After the smashing success of Jersey Shore and a slew of teen pregnancy reality shows, MTV seemed to abandon its once-stated goal of pushing shows focused on "young people proving themselves," themes it used to view as key to winning "Obama generation" viewers. But Sunday night's premiere of the "surprisingly good" Teen Wolf may indicate a return to that earlier mission. Loosely based on the 1985 Michael J. Fox movie of the same name (which is essentially where the similarities end), Teen Wolf follows a "gawky high school student" who, after being bitten by a werewolf, goes on a journey of self discovery in his quest to become a "confident wolf-boy." The show is trying to find a home in a crowded genre already packed with hits like The CW's Vampire Diaries. Will Teen Wolf be a success, too? (Watch a preview for the show.)
Yes, Teen Wolf is the "anti-Snooki": The premiere was a lot classier than most of what MTV broadcasts, says Ken Tucker at Entertainment Weekly, "and would be welcome for that alone." But beyond being successful counter-programming against shows like Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant, "Teen Wolf was just plain good — good fun, well-written, and well-acted." Let's hope "there's an appetite out there among you for its toothy charms."
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