"The moon ... is it my imagination, or is it always full around here?"
Exactly how many countless "X-Files" episodes were set in a "small Pacific Northwestern town"? And wasn't it also the setting for David Lynch's "Twin Peaks"? I don't know what it is about that area of the US which makes it the perfect setting for a small town supernatural melodrama such as "Wolf Lake", but it definitely works.
The show follows Seattle detective John Kanin (Lou Diamond Phillips), who travels to Wolf Lake in search of his kidnapped girlfriend Ruby Cates (Mia Kirshner). He discovers that Ruby's parents are in fact in charge of the town, with the town mayor Willard Cates (Bruce McGill) seeming to have complete power along with his wife Vivian (Sharon Lawrence). They also have a rebellious son named Luke (Paul Wasilewski). The other important figure in the town is the Sheriff, Matthew Donner (Tim Matheson), whose daughter Sophia (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is the object of Luke's affections. Wolf Lake is populated by other colourful characters, such as the mysterious Native American teacher Sherman Blackstone (Graham Greene), the villainous Tyler Creed (Scott Bairstow) and world-weary bar singer Miranda Devereaux (Kellie Waymire).
It does sound a lot like "Twin Peaks", doesn't it? Of course there was no way it was ever going to match up to the inspired weirdness of David Lynch's vision, arguably one of the best things ever to be shown on television -- but it's still very good. All of the supernatural events that take place in Wolf Lake can be explained by the fact that half of the townspeople are in fact part of a pack of werewolves who are battling for their own survival. They are ruled over by the town mayor Willard Cates, but there is a power struggle going on between Sheriff Donner, who is uncomfortable with his werewolf heritage and chooses not to transform, and Tyler Creed, who believes that their kind are superior to humans and need not be afraid of what they are. The actors playing these vital roles are invariably reliable, along with the rest of what is really a very strong ensemble cast.
Unfortunately, the series only ran for nine episodes and ended on a completely unresolved note, apparently the victim of unsatisfactory ratings. But well it lasts, what we have here is a finely crafted supernatural melodrama that ought to satisfy both "X-files" fans and werewolf fanatics. This is a fine example of cult television that was sadly axed before it's time, but still certainly worth checking out if you can get hold of a copy.
