S04.E08: Time of Death

[promethean]

Scott carries out a dangerous plan. Meanwhile, Malia confronts her past.

Edited August 12, 2014 by promethean

[Lady Calypso]

So, I'm going to hesitantly guess that nobody is going to die again this season?

 

I liked the episode, for the most part. Scott/Kira are still super adorable and I'm glad we got some moments with them. That's what has been lacking this season. I liked Scott's dream/nightmares and I'm still trying to figure out exactly what it means in terms of his Alphaness. 

 

Malia, don't trust Peter...damnit, too late. And, of course, Peter keeps acting shady and provides zero answers for any of us, besides Desert Wolf, something I don't care about. But I did like the scene with Malia/Stiles at the end. We're finally getting some insight, and I felt there was a parallel with Peter being in his coma and Malia being in her werecoyote form. 

 

Poor Melissa; she just wasn't signing up for her son 'dying'. 

 

So...Lydia's grandmother is the Benefactor? Did I interpret that correctly? Clearly Lydia's grandma was a banshee and knew about werewolves, but...I'm kind of confused on that. This better be the start of answers with Lydia and banshees. 

 

Yeah, I got nothing else.

[Bruinsfan]

I'm hoping if I've missed something obvious someone can point out what I've overlooked: is there any reason that Kira couldn't have resuscitated Scott immediately after his body was moved to the morgue? I mean, I get that the big show for the medical authorities was planned in case someone was monitoring the situation by mundane means, but why couldn't Scott be conscious and able to defend himself while they were waiting for the benefactor to show up? It's not as if Argent hanging around in or just outside the morgue armed to the teeth wouldn't tip someone off that it might be a trap...

[BuddhaBelly]

I liked this episode more than the last one. The narrative made a lot more sense even though the break in actions to go back to Malia and Lydia, although Lydia's storyline was interesting. I'm surprised her mom didn't ask wtf is going on after Lydia went on about the mountain ash.

I like Kira and Scott, they're super sweet but I want more kitsune Kira. She knows how to conduct enough electricity to stop/slow a heart but she can't call that shit up she a giant hell spawn is in front of her? I so thought they were gonna go for that when she was on the roof near an electrical source. Sidenote, if I was a nurse/doctor in that hospital I would find the nearest exit or closet anytime the power went out. All kinds of crazy shit comes out to kill you. Oh and boo to them getting rid of Kira for who knows how long.

I wonder what Scott's dream meant and the extra fangs and why does if please Peter so much that he's still alive? The actor who plays Peter needs to slow down on lifting. His neck is distracting.

I like Derek and Braedan. Tyler does boyish charm really well. He looked so sheepish when she got the gun away from him.

[blugirlami21]

I guess Lydia's grandmother is the benefactor.  Teen Wolf can still surprise me it seems, I would have never thought that someone in Lydia's family would be the villain this season.

 

I kind of understood why they had to pretend that Scott was dead to smoke out the benefactor but why not just wake him up after he "died" and have him pretend?  There was some serious unnecessary drama with the countdown and everything.  If the benefactor was actually going to confirm that Scott was really dead it wouldn't have mattered if he really was or not.  I thought Kira was so stupid to go to the roof and risk possibly getting killed when they needed her to bring Scott back to life. 

 

Stiles and Malia are really cute together.  I loved the opening scene with the two of them and I loved that of course he had to be the little spoon to be comfortable.  I don't think that Malia trusts Peter at all so much as she needs him to get what she wants.  They are very similar in that respect.

 

Does anyone else think that Peter is stealing Derek's wolf powers?  He has done a ton of things that have weakened Derek and his current state plus his partnership with Kate seem to all point to this. 

 

I'll reserve judgement on Braeden and Derek for now.  I felt that the gun lesson had some forced sexual tension.  I'm glad he has found a somewhat normal girlfriend but I need them to tone it down a bit.

 

And I am really liking Liam a lot more than I thought he would.  He's like the baby of the group right and he's always so worried about Scott.

[ahisma]

I think Lydia's grandmother is being used by the Benefactor. And I feel stronger than ever that it's Brunski, and he was using Meredith, too. (Still don't know why Peter's not on the list, though.)

Agree that Peter is stealing Derek's power.

And agree there has been a decided lack of Kira's electrical powers. At least last week and this they remembered them a little bit.

Derek and Braeden, YUM, the entire ep! (But IRL please teach where a gun's safety is located, first thing!)

Loved future in-laws Mama M and Mama Y together.

THREE more parents potentially going to be in the know: Agent McCall, Natalie Martin, and Liam's Dr. Stepdad.

Aw, Liam, bigger werewolves than you have been unable to take on a Berserker, but bless you for trying.

I love Chris's watch phone.

As far as not resuscitating Scott early: they don't know who the Benefactor is and what resources he has. He could have been watching the morgue camera feed, too.

