Attention ladies and gentlemen who like looking at beefcake: SyFy (and SPACE) has a load of sexy werewolves just for you!
In a bid to cash in on the sexy supernatural sub-genre, SyFy bought the rights for the Canadian production, Bitten, which is adapted from Canadian author Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. If you are a member of Team Jacob (did I get that right?) then this show is for you.
Impossibly attractive actress Laura Vandervoort plays Elena Michaels, the only female werewolf in existence. Elena left her pack to start a new life (here in Toronto - yay!) and has settled down with her new beau, Philip. Trouble is, she has to fight her unnatural urges to change into a wolf. More troubling is that bodies are starting to show up back in her home town, outside the stately manor of Stonehaven, mauled by what appears to be a wolf.
A rogue werewolf, or 'mutt', is recklessly killing and it is drawing unwanted attention from authorities and townsfolk that could her expose her pack. She is called to return to Stonehaven and help her pack track down this 'mutt'. Elena is torn between two worlds; her life in Toronto and her previous life, and love, at Stonehaven.
I suppose that this will be considered pretty steamy stuff. I am really not the right guy to qualify for you what is sexy or not. You get your share of sensual moments between Elena and Philip, then her ex-boyfriend Clayton back at Stonehaven. There is some mild nudity (bare bums) because they have to disrobe before they transform to wolves. Really, even when the men in this show are not changing into wolves, their shirts are either in the wash or unbuttoned. There is so much bare man chest in this show one would be forgiven if they suddenly found themselves watching a Chippendale advert at the commercial break and wondering how the dance number fits into the plot.
From a genre standpoint, this is pretty average stuff. I was a little disappointed that the pack turns into actual wolves instead of the bipedal, 'howl at the moon' variety. And from a production standpoint, the effects are okay. The wolves look pretty good but are a little stiff in their stride. Some of the practical effects on the first victim actually look quite silly - like someone laid sausages and ketchup across her belly. There was enough wolf related violence to keep me interested while previewing the first two episodes of this 13-episode season.
Since the breakout of those shiny vampires, studios have been looking to cash in on this craze and develop any intellectual property that features strong women and supernatural story elements. The success of Bitten really relies on how much that targeted group of genre fans react to it. As a middle-aged man, I suppose I understand the appeal of it all. Time will tell if it appeals to those for whom the show is made.
Here in Canada, SPACE will debut Bitten tonight (Saturday, January 11) at 9:00 p.m. EST. In the U.S., SyFy will air the premiere on Monday, January 13, at 10:00 p.m. E.S.T.