I am no longer ashamed to admit it: I LOVE Teen Wolf. I am a grown woman who is unashamedly addicted to Teen Wolf. There, I said it. Phew, feels good to get that off my chest.

Before the show first aired, I was skeptical about watching it for two reasons: One, the name Teen Wolf, I understood that it was a remake, but that name just seemed so gimmicky and juvenile to me. Two, it was airing on MTV, once known for music, but was at that point synonymous with trashy reality TV. But I decided to give it a chance anyway, and I was not disappointed. Each season the show has grown in complexity and depth, with a the mix of humor, puppy love (no pun intended), monsters, bloodshed, myths, and riddles. It is an incredibly intriguing show, and the impeccable acting chops demonstrated by these young performers keeps me coming back for more. Plus, Stiles is definitely bae (insert emoji with heart shaped eyes here). Before diving in to Season 5, make sure to recap on Season 4.
The Celebrity Cafe

Run Lydia Run!
We begin the season at Eichen House, the creepy mental asylum that seems to have a revolving door, pulling in different characters each season. Styles had a stay there, and now it's Lydia's turn. We begin with a catatonic Lydia in the shower while a female nurse berates her. After she is returned to her room, a male nurse attempts to stab a syringe into her neck, at which point she snaps out of it and wakes up, almost being killed does that to a person. Lydia tries to make her way out of the asylum, fighting many guards on the way but is stopped by someone who appears to be Aiden. Sidebar, did you guys check out the new karate skills Lydia has developed? I guess being a Banshee is more than just having a piercing scream and visions of death.

Regression to the Mean
It's the last day, well night, of summer, and after 6 months of peace, Scott feels uneasy because the scale has to tip one way or the other. He is anxious because feels like something is brewing, something bad. On the other hand, everyone else is just trying to get by. Stiles is excited for the future, looking for apartments for when they go to college, just trying to keep the friendships together. Malia has completed summer school and is waiting for the results, and though struggling, Liam is starting to gain control over uncontrollably shifting into wolf form. Things have been ok for too long, so the tables are about to turn.

Sheriff Stilinski sends Parish to go check out a noise complaint. Here Parish runs into a mysterious creature, over six feet tall, claws, not a werewolf, and the creature is looking for Scott. *Someone get the Bestiary*. After recovering from the attack, Parish tells Sheriff Stilinski and Melissa that being clawed by this creature felt like the life was being dragged out of him. Though Scott is a true alpha, Parish believes that this creature might even have the ability to take Scotts power. Liam overhears the conversation, and runs to inform the rest of the group.

Fun before the storm
A storm has hit the town, trees are falling, lightning striking, and people's phones are losing service. Through all this chaos the pack (Scott, Stiles, Malia, and Kira), are all trying to make their way to school by midnight for an annual senior tradition. As for the relationships, Stiles and Malia are going strong, and Scott and Kira's relationship is also going strong when Kira returns from her New York trip *cue kissing in the rain*.

That moment is quickly interrupted by the...I'm not sure what to call it yet, who attacks Scott and Kira under a bridge. Scott and Kira attempt to fight it, with the help of an unknown wolf who joins the battle. The creature seems to be getting the better of the three of them, and though it looks like the, let's just call it the "creature with blue claws", is about defeat Scott, Scott's power as the true Alpha wins out in the end. After the battle, we discover that the new wolf is actually a childhood friend of Scott's who has returned to Beacon Hills to join Scott's pack.

Towards the end of the episode, we get to see a small glimpse of what's to come, and it looks terrifying. Turns out the creature with blue claws was doing someone/something else's bidding, and his failure to complete the task costs him his life. He is stabbed by whomever sent him, a man/ thing in what looks like a hazmat suit, and crows leave his body upon his death. This is a moment of ominous foreshadowing showing very dark things to come. Every season the pack finds themselves in unfamiliar territory, and this season seems like it's going to be no different.

The pack manage to get to school in time for for the seniors tradition of signing their names onto a shelf in the library. Here we have a moment where the characters remember Allison, as Scott signs her initials as well. Sidebar: I was a little disappointed at how the aftermath of Allison's death was handled in Season 4. The characters all seem to have such a strong bond, Allison was Scott's first love, and she was also Lydia's best friend, so it was incredibly out of character for them to move on so quickly after her passing. I understand that they could not dwell on the issue, but some acknowledgement on the impact of her death was needed, especially for fans of the show.

Here's to Senior Year
We end the episode where it began, at Eichen House. Turns out Lydia is actually looking back at senior year; a blood filled, emotional, terrifying year. It also seems that Aiden isn't really back, instead it's one of the doctors at Eichen house that is forcefully trying to get into Lydia's mind and memories.

This first episode raises lots of questions: How the heck does Lydia get to Eichen House? Why are all her friends going to die? Who is Scott's mysterious new friend? Who hired the creature to attack Scott?

Looks like it's going to be a great season!

Image Courtesy of MTV