Bitten is a show that I have been looking forward to for awhile and I was overjoyed to hear that the Space Channel production was recently picked up by SyFy. The show starts Laura Vandervoort as the world’s only female werewolf, a Toronto photographer who is torn between her present life and her past. Over the summer, I did an on-set visit where I interviewed the cast and here are my thoughts on the first episode.
1. Laura Vandervoort is the absolute star of the show. With a relatively unknown supporting cast, Vandervoort years of being the poster child for sci fi fandom immediately adds a degree of credibility to the show.
2. One of my primary concerns with Bitten was how the CGi transitions from humans to wolves would be handled. Luckily, producers made the right decision and did not focus on this as much as the interaction between characters. While we know that there is a Pack and a group of rival Mutts, Elena’s journey is the focal point of the show as it should be.
3. While other shows claim to be female-centric, this show truly is. The entire cast is made up for men and this only highlights the star’s importance.
4. In later episodes, flashbacks play a more prevalent role and this is the aspect of the show that I like the best. Learning why Elena decided to abandon Stonehaven is the most compelling story point and I like the fact that the writers have decided to make audiences wait to get the full story. Did Clay force the transition on her?
5. The show’s opening scene was quite hot and I think that serves as a foreshadow as to how sexy the show is in general. I remember reading an interview where Vandervoort said that the show would appeal to adults just as it would to Twilight teen fans and now I see why.
6. I especially enjoyed Greg Bryk’s portrayal of Jeremy, the Pack leader. With a nod to Alcide on True Blood, casting a “young wolf” leader is much more effective than casting one who is older. In later episodes, we will learn about Jeremy’s strained relationship with his father (presumably as it relates to how he assumed the role of the leader) and this is certainly the storyline that I am looking the most forward too.
7. Do you guys see the chemistry between Elena and Clayton yet? I think I will need some more convincing. As of right now, I prefer her with Philip.
8. Another character who I liked on the premiere episode was Dr. Logan Jonsen (Michael Xavier). His layered storyline is fascinating as he is not only Elena’s real world therapist but also her Wolf brother.
9. There are some fantastic scenes coming up in the next episode where Elena starts to ingratiate herself back with her family and resume her life (however temporarily) at Stonehaven. The humanity of the series will certainly come out in these episodes.
10. Can’t wait for episode 2!
Bitten airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. EST on Space in Canada and Mondays at 10 p.m. on SyFy in the U.S.
