Dark Wolf Is A Spinoff Better Than Its Predecessor

Spinoffs do not always have the best reputations because of how they feel like unnecessary expansions of original shows, but Prime Video‘s new show is a rare spinoff that seems better than its parent series. Unlike its parent show, which only has a critics’ score of 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, the spin-off boasts an almost above-average rating of 75%.

More often than not, spinoffs of TV shows are not greenlit because the overarching story demands a deeper exploration of a character. They are only released to leverage the existing popularity of the original series. Amazon’s new spinoff show may be no different, but it surprisingly carves its own identity while improving on many flaws of its predecessor.

Instead of treading the same path as its parent series and adopting a similar narrative blueprint, the spinoff show also changes its setting and introduces a far more engaging lead. Even from an action standpoint, the spinoff does a better job of raising the stakes with better choreography.

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf Is Arguably Better Than Its Predecessor

The Terminal List‘s spin-off, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, seems far better than its parent series, primarily because it features Taylor Kitsch as its lead. While Chris Pratt did a decent job of portraying his character in season 1, he seems a better fit as a supporting player in the series while Kitsch shines in the spotlight.

Unlike its predecessor, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf also steps away from the whole Navy SEAL space and unfolds more like a Mission Impossible movie, where a group of highly-skilled operatives team up for a series of missions. This new change in the show’s storytelling approach effectively raises the stakes and gives audiences more characters to root for.

Speaking of more characters, even the secondary protagonist, Raife Hastings, proves to be an incredible addition to the show’s roster. As the character, Tom Hopper exudes confidence and brilliant screen presence with his physically imposing demeanor, perfectly capturing his dynamic with Taylor Kitsch’s Ben Edwards.

While The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is far from being perfect and, like its parent series, falls into the trap of conforming to many tropes of the action thriller genre, it is a massive improvement in more ways than one.

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf Should Be A Blueprint For The Amazon Show’s Future

Despite earning an underwhelming Rotten Tomatoes score of 40%, The Terminal List was a commercial hit on Prime Video, which led to its renewal. The Terminal List: Dark Wolf has also become an overnight success, and even Chris Pratt said (via Screen Rant) he is down to doing the series “for a really long time.“

Although it is exciting that one of Amazon Prime Video‘s most compelling dad shows would like to expand its universe, the series must tread carefully and avoid being too much like the first installment in the future. To get better with each future season, The Terminal List must follow the blueprint set by the new spin-off.