[bettername2come]

But we don't know Lydia's grandma. What do we care if she's the Benefactor? There's got to be more to it than that. I thought the ashes were going to be Phoenix ashes. Mountain ash has gotten old at this point. Oh, and I'm guessing that they just casually revealed Lydia's eighteen so they can have her hooking up with Deputy Parrish in a few weeks in a perfectly legal way. Also, no wonder she and Allison are smarter Scott and Stiles, they're both a year older than them.

 

I loved Peter's "I need to get a better safe," and how they casually revealed that it was the adoption papers he was looking at when he got tomahawked. 

 

Man, Tyler Hoechlin was cute this episode. I like playful Derek and shirtless Derek, so this was a great episode for me. Braedan can stay as long as she doesn't break his heart.

 

That's twice Stiles has dreamed about sleeping with the girl he likes in a non-sexual kind of way. I do think that means something about him craving more of an emotional connection, which I appreciate. It's also something I don't remember seeing on a teen drama before, and I'm all for Teen Wolf doing original things.

 

I think it's about time we got some dream followup time with Scott. They picked the thread about him being afraid of becoming a monster back up.I have my doubts about Scott making it through the end of the season without killing someone. I think the conversation with his dad showed he was preparing himself to have to make that choice.

 

I like the Mrs. Yakimura/ Mama McCall team up. And Stiles/Argent (I think Argent appreciated Stiles' "the crow flies at midnight" speak. And Liam/Kira). They really are enjoying the odd pairings this year, but I think they've all worked out well. But Yakimura/McCall was great. Mrs. McCall has to be enjoying the fact that this girlfriend's mom isn't trying to kill her son. I loved Melissa asking why they're letting their kids fight in this and Mrs. Y's "because otherwise we be teaching them to run and hide." And can I say that I loved all the parents this ep? Natalie Martin and Agent McCall are both trying to get in on the truth about what's going on with their kids, we had three parents in on their mission tonight (though Sheriff was suspiciously absent), and I really liked the Scott/Agent McCall hug (the height difference makes Tyler Posey look very much the teenager he's supposed to be playing). I hope he's annoyed at not being informed Scott was "dead" next time. 

 

Oh, and I also liked the #OnlyInBeaconHills when Melissa said the power only goes out when attacked by supernatural creatures. 

Edited August 12, 2014 by bettername2come

[Insomnia]

This probably says a lot about me that I might not be ready to think about yet, and there is probably some special Internet Cougar Hell I'm destined for or something but...

 

...When Scott was alphaing out and his face was all covered in blood, I found him right at that moment incredibly hot.

[AudienceofOne]

This episode benefited from coming after last week's train wreck so it was always going to be good in comparison. Still, the storytelling seems a little fragmented this season. Maybe it's too many new characters, maybe it's the setup being a bit ridiculous. Not sure.

 

I've always liked that this show has teenagers with parents and this episode was no different. Great parent action.

 

They seem to be sidelining Kira for the season. I guess this fits into the Scott as Killer theme for the season, which I'm finding a little heavy handed.

 

Overall, not too bad, but like others I don't see why Scott had to be dead for the full 45 minutes.

[blueray]

I liked this episode mostly. I wonder if I'm the only one thinking it should have been Stiles in Scott's dreams. Since he is his best friend.

 

The stuff in the hospital was interesting and intense. I'm glad they included Melissa in the plan (which at first I thought they didn't). And I enjoyed the scenes with Melissa and Kira's mom. I liked that they at least had Scott's dad asking questions. I liked that Lydia and her mom had scenes too. I never would have thought about her grandmother being involved at all.

 

Derek and whatever name was as usual didn't fit with the rest of the episode and was boring.

[BuddhaBelly]

 

I liked this episode mostly. I wonder if I'm the only one thinking it should have been Stiles in Scott's dreams. Since he is his best friend.

 

I thought it made sense for it to be Liam since it seemed to be a dream focused on Scott's place as a werewolf and the consequences of that. He bit Liam and turned him, now Liam and Scott have to deal with those consequences. His werewolf nature seems to be changing as he spends more time at the One To Rule Them All with the extra fangs, who knows what comes next. Hyper aggression? Full wolf change?

 

I do think the whole thing with Derek losing his powers, Peter seemingly gaining extra power and Scott morphing is all connected. How? I don't know but I bet it won't make a lick of sense. 

[blueray]

That's true, that makes sense. And now he has to worry about protecting Liam since he brought him into this mess.

[mac123x]

I liked this episode generally (shirtless Derek and Scott helped), but I had some major fridge logic problems.

 

I didn't follow Scott's deduction at the end.  He said the Benefactor was a banshee because a banshee knows someone is dead without needing visual proof.  Umm, what?  The Benefactor specifically requires the assassins to provide visual proof, therefore he or she does not know intuitively.

 

Lydia threw the ashes into the lake and something weird happened, but I couldn't tell what.  Also, the entire boat house is constructed of mountain ash, yet a few episodes when Liam was confined to the boathouse, he broke out pretty easily.  I guess the open side meant the circle wasn't complete?

