Teen Wolf - Season 2 - Episode Reviews and Rankings

Yesterday I ranked the season 1 episodes. Today is all about season 2, which was better in every way compared to season 1. The main monster was already a character we were familiar with and he had ties to the main characters. Plus it was very cool looking. The main villain was not only thoroughly evil but he was smart too. That made him a more powerful enemy and pushed all the characters to even greater heights. Don't get me wrong. I loathe Gerard (aka Grandpa Evil) more than any other character on TV these days. Still that personal connection to the Argent family and the way he was able to turn Allison against her friends in her hatred was well played. Plus there were all the twists. While season 2 was no season 3B, it improved greatly on the characters and mytharc of the show and created many awesome episodes.

So what did you think of season 2? What were your favorite and least favorite episodes? Be sure to vote up or down in the Ranker below and please add your comments about the season.

2.01 - Omega

Plot - Lydia flees the hospital after having a disturbing vision of an arm coming out of her shower. Sheriff and the lacrosse team look for her while Scott tries to follow her scent before Argent's band of hunters find her. Argent turns Scott and Allison's teen fling into Romeo and Juliet by threatening to kill Scott if Allison continues to see him so they take their relationship underground. Jackson's unsuccessful attempt to turn werewolf left him dripping black goo from his nose and ears. Isaac, Matt, and Gerard are introduced and Gerard declares war on all werewolves in retaliation for Kate's death, the code be damned. He cuts an omega in half while Scott and Derek look on from the shadows.

My Ranking - #8

I'll admit it. I fast forward through all the teen romance stuff in this episode. Lydia's shower scene and Jackson's black goo ick squick me out enough without teen sex scenes. So barring those, I really like how this episode sets up so many storylines. Grandpa Evil, Matt, and Isaac are all introduced. The "What's wrong with Lydia?" plotline most definitely takes a running leap and as gross as Jackson's black ooze is, it is important. Like the pilot, it is a good start to the new season.

2.02 - Shape Shifted


Plot - Isaac's douche bag father throws glass at him but Isaac's cut heals instantly since he's a werewolf. His dad is killed by a lizard monster while chasing him. Meanwhile Allison's parents torture her principal so Gerard can replace him, Lydia faces the school's scrutiny, and Jackson leases Matt's camera to record himself turn into a werewolf but doesn't change. Coach shenanigans add comic relief until Sheriff tells Isaac his dad is dead and takes him in for questioning. Derek and Scott find that Isaac's dad locked him in a freezer. Meanwhile Argent disagrees with Gerard's werewolf genocide plan, Derek wants Scott to join his pack, and Allison, Derek, and Stiles try to keep Isaac alive and Scott from wolfing out, but both Allison and Stiles are attacked. Scott breaks free to save Allison while Derek roars Isaac into submission to save Stiles.

My Ranking - #7

Every second with Coach is hilarious, which balances out the dark themes of child abuse and genocide. This episode did a good job of involving many of the main characters and it establishes Allison as a spy within her family, while Argent shows grave doubts about his father's leadership. Mostly though Derek is the star of this episode as he takes slow steps into creating a pack and becoming a powered up alpha. Compared to future seasons, Derek is actually successful here. In the end, I like this episode better than the pilot because the romance emphasis is lessened, the plot moves quicker, and there's fun to be had throughout.

2.03 - Ice Pick

Plot - Allison is kidnapped by her family as an initiation into hunting and told her mother makes the final decision whether to kill or not. Her first job is to spy on Lydia. An epileptic named Erica is introduced and has a seizure on the rock wall. Scott catches her and Melissa figures out she's not taking her medicine. Derek offers to turn her into a werewolf, which makes her smoking hot and psychotic. Jackson goes full out douche and blames Lydia for not becoming a werewolf. New character Boyd sells Stiles the ice rink keys for a double date with Lydia, Scott, and Allison and Lydia. Lydia hallucinates wolfsbane and a trapped Peter under the ice. At home, Allison's mom cuts herself in order to meet with Mama McCall and confirm their kids are dating. Scott fights Erica and Isaac and then Derek kicks his butt. Nit does not matter because Boyd is already bitten. Deaton and Scott talk about werewolves while Jackson lifts his truck out of the mud.

