Teen Wolf in Your Late Twenties?

Since I'm awake I should either be studying for the bar or getting work done. Instead, I'm finishing yet another season of Teen Wolf. Yeah, you read that correctly. Teen Wolf. I don't even remember why I started watching it. I think it was just on one of the scrolling banners on Amazon Instant Video or something. But that's really beside the point.

I like the show because it's smart and complicated and lighthearted all at once. Some of the wolves are downright beautiful (and the actors are in their 20s, so it's not too creepy to say that--or so I try and convince myself). But there's another reason I've really fallen in love with this show. And it's this kid:

Stiles, played by actor Dylan O'Brien. This character might be my favorite television character of all time. He's smart and loyal and good. I really enjoy my teen dramas and young adult novels, but they all come with one major frustration: immensely flawed and selfish lead characters. It often makes it hard to root for the one who should be the good guy. But that's not so with Stiles. Don't get me wrong, he's not perfect. But gosh he's admirable.

Hopefully this isn't too much of a spoiler for anyone (and maybe this will cease to be true when I make it further in the series), but Teen Wolf has a lot of fantasy in it...mythical creatures and such. And Stiles is just this awesome human kid whose best friend is a werewolf. And he's always right by his best friend's side, whether Scott is trying to kill him or needs help solving a murder.

I think there are a lot of analogies one could elicit from Stiles. He says a lot about what "normal" people can accomplish. He's a great example of loyalty and acceptance, regardless of others' faults. He uses his God-given talents to solve problems and bless the lives of those around him.

I just really like this kid.

On paper, you'd think he's unremarkable. But in my mind, he's the reason the show works. That's probably true of a lot of people close to you, right? People who view themselves as ordinary. People who think they don't measure up to their friends. Do you have a Stiles in your life? If so, go tell them how great they really are.