 

How did Peter know about the Plan?  What were he and Kate going to do with Scott's corpse if they recovered it?

 

Lydia's mom recognized Meredith, but we didn't get any follow up.  The next time we cut to them she was talking about Grandma Martin.  Were we supposed to infer that Grandma Banshee brought Meredith to the lake house?  Were Meredith and Lydia actually cousins?

 

I think my biggest beef with the show was Dream!Scott being naked in the ventilation shaft, but every time he emerged in school he was fully clothed.  Missed opportunity there, Show!

[Atony]

Oh, and I'm guessing that they just casually revealed Lydia's eighteen so they can have her hooking up with Deputy Parrish in a few weeks in a perfectly legal way

 

They have never established Lydia was a year older than she should be like they did Allison, now she is conveniently turning 18 in ~February of her junior year.  Definitely a retcon to let her hook up with Deputy Parrish, it made me chuckle.

[Gwen-Stacys]

I didn't follow Scott's deduction at the end. He said the Benefactor was a banshee because a banshee knows someone is dead without needing visual proof. Umm, what? The Benefactor specifically requires the assassins to provide visual proof, therefore he or she does not know intuitively.

 

It would be kind of weird to ask bounty hunters to kill someone but not ask for proof of the kill. I think the benefactor is human with a banshee either on his payroll or hogtied in his basement. The picture is to prove the assassin's claims and the banshee is to double check and make sure said mark is actually dead (and not a Peter/Cora Hale).

 

About Peter not being on the Deadpool, I wonder if his resurrection clouds the banshee's ability to see his death. Or if there's more to the Hale's than being Beacon Hills' benefactors/protectors? They're not exactly big on devulging family secrets/history unless it's pertinent to a situation at that moment.

 

How did Peter know about the Plan?  What were he and Kate going to do with Scott's corpse if they recovered it?

I don't think he knew about the plan, but suspected it? Peter's always been 2 steps ahead of the McCall pack and seems to have caught onto their thinking process. He probably put two and two together and sent Kate in to double check on his hunch. She pretty much left right after Papa Argent alluded to Scott's non-death.

 

I think Scott and Derek both factor into Peter's Alpha-quest. It probably isn't Kate sucking Derek's powers but I'm almost 87% positive Peter had a hand in what's going on. I have no clue how Malia fits into his plan though. Is he being sincere in wanting her to think that he's decent (even though he isn't) or is he using her to get her mother, who I'm assuming is the La Loba tha Calaveras were looking for all the way back in 3B. (it hasn't been established that it was Kate, right?).

 

Some people find the Hales boring, but I think there is such potential with that family and their history. Wouldn't be opposed to them getting their own spin-off (but only if it's on HBO...they're gonna need a new camp-show once True Blood ends this season).

 

I think my biggest beef with the show was Dream!Scott being naked in the ventilation shaft, but every time he emerged in school he was fully clothed.  Missed opportunity there, Show!

Oh my word! Girl same! And same with Derek. Who does the Mister Hanky and then immediatly puts their underwear back onto sleep? Derek Hale (and most tv characters not on an HBO, Starz, Showtime series) apparently.

They have never established Lydia was a year older than she should be like they did Allison, now she is conveniently turning 18 in ~February of her junior year.  Definitely a retcon to let her hook up with Deputy Parrish, it made me chuckle.

Yes they did. Lydia, Allison, Jackson and Danny were always a year older than Scott and Stiles. In season 2, Lydia had her 17th birthday party. It was explicitely stated that she was turning 17, I'm pretty sure. I know TW's timeline is a little weird/Pretty Little Liar-esque...I just go by the Lacrosse seasons to tell the time/season it's supposed to be. Lacrosse season usually takes place in the spring for most High Schools (soccer, football, and cross-country beeing in the fall)

[Bruinsfan]

Lydia threw the ashes into the lake and something weird happened, but I couldn't tell what.  Also, the entire boat house is constructed of mountain ash, yet a few episodes when Liam was confined to the boathouse, he broke out pretty easily.  I guess the open side meant the circle wasn't complete?

The ashes closed into a  line sealing the open threshold of the boathouse, the same way the McCall house sealed up tight in Season 3B. That open side probably meant that the "circuit" of the mountain ash barrier wasn't closed until Lydia threw the powdered bits, the same way werewolves can walk into Dr. Deaton's office unless he has the balustrade closed.

[ElleryAnne]

Gah, this season just feels so random all the time.  I like the Benefactor/dead-pool idea in theory, but it's not playing out in a way that makes sense. It's all scattershot and badly written.  Why, show?  

 

Okay, so from what I could pull out of this episode:

 

Lydia's story:

 

Lydia's grandmother was a banshee, and might still be alive.  I really hope she's not the Benefactor, because wasn't her granddaughter's name on that hit list?  I'm all in favor of originality in villains, but I don't think I'd enjoy a banshee-granny who would pay cash or bonds for the death of other banshees including her own kinfolk.  And granny wanted Lydia to find the mountain ash in the urn when she turns 18, but why?  Did she anticipate that Lydia would even know what mountain ash was by then?  Is she another one that it'll turn out Deaton knew years ago, but never bothered to tell anyone about?

