Scream: The Series – Episode 1 Impressions and New Promo
At first “Scream” feels like a good throwback to the original spirit of the Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven film franchise. It starts off with a beautiful girl getting a creepy phone call and being brutally killed (it’s pretty bloody for a TV series). It’s funny, sexy, and suspenseful.
But as the story progresses, it begins to feel more and more like an MTV series. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but more, er, “mature” fans of the original movies from 19 years ago will more than likely be bored by the dumbed-down tween-teenybopper high school banter that takes up much of the hour. Also… they changed the Ghostface mask. It’s a lot slicker now, and not nearly as creepy as the classic.
Filled with pop-up text messages, politically incorrect sexual liaisons between students and hot teachers, embarrassing YouTube videos, and tons of underage drinking, “Scream” is aimed at a post-millennial audience obsessed with hormones, social networking, their looks, and the size of their butts.
Having said that, the series is very well-acted and the cast is likeable (or if not likeable, then fun to watch in their egregious douchery). I’m far too old to have heard of any of the whippersnappers playing the leads, but Willa Fitzgerald as Emma Duvall is a standout.
There’s also a parallel flashback storyline tracing back to a former high school student, Daisy (who just happens to be Emma’s mom), who committed a terrible crime. Twenty years ago, student Brandon James, who was afflicted with the same disease as the Elephant Man, was shunned at his school – by everyone but Daisy. He had a mad crush on her, which turned to obsession, then rage when he found out Daisy was only teasing him. Still, he believes her when she invites him out for a late night tryst the pier… where he was shot dead. Or did he really die?
Hmmm… That seems to be a mystery herring that’ll be milked throughout the first season of “Scream.” I’ll be tentatively tuning in to see what the first few episodes bring.
“Scream” debuts on MTV on June 30, 2015. Check out some red carpet imagery and a new promo below.
https://youtu.be/mixU_uVDtpc
MTV and Dimension TV’s “Scream” is based on the eponymous, international hit horror franchise. After a cyber-bullying incident results in a brutal murder, the shocking violence stirs up memories of a killing spree from the past that has haunted some, intrigued others, and maybe just inspired a new killer. A group of teens – with two old friends struggling to reconnect at its heart – become lovers, enemies, suspects, targets, and victims of a killer who’s out for blood.
“Scream” stars Willa Fitzgerald as “Emma,” Bex Taylor-Klaus as “Audrey,” Carlson Young as “Brooke,” Amadeus Serafini as “Kieran,” John Karna as “Noah,” Connor Weil as “Will,” Tracy Middendorf as “Maggie,” and Jason Wiles as “Sheriff Hudson.” Jamie Travis directed the pilot.
MTV and Dimension TV (The Weinstein Company) bring “Scream,” the series adaptation of the hit horror film franchise, to television with Bob and Harvey Weinstein as executive producers. In addition, Jill Blotevogel (“Harper’s Island,” “Ravenswood”) and Jaime Paglia (“Arrow”) executive produce and showrun with John Shiban (“Hell on Wheels”, “Breaking Bad”) on board as a consulting producer. The pilot was written by Jay Beattie & Dan Dworkin (“Criminal Minds,” “The Event,” and “Revenge”) and Jill Blotevogel. Additional executive producers are Wes Craven, Tony DiSanto, Liz Gateley, Marianne Maddalena, and Cathy Konrad.
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