If you liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you should definitely give this a try. The bonus of Wynonna Earp is that the characters are mostly in their twenties rather than in high school or college.
Initially, I didn't think it was for me because it has horror elements which is where the first episode starts.
However, the potential of this scene from episode two convinced me to give the show another try from the beginning:
You just have to hang in a little bit longer in episode one to start seeing the humor and superb banter in the show. Simply put, reserve judgement until Wynonna's sister Waverly is introduced. The two of them have such great chemistry and are a treat to watch.
Wynonna is troubled, badass, funny, sexy, and vulnerable often in quick succession. Melanie Scrofano brings her to life full of delicious seeming contradictions that make her feel real.
Now back to the clip above:
When I first saw it, I thought, "I want to be as smooth as Nicole!"
The more I thought about it (another sign that a show is something special), I realized I've been on both sides of that scene. I've tended to be more circumspect in feeling someone out, which I suppose is fine since I've discovered people were taken or straight. But I like Nicole's unapologetic confidence and forthrightness.
In life, I would probably miss the import of Waverly saying, "I'd love to," first, focusing instead on her saying she can't when asked to coffee (which I don't drink in any case). But perhaps my people reading skills have improved some over the years. Alas, there's no one I want to introduce myself to at the moment.
On the flip side, I have been in Waverly's position although I haven't been approached by anyone who provoked delight. Mostly men, but one woman. At the time, I was working in a state where I could be fired for not being straight which added an additional edge to the encounter.
I've even had my own tank top moment though it was more like Wynonna (which actually makes me kind of proud) than Waverly.
I'd been traveling across country for a few months with my car packed to the brim with my essential possessions. I was back in LA staying with a dear friend in the apartment complex I used to live in. My previous roommate who I'd once dated (let's call him Fred) also still lived in the building with his now wife. She'd lived with us for months rent free and then bitched me out when my next apartment fell through. I had been surprisingly calm as she yelled at me, looking at Fred to see if he recognized how extreme she was being. Fred just sat in silence as she raged. I moved out in less than 10 days and left town.
It was now a year or two later.
My car was parked out front next to Fred's truck. I needed a nicer shirt, so I pulled one from the top of the loose pile of clothes on my back seat. No one was around on the street, so I pulled off the t-shirt I'd been wearing and tossed it in with a bag of dirty clothes.
Before I had a chance to put on the new shirt, Fred walked around the corner to see me just wearing a tank top, no brassiere.
Normally embarrassment would be my go-to reaction, but in this case, my brain thought, "Fuck that. Here's what you're missing, buddy," as we chatted and caught up a bit before he left.
To sum up, there are aspects of Wynonna, Waverly, and Nicole I'd like to be more like. Sometimes I wonder if I were their age if that would already be more true, though I reckon I'd still be a hardcore introvert.
In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed season 1 and highly recommend it.
I sincerely hope Syfy renews it for more seasons as these characters and stories inspire me, make me laugh, curse the villains, and cheer (and also sometimes curse) the heroes. It's a lot of fun.
10 years ago on TTaT: Safe and Sound