My Ranking - #9

It’s a typical Teen Wolf episode although a bit lighter on the humor. Jackson is a douche but he's interesting here with that truck lifting bit. Erica's sudden transformation is startling and not from a physical standpoint. I didn't see her as a homicidal loon before and I don't think becoming a werewolf can explain it all. In the end, I like Boyd best out of the new kids. He at least seems to go into the transformation eyes wide open about Derek.

2.04 - Abomination

Plot - Deaton exposits the Argent bestiary and lizard monster. Stiles is getting his Jeep repaired when he is partially paralyzed and watches the lizard monster crush the mechanic to death. Gerard lectures Allison about trust while Derek shows his betas tough love so they won't die. Lydia has a strange counseling session, Stiles plays go-between for Allison and Scott, and Jackson asks Danny to watch his tape, which has a 2-hour loop. The team searches for the bestiary to no avail. Meanwhile Stiles keeps Derek from drowning after the lizard monster stalks them. Scott arrives at school to get the bestiary USB from Gerard's keychain and saves Stiles and Derek, but the kanima (lizard monster) runs when it sees its reflection. Scott wants them all to work together, including the Argents, but Gerard stabs him and threatens Mama McCall so that's out.

My Ranking – #10

This episode is uneven at best. The water scenes with Stiles and Derek trapped by the kanima were intense as was the mechanic's death and even the lacrosse game spycraft shenanigans. I loved Stiles trying to comfort Lydia too. Gerard threatening Mama McCall made me hate him even more but it came out of the blue and set him up as the Big Bad well. The problem is that the rest of the episode was forgettable and dragged on too long. Even the comedy part like Stiles as go-between felt stretched out.

2.05 - Venomous

Plot - Erica kidnaps Jackson to see if he's the kanima and Isaac forces him to recant his police testimony so the warrant is lifted. Lydia hallucinates Peter again and Stiles and Scott try to keep Isaac and Erica from poisoning her to see if she's the kanima. Lydia doesn't react to the poison, Derek knows, and the rest of the gang try to prove she's not the kanima before school ends. Stiles, Allison, and Jackson get Lydia off campus though to Scott's, but he is detained by Coach. Danny decodes the video proving Jackson is the kanima but doesn’t watch it. Jackson accuses Lydia of distorting the tape so she gives him back his key and says she hates him, but he knows she doesn't and they kiss. Smart Allison poisons her arrow with venom to paralyze Erica and Scott takes out Isaac. Derek says Scott has his own pack and the kanima finds a human friend.

My Ranking -  #3

Big time answers come in this episode. Jackson is confirmed as the kanima and someone’s helping him. Lydia is confirmed as special although we don't know why. Isaac and Erica are confirmed as psychos although Isaac gets an instant, permanent makeover next season. I loved the school scenes from the science roulette to Coach telling Jackson to shut it. Surprisingly I even liked Lydia and Jackson’s scene in Scott's room. It showed good acting on both of their parts and ended up giving Jackson a tiny bit of sympathy which is needed now more than ever.

2.06 - Frenemy

Plot - Derek, Argent, and Scott fight Jackson but can't take him down. He runs into a gay club and paralyzes Danny but Derek keeps him from killing. Scott finds Jackson bleeding out in the parking lot, Stiles lies to his dad again, and Argent confronts Gerard. Stiles and Scott lock Jackson in a police transport van and his dad reports him missing. Gerard puts up cameras throughout school and Allison's mom, the new substitute teacher, threatens to kill Scott. The police track Jackson's phone so Stiles and Allison move the van and realize the kanima is killing off very specific people. Scott says Jackson has no one, which he overhears and thus starts crying and turning scaly. Scott and Allison make out, which distracts them so Jackson goes full kanima and escape. Lydia ends up translating the kanima Latin better than Morrell. Jackson is at the police station with his dad when Scott and Stiles come to tell Sheriff about kanimas and werewolves.

My Rating - #11

I should like this one. I really should, but all the teen romance kills it for me. Plus I feel righteous indignation at everyone who keeps shoving Lydia to the side like she's unimportant. Some friends they are! She's the smartest one in the group and they never even use her knowledge. Urgh! Still the action at the beginning saves the grade a little and I thought Colton Haynes did a fine job here.

