Wynonna Earp - TV Review

   The first episode of any new series can be a bit tricky, since it has to include the origin of the lead character, set up the conflict, introduce the supporting characters and (hopefully) manage to tell a story, too.

   If you want to see a textbook example of how to do all that and hook the viewer for future episodes, look no further than Wynonna Earp, the new series on the SyFy Channel.

   The series hits the ground running and never looks back.

   Based on the comic books created by Beau Smith, the first episode starts with a bus carrying Wynonna, the descendant of Wyatt, back to her home in the town of Purgatory to attend the funeral of a beloved uncle.

   She's immediately thrown into a fight for her life with mysterious, murderous supernatural creatures. She's caught between those forces, the agenda of the town's residents, a mysterious curse on her family, and the dark memory of a deadly attack on her family when she was a child.

    But this is not just a horror tale by any means - there's a lot of humor, and Wynonna is tough as nails, sexy as hell and a lot of fun to watch. Actress Melanie Scrofano is terrific in the title role, playing a young woman who's still recovering from past trauma, but is determined to do right by her family and look out for her younger sister Waverly (played by the luminous Dominique Provost-Chalkley).

   The cast is rounded out with the hard-edged head of the U.S. Marshal Black Badge Division, Agent Dolls (played with menace and authority by Shamier Anderson), who's investigating the violent attacks in the town and takes a special interest in Wynonna. Another mysterious figure is Doc Holiday (played wonderfully by Tim Rozon) who may or may not have a direct connection to Wynonna's famous ancestor.

   Throw in lots of action, nasty bad guys, a mystic weapon, sharp dialogue and a dash of sex and you have a series that's a real treat - action and adventure with a wink and a smile.

    And that's just the origin story! I can't wait to see where it goes from here!

    Highly recommended!

Grade: A

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