Teen Wolf 2.04 ‘Abomination’ review: Trust Issues

You all know the Drake song, “Trust Issues”? Where he repeats the songs title ad nauseam in the chorus, because that’s the art of a contemporary chorus. In music this is okay, making the track easily identifiable and “catchy”. On a T.V. show it’s less forgivable. Themes are meant to be visually communicated, not repeated by every character in every scene. I’ll let Teen Wolf off the leash on this one, because the show is no longer like watching an extended commercial. However, if it wasn’t painfully clear, the writer’s experienced some trust issues of their own, as they didn’t think the audience would understand the show was exploring the complicated dynamics of trust in tonight’s episode. Trust me, that’s the impression I got when I heard the word trust at least a dozen times in an hour. Now onto all trustworthy topics.

The episode opens with the biggest reveal of the second season thus far—Scott’s boss’s name is Alan. I trust that you know I’m kidding. But really, he didn’t have a name before, right? I don’t think so, because I always referred to him as, “Scott’s boss”. Okay, so Alan is in the supernatural loop. He doesn’t explain where he received his Bachelors in Bestiary, but he is aware of how to clean claw marks. Peroxide for the inquiring minds. He also reveals that the Argents will have a book, “of all things they’ve discovered.” This establishes Scott’s main objective for the episode: Grab the book. Save the world. That was funnier in my head. He needs the book to identify the beast to protect Beacon Hills from further terror.

Speaking of terror, he’s shoved out of the room when Mr. Argent and Grandpa Argent arrive to receive some more news from Alan. He performed an autopsy on the last victim, and finds that the creature releases a paralyzing toxin. Whereas most predators use the toxin to immobilize their meal, the fact that the creature hasn’t consumed any of its kills suggests that, “killing may be it’s only purpose.”

Stiles has two encounters with the beast, maybe three if Lydia really is the shape-shifter. The first comes as his car is being repaired by a mechanic. He walks into the waiting room to make a call when his fingers stiffen. He watches in horror as the scaly claws reaches from the lift the car is on, and swipes the mechanic in the neck. They’re both frozen, Stiles caught in a 21^st centuries teen worst nightmare, unable to text, the mechanic trapped beneath the slowly, slowwwwlllly descending lift. Stiles manages to dial 911, right as the creature comes face-to-face with him, before dashing away for no apparent reason. He later confesses to Scott that he felt like the creature knew him (which is probably that previously unapparent reason).

The second comes after Amanda interrupts his Monster Book of Monsters heist attempt (more on that later), and takes him to Derek. Derek wants to question Stiles about the creature. Appropriately his interrogation takes place in the school’s swimming pool. The creature doesn’t like people talking behinds its scaly back, so it shows up as Stiles is describing it to Derek, and his trustworthy pack member, Amanda. The scene was staged tensely as the creature’s tale knocks Amanda out of the way (and hopefully into more flattering outfits), then battles Derek. Its claw jabs him in the neck. Now Stiles heroism shines as tries to flee with the motionless Derek. He starts to make it toward the exit when he drops his phone, stoops to pick it up, losing his grip on Derek, who topples into the pool. Stiles dives in to save him then the writers inserted some dialogue about trust. Jokes aside, I did like the atmosphere and suspense of the scene, especially the reversal of expectations. The slightly nerdy, un-muscular guy rescues the supernatural being. If I haven’t mentioned it before, Teen Wolf is often good at upsetting the social expectations of heroism. Stiles possess no supernatural advantage, but his character supersedes enhanced agility or overgrown sideburns.

Because Allison’s psychotic parents don’t TRUST her (also because every teen romance needs to be compared to Romeo and Juliet, I guess to legitimize it’s epicness) they’re forced to communicate in a number of ways. The best one is using Stiles as they’re human voicemail, because I guess passing notes is too risqué. This leads to them developing the plan for Allison to betray her grandpa’s TRUST, and steal his keys so Stiles can break into his office, and they could get their hands on the Monster Book of Monsters. However, the book isn’t there. Allison is desperate until Scott is injured on the field. An opposing team member takes him down, in what has to be the foul of a century. His leg is obviously broken, but it heals before anyone can confirm what they saw. Grandpa Argent invites him over for dinner.

At the Argents, Scott and Allison are given the opportunity to search for the book some more, but only find Grandpa Argents book of recipes (dramatically hidden in a safe). Allison then figures out that the bestiary is on her grandpa’s flash drive, which is attached to the key she gave to Stiles earlier. Cue Scott leaving dinner, and arriving at the school just in time to save Stiles and Derek from the creature. As they fought its tale shattered glass, which Scott grabs to use as a weapon. However, the creature is perplexed by its reflection, and scales the walls, breaking through the skylight into the night.

In the post-battle huddle, Derek tells Scott once he saw that the creature was confused by its reflection he knew what it was. What he actually called it, I’m not sure (and every time I type what I think I heard into Google my search results return as cannabis) Sorry guys! Let me redeem myself with this—the creature isn’t aware of who or what it is. Scott then makes the most sense he’s ever made, and tells Derek there needs to be a truce amongst the pack, himself, and the Argents. In other words they all need to TRUST each other to combat this new threat.

Speaking of threats, Grandpa Argent stabs Scott upon exiting his car to pickup his mom from her shift at the hospital. He keeps the knife shoved into Scott’s abdomen for the entire conversation, saying he knows Scott’s true nature, and will murder his mother if he doesn’t repay him for sparing his life someday. You know what that means. Stay tuned for the inevitable moment when Scott has to be honorable and save the old bastards life.

I know I made fun of the writers trust issues, but it’s a legitimate concern in Beacon Hills. For example, Stiles lies to his dad about what happened at the mechanics. Now that’s a real moral dilemma. An argument can be made for and against filling Mr. Stylanski in on the supernatural happenings in the town. As I’ve said before the show has good instincts, the execution is just lacking at times.

The Howling:

– Why would Jackson give a tape of himself in bed to anyone? Oh right, to include him in TRUST theme.

-How in the world was Scott able to open that safe? Did he hear the previous combination being entered into the lock when he pressed his ear against it??

-BIANNCA LAWSON (Lydia’s guidance counselor) MUST be in EVERY scene. She’s beautiful without even trying.