out that reading of his character big time. Yeah, Boyd. Rock your hotheaded self.
And while I'm on the topic of fanon I take issue with, Boyd has never been Derek's number two. That was Erica, from day one.
Come baaaaaaaack, Erica. We miss you. <3 <3 <3
In conclusion
Yep. Enjoying it. So far it's a good blend of cheese and genuine drama, as we've come to expect from this show. The one really wrong note is Derek/Jennifer, but I hope that pays off in an unexpected way.
Next week, I'm hoping for some more Sheriff action, Lydia and Stiles being awesome, and Deaton actually telling relevant parties that Deucalion killed Ennis (LOL, like that will ever happen, but a girl can dream).
This entry was originally posted at http://cupidsbow.dreamwidth.org/403499.html.
Spoilers for TW 305 and 306
Scott and his Derek Daddy issues
Scott was freaked out because he thought Derek was dead. I find this interesting for a couple of reasons. He's made it clear he dislikes and distrusts Derek since day one. Understandably enough at first, when he thought Derek had given him the bite and might be killing people, but it's gone on long past that.
Up until now, I thought it was unreasoning habit -- Derek was a useful scapegoat for all Scott's problems. I still think there's an element of that to it, but now there's a new dimension. Just taking 305 into account, Scott's reaction to Derek's death seemed just as extreme and illogical as his hatred, and when people react like that, there's usually something else burbling away underneath it. I've suspected for a while, given Davis' fascination with daddy-issues, that Derek had become Scott's stand-in (and safe to hate) father-figure, despite Derek himself seeing it as a brotherly relationship. If this is the case it means that Scott has actually accepted Derek as family, and is punishing him place of his absent father.
Poor Derek, I get the distinct feeling that Cora is in a similar place to Scott in this regard -- from the little we've seen so far, she speaks to Derek more as a blamed parent than an equally abandoned sibling.
This actually says quite a lot about Derek's character if true -- it means both Scott and Cora trust him to keep right on being there to take care of them while they act out, because you don't pull that shit with people you consider strangers/acquaintances or people who might turn on you.
But then we get to 306, and it's implied Scott's mainly worried about Derek being dead because it means Scott will be the Alpha in his place. Not a daddy issue in sight.
Anything I say about Scott's angst will devolve into a rant, so all I'll say is that I'd be interested to see how daddy issues play out for Scott and Derek, especially if Scott's father turns up later in the season; and I'd be a lot less interested in Scott's angstorama about being an Alpha, for reasons involving episodes 112 and 212.
Werewolves
Huh. So werewolves are susceptible to certain types of supernatural influence that humans are not. Interesting. In S2 Derek said that there was a balance in the supernatural (and that the Kanima's master was unbalanced), and I wonder if this is what he meant? Putting aside Hunters (which are not supernatural so far), the balance sheet for werewolves is pretty good -- great abs, wolf powers, the ability to Vogue like nobody's business, and a pack. But here are the balances: Kanimas, being extra susceptible to "magic", mountain ash, wolfsbane.
I hope this is explored more. I really want more about werewolf culture.
And speaking of werewolf culture, Deucalion is now definitely a bad guy, and not just someone with motives we don't understand -- he's deliberately set up his own pack as well as Derek. Nasty. I'm more and more convinced he's an Argent who was turned. He's so much like Gerard, and I bet there's a story there. I hope Davis shares soon.
Stiles and Lydia (and Allison and Scott, and Danny and Ethan)
Okay, I get the feeling that Davis has this mantra: "remember to make Lydia strong, remember to make her strong" and so he keeps throwing in all her super-smart lines without any real background. It's been grating a bit for me, because we don't know why Lydia's embracing this now -- she just decided to let everyone know she's smart because Jackson left? No, there has to be something else. I wish Davis would show us all these something elses. But anyway. I'm liking Lydia a lot this season, but the "smart" lines feel a bit forced.
So that mini-rant aside, I adore her and Stiles sleuthing it up, and I also adore her and Allison being a dynamic duo. Two developing friendships! That we actually get to see happening on screen! Awesome. This fulfills my friendship kink in the best way.
I could actually see Stiles and Lydia as an end-game from here, towards the end of S3. I'd rather they stayed friends, and we got to see them be real friends to each other, having each other's back, and riffing off each other in life-saving situations. Like they did in 306. *happy sigh* That would be so great. A one-sided crush turning into a mutual and genuine friendship.
I'm glad Allison and Scott took a backseat this episode, as it's bringing out interesting new sides to Allison (like her friendship with Lydia). The shower scene was creepy, but the way Crystal Reed played it was really great. The way the show is walking the line with Scott's obsession now that he and Allison are broken up is surprisingly well done -- he's creeptastic at times (eg. rewarding himself with a tattoo for not stalking her. I mean, good job on not stalking her Scott, and if the tattoo worked, then fine; but at the same time... stalking was the alternative? Ugh), and the show flirts right with crossing the line into not okay. Reminds me very much of being a teen and unsure of where boundaries are.
