‘Teen Wolf’ season 3, episode 18 review: How ‘Riddled’ made Stiles suffer more

We haven’t touched base on “Teen Wolf” in a little while, but there is one thing that is pretty clear in watching even just one or two episodes in the second half of this season: This is a show that is far and away superior than anything that we saw in the first half of the season. It is so much more intense, so much craftier, and it also gives you so many more opportunities to actually see the actors act. Last summer, what we saw was basically a series of one shirtless battle after the other.

Early on in this episode, one thing was clear: Stiles is hurting, and in a pretty bad way. He was trapped, dealing with monsters and visions in his head, and not knowing just where to go. Most of the episode eventually ended up becoming a study on his brain, and figuring out what he was technically suffering from. The interesting thing here is that for a show that relies so much on the supernatural, there was quite a bit of science thrown in here.

Just to make matters even worse for Stiles, he realized near the end here that the same, terrifying, and “Doctor Who”-like villain was really just Stiles all over again with bandages and a horrifying mouth. He is his own worst enemy, at least to an extent given that there are larger forces possessing him and causing this darkness to come out. While Stiles’ struggle is somewhat confusing, it is limited to one character. We also at least know who his primary adversary right now is: Kira, given that the Oni may not be willing to extract what is needed from him.

All in all, this was a strong, suspenseful episode of the show that gives us hope for the rest of the season. If only the show continues to move at this pace, we’ll be more than pleased in the end. Grade: B+.

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Photo: MTV