Parents' Guide to Wolf Pack

Despite being deeply influenced by shows that came before, the latest offering in the teen supernatural genre still takes a stab at a fresh take. With the signature gloss of Riverdale and the dark overtones of Stranger Things, Wolf Pack strives to find a unique balance between camp and creep. The four featured teens are well-crafted characters, ranging from a female lead traumatized by acne scars (they disappointingly resolve for good in the pilot episode) to a boy living with nearly crippling anxiety. Sadly, most of the adult characters are jarringly one dimensional in contrast -- often overly negative or even verbally abusive. There's the usual werewolf storyline of being bitten and experiencing a transformation, but the emphasis on the sibling-like "wolf pack" instinct and the mystical properties of the wildfire are angles interesting enough to make audiences stick around for a few episodes. Where the series stumbles is in the noticeable absence of any biting, Buffy-esque humor to balance out its intensity (despite Sara Michelle Gellar herself playing the lead arson investigator). Many viewers will inevitably find themselves fatigued and losing interest as a result.