Teen Wolf and More at MTV

This Sunday, June 3, will see the return of MTV's Teen Wolf.  This fast-paced teen drama took off last summer with a whole new generation of werewolves.  If you are looking for obnoxious jocks, swooning girlfriends, and, oh yeah, periodic corpses, this is the show for you.  While the start of the show was a little choppy in terms of plot lines and even some of the acting, the characters quickly pulled you in.  The friendship between Scott (Tyler Posey) and his geeky friend Stiles (Dylan O'Brien) works and is a strong core to the entire show when other things are not working out so well.  And the idea of Jackson (Colton Haynes), the tough jock, wanting to join the pack is a great portrayal of teenage tribes, even if Scott wants to be an army of one. 

I am also looking forward to the June 28th return of Awkward, another high school show with heart.  Jenna's (Ashley Rickards) adventures last year put this show at the top of everyone's must-see list.  While the story-line is somewhat typical with a teenage girl caught between two beaus, Matty (actually being a Beau - Beau Mirchoff) and Jake (Brett Davern), and even includes some sulking, this is no Twilight.  You will not find dripping romantic dialogue here, but rather wannabe hard-edged kids trying to find the landmines of youth while maintaining some modicum of pride.  

With the failure of MTV's other young adult shows this past year, from Skins to I Just Want My Pants Back, it is good to see MTV had a few winners and it not afraid to try it again.  In fact, a new show called Underemployed is currently being filmed in Chicago. Produced by Craig Wright (Six Feet Under and Lost), the series this time will focus on an older crowd in their 30s and 40s who are not doing so well in this economy.  Some of the characters are based on Mr. Wright's real-life friends.  Is this a sign that MTV is growing up and broadening at the waist?  If so, it is only because that is where the audience is heading as well.

Update:  One June 25, Zap2it reported that Awkward has been picked up for a third season.  And most importantly, MTV will expand the new season from 10 shows to 20.  Given the continued quality of this series, this is good news for everyone.  However, all good things will come to an end, according to Awkward creator Lauren Iungerich:  

I think Awkward is a 4 or 5 season show. I don't want to see them go to college. It's this period of time, these friendships, these relationships.