 

Ugh, another Eichen House reference.  Okay, Grandmother Martin died there.  So did Meredith.  Not a good place for banshees.

 

I'm guessing Granny didn't warn her son or his wife that their daughter might be a banshee?  (But did she tell someone who might've let Peter know?  Is that why he used her for his resurrection?)

 

Natalie recognizes Meredith Walker, but.... ?  Any more to that scene? No? Bueller?

 

The boat house is made of mountain ash.  Why?  I guess someone thought it would be a good idea to build a place that could trap werewolves while simultaneously giving them access to a lakeside vacation retreat.  If we assume the open side has a big mountain-ash wall that closes and the windows can be covered over with mountain-ash storm shutters, then I guess it's a handy place if you live in Beacon Hills. 

 

Derek's story:

 

I am apparently a horrible person with horrible double-standards, because when Braeden went over to where Derek was sleeping and started to lift up his shirt, I was like, "Yeah, girl, I'd be doing the same thing.  Let's check out those abs!"  And then I realized that, if the situation were reversed and he was a girl, I'd be all, "Hey, inappropriate!"  So my apologies to hot fictional Derek.

 

I will, however, say that he's gorgeous in a wifebeater. Also shirtless.  I was disappointed that after Braeden bandaged him up, he put on that loose gray t-shirt instead. 

 

Braeden teaching Derek to fight was adorable.  Best moment of the episode was this one, paraphrased, after Derek admitted he has no more wolfie powers:

Braeden:  "Strength?"

Derek:  "I can still win a fight."

Braeden:  <adorable smirk while crickets chirp>

 

Poor Derek.  I do love him, even if he can't always fight his way out of a paper bag.  And I like Braeden.  I hope she doesn't end up dead.  

 

Derek is taking his loss of powers almost too well.  He's practically zen-like about it sometimes, and I don't understand that.  I know he wants to find Kate and find out what happened to him, but he doesn't seem to be doing anything urgent about it.  Whether that's bad writing or something waiting for a later reveal, I don't know.

 

Scott's story:

 

Rafe and Scott talking was my favorite scene of the night.  I've said it before - this show does parent/child very well.  I loved Scott wondering how Rafe felt over having taken a life, and Rafe's admission that his drinking was part of his coping mechanism.  And Rafe's observation that Scott and his friends don't react to things the way it would be normal to expect them to - as if they know something. It was a quiet, simple scene, but it added more to both characters than anything else has this season.  And I loved both of them.  (Also, bonus points for Rafe having to make a report for firing a weapon.  Nice that sometimes the show doesn't miss those things.)

 

Melissa's reaction -  I felt that pain to my bones.  I'm glad she admitted that the situation disturbed her even knowing Scott wasn't really dead, because I can't wrap my brain around pretending your child is dead.  It seems like tempting fate in the worst possible way. 

 

Second best exchange of the episode, when Melissa wanted reassurance that Kira's technique would be able to bring Scott back to life:

Noshiko:  I've seen it done.

Melissa:  Is that just as good?

Noshiko: No.

 

And they didn't tell her there was a risk Scott could really die.  I understand why, but it bugs me that Stiles didn't warn her or talk to her about it.  Or maybe just that we didn't see him discuss it more with Scott or something.  IDK, it's not OOC for Stiles to be reckless, but this is Scott.  I feel like Stiles would have been uncomfortable with risking Scott's life like that (though I know he'd eventually agree to it), and I just wish we'd gotten a few seconds of him really addressing that.  But I've been disappointed in Stiles' portrayal all season.  There's no growth in him, and there should be.

 

Scott's dreams bored me.  All I kept thinking was, hey, isn't that the metal shaft that Kate crawled through in Allison's dreams?  And the locker made me think of Stiles' dream. (If the similarities in the three sacrifices' dreams turn out to be related to the open-door thing, I'll be mightily impressed.  But I'm guessing it's more of a limited-budget thing.)

 

Why, in Scott's dreams, is the PSAT proctor referred to as "The Chemist?"  Did Scott know the guy was a chemist?  We saw him at a lab table, but I don't remember Scott seeing that.

 

Did Stiles set up those laptops to hack into the hospital security system using tips he learned from He Who Shall Not Be Named?  Or did Chris Argent tap into them for him?   I did like Stiles wanting a more spy-like response to the Benefactor.  

 

Scott and Kira figure out that a banshee must be behind the whole thing.  Who in the what?   I'd like to shrug it off to an example of Scott not being the brightest penny because that logic is wonky, but I'm afraid the banshee reveal - like the money distribution of the hit list - is meant as exposition rather than guesswork.  What was the point of this episode, anyway?

