by Helen Langdon
When you think of werewolves, what comes to mind? Taylor Lautner et al in Twilight? The American teenagers on Teen Wolf? Lon Chaney in black-and-white film The Wolf Man? How about the teenagers from the north-east of England in CBBC’s Wolfblood? The third season is just around the corner (15th September, put it in your diaries) and that means it’s the perfect time to take a look at what you’re been missing, and what’s in store for Rhydian and the gang.
When you think of werewolves, what comes to mind? Taylor Lautner et al in Twilight? The American teenagers on Teen Wolf? Lon Chaney in black-and-white film The Wolf Man? How about the teenagers from the north-east of England in CBBC’s Wolfblood? The third season is just around the corner (15th September, put it in your diaries) and that means it’s the perfect time to take a look at what you’re been missing, and what’s in store for Rhydian and the gang.
At the start of season one, 14-year-old Maddy Smith is about to go through her first transformation into a Wolfblood (a werewolf by any other name would still rip your throat out). She and her parents live in secret among humans, a pretty uneventful life until Rhydian arrives. Having never known his parents, shuttled between care homes and foster parents, Rhydian has no idea that he’s a Wolfblood too.
Over the two seasons thus far, Maddy and Rhydian have had a lot to deal with, such as hiding their species from their best friends, Tom and Shannon, all while Shannon insists upon investigating a “beast” she saw in the local woods. And also separation, a growing romantic attraction, threats from an alpha male Wolfblood, and a human scientist who threatens to reveal their existence. It’s this last threat which leads to the biggest Wolfblood upheaval – Maddy and her parents fleeing the village to live in the wild, leaving Rhydian behind so that no-one believes they’ve kidnapped him.
What makes Wolfblood so great? So many things. Firstly, its location, because while it’s awesome that Cardiff gets so much love these days as opposed to just London, it’s nice to move out to other parts of the UK. The characters are great, and while yes, they are teenagers so romance has to rear its head, romantic relationships are never the focus. Wolfblood is less about “I love you” and more about “Am I lying about myself if I live with humans?”
What makes Wolfblood so great? So many things. Firstly, its location, because while it’s awesome that Cardiff gets so much love these days as opposed to just London, it’s nice to move out to other parts of the UK. The characters are great, and while yes, they are teenagers so romance has to rear its head, romantic relationships are never the focus. Wolfblood is less about “I love you” and more about “Am I lying about myself if I live with humans?”
That’s basically Rhydian’s whole character arc over the first couple of seasons, as his long-lost mother and brother come back into his life and try to get him to live in the wild, shunning human society. He has to make the choice between living the life he’s always had, with his friends, or attempting to find some deeper truth about his nature by living amongst his own kind. Wolfblood deals with darker issues than a lot of CBBC shows (which is reflected in the look of the series – no bright primary colours like Wizards vs Aliens here). That’s not to say that it’s entirely humourless, but it’s willing to deal with the emotional realities of being a Wolfblood and a teenager, prioritising character development over villain-of-the-week storylines.
But Wolfblood got rid of its main character at the end of season two – that’s a pretty bold move. What does that mean for the third season? According to CBBC, Rhydian, Shannon and Tom are going to see old foes and allies return, but those allies might not be all they appear to be. Rhydian’s mum and dad come back into his life, and they have to deal with the continued investigations of scientists out to discover more Wolfbloods. With all of the threats surrounding the village of Stoneybridge, it’s down to Rhydian to unite his pack or see his species face extinction. And at the moment, whether or not Maddy is returning to help is unknown. Series creator Debbie Moon is keeping a tight lid on things, with no official cast list being released.
If all that hasn't caught your attention, it's probably time to mention that Bobby Lockwood (Rhydian) won a BAFTA for his performance last year, and he's currently looking a good bet to win BBC talent show Tumble. Basically, at 5pm next Monday, it’ll be Wolfblood time. With all of season one currently on iPlayer, it’s the perfect chance to get caught up!
If all that hasn't caught your attention, it's probably time to mention that Bobby Lockwood (Rhydian) won a BAFTA for his performance last year, and he's currently looking a good bet to win BBC talent show Tumble. Basically, at 5pm next Monday, it’ll be Wolfblood time. With all of season one currently on iPlayer, it’s the perfect chance to get caught up!
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