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[TV Review] “Scream” Returns With More of the Same

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Scream Season 2 Review

Let’s get this out of the way first: if you didn’t like the first season of MTV’s Scream, you probably aren’t going to like the second season (or at least the premiere, which was the only episode made available for review). The series retains its teenage melodrama reminiscent of a soapier than usual episode of Pretty Little Liars, but does amp up the violence to please gorehounds. After being met with tepid ratings and even worse backlash from fans after the first season (which I was lukewarm on but still found some things to like about it), MTV surprised us all with a second season renewal. Have the creators taken the criticisms to heart and improved upon the first season? Well, yes and no.

***Minor SPOILERS ahead, but nothing too revealing.***

After an opening tag that is reminiscent of the first scenes of Scream 2 and Scream 4 (it’s just not as creative by a long shot), the season picks up three months after the events of the first season finale. We find Emma (Willa Fitzgerald) returning to Lakewood after some much-needed therapy. She joins the rest of the Lakewood Six: Queen Bitch Brooke (Carlson Young, the MVP of last season), possible Ghostface accomplice Audrey (Bex Taylor-Klaus), movie geek Noah (John Karna), ex-boyfriend Kieran (Amadeus Serafini) and resident douchebag Jake (Tom Maden) as they all try to piece their lives back together after narrowly escaping death at the hands of Piper Shaw. Some are handling the trauma better than others, with Emma suffering several post-traumatic stress episodes throughout the course of the premiere.

The episode does address the big cliffhanger from last season regarding Audrey’s relationship with Piper (her story also gives the episode its namesake: “I Know What You Did Last Summer”). The new killer(s) begins tormenting her via his/her/their signature texts and phone calls, posting photocopies of her letters to Piper (the ones she burned up in the finale) in bathroom stalls for her to see. Not surprisingly, not many answers are given as to what Audrey’s motives are, but it’s a nice little jumping off point for the season.

As was the case with the first season, Scream returns to us as a teen soap opera. If you thought the change in showrunner was going to change the series’ identity, you were wrong. The dialogue can be laughably bad at times (Noah’s “this is just like a movie but it’s real life” monologues are just as grating and forced as ever) and the acting isn’t always up to snuff, but if you embrace the ridiculousness of it all you’re bound to have some fun with Scream. It’s just a shame that the show takes itself so seriously sometimes. It clearly thinks it’s a lot better than it is, which was the main reason the first season had so many issues.

MTV has been touting a major character death during the marketing for the show’s second season, and they do deliver in that regard. The only problem is that said character is kidnapped by the new Ghostface(s) and kept alive for the duration of the premiere for no particular reason. When death finally comes, it makes one wonder why the character was kept alive for so long in the first place. Scream has a little too much fat that needs trimming and this episode’s death is a step in the right direction. That being said, it is a satisfying death that shows the series isn’t going to be messing around this season, though those of you hoping that Emma would be the first to go will be disappointed. She’s the main character guys. As dull as she is, we just won’t be able to get rid of her.

Another thing the premiere gets right is that it is actually fun. The premiere toys with audience expectations, teasing half a dozen possible deaths for nearly every main character involved. Of course most of them are just fake-outs, but it shows that Scream is learning to play with its audience. Ann added benefit is that these characters have clearly grown up since last season. They are more relatable for the most part and since we spent 10 episodes getting to know them last season less time is spend on character development, helping to move the proceedings along at a quicker pace. Of course, since the body count is rising the series has incorporated new characters into the mix and it is handled a little clumsily. The character of Zoe (Kiana Ledé), specifically, is problematic because the show tries to make it look like her and Emma have been friends since childhood even though she didn’t appear once in the first season. The new sheriff (Anthony Ruivivar) and his son (Santiago Segura) fare slightly better.

Look, you know whether or not you’re going to like (or put up with) Scream. If you were able to enjoy Scream’s first season and overlook it’s multitude of flaws, you should have no problem jumping back in with season two. If you hated every second of it, then don’t bother watching season 2 in the hopes that it has become a vastly different show. This is a Scream for a new generation and whether you like it or not, it is what it is. It isn’t the travesty so many people make it out to be, but it certainly has a long way to go before being labeled as quality television.

Scream will premiere Monday, May 30 at 11:00 PM ET/PT on MTV. Be on the lookout for my spoiler-filled episode review after the episode airs that night.

A journalist for Bloody Disgusting since 2015, Trace writes film reviews and editorials, as well as co-hosts Bloody Disgusting's Horror Queers podcast, which looks at horror films through a queer lens. He has since become dedicated to amplifying queer voices in the horror community, while also injecting his own personal flair into film discourse. Trace lives in Austin, TX with his husband and their two dogs. Find him on Twitter @TracedThurman

Books

‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans

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In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.

The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.

Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.

Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.

For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.

Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.

One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.

At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.

You can order your copy now.

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