 

I really hope Dr. Hot Stepdad isn't the Benefactor and doesn't end up dead.  I want him to come back again next season.

 

 

Malia's story:

 

Stiles remembering Malia in his bed felt forced, like the show wanted to address the issue of the "scratches" scene interpretation from earlier in the season and put it to rest.  Which, honestly, I can understand them wanting to do, if that's what they were doing.  It still felt forced, but I'll give them credit for that much.  (I'm resigned to the poor characterization of Malia, but if they did respond to that, then maybe they'll fix some other stuff?)

 

I expected more from Peter and Malia's scene.  I'm not sure what I expected, but it seems like there should have been something there that wasn't - on Peter's part, I think.  But then Peter, like Stiles, has been disappointing me all season.  I'm just not feeling him lately.  He's been less sharp, more smarmy.  And his reactions seem like they're missing a layer of personality or emotion.  He seems like a one-note villain, and he didn't used to.

 

I don't care about Malia dealing with finding her birth mother because the show hasn't given me any reason to.  Frankly, this seems like yet another subplot in a season that has too many of them already.

 

On the plus side, Malia/SH was totally in the eye-candy category in that checked-shirt and vest she was wearing in her scene with Peter.  I like her hair pulled back a bit,  too. Very cute and pretty, even if it made her look 25.  It looked more like the kind of outfit I'd expect her to wear, as a former feral creature who feels the cold and likes her freedom.  Her usual girly short outfits with hair that looks like Kate Middleton's stylist fixes it don't suit her character.  

 

 

Kate's story:

 

Erm, what the hell is her story at this point?    She and the berserkers show up sometimes to stir trouble and cause injuries, but why?  I know she wants to learn how to control the shift, and I guess she wants to know who the Benefactor is.  Yet she still feels like a random thing wandering through the season with nothing to do.  I hate to say it, but she was more interesting when she was macking on young!Derek.  She was awful, but at least she seemed to have a purpose.

 

Noshiko's berserker injury has to be treated in Palo Alto.  I don't know why I find that funny.  Doesn't Beacon Hills' hospital staff have a lot of experience treating gaping wounds caused by claw marks at this point?  Especially wounds that are incurred within the hospital walls?  Seems like they've had plenty of practice.

 

Kate and Peter working together... IDK.  I honestly don't know what that's about. Makes no sense and seems like the writers just wanted to give Kate something more, but again, it's random.

 

 

Still, the storytelling seems a little fragmented this season. Maybe it's too many new characters, maybe it's the setup being a bit ridiculous. Not sure.

 

 

Yeah, I've been feeling the same way all season.  They're juggling too many characters this season and trying to give too many of them roles in the bigger story.  The result is sloppy writing and poor characterization to force the plot along.  

 

Some people find the Hales boring, but I think there is such potential with that family and their history. Wouldn't be opposed to them getting their own spin-off (but only if it's on HBO...they're gonna need a new camp-show once True Blood ends this season).

 

 

No, not HBO!  I don't get HBO.  And you know I'd totally watch a show about the Hales.  (I'm in love with the CSI: Beacon Hills fan vids.  But camp would be good, too.)

 

really liked the Scott/Agent McCall hug (the height difference makes Tyler Posey look very much the teenager he's supposed to be playing)

 

 

This is true.  I liked the hug anyway, but yeah, Matthew Del Negro's presence does help Tyler Posey look like a teen.  

 

 

I want more kitsune Kira. She knows how to conduct enough electricity to stop/slow a heart but she can't call that shit up she a giant hell spawn is in front of her?

 

 

This.  

Edited August 12, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[mac123x]

The ashes closed into a  line sealing the open threshold of the boathouse, the same way the McCall house sealed up tight in Season 3B. That open side probably meant that the "circuit" of the mountain ash barrier wasn't closed until Lydia threw the powdered bits, the same way werewolves can walk into Dr. Deaton's office unless he has the balustrade closed.

 

Ah, thanks, that makes sense. I guess Grandma presumed Lydia would be in-the-know about mountain ash and wouldn't just follow her instructions, take the urn out to the middle of the lake and dump it.

 

I think I'm leaning towards the idea tht Grandma Banshee is working for the Benefactor, probably against her will.  It still begs the question of who the Benefactor is, if it's someone we've seen before or at least been alluded to before.  I really hope it isn't another long-lost Hale relative; in fact I'll throw things at the TV if it turns out to be a ressurected / survived the fire but turned evil / whatever excuse Talia.

[Bruinsfan]

Kate being offered a chance to get in on the killing rather than being another name on the list keeps Gerard Argent as suspect #1 for me. He seems more likely than anyone we've seen so far to want all supernaturals wiped out in Beacon Hills.

[Gwen-Stacys]

No, not HBO!  I don't get HBO.  And you know I'd totally watch a show about the Hales.  (I'm in love with the CSI: Beacon Hills fan vids.  But camp would be good, too.)

