“How to Train an Alpha” Review

This is a full spoiler review. If you do not want any spoilers, please watch the show and come back after.

“A mistreated werewolf girl, Alexia Reed, is forced to marry the notoriously cruel Alpha Kieran Stone. Though he swore to never love her, their contract marriage soon blossoms into an epic love tale.”

If this is meant to be the plot synopsis of How to Train an Alpha, then it’s strange that the couple confesses their love in episode 20—out of 51—and from that point forward, the story shifts entirely to politics. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it does feel like a bait-and-switch for viewers expecting a romance-driven narrative from start to finish.

Where to Watch & Production Details

I watched the series on Kalos TV, where it was originally released in 2024, though I’ve heard it is also available now on MiniShorts. It was produced by Won the Lens, directed by Olivia Luying Wang, and filmed in Los Angeles, CA. The only writing credits I could find was for Bacon Hill Creative, and I have not found any names associated with this entity. It might be a writing team, or an individual. If anyone has any more information, please comment below as I am very interested in learning more.

Overall Thoughts

Currently, How to Train an Alpha holds an 8.5 out of 10 on IMDb, which feels surprisingly high given the number of unresolved plotlines and underdeveloped story elements. While the series had some strong points—particularly in its directing and central performances—it struggled with writing inconsistencies, dropped storylines, and an overabundance of antagonists.

Writing & Story Issues

The main problems in How to Train an Alpha stem from the writing. The script needed tightening to ensure plotlines were properly developed and resolved. There were far too many antagonists, preventing any one of them from standing out. Alpha Kai, played to perfection by Vincent Charles Marquez, for example, had amazing potential to be a central villain, but his role was ultimately minor and inconsequential. Similarly, Lydia- again played amazingly by Kelsey Susino- served little purpose beyond looking fantastic and making snide remarks. The story could have been much stronger by combining both of their characters into Drake, Alexia’s step-brother, which would have provided a single, well-motivated antagonist rather than several underdeveloped ones.

There were multiple introduced plot lines that went nowhere. Alexia’s father was introduced and discarded. Drake was introduced and discarded. The concept of a “winter wolf” was never explored in how they differ or are special to normal werewolves. None of the antagonists were dealt with on screen, and the audience was left with more questions than answers about basically everyone’s fate after the end of the series. What happened to Queen Helen? What happened to Kai and Lydia? Did Alexia’s biological parents get back together? Who is running the kingdoms? If they wanted to leave it open to a sequel, they did a fantastic job as the door is wide open. 

Another way the writing fell flat was how the show attempted to treat serious topics like sexual assault with respect, handling Alexia’s trauma with care and compassion—which was great; however it completely failed in its handling of the drugging scene with Kieran, treating it as unimportant, which felt frustrating and inconsistent.

The most disappointing aspect, however, was the missed opportunity regarding the concept of chosen mates versus fated mates. This is an incredibly compelling idea, but the show barely scratched the surface. I would have loved to see a true love triangle between a werewolf, their chosen mate, and their fated mate, especially if the characters struggled with whether fate or free will should determine their future. Instead, this theme was introduced only to serve as the third-act misunderstanding.

Standout Acting Performances

While the script had its flaws, the cast brought their characters to life. Luna Alexia played by Sophia Delucchi and Alpha Kieran played by JT Garcia were appropriately charming and attractive, though I wish JT Garcia especially was given more in the writing or in the direction to shine. He was relegated to looking brooding and serious far too much for my taste. I know that both these actors have done other performances and I look forward to seeing more of their work.

In the ensemble cast, several performances stood out. Laze, who played Beta Jaxon, was charismatic, fun, and entertaining in every scene. He stole the show whenever he was on screen, and I’d love to see him as a romantic lead in a future series—or even in more comedic roles, which I think would suit him perfectly. Lucy Tran, who played my favorite character, Rae, had a fantastic screen presence and truly shone as a supportive and lovable friend and servant to Alexia. When Rae was stabbed, I was genuinely upset, which speaks to how well Lucy portrayed her. I would be surprised if I didn’t see her as a romantic lead very soon, or at the very least in more character roles where she can flex her acting muscles. 

I also want to shine a light on Derek Ocampo and Albi Nezri, who played Rogue Wolves. Even though their roles were minor, both of them stood out in a way that made me hope to see them in bigger roles in the future. They took small moments and made them memorable.

Costumes & Production Design

There were some distracting costume issues (that “armor”) which occasionally pulled me out of the narrative. While Pinju Wanh, the series’ costume designer, may have been working with budget constraints, there were some particularly odd choices—especially with accessories. That said, most of Sophia Delucchi’s costumes were excellent, and I want to give credit where it’s due. I also want to shout out the hair and makeup team—Yunchich Hsieh (hair) and Star Tsai (makeup)—for doing a fantastic job. One particular highlight was the makeup work on Alpha Kieran’s wound in episode 48, which was incredibly well done.

Directing & Cinematography

Olivia Luying Wang did an excellent job directing. I particularly noticed the female gaze in her approach, which was refreshing. For example, Alexia’s nightgown—a piece that could have easily been over-sexualized—was shot in a way that remained respectful and non-exploitative. However, there were some acting choices the romantic leads made that I didn’t agree with, and it’s unclear whether they stemmed from the direction, the writing, or the actors themselves.

Final Verdict

How to Train an Alpha had strong performances and solid directing, but the messy writing, dropped plotlines, and an overstuffed cast of antagonists kept it from reaching its full potential. The chosen vs. fated mates concept deserved far more focus, and the show’s handling of serious topics was inconsistent.

While it had its flaws, it was still entertaining, and fans of werewolf romance dramas will likely find things to enjoy—just don’t expect the romance to last all 51 episodes.

Rating: 6.5/10