2.07 - Restraint

Plot - A hooded figure makes the kanima kill a random guy but he refuses to kill a pregnant woman. At the precinct, Jackson's father puts a restraining order out on Stiles and Scott, making neither Sheriff nor Mama McCall happy. Isaac questions Derek's leadership but Derek realizes the kanima is all important because Gerard has something planned for it. At school, Jackson eats a snake (yum) and gets super aggressive with Allison. He and Scott fight, tearing up the locker room. Erica whines to Stiles until the fight moves to the hall and Harris gives all of them detention, Breakfast Club style. Mama McCall tells Allison's mom about their kids hooking up, so she threatens Scott. Lydia hallucinates and ends up at the Hale house with Dead Peter, who exposits his resurrection plan. Derek heals Erica painfully, but the pregnant woman dies by hooded guy's hands.

My Ranking - #12

Again with romantic interruptions in an otherwise good story, albeit one with more questions than answers. I love the dead Peter reveal and I wish Scott had told his mama the truth, but the Breakfast Club detention was lame, snake eating sucks in both scenes, and I wanted to smack Stiles for smarting off in the restraining order scene. Plus nothing about Derek worked for me here except healing Erica. Even Allison's mom came off as cheesy villain instead of scary witch. In the end this feels like a place holder with the exception of Lydia at the end.

2.08 - Raving

Plot - Sheriff and Stiles figure out the victims were all in the same class while Scott tracks Jackson to a rave, where the manager is a potential victim. Argent grills Allison, but no one knows who's controlling the kanima. Isaac beats up people to get Scott and Stiles into the rave. Scott wants Allison to date others to throw off suspicion, but a psycho Mama Argent sees them kissing. Sheriff is suspended because of the Stiles and Scott shenanigans. Everyone descends on the rave so Argent's crew fire on Derek and Boyd, as Stiles surrounds the building with mountain ash and Isaac and Erica try to inject Jackson with ketamine. Stiles believes himself into a miracle, but Mama Argent runs Scott over and vaporizes wolfsbane to kill him. Scott roars, Derek comes to the rescue, Mama Argent attacks him and in the fight, he bites her. Jackson gets loose and kills his victim, but she wasn't in Harris' class. Morrell the guidance counselor and Deaton know each other and act shady.

My Ranking - #6

Allison's mom tried to kill Scott and is now bitten. That would be enough drama to make this episode a highlight. However this one also had poignant scenes between Sheriff and Stiles, a gunfight, Jackson morphing, and Stiles' miracle. All of it came with plenty of good pacing and a little more mystery too. Minus the rave music, this was my kind of episode.

2.09 - Party Guessed

Plot - Dead Peter tells Lydia about werewolves and uses her party to further his agenda. Allison finds out Matt's been stalking her and Mama Argent wants to spend some quality time with her before dying but Allison is too busy. Jackson tells Lydia not to ask him to the party, trying to warn her off but shows up anyway. The partygoers drink wolfsbane-laced punch and hallucinate their worst nightmares while Derek's crew fight full moon bloodlust. Isaac retains his humanity by anchoring to better times with his father. Lydia blows wolfsbane in Derek's face and drags him to Hale House to involuntarily awaken Dead Peter. Matt reveals himself as the kanima's master when he's thrown into Lydia's pool. Meanwhile Argent and his wife prepare for her death. She mourns not talking to Allison and asks Argent to help her. As she starts to turn, they both put their hands on the blade and push. Allison enters the hospital and breaks down in her father's arms.

My Ranking - #4

When I think of season 2, I think of Jackson as kanima and this episode. It was intense from the start and had so many pieces moving. I still can barely watch the scene where Hallucination Sheriff tells Stiles that everything's his fault. I do find the process of awakening Peter to be cheesy and I didn't want him resurrected in this episode but he brought a lot of snark in seasons 3 and 4 so I'm good with it now. Still a character I never liked (Mama Argent) was the most touching part. Her moment with her husband was so bittersweet and yet so poignant that I still feel sorry for them even knowing she brought it on herself by trying to kill Scott.

2.10 - Fury

Plot - Matt flashes back through the season from his point of view while at the police station, Stiles, Scott, and Sheriff tie him to all the murders. Matt has Jackson kill the front cop and puts a gun to Stiles' head before locking up Sheriff and forcing Scott and Stiles to destroy all evidence against him. Jackson paralyzes Derek and Stiles before Matt locks Mama McCall in a cell. He wants the Argent bestiary because he's turning into a kanima too. Meanwhile, Gerard stokes Allison's hatred. She reads her mom's letter and tells the Argent clan to kill Derek and his pack so they attack THE POLICE STATION. Derek regains control while Sheriff breaks the handcuffs. Jackson and Allison do the Jurassic Park dance and he paralyzes her too. Matt knocks out Sheriff, Derek and kanima fight, Scott werewolfs out in front of his mom, and she freaks out. Scott was also in league with Satan, aka Gerard, the whole time and Derek overhears it. Gerard drowns Matt to become Jackson's new master while Peter looks on in secret.

