Bitten 1.01 "Summons" Preview: New Werewolf Series is Going to Tear Up Your Televsion Screen

     
      Bitten is one of the new shows premiering this month that you are not going to want to miss, especially if you are a fan of supernatural dramas, especially werewolves. The show debuts on Monday at 10pm on SyFy. If you live in Canada, you can catch the show two days earlier on Saturday at 9pm ET or 6pm PT on Space.

    The show is based on the novels, Women of the Otherworld, by Kelley Anderson and follows her protagonist, Elena Michaels, as she tries to find a balance between the pull of her pack and her desire for a “normal” life.

    If you are looking for another Teen Wolf or Twilight, this isn’t the show you are looking for. It’s definitely for an adult audience, including more mature themes like True Blood or Being Human. But make no mistake, this show is unique in its treatment of werewolves. While the werewolves are steeped in lore, they resemble the wolves at your local zoo more than the Wolfman variety.

    At its heart, this show is about family and what it takes to fit into society – whether you’re a werewolf or not. The most exciting thing for me about this show is the strength of the main character, played by Laura Vandervoort. No doubt people will remember Vandervoort as Supergirl on Smallville and Lisa on V. She brings her martial arts training to the role, but also her serious acting abilities and easily carries the lead, creating a compelling, layered, strong young woman.

Greene, Vandervoort, and Holt.

    Rounding out the cast are Greyston Holt as Clayton, Greg Bryk as Jeremy, Paul Greene as Philip, Steve Lund as Nick, Michael Xavier as Logan, Genelle Williams (Warehouse 13) as Rachel, Natalie Brown (Being Human) as Diane, and Michael Luckett as Daniel. Showrunner Daegan Fryklind is also known for The Dark Corner, The Listener, and Being Erica. You may have noticed a strongly Canadian presence, and in fact, the series is shot in and partially set in Toronto, Canada. The pack itself, however, is based in upstate New York – about 100 miles west of Syracuse. The first episode, “Summons” was written by Daegan and directed by Brad Turner.

    The first episode features some steamy sex scenes and some bloody (good) violence in addition to tight writing and excellent performances. The series promises lots of potential for great action and fights and also features some great comedic moments too. The special effects are excellent. The first episode answers some questions while leaving the viewer intrigued and setting up a few mysteries.

    If you are in Canada, you can tune in Saturday, January 11 – 9pm ET and 6pm PT. Elsewhere, the series premiere on SyFy is at 10pm on Monday, January 13. Join me back here next week for my review of the first episode – I’m betting most of you will like it as much as I did! Are you looking forward to this new show? Are you a fan of Vandervoort or Amrstrong’s novels? Let me know what you are most excited about about the series in the comments below!