Werewolves on TV: A Howling Good Time or a Full Moon Flop?
It’s been a while since a convincing werewolf story has graced our television screens, even if Teen Wolf fans might beg to differ. But Ginger Snaps, originally a movie back in 2000, seems to be getting the TV treatment. However, it’s not yet clear if it will be a completely faithful reboot or something else entirely. Fans of the movie will recall the twisted antagonist and protagonist duo of Ginger and Brigitte, with Brigitte wanting to help her sister while Ginger fully embraced the idea of being a werewolf and wielding her newfound power. The concept of turning this into a TV show might seem as odd as trying to make Teen Wolf into something entirely different, but then again, Riverdale became something far different from the Archie comics and people have responded positively, so maybe there’s something to this.
Stretching the Story: Can Ginger Snaps Adapt to the Small Screen?
The only issue is that this series might have to extend the story to really get that much out of it. Fans should remember that Ginger died at the end of the original, and despite two sequels, there is still a definite end in place that might have to be addressed. One possibility is that the story could cross timelines, going from the third movie to the first and back and forth, in an effort to detail the lives of the sisters and how they’ve likely been reincarnated or are destined to play out the same existence over and over again. Such a story might be intriguing, but it would also need a great deal of refinement and polishing to work on a level that many people would find entertaining and not worth picking apart in any obvious way.
Werewolf Woes: The Challenges of Bringing Lycanthropes to Life
It’s tough to get people fully invested in a werewolf story. The trouble often begins with whether or not to associate werewolves with other monsters or simply keep them on track to star in their own movie without any help. Then it becomes a matter of whether or not a creature that amounts to a giant canine can really carry the story. Unlike vampires, Frankenstein’s monster, and other stories such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Invisible Man, werewolf stories don’t always come with lessons in morality. Instead, they tend to showcase animalistic passion, desire, rage, wrath, and insatiable hunger.
Some might argue that this makes it perfect for a TV show, as a means to show the struggles that come with being a teenage girl and how one feels as they’re growing up. If that’s the hook, then the show’s already doomed, much like the movie, which didn’t make anywhere close to its budget and has been largely forgotten by many people. If the TV series wants to hook people in, they’re going to have to focus on the story and the carnage that comes as a result of Ginger’s inability to look past the undeniable power and rage that comes with her transformation into a lycanthrope.
Girl Power in Horror: A Delicate Balance
Relying on the idea that this will be seen as another story to push for female empowerment is a risky move, as it might indicate a lack of faith that it can exist as a horror series in the first place. Some folks might want to claim otherwise, but the idea of ‘girl power’ in horror is better served when it comes to female protagonists actually showing some initiative and being able to outsmart the killers. It’s not all about showing how a woman can survive because she’s a woman, and whatever else that comes with, since it’s way more impressive to think that a person can survive a horror movie by not making dumb mistakes and following poor decisions. THAT is impressive when it comes to horror.
In conclusion, the Ginger Snaps TV series has the potential to revive the werewolf genre, but it will need to tread carefully. By focusing on the story and the carnage, rather than relying on female empowerment as its main hook, the show might just have a chance at success and rekindling our love for werewolves on the small screen.
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