So SyFy has come up with yet another fantasy show. In modern times, deep in the Midwest. Why should we care about yet another series from a channel that can’t even spell Sci-Fi right anymore?
A gun-toting, demon-smoking, hard living kind of girl, that’s why. Wynonna Earp is one of the best new shows to drop down the fantasy pipeline, and one that should be enjoyed for a long time.
With the conclusion of the first season, and the confirmation of a second coming in 2017, this show isn’t leaving us anytime soon. And that’s exactly where it needs to be. So sit back, pop open a cold one, and take a peek at why you need to start getting excited.
Melanie Scrofano and Emily Andras
Wynonna Earp is led by two women relatively new to the industry. Starting off with the series lead, Melanie Scrofano. Looking at IMDB reveals Scrofano’s next highest credit as “Wife of Man with Prosthetic limbs,” from the latest Robocop movie. But don’t let this distract from her charisma. This show is about her trials and tribulations, and Scrofano shines in the role. She is able to pull off compassion, slick cowgirl, and someone you end up rooting for in all things.
Much of this is credit to series creator and primary writer Emily Andras. A practiced hand on SyFy, she is the creator of shows Lost Girl and Killjoys. Andras is quickly becoming known for her ability to build characters that live on the fringes of society in the vein of Whedon, but with a flair and sexuality that is all her own.
Together, these two have crafted a world inside the Western backwater of Purgatory that draws in the audience to both its grit and hope. Earp may not be the most polished of lasses, and we love her all the more for it.
Bobo Del Rey
A heroine is only truly great when tested against the face of a villain. The face of evil, seductive as much as it is powerful. While some demons can be seen as blah, and others can be great, there is no one that can compare to Bobo Del Rey. One of the few demons to successfully pull off that hairstyle, Del Rey has just about everything that a viewer could want in their antagonist.
Going down the list of qualities just makes him more compelling. He’s powerful. Able to wrangle the damned souls that Wyatt put down, and keep them in line under his whip. He can outfight, outmaneuver most anyone around him. There’s charisma, a charm that draws you in before he makes the kill. And finally there’s the mystery. More than anyone else, Bobo Del Rey has a goal, a plan, and the will to enact it. With connections to the Earps that none seem to know, he might just be able to break out of Purgatory.
Rip Roaring Fun
In the vein of Supernatural, a gritty heroine who is out to slay some demons and drink some whiskey. Some of the highlights include (with barest spoilers) fighting a cult leader of women, immortal cowboys, shadow government agencies, and officer Haught. Wynonna fights the hordes of Hell with her great-grandfathers’ revolver Peacemaker, shooting them straight back down with white hot lead.
This is why we go to fantasy shows. There is the drama, the great battle between good and evil. And character development, as we have already seen. But what makes this a compelling show to watch is that it is enjoyable. The characters truly care, the situations are fresh and original (Doc Holliday and the Stone Witch, all I’ll say), and the dialogue has wit. You’ll enjoy just spending an evening watching the Black Badges tangle with evil.
Women Leading the Way
Wynonna isn’t a damsel in distress. She’s an Earp, and would rather shoot first rather than have to deal with questions. Is she perfect? Absolutely not. She can be a terrible shot, defies authority, and her love life is truly convoluted. But this makes her compelling, to the point where she is not just a heroine, but a damn good person.
Women running this show is not just the top two names billed for credit. Wynonna is in charge, this is her destiny, her gun, and her gumption. Waverly, her brilliant, bratty kid sister, can do research, tap a keg, and become the soul of the team. Officer Haught... anything I discuss beyond her name is spoilers, besides the fact that she is an amazing, by the book officer.
There are brave men in this, and the main antagonist Bobo Del Rey has been covered. But the women are calling the shots, and they are making something truly spectacular.
A World of Possibilities
This is a difficulty to fully express just how great the first season was. How to describe this without season 1 spoilers? Let’s say that the world of Wynonna is about to get a lot bigger. This season dealt with the demons of the West. But more are going to be descending upon Purgatory. There will be family trouble. Doc Holliday, the immortal gunslinger, needs to figure out this curse of eternal life. The Stone Witch still lives. Agent Dolls may have dissension in the ranks. And Waverly may have already brought the most excitement to season 2.
There are many reasons to consider this show just starting to be amazing. Andras’ track record with Lost Girl. The fact that SyFy is usually more lenient with letting its programming continue on and fully develop (looking at you Sharknado). The wealth of possibilities that this supernatural mythology can explore is vast. But just looking at this show, these women, can’t help the feeling of excitement. With Wynonna taking charge, Purgatory might actually be the best place on Earth.