But they're not icing it over as fake tension, either; rather than Allison playing the redemptive love interest for Scott at the end of the ep, they had the brotherhood scene. Stiles and Scott were great, and Lydia having Stiles' back -- perfect.
I also loved the Danny and Ethan moment, to my surprise. I was worried it would be icky, but it wasn't. There were hints of Danny's backstory; Ethan didn't come across as just a user. I'm intrigued and looking forward to where that story will go.
Sex in the TW 'verse
Which, of course, brings me to Derek and Jennifer.
Ugh. So much ugh. For so many reasons.
This scene actively made me cringe, not only because of the terrible dialogue, but because of the gross objectification of Derek once again. This scene should have been all about him, and it wasn't. It was all about his body and his pain, and not about him at all.
You know what, though, I'm now almost convinced that the horribleness is on purpose. That sex scene between Derek and Jennifer was just in such stark opposition to the Danny and Ethan scene, which seemed warm and genuine and real. We had other positive relationships too: namely the friendship trifecta (Stiles and Lydia, Stiles and Scott, Lydia and Allison), and none of them fell into stereotypical patterns. The only other het moments we had in the episode were Scott and Allison's toxic interlude, and that occurred because Scott was being controlled by an outside force, and the suicide we overheard via Lydia, also implied to be influenced by whatever supernatural force is acting at the motel.
Davis loves parallels, so I doubt this is coincidence.
We know Jennifer is real, because we saw her in the classroom the day of the bird attack, but there's something weird about her in relation to Derek -- she and Derek are always alone, and barely speak in their scenes. When they do, it's awkward, unbelievable even, and built entirely on stereotypical plot devices -- as I say, in stark contrast to the other couple (Danny and Ethan) we see having a sexual moment in the episode.
Davis can do adorable het romance -- Scott and Allison were adorbs in S1 and much of S2. Chris and Victoria were awful, but also touching in a genuine way. Lydia, while not looking for romance, is being wonderfully heterosexually sex positive this season, with no shaming or ick factor, and she and Jackson had some genuinely touching scenes too.
Peter and Lydia... well actually, Peter and Lydia were a lot like Derek and Jennifer. A lot. Right down to there being mind-control going on in the text, which Stiles helpfully reminded us of this episode.
So, the real question I'm asking myself is what this Derek/Jennifer scene does in terms of advancing the plot, because that should tell us something. And the answer is: Jennifer distracted Derek from contacting his pack, who were actively being targeted by the ritualistic killer. Did it achieve anything else at all, apart from Derek's speed-healing? I can't think of anything.
Suspicious, right?
Jennifer, who the hell are you?
With this one scene, she has rocketed to the top of my suspects list for chief bad-guy this season. Not only because she's genuinely suspicious now (this is the second time she's derailed Derek's plans through showing romantic interest), and the whole situation just doesn't add up, but because the alternative is that she's meant to be a genuine love-interest, and given the horribleness of the relationship that can only mean she's headed for a fridging. No more fridges (and that includes Isaac and Boyd's sister, actually).
Anyway, if it's a choice, I'd much, much rather Jennifer had agency and was out to screw everyone, even if that means Derek gets betrayed by another femme fatale. Of course, I would have preferred it even more if there was anything at all about their relationship that seemed real. If they had even half the spark Stiles and Lydia do this season, I'd be shipping the hell out of it. But as there's not, I'm now firmly aboard the Jennifer-is-a-secret-monster train.
Jennifer: you'd better be a super-awesome monster, even better and more dramatic than Kate and Gerard. I want to be able love to loathe you, and look back and be creeped out by everything you've done so far.
And if you're not a secret monster, and you are fridged? I'm going to be really angry that Davis used het tropes in such a lazy way just to give Derek someone to lose.
Boyd and my issues with fanon
Okay, I've been saying since the end of S2 that fandom is full of it when it comes to Boyd. He didn't get many lines in S2, so fandom seemed to take that as "he's strong and silent" and then read into it that it meant he was thoughtful and serious and Derek's second in command.
What rot. Boyd doesn't say much, but he's not a stereotype. And you know what else? He's a hothead. Nearly every decision we've seen him make has been spur of the moment. He just does shit, and damn the consequences.
S3 is bearing out that reading of his character big time. Yeah, Boyd. Rock your hotheaded self.
And while I'm on the topic of fanon I take issue with, Boyd has never been Derek's number two. That was Erica, from day one.
Come baaaaaaaack, Erica. We miss you. <3 <3 <3
In conclusion
Yep. Enjoying it. So far it's a good blend of cheese and genuine drama, as we've come to expect from this show. The one really wrong note is Derek/Jennifer, but I hope that pays off in an unexpected way.
Next week, I'm hoping for some more Sheriff action, Lydia and Stiles being awesome, and Deaton actually telling relevant parties that Deucalion killed Ennis (LOL, like that will ever happen, but a girl can dream).
This entry was originally posted at http://cupidsbow.dreamwidth.org/403499.html.