Teen Wolf - 6.02 - Superposition - Advanced Review

Note - People watch Teen Wolf for different reasons so your opinion on this episode will probably differ from mine. I am no fan of the JV Squad and I absolutely loathe Corey. I mean I can’t stand him more than Liam, so that should say a lot. Since the JV Squad takes a full half of this episode, I loved half of it and found the rest to be meh at best.


Previously on Teen Wolf, Stiles was erased by the Ghost Riders and I was sad.

As evening approaches Beacon Hills, the Ghost Riders are in full posse mode. It's a stunning visual made even better by the fact that they race right past Scott and Liam, practicing on the lacrosse field, and neither one notices them. The Ghost Riders might be the coolest villains Teen Wolf has ever created. However, just because they can't be seen does not mean that their presence isn't fully felt. Lydia has nightmares, Malia can't find a comfortable sleeping position, and Scott is bothered by the candid picture Sydney took in the premiere. They all know something is wrong but they just can't grasp what it is. Their discomfort leads to some great scenes and it is a relief to see them all working together. Meanwhile, Liam has trouble adjusting to the fact that Scott will be graduating soon and he's not too happy about the direction Mason's life is going either, especially when the Ghost Riders make another visit to the school. When another student gets erased, it is Corey who gives hope that what's gone won't remain gone forever.

Highlights -

By far the best parts of this episode is when the head trio (Scott, Lydia, and Malia) work together to figure out why they all feel off. With help from Deaton and a surprising amount of logic from all of them, their teamwork really gels. I love how they reference things from past episodes throughout the episode and that they use canon to fill in the gaps. This level of teamwork and connectivity is what I was hoping for in season 5. I'm only sad that Stiles isn't around to be part of it.

Another huge plus is Scott. Last episode he played up the idea that they were leaving and that things would have to manage without them. This episode continues in the same theme, culminating in a fantastic speech from Scott. It literally earns applause for being such a great pep talk. He may have the healthiest attitude for a superhero moving on ever. Liam also makes a pretty awesome speech and for the first time maybe ever, I completely agree with him.

Many people missing from the premiere are back in this episode. Coach is hilarious as always and Deaton is actually pretty useful. His advice leads our fearless trio in the right direction. Malia's math teacher makes another appearance, while Parrish makes a huge leap forward in competence. He's actually a decent detective here and Sheriff is impressed by his thoroughness. Still nothing prepared me for a surprise character that I'm still reeling from. The implications of the return are puzzling to say the least, which distracted me from the overall cuteness of the scene the character is in. I'm still not sure where this is heading but I am very intrigued.

Lowlights -

By far the worst thing about this episode for me is that someone somewhere decided that Corey should actually be important this season. It is Corey who saves the day and it is Corey who is responsible for a key piece of information about the Ghost Riders' victims. For someone they keep portraying as rather dim, Corey appears to be vital to the main story and I really hate that. Mason deserves so much better.

Much of the "B" storyline revolves around Liam possibly taking Scott's place when Scott goes off to college. When they were debating about continuing the story after the main actors left, this made sense. Kind of. Now it just drags the story down and halts the pacing. However there is a silver lining. Scott has never seemed more capable on this show and stepping into a mentoring role looks very good on him.

No Stiles and no Mama McCall. It's going to be a hard season without Stiles and I am very much missing my Mama McCall time. They could use some of her no-nonsense wisdom right now.



Awards:

Best Reason to Watch - Scott, Malia, AND Lydia subconsciously remember Stiles, not just Lydia
Best Reason to Fast Forward - anytime they suggest Liam can take Scott's place in any way, shape, or form
Best Quote - the last one, which is a giant Easter egg to longtime fans
Best Return - Coach
Best Pep Talk - Scott's running speech
Best Reaction - post kale and quinoa
Best / Worst Advantage of Superpowers - extra long lacrosse practices at night
Worst Plan - turning Useless Corey into an actual plot point instead of making him Ghost Rider food
Most Missed - this is going to be Stiles anytime he's AWOL, but Mama McCall too
Most Creepy - the Ghost Riders on the lacrosse field
Biggest Creeper Douche - Corey
Biggest Urrrggghhhh!!!! - Why are there never consequences in Beacon Hills? Thanks, Science Mom.
Biggest What the Heck - close ups of the locker numbers
Fandom Group Most Likely to Be Happy - again it is shippers of Lydia and Stiles, probably even more so than in the premiere
The "Hell Has Frozen Over" Award - Liam and I actually agree on something.
The "Welcome Back" Award (character) - Coach / Math teacher / Parrish / Deaton / ?????
New Teen Wolf Bingo squares - Scott mentions graduating / someone stares intensely in remembrance / anyone says "remember," "erase," or "memory"



ScreenCaps by We Heart It, Hypable, IBTimes, GoogleTV, CarterMatt, Movie News Guide, Teen Wolf Pack Wikia, and IMDb.