Wolf Pack premieres today on Paramount+, but contrary to what you may have understood about this new werewolf show, it’s not related to Teen Wolf at all. Confusing! The lore is different, although that Teen Wolf tone persists. Wolf Pack is about the lives of a teenage boy and girl who are changed forever when a horrendous California wildfire awakens some supernatural creature. These teens are outsiders, outcasts thrust into extraordinary circumstances. There’s romantic chemistry from the get-go with these characters entwined by circumstance, or destiny, depending on where they take the story.
Based on the book series by Canadian Horror fiction author Edo Van Belkom, the television series will take a different spin on the original story by Belkom. The books involve a family of four siblings found in the aftermath of a massive wildfire by a Park Ranger and his wife, who soon discover these infants are part wolf. The show begins long after that first wildfire where just two twins, Harlan and Luna, were found by bachelor Park Ranger Garrett Briggs; they’ve dealt with being part wolf all their lives. The catalyst starting Wolf Pack is a wildfire a decade later when two other teens, Everett and Blake, are bitten by something in the smoke of a frantically abandoned highway.
Jeff Davies has adapted the source material into a proven CW model and added a few more contemporary twists. Where Belkom’s novel takes place in the Canadian west, Davies’s series is placed in California. Some of Belkom’s storylines will be used as backstories for the twins, but for the most part, Davies will be creating a whole new story with these characters in Belkom’s adapted world. Like some of the earlier storylines in CW’s Teen Wolf, there seems to be some kind of supernatural force the Wolf Pack has to face while being hunted by a huge wolf lore lovers will soon be calling, no doubt, Alpha.
Read our review of the Wolf Pack premiere.
Main Actors & Characters
Armani Jackson plays Everett
You may recognize Armani Jackson from Honor Society, a Paramount+ original, or Sundance’s selection for Best Directing, Palm Trees and Power Lines. Jackson is relatively fresh but with lots of promise.
The first character we meet is Everett. A neurotic teen with anxiety, SRI prescriptions, and a therapist; a bit of a nerd, a total outcast. Everett is an only child of an interracial marriage where two very different people parent him; his mother is stern and dismissive, and his father is softer and indulgent. He lives an upper-class lifestyle with privileges and constant care. He’s roughly 15 or 16 years old.
Bella Shepard plays Blake
Bella Shepard has been biding her time for a big break with guest appearances on several popular TV shows and a recurring role on a Tubi original. Stepping into the spotlight as Blake in Wolf Pack is coming at the right time for this blossoming young actress.
Our other sophomore is Blake. Growing up in a low-income neighborhood and a broken family with an autistic brother, Blake has a chip on her shoulder. She’s contrarian and refuses to have a phone or social media; insecure about her skin and background; she’s a parentified child, often left to take primary care of her younger brother.
Chloe Rose Robertson plays Luna
Wolf Pack is Chloe Rose Robertson’s television debut; according to IMDb, she’s credited for just one other acting project and has primarily had some success with music.
Luna is a senior, along with her brother Harlan. They were born wolves and found by their adoptive Dad, Garrett, after a massive wildfire. From what is inferred by Garett in a tape recording, Luna doesn’t feel whole without a Pack; she’s keen on finding others like her and finding peace, sharing the burden of the supernatural with more than just her brother. Luna and Harlan’s birth father is suspected to be the wolf who bit Everett and Blake while simultaneously being the creature trying to kill them… that part of the story is still a little murky. Still, with time it will become clearer what’s going on.
Tyler Lawrence Gray plays Harlan
Wolf Pack is also Tyler Lawrence Gray’s television debut; according to IMDb, he’s credited with just two other acting projects. Looking through social media, it appears he may also have some modeling credits but is largely fresh to the industry.
Contrary to Luna’s desire to share their secrets with others, Harlan is much more uptight and secretive about his supernatural abilities. He keeps people at arm’s length and prefers the brief high of physical touch to the deep connection from letting people in. Harlan is gay, hangs out at gyms, and raves on the prowl for some hotties to sink his teeth in. Unlike Luna’s bond with Garrett, Harlan is at odds with their adoptive Dad.
Rodrigo Santoro plays Park Ranger Garrett Briggs
Rodrigo Santoro is the sensitive hottie we all fell for in Love Actually, playing across from Laura Linny. You also probably recognize him from Lost, Westworld, and 300. This absolute DILF will keep your mom glued to the screen over your shoulder while you watch Wolf Pack.
Garett is a Park Ranger who found Luna and Harlan in the woods after a wildfire. He lives in a cabin with Luna and Harlan in the middle of the woods. He seems to be well-known by the other rangers and natural disaster teams. It appears that Garett has some theories on what caused this massive wildfire and what is chasing after these teen wolves (haha, get it?).
Sarah Michelle Gellar plays Investigator Kristin Ramsy
Lastly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Geller, is returning to the supernatural teen drama stage as Investigator Kristin Ramsey. It’s exhilarating to see Geller back in action; her most recent role as principal in Netflix’s Do Revenge was spot-on casting and excellent performance. Here’s hoping Wolf Pack is also a perfect fit.
Investigator Kristin Ramsey is in town searching for the suspected teenager her task force thinks started this wildfire. Her sights quickly end up on Black, Everett, Luna, and Harlan. It’s unclear if she has suspicions of supernatural stakes or not. However, there is a possibility she may take on Officer Stillinski’s duties as the supernatural crime coverup artist that Teen Wolf had.
Featured photo by Steve Dietl/Paramount+
