I’m a huge sucker for Westerns and badass leading ladies so it should come as no surprise that I’m very, very excited about SyFy’s upcoming series Wynnona Earp. Adapted from the long running comic series of the same name, the show follows the titular Wynonna Earp, a descendant of Wyatt Earp, as she battles against the demonic reincarnations of Wyatt’s seventy-seven kills as a lawman. Thanks to a family curse she’s the only one that can send them back to Hell. Along side allies like her sister and the generally stoic Agent Dolls, she’s trying to turn a new leaf and do a little good.
The first two episodes of Wynonna Earp premiered at WonderCon on the big screen at the Regal LA Live theater. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend and get our first look at the show. (We also had a chance to sit down and talk with the cast and showrunners earlier that day so keep an eye out for those interviews later!)
If we were excited before, we’re waiting impatiently now for the third episode.
Here are some of the things we love about the show.
Wynonna Earp is a great, strong female lead.
While strong female characters are getting more and more attention in pop culture we’re still woefully limited in our heroines. That’s where Wynonna – played by Melanie Scrofano – comes in.
Unapologetically headstrong and often crass, she’s her own person. She’s a wild child reluctantly drawn back into her family’s cursed legacy. She’s not the most capable heroine at first and that’s part of what makes her so great. She makes mistakes. She reacts to the unknown with snark and humor.
And yet she always comes out on top.
She reminds me of an older, rougher Buffy Summers. Despite her flaws she’s the kind of character you can root for and she’ll keep you coming back week after week.
The other characters are awesome, too.
While Wynonna is obviously the main character there are other great secondary characters in the series. Wynonna’s sister Waverley is hilariously positive all the time and yet incredibly capable. The stoic Agent Dolls plays a fantastic foil to the crass, impulsive Wynonna. Their Aunt Gus is the badass, older lady we all hope to be some day.
Meanwhile, on the other side of things, Bobo Del Rey is a terrifying bad guy and leader of the demon Revenants. There is so much potential in his band of redneck outlaws. And then there is the enigmatic Doc Holliday risen from the grave who has his own plans for revenge.
There are other characters too who show up now and again from Purgatory’s own police force to Waverley’s hapless boyfriend, Champ. All have their own distinct characteristics and parts to play in the story and they play against each other wonderfully.
The cast has amazing chemistry.
The cast as a whole plays against one another well. They’re interactions and relationships on screen seem just as genuine as the ones they have created in real life.
Seriously, you’d almost believe Melanie Scrofano and Dominique Provost-Chalkley were sisters in real life. You’d think that Melanie and Shamier Anderson were really partners who – admittedly – get on one another’s nerves. Even Tim Rozon and Michael Eklund’s tense moments together feel real.
It adds a realistic flare to an often campy series.
The premise is fun and unique.
Wynonna Earp sees out titular character taking on the Revenants – a band of vengeful demons slain by her ancestor Wyatt Earp who are trapped in her hometown of Purgatory. She does so as a member of the Black Badge Division, a secretive government organization battling the supernatural.
Equal parts supernatural Western, X-Files inspired police procedural, and family drama (with plenty of comedic moments thrown in), Wynonna Earp is different from the majority of what else is on television right now. The stakes are high but the show embraces it’s main character’s sarcasm and wit. And how many supernatural series out there are banking hard on historical fiction?
With the exception of perhaps The CW’s long running, Supernatural, you’ll be hard pressed to find something this campy and yet utterly enjoyable. That, you know, also involves dispatching demons in often brutal ways.
The showrunners love their story.
Lastly, we love this show because the people behind Wynonna Earp love their show. Showrunner Emily Andras fell in love with the concept, the setting, and the strong female lead she found in Wynonna Earp and was determined to do things right.
The show films on scene working with the crew that filmed The Revenant. And they’ve taken great care to include Beau Smith – the creator – in the development of the story. They’ve done everything they can to tell Wynonna’s story right and everyone involved – not just the show runners but also the creator, the actors, and everyone else – is just so enraptured with the series.
When they believe so strongly in their show, it’s hard not to be a believer yourself.
We really liked Wynonna Earp and we think you will, too.
Is it a little campy? Sure. Are the characters a little over the top at times? Yeah. Could the special effects use some work? Probably. But that’s all part of the charm.
It really is a fun show.
Wynonna Earp premieres on SyFy on April 1st at 10 PM (9 PM Central). For those of you not keeping track, that’s THIS FRIDAY. If you weren’t already planning on watching it you should change your plans or at least set your DVR.
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