You could borrow my HBO Go account, love ;)

[Yitzhak]

Yay continuity! I was pleased to see that not only did Agent McCall have to deal with his firearm discharge incident but that he's also well aware that there's something fishy going on with Scott and his friends (I'm liking this guy more and more. Hope they don't just kill him off to make way for Melissa/Sheriff shipping or whatever).

 

And another echo based on that same incident - Stiles' reaction to Chris Agent pulling a gun on him. It was just a tiny moment but it seemed noticeably triggering for Stiles.    

Edited August 12, 2014 by Yitzhak

[ElleryAnne]

You could borrow my HBO Go account, love ;)

 

 

That's sweet, thank you. :)   In that case, they can have the show on HBO.  

[ahisma]

Derek is taking his loss of powers almost too well. He's practically zen-like about it sometimes, and I don't understand that.

Stiles remembering Malia in his bed felt forced, like the show wanted to address the issue of the "scratches" scene interpretation from earlier in the season and put it to rest.

But then Peter, like Stiles, has been disappointing me all season.

I feel like all these (and more) issues are related. The actors have said that they aren't told what's going on ahead of time, so they shoot as well as they can based on guesses. For example, Tyler H believed for a lot of s1 that Derek was the Alpha. When you go back and watch, you think, holy hell, why was Derek such a bad guy when he's really not? Or nobody knew that Jennifer was the Darach during filming, so there is no hidden depth to the character in the early eps, just Miss Sweet Schoolteacher. I think it's to the show's detriment and a disservice to the actors.

I would bet that throughout filming s4, Ian Bohen knew nothing about what the hell Peter was up to, and had to play 1-note villain just to keep the tension ratcheted, but with no real purpose. Ditto Tyler and Zen Derek. As for the Stiles/Malia scene, I completely agree that this scene is probably what the producers meant, but nobody told Dylan O back when he was shooting Stiles talking to Scott so he played it 180 degrees opposite. Ugh. It makes the show make no sense.

[ElleryAnne]

I feel like all these (and more) issues are related. The actors have said that they aren't told what's going on ahead of time, so they shoot as well as they can based on guesses....I think it's to the show's detriment and a disservice to the actors. ...Ugh. It makes the show make no sense.

 

 

Yeah, I think you're right.  And it's the most idiotic way of directing the cast that I've ever heard of, so it doesn't surprise me that Jeff Davis favors it.   It's a wonder he doesn't just film cold readings against a green screen at separate times and leave it up to an editing crew to make it look like characters are interacting.

[benteen]

Mama McCall really sold that screaming over Scott's "death."  I was actually mad at the gang because I thought they didn't tell her.

 

Good episode.

[galax-arena]

Scott's dreams bored me.

IMO Jeff Davis doesn’t really do that sort of scene all that well. It always starts off okay, but then it just drags and goes on wayyyy too long. IIRC, I felt the same way during a lot of Stiles’ dream sequences in 3B.

 

I loved Noshiko Yukimura and Melissa McCall partnering up.

And it's the most idiotic way of directing the cast that I've ever heard of

It really is. Is Jeff Davis that afraid of leaked spoilers? Or is he just making shit up as he goes? Maybe he didn't tell Jennifer's actress about her being the Darach because he didn't decide on that plot point until the last minute. 

[Yitzhak]

 

I felt the same way during a lot of Stiles’ dream sequences in 3B.

 

A lot of Scott's dream beats were just lazily copied from Stiles' 3B dreams. Why do these dreams always start with Scott or Stiles trapped in the gym lockers? Do they both have some shared trauma of being trapped in lockers? Or can they just not think of a new way to use the school set in a nightmare scene?

Edited August 13, 2014 by Yitzhak

[Bruinsfan]

You'd think Scott's school nightmares would be more along the lines of being called on in class when he's spent the whole period blissfully oblivious to the lecture.

[bluebonnet]

It's weird, I really liked this episode despite the fact that it made absolutely no sense.  Maybe the tea fume cure was meant to prepare us for the rest of the season being nonsensical.  

 

It really made no sense that Scott had to remain "dead" while they were waiting for the Benefactor.  It also makes no sense that Kira can call up her electricity at will but can't use it in a fight.  On the plus side, Melissa Ponzio acting as Mel McCall who was acting as grieving mother was probably the best she's been as an actor ever.  

 

So I'm starting to wonder if the Mexican hunters have something to do with the Benefactor.  They were really looking for Kate and they knew Kate had Derek.  Maybe they knew the reason why?  That Kate wanted to get into the Hale vault.  And they might have known that money was in the vault.  It's just that the lady was very curious about Lydia and her Banshee powers.  She even tested her.  A banshee in league with the Beacon Hills supernatural would put a damper on any assassination plans if that banshee had control of her powers to the point that she could predict a death long before it occurred and thus stop it.  So far, the only time that has happened has been Derek.  And I guess the Chemist, since she knew someone at the school would die but wasn't at all concerned that it might be her friends.  But still, there's Derek who has lost all his powers and is still on the list.  Maybe banshees are also psychic and can know who will eventually become supernatural, since Liam is on the list despite being a recent addition to the supernatural world.

