Teen Wolf (1986 TV series)
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- This article is about the animated series. For the film, see Teen Wolf.
The Teen Wolf cartoon series ran from 1986 to 1989. Like the live action film, it was about a family of werewolves with a teenaged boy main character, focusing on themes of coming of age and fitting in. While generally keeping true to the main ideas, this version made some changes from the film.
Characters
Scott Howard
The main character, Scott looks like Michael J. Fox except he is taller. Townsend Coleman provided Scott Howard's voice. Scott is constantly chasing after local cheerleader and popular girl Pam, while being thwarted by Pam's boyfriend Mick, a mean jock. Scott spends much of his time worrying about social acceptance and the possibility of people finding out he's a werewolf.
Harold Howard
Scott's father Harold is a laid-back hardware store owner, generally uninterested in the social problems of his son. He seldom transforms.
Lupe Howard
Scott's younger sister is one of the new characters added for the cartoon. She is not old enough to know whether she is a werewolf or not, but she desperately wants to be one. In one episode, she is able to transform because of a magic spell, but since the spell turns anyone into a werewolf temporarily, she still doesn't know her true status.
Mrs. Howard
Scott's mother is seldom seen. Usually, she is engaged in housework or cooking. She is not a werewolf.
Grandpa Howard
Scott's grandfather is an immigrant from Transylvania. He spends most of his time in his werewolf form, only assuming a completely human appearance when he must. He is a constant source of embarrassment to Scott, because he is always running around on all fours, chasing cats, and getting into trouble with the neighbors.
Grandma Howard
Scott's grandmother is also from Transylvania and, like Grandpa, she stays in werewolf form most of the time. She is not as embarrassing to Scott because she is better behaved than Grandpa. She even becomes Scott's ally in his attempts to keep Grandpa's behavior under control. She is sometimes represented as a fortune teller similar to a stereotypical Gypsy, and has sometimes performed other magic, such as brewing potions, making her seem similar to a witch in some ways.
Stiles
Stiles is Scott's best friend, in on the werewolf secret, voiced by Happy Days's Don Most. He is supportive but often gets underappreciated in Scott's quest to be "in" with the cool crowd. Like Lupe, he wishes to be a werewolf and is upset that Scott doesn't appreciate the "gift."
Mrs. Seslick
Mrs. Seslick is the nosy neighbor who is always a step away from figuring out the Howard family's secret and outing them to the community. She is probably inspired by Gladys Kravitz from Bewitched.
Themes
Scott Howard and his family live in the fictional town of Wolverton, a small town that draws tourists because of its history of werewolf sightings. Unlike the movie, Scott's status as a werewolf is a secret.
Despite the youth audience, the cartoon series delivered very powerful critiques of disability-as-civil rights. Freely invoking an asthma attack or seizure the series centered on how Scott felt "weird" immediately before and during his werewolf transformation.
Although he never hurt anybody while he was a werewolf, Scott was conscious of his difference from other teenagers and had to make accommodations for himself. He also expressed frustration that the residents of this town had stereotyped "his people". A jock named Mick constantly picks on Scott for being the "outsider" at Wolverton High.
History
Although the cartoon series ran for three years, the third season was entirely re-runs. The live action television show Big Wolf on Campus exhibited many characteristics inspired by the Teen Wolf cartoon, more than the Teen Wolf movie. The main character dressed in similar clothing to the cartoon Scott Howard, the "wolfman" design was nearly identical, and the quests to hide the secret and fit in at high school are presented more like in the cartoon.
