SCREAM: THE TV SERIES PREMIERED on MTV on June 20, 2015. The show is an adaptation of the film series Scream , which was first released on December 12, 1997.There have been so many reboots of classic movies over the past couple of years, and honestly I’m getting a little sick of it. So when I heard that MTV was going to air a TV series version of Scream this summer, I was not exactly happy. Of course I had to watch it though, just to see if they would tarnish the reputation of the Scream franchise. Scream revitalized the horror genre in the late 90s by combining the concept of a slasher film with a little bit of humor and a clever plot and cast. The TV series has big shoes to fill, and even though it’s only two episodes in, I’m intrigued by what the show has had to offer so far. Don’t worry, there are no spoilers in this article, so read on!
Scream: The TV Series, follows completely different characters than the original film, but is similar as the show follows a group of attractive, trouble making teenagers who can’t seem to get their heads out of their asses. The opening scene of the first episode basically reenacts the (in)famous scene with Drew Barrymore as a nod to the original series. Thinking that they were going to botch it, I was pleasantly surprised with how they handled it. I was also taken aback by how much gore was shown, not that I mind. This scene left me intrigued by what else they had up their sleeves to contrast the series with the films, so I kept watching.
Ghostface in the TV series is imitating a serial killer, Brandon James, from the past (not the same killers as in Scream) and who also donned the ghost face mask. What differentiates this killer from previous versions is his unpredictability and technological savviness. While in the movies it was obvious that those who were killed were connected in some way, those who have been murdered thus far in the TV series seemingly have no connection to each other. I’m also finding that figuring out who the killer is to be much more difficult than when I watched the films because of this unsureness of who he will go after next, and that’s definitely a good thing.
The characters aren’t half bad either, especially for an MTV show. The closest thing we have to a Sidney Prescott is Emma Duval, and she hasn’t annoyed me yet like Prescott often did. I also am enjoying Noah Foster, the horror film junkie who compliments Randy Meeks from Scream. I’m almost rooting for these characters to make it out okay. The plot has many other parallels to the first film, so I’m always looking for subtle references to Scream within the conversations and scenes and trying to match the characters and plot with those from the original.
While the TV reboot has some good things going for it, I’m not sure how the concept will work in the long term. The show is only two episodes in, and there have been a lot of revelations about the pasts of the older characters and their relationships with the first killer. I think that this could have been drawn out more, leaving some mystery about the past. There are ten episodes total, but there isn’t much more to find out about the connections with the first killer, which leaves the focus only on the present day killer. How many episodes can there be about Ghostface murdering one of the teenagers and then go on to tormenting Duval? It could get old pretty fast, unless there is a serious plot twist coming up in the next few episodes.
As far as what could happen after the first season, the writers/producers could either go the American Horror Story route, and switch up the plot but maintain similar underlying themes each season, or they could go the Pretty Little Liars route. If they do end up like PLL, the show will undoubtedly be cancelled. I couldn’t make it through the second season of PLL because of how ridiculous the show was getting in order to avoid revealing who the villain was. In my opinion, that kind of thing will not work for something like this.
I still have a lot of questions about how Scream: The TV Series will live up to one of the best horror franchises. With what has been shown in the two episodes, I’m not completely disgusted with how it’s being handled. I’m a little wary for what’s to come, but I do see some potential. I’ll be watching the rest of the season, keeping a close eye on things. I would recommend Scream lovers to give it a chance, even if only to see the references to the film.