 

Of course, I'm not ruling Gerard out of this.  He's still there, in the background.  Then there is Papa McCall who came to Beacon Hills because of all this crime and he witnessed the Oni and he seemed to know about The Orphans.

 

I really didn't get Scott's dreams.  I wonder if werewolves derive their power from murder.  Like maybe Scott's lack of awesome and strength have to do with the fact that he hasn't killed anyone.  

 

I wonder if the writers remember that Parrish was never given the ear tattoo by the Oni when they were going around town tattooing and freezing all the other supes.  Probably not.

 

Also, was Lydia's mom not at all disturbed with the mountain ash?  Because if I saw someone tossing a handful of ash out the door and it happened to land in a perfectly straight line, I'd freak out and ask what the fuck is going on.  

 

And finally, I hope that is just good make up otherwise Ian Bohen needs to lay off the weights and 'roids.  That neck looks painful.  

[bettername2come]

Then there is Papa McCall who came to Beacon Hills because of all this crime and he witnessed the Oni and he seemed to know about The Orphans.

 

If Scott's father turns out to be the Benefactor, my heart will break. But he does keep showing up conveniently after something goes horribly wrong (and in this episode, disappearing before).

[Long Days Night]

Lydia's mom recognized Meredith, but we didn't get any follow up. The next time we cut to them she was talking about Grandma Martin. Were we supposed to infer that Grandma Banshee brought Meredith to the lake house? Were Meredith and Lydia actually cousins?

I think it's more likely that grandma and Meredith met and bonded in Eichen House, given that they were both banshees who were erroneously committed because their powers were mistaken for mental illness. The picture probably came home with grandma's other personal items after her "death." Meredith being close to grandma explains why she obeyed the benefactor's orders to stop helping Lydia -- either because the benefactor is grandma herself or (more likely) holding grandma prisoner.

As far as Peter and Kate's new alliance - she was either working for or used by the benefactor when she got Derek to open the vault and the benefactor looted the $117m there. So I'd say that either Peter has joined the benefactor team along with Kate or (my preference) he found her afterward and asked her to help him hunt down the benefactor to get back the Hale cash in return for a share of whatever they recover plus his coaching her in controlling the shift.

[bluebonnet]

If Scott's father turns out to be the Benefactor, my heart will break. But he does keep showing up conveniently after something goes horribly wrong (and in this episode, disappearing before).

That would break my heart, too, and it would be completely out of character for Papa McCall.  It would be another proof that not telling the actors the future for their characters in the season is a major flaw.  The only way it would really work with McCall being involved is if it was unwittingly.  Like he has an idea of the supernatural and that they have taken over Beacon Hills and he sought a way to get rid of them in order to protect his family.  I wouldn't be able to believe he'd knowingly sign off on a death list that includes his son and his son's friends.  

 

It also dawns on me that the advertising in this episode is a major reason it barely made sense.  Half the episode revolved around checking the timers on smartwatches and smartphones and macbooks.  Usually that stuff is shoehorned in logical places.  Camera on a phone when a character legitimately needs to use the phone, or camera on beverage when character has a legitimate reason to be drinking something, that sort of thing.  Because there was no reason for Scot to remain "dead", the tech advertising felt so off.  It's like they wrote the entire plotaround how much ad time they needed to devote to apple and whatever phone company that was instead of writing in the advertising to fit with the plot.  

Edited August 13, 2014 by bluebonnet

[Bruinsfan]

The picture probably came home with grandma's other personal items after her "death."

I thought the picture was among Meredith's effects that Lydia had been given for whatever reason, and the big "gotcha" was her realizing it had been taken in her grandmother's soundproofed room.

[bettername2come]

I just remembered one little moment I really enjoyed. When Noshiko tells Melissa to feel Scott's heartbeat, Melissa looks over at Stiles, and he tells her it's okay and puts his hand on her shoulder. 

 

For example, Tyler H believed for a lot of s1 that Derek was the Alpha.

 

Did he, because I swear I remember an alternate take of the "We're brothers now" scene from the pilot where Derek tells Scott he's not the one who bit him, plus it comes up in the series in episode 3. Did he think Derek was lying?

[wayne67]

I couldn't be bothered watching this episode so I read Price's recap instead.

 

I have 3 questions just to make sure I didn't miss anything interesting this episode...

 

Did anything plot relevant actually happen ? It sounded like a lot of dream related stupidity and no stake drama about Scott faking being dead to me.

 

Was Liam shirtless/ present for a significant period of time during the episode ?

 

Was Jordan Parrish shirtless/present for a significant period of time during the episode?