My Ranking - #2

Another action-packed episode full of betrayal and manipulation. While I don't like Allison's reaction, I do understand it and Gerard is in league with Satan so he's a master manipulator. When I first saw this episode I was mad that Scott fed Gerard information too. Luckily I loved Mama McCall learning the truth. I wanted it since season 1 and it turned out to be a beautiful way to incorporate her more, one of the best thing this show has ever done. With all the action, my only real complaint is no Lydia. After the trauma of the previous episode, it felt odd to not even check in on her.

2.11 - Battlefield

Plot - Stiles recaps the whole season and fills in new gaps. The kanima holds Mama McCall captive while Gerard negotiates Derek's pack for Scott's mother. Boyd and Erica bail on Derek, but Alive Peter appears and Derek beats him up. At the big game, Jackson warns Danny to run from him and Coach puts Stiles in since Scott is on probation. Isaac takes out his teammates so Coach has to put Scott in the game, but then Gerard tries to slice an injured Isaac in half until Scott comes in to save him. At the same time Stiles scores to become the hero while Peter claims he can save Jackson and defeat Gerard through Lydia. As the game ends, all the lights go off in the stadium and Jackson is down having stabbed himself. Stiles though is missing. Allison and Argent hunt Boyd and Erica and she overkills until Argent shoots her bow to stop her.

My Ranking - #5

There's no one I hate more on Teen Wolf than Gerard, not Kate, not Duke, no one and in this episode he's at his third worst. I spend the entire time rooting for his death. That in itself is powerful because they finally have an evil enough character to get the audience emotionally invested. Sadly, it's also easy to be hypercritical of Allison, Boyd, and Erica as well. What really works is all the humor nestled into the despair and chronic defeat. I wish it seeped into Derek's storylines as well but Stiles' pure joy in scoring is enough to tide me through the roughest times. They upped the ante in this episode, fulfilling its job as the penultimate episode and bringing us right to the edge of this rollercoaster ride.

2.12 - Master Plan

Plot - Mama McCall checks out a presumably dead Jackson, only to find him encased in goo. Stiles is forced into the Argent basement with Erica and Boyd, beaten up by Gerard, and let go to hurt Scott. When he gets home, Sheriff freaks but they have a nice moment. At school, Scott is shocked to see Alive Peter, who accesses the Hale family bestiary for research while Scott and Isaac go to the hospital where Dead Jackson is becoming an alpha. Argent releases Boyd and Erica and joins Scott and Derek to fight his father. Gerard and Allison show up and the fight is on. Lydia heads to Stiles' house to get help with Jackson but Stiles flips out about the dead until she walks out. Back at the warehouse, Allison almost kills Isaac before the kanima grabs her as part of Gerard's plan. He's dying of cancer and will kill her unless Derek bites him. Scott makes that happen but exchanged his pills for mountain ash, causing black goo like Jackson had. He commands the kanima to kill them all but Stiles and Lydia arrive. She holds up the key and literally humanizes Jackson. A now non-kanima Jackson allows Derek and Peter to kill him, but after Lydia declares her love, he turns into a werewolf. Gerard escapes in the chaos, Allison breaks up with Scott again, an alpha pack takes Boyd and Erica, Deaton and Morell act shifty, and Scott and Stiles practice lacrosse.

My Ranking - #1

It's another stellar finale for Teen Wolf that neatly wraps up the main plot but also sends us into the next season. I hate that Gerard gets away but the action and the plotting make the episode. I love all the twists. Scott actually had a long-term plan and it actually worked. It's amazing. Sure Jackson was saved by the power of love but he also isn't dead and Holland got to flex her great acting chops for once so I can forgive the hokeyness of it all. I also love that they didn't leave Allison on the other side of the group in the end.



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Screencaps by Teen Wolf Wikia, Commas and Ampersands, TV Goodness, MTV, Buddy TV, Doux Reviews, Barron Network, and Pinterest.

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she recaps, reviews, and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, The 100, Grimm, Younger, Major Crimes, and others. She's addicted to Twitter, live tweets a multitude of shows each week, and co-hosts the Sleepy Hollow "Headless" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Currently she writes a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."

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