THE WOLF MAN
THE WOLF MAN is inspired in equal parts by the seminal Universal horror classic of the same title, offering supernatural thrills and action, and Paul Shrader's WOLF in its exploration of sexuality, gender roles and the nature of masculinity.
A college history professor, LAWRENCE “LAW” TALBOT, a gentle, passive millennial, sees his life flipped upside down when he is attacked by a werewolf and, subsequently, by the light of the full moon, undergoes a violent lycanthropic transformation into a hybrid creature—half human, half wolf.
However, rather than focusing on Talbot’s physical metamorphosis, THE WOLFMAN emphasizes the psychological changes he experiences between the full moons.
He’s stronger, faster, his senses attuned to razor-sharp acuity. Even more marked are the changes in his psycho-sexuality; an increasing vulpine focus on dominance and submission in his relationships and day-to-day interactions.
A second point of difference is the series’ presentation of the wolf/man hybrid, not as a hideous, mangy brute, but a living amalgam of sublime beauty—the perfect intersection of two splendid creatures.
I envisioned the series format as a sequence of quatrains— cycles of four episodes, each representing a corresponding stage of the lunar cycle. Physical transformation would occur every fourth episode, with the previous three focusing on Talbot’s investigation, relationships and search for the key to an antidote.
NOTE: There are differences between the original bible and the delivered pilot. Initially, the studio suggested that Talbot be employed in some aspect of forensic lab work. This was mutually (and wisely, I think) abandoned in favor of making him an academic. Other characters and story arcs were generally unaffected by this change