 

Despite all the assassins and the deaths of people Scott is apparently supposed to protect, I feel no emotional investment this season. Last season I was legitimately worried about Stiles going crazy/being dead/staying evil and that was resolved by being scratched by Scott which was a lame resolution that made very little sense but whatevers. This season the 'gang' is under jeopardy every other episode by poorly introduced antagonists/assassins and I know it's unlikely anyone will actually die. I struggle to take their life and death drama seriously since Lydia who has no super strength and limited understanding of her powers is apparently left to her own devices on her own subplot repeatedly while she's on a supernatural hit list. Have these people not heard of the buddy system ?

Edited August 14, 2014 by wayne67

[ahisma]

I had to go look it up again—it was the first two episodes. Considering that was when Derek was being set as a character, I still think it's stupid to let the actor go off 180 degrees wrong in his portrayal. This is from the Wolf's Bane 2014 conference Q&A. (Consider that three years later he still says this was the biggest surprise.)

Looking back at 4 years of "Teen Wolf", what was the most surprising thing for you?

Tyler Hoechlin: Most surprising thing? [Long pause, laughter from the audience] I wanna know what you all think I'm thinking now! Honestly I still think the most surprising thing was finding out that Peter was the alpha in season 1. To me that was a pretty great twist. I remember shooting the show… they don't tell us anything, we don't know anything while we're shooting, so we kinda find out while we go along same as you guys when you watch and I remember all of us trying to guess who the alpha was because even up to episode three we didn't know that they were saying that it wasn't Derek. So I even thought as the character that it was me and then I read the third script and were like "Oh! That changes things, ok." So when we all got the script and found out that it was Peter, that truly shocked me and Ian still jokes about it.

Did anything plot relevant actually happen ? It sounded like a lot of dream related stupidity and no stake drama about Scott faking being dead to me.

Was Liam shirtless/ present for a significant period of time during the episode ?

Was Jordan Parrish shirtless/present for a significant period of time during the episode

Scott deduced from the Benefactor not showing up to confirm the kill that the Benefactor is a Banshee and doesn't actually NEED the visual confirmation asked for. (Not taking into account the Benefactor maybe recognizing a trap, or having access to a Banshee while not being one.) Lydia found out that her grandmother was a Banshee who was put in Eichen House, she's maybe not actually dead, and she left Lydia mountain ash to use on her upcoming 18th birthday.

Liam had some scenes, none shirtless.

No Parrish, shirtless or otherwise. :-(

Also no Sheriff.

Awesome Mamas McCall, Yukimura, and Martin, though, and Dr. Hot Stepdad and Chris Argent.

Edited August 14, 2014 by ahisma

[snakenax]

 

I wonder if the writers remember that Parrish was never given the ear tattoo by the Oni when they were going around town tattooing and freezing all the other supes.  Probably not.

I think that would only matter if Ms Yukimura knew Parrish is a supernatural, since the Oni were hunting people on her orders.

[wayne67]

Scott deduced from the Benefactor not showing up to confirm the kill that the Benefactor is a Banshee and doesn't actually NEED the visual confirmation asked for. (Not taking into account the Benefactor maybe recognizing a trap, or having access to a Banshee while not being one.) Lydia found out that her grandmother was a Banshee who was put in Eichen House, she's maybe not actually dead, and she left Lydia mountain ash to use on her upcoming 18th birthday.

Liam had some scenes, none shirtless.

No Parrish, shirtless or otherwise. :-(

 

Thanks for the info. So essentially Scott made a baseless assumption that will probably turn out to be somewhat correct even though it makes no sense.

 

If you're a mysterious puppet master in charge of a supernatural hit list and an assassin doesn't confirm a kill you'd probably just wait for another assassin to claim credit for it via a morgue report or photo. Or depending on information available just wait till the next day and see if that person is still walking around. No need to risk yourself in following up someone else's work. Presumably the Benefactor just wants the supernaturals dead and doesn't care that much which assassin gets the payment since he doesn't seem to be saving any of the money stolen for anything else. *sigh*

 

I think this confirms the feeling that this season seems filled with pointless filler that doesn't improve characterisation or progress plot much either.

[jhlipton]

Did anything plot relevant actually happen ? It sounded like a lot of dream related stupidity and no stake drama about Scott faking being dead to me.

We learned that Kate is not the Benefactor, that Malia's mother was a were-coyote and that Lydia's grandmother was also a Banshee.

[FurryFury]

I hated this episode. I actually regret wasting my time on it, nothing happened except for Banshee reveal (I did like Lydia's tiny scene). In fact, this season made me like Lydia a lot, despite her being so disconnected from the rest of the group except that one episode with Stiles. At least she finally feels like her own character instead of Stiles' object of lust/Jackson's girlfriend/occasional plot helper. Oh, and if they go down the Lydia/Parrish route, I certainly won't mind.

 

I'm surprised they didn't kill Noshiko off, but it doesn't really matter, they've still found a way to get rid of her on screen. Too bad they've sent Kira away as well, she deserves to be a part of whatever happens in the finale. I'd definitely prefer more Kira to more Malia, too bad the show seems so in love with the latter.