My biggest question with entering into this new series was how exactly do you manage to span the often short plot of a slasher flick into a ten episode series, they're also hour long episodes no less. Well, I believe in this regard Scream did it's job quite well. You have to take certain elements of the slasher formula out of the equation when you're making a TV series about a vengeful killer. There will not be a death every couple of scenes or a massive blood bath at every turn, no there is going to be far more intrigue and mystery involved this time around. This is perhaps one of the biggest props I can give for the series as I watched along, each episode made me suspect someone new and enter into an insane case of paranoia where I just couldn't tell who the killer was or who would even be next. Don't worry though the most of pure gore were some of the best I have seen from a slasher series and featured elements of suspenseful knife wielding action as well as some creative traps, one of which left me speechless.
As far as bad guys go, you could not have found a better slasher clone than the one you have with Brandon James. This mask wearing killer doesn't exactly where the mask for the sake of hiding their identity as you will come to find out and their motives are quite appealing as well. Our main character Emma (Willa Fitzgerald) has an unknown history with our killer and it is not enough for her to find out what it is, she must suffer for the perfect little life she has with her "friends." The people closest to Emma all start to die one by one around her but it is quickly revealed that not all of her friends or even her boyfriend are truly the people she thought they were. Turns out being popular will always involve mellow drama but as far as MTV series or other teen dramas go, the Scream series doesn't hit nearly as hard with it's pumped up emotional side.
When it comes to characters I was also pleasantly surprised with how appealing some of them ended up being. Emma is a solid main character and I genuinely wanted to follow along each week as she tried to solve the mystery's surrounding her as well as the past life of her parents who seem to play a key role in these killings. Emma's so called friends however weren't too appealing and I found myself back in high school when I saw some of them, like the stereotypical jock boyfriend, Will (Connor Weil), or his mega jock and resident scumbag best buddy Jake (Tom Maden). There was also the resident queen bee, Brooke (Carlson Young), to name a few of the characters I wouldn't miss so much if the killer decided to take them out.
Some of the more stronger main cast besides Emma though came from the outcast department. While you may take one look at the type of character Noah (John Kama) is and say that he is a Randy clone from the Scream movies, you would most certainly be right. This still does not stop him from being my favorite character in the series as he spouts off about meta nonsense and how killers think and act. His character was a must for a Scream TV series as he plays comedic moments and spot on insight into what makes a killer tick. Audrey (Bex Taylor-Klaus) is also an excellent main cast member, she takes a beating in the first couple of episodes when a viral video reveals that she has a girlfriend. Saying too much more would spoil some key elements to the story but needless to say she is a strong character and plays a big role in finding Brandon James.
Now while most of the series skips over the mellow dramatic angles, this doesn't stop things from following a lack luster formula in certain episodes. There were two or three episodes before the finale that featured a conflict resolution scene where everyone is alive at the end and things get wrapped up nicely. It felt like the story had ended multiple times in these instances and then when it happened again in the finale it had come to feel played out. This is capped off by the fact that so many lose ends try to get swept under the table before the last moments. This guy is with this girl now, Emma is happily ever after with someone else, it felt entirely too flat. This doesn't extend to the last big reveal which has me excited for a second season but in general it just felt like the show wasn't trying. Characters often seem to get over big issues too easily as the story goes on and I know that teenagers are a little desensitized in today's world but not to the point of seeing someone die then jumping into bed with someone new a few scenes later.
As I said before, the Scream movie franchise has a special place in my heart as it was my first foray into slasher films and this series features many of the aspects that I came to love from those movies as well. The show does have the same flaws of any horror film though and unless you're already a fan of the movies or unwilling to suspend some disbelief then you won't have a good time with this show. With a new final mystery and the promise of a second season, I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store next time around.
Rest in peace Wes Craven. August 31st, 2015. Thank you for all the screams.
Good:
- Plenty of thrilling chase scenes and slasher tropes
- Engaging villain and mystery
- Emma, Noah and Audrey are all excellent main cast members
Bad:
- Other characters such as Will and Brooke are not as engaging
- Rushed pacing with the conflict resolution
Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10
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