Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. For today’s post, I am sharing my ranking of the seasons of Teen Wolf! I do want to preface this by saying that I love the entirety of this show and think that it has some of the consistently best storytelling of any Supernatural Fantasy Drama out there. So, there are no bad seasons, just ones that I prefer over others. I also want to note that I have never seen the follow-up film. I had wanted to see it, but was skeptical knowing Stiles would not be present, so I did not rush to watch it when it premiered. Since then, I have heard only terrible things about it. So, I made the choice not to watch it. I also feel like the series told a very satisfying story that felt complete, and did not need a follow-up, especially as Season 6B already feels like an epilogue. Oh, and I should probably note that I will be talking plot in this ranking, so there are spoilers ahead. Now that I have set the stage, let’s look at my very biased ranking of Teen Wolf!
Season One
~Okay, so I am aware that this may be controversial, putting the premiere season last. However, I have always been of the mind that with long-running shows, the first season is often one of set-up. The first season lays the foundations, introduces characters, and introduces the universe. That means that the plot is not nearly as complex narratively as later seasons. Plus, I love to see characters grow and evolve, so this is the jumping-off point, making them more interesting as the series goes on! That being said, it is a well-done first season and does the introductions of characters and the universe in an engaging way. It is interesting to see Peter as the big bad of the season, and I love that we even see early character development from Lydia with the reveal of just how smart she is (while pretending not to be) largely thanks to her interactions with Stiles at the dance.
Season Two
~Season two built on season one, and made all of the elements in the foundation even more interesting. That is what a good second season should do: improve upon the first! We get to see the world grow as more supernatural elements are introduced. There are ideas put forth that carry throughout the series, like sometimes when you are bitten, what you become reflects who you are on the inside, explaining how Kanimas (and later beings like Were-Jaguars) come about. Lydia’s visions also start this season, without explanation at the time, laying the groundwork for her true nature to be revealed in season three, all thanks to Peter’s bite at the end of season one. We also have the introduction of Gerard Argent, who can arguably be called the primary antagonist of the entire series! I love this season for what it builds up, what it hints at, and what is delivered in later seasons. The tensions between the Werewolves and Hunters are amplified in this season, but also hint at the possibility of working together down the road.
Season Four
~The Deadpool and increased Hunter activity truly make for a compelling season. I really love seeing Lydia get to tap further into her Banshee abilities, and get family backstory that explains why she is a Banshee. It is at this point in the series that the McCall Pack is quite firmly established, with them having bonded through the events of season three. That is not to say they were not a Pack in season three, but this is the first season where you can see just how far they will go, just how much loyalty they have, and how much they have learned from the tragedies they have endured. This is increased with the event of Scott biting Liam, making him his first Beta!
Season Five
~You will see that I hold a preference for the longer seasons, given I have already ranked the shorter ones. I love the long and drawn-out narratives, and the complexity of storytelling that more episodes allow. Season five is one of the heaviest seasons emotionally, with the focus on Eichen House and the Dread Doctors’ experiments. However, that also makes it very compelling. We see the grey areas of morality exposed a bit more, especially with Stiles accidentally killing Donovan, and the reactions to this event. We see more of Lydia’s abilities, brought to a frightful height by medical torture. Of course, a highlight of the season is seeing the Pack save Lydia from Eichen House. The interactions between Stiles and Lydia during that time truly cemented just how much they loved each other, as more than best friends, and as more than an intense unrequited crush that Stiles had on her in season one! The inclusion of the Beast as the ultimate big bad of the season, resurrected by the Dread Doctors, was a beautiful tie-in to both history and the references to La Bête du Gévaudan in season one. That very inclusion shows just how much of a master class in long-form storytelling the series can be, with the reference in season one serving as lovely foreshadowing on rewatches!
Season Three & Season Six (It’s a Tie!)
~Some may say that this is cheating, but it is my list, so it is my rules! To be honest, I just could not choose between these two seasons for which one is the ultimate favorite. I have always held them as a tie since season six aired, and my most recent rewatch only cemented that these seasons are equally beloved to me! As a lover of Celtic mythology and Celtic Paganism (even being an Avalonian Enchantress and Priestess), I cannot help but adore the way Celtic lore is used in this series, especially in these two seasons. Season 3A gives us the confirmation that Lydia is a Banshee, while they are battling the Darach, and we learn just how much importance Druids have in this series! Season 3A is also the time that we see just how closely bonded our core-four are, not just Lydia and Allison, or Allison and Scott, or Scott and Stiles. We get to see all four of them caring for each other, and we see just how good of friends Lydia and Stiles have become! Of course, 3A also gives us the famous first kiss between Lydia and Stiles, to ‘stop a panic attack.’ Season 3B introduces us to Kira, to Kitsunes, and to the Nogitsune, one of the most unsettling villains the Pack ever faced. Stiles being possessed by the Nogitsune is one of the darkest plot points in the series, and Allison’s death never ceases to make me sob! Onto season six, I have to say that I think the season premiere of this season is the strongest of any premiere episode in the series. Season 6A gives us the Wild Hunt storyline, which again I adore as a lover of Celtic lore. The scenes between Lydia and Stiles in the premiere are some of my favorite of the series, only to be matched by their reunion in the episode ‘Riders on the Storm!’ The Wild Hunt is handled with a very interesting take on the folklore, melding aspects from various versions of the stories to create something unique to the show’s own mythos. I also love the inclusion of the song Riders on the Storm in the season premiere; I just wish it was the original Doors version, not a cover, but I am guessing that had to do with budget. Overall, season 6A is a perfect Swan Song for this series, with season 6B serving as a lovely epilogue. Having Gerard Argent return as the primary antagonist, having a group of Hunters form from townspeople being controlled by fear (a great callback to season four and the Deadpool), and showing us glimpses of where the Pack will go from there is a wonderful send-off! That is why I never thought a follow-up film was needed; the show ended, leaving some ambiguity that the viewers could use to imagine what other adventures would arise. It ended on a high note, with assurances that they would stay together and never give up the fight! We never needed to see the other adventures, as they are no longer teenagers, and the era of the show has closed. But that is just my opinion, and ultimately why I have never watched the film.
~I hope you have enjoyed my countdown and reading my thoughts. What is your favorite season of Teen Wolf? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is one of the promotional images for the series. I found the image on https://fantasylibraryco.com/es/collections/teen-wolf?srsltid=AfmBOopDh0eq8TgzSauxNgbDPMj5BU6P2r58OpAr7qx8Ax0nb9zas_ok.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
Further Watching
- Teen Wolf (2011-2017)