Reasons to Scream about MTV Scream
The 90’s were a time of slasher films, Bride of Chucky, Halloween, I Know What you Did Last Summer, you name it. They all have a similar formula, if there’s a group of people in one place, typically teenagers, one ventures off and gets brutally murdered leaving the rest confused and left to fight for survival. We’re left in suspense the entire movie of who the killer is when surprise(!) it’s not the new bad boy, but instead the heartbroken nerd.
MTV’s newest series, Scream is a modern take on the original 90’s slasher thriller. Going into it I had expectations of these clichés, and while it did pay homage to the classics, let me just say that in every other aspect it blew me out of the water. Without giving anything major away (you’re going to want to watch this for yourself) here’s five things to Scream about from the MTV Scream Pilot:
The Cast
If you’re a fan of Disney Channel, you’re used to seeing Bella Thorne in a much different way than this. It’s nice to see her venture out and do something new and separate from Disney. MTV is well-known for its amazing casting choices. Many fell in love with the Teen Wolf cast back in 2011 and I can already tell that it’s going to happen again. The cast is made up of mostly newcomers, but give it a few episodes, names like Willa Fitzgerald, Bex Taylor-Klaus, and Amadeus Serafini will mean something to you. Not just limited to those mentioned, everyone did a great job in this pilot. It’s always nice to watch careers unfold right before your eyes and through a nice mix of dry-wit, and bluntness the line delivery from every one is clever, new and makes for a great smooth running show.
Use of Technology
Obviously in keeping up with the times, technology played a huge role in the pilot. The episode centers around a scandalous video going viral and that’s almost scarier than a serial killer in this day and age. By showcasing the severity and quickness of the Internet the eeriness of the serial killer who is watching every move is even more intense than with 90’s original film.
Fourth Wall Breaks
In TV and film, the fourth wall is an invisible line that exists between a story and reality; it separates the actor or actress from the audience. It basically brings awareness back to the audience that they are indeed watching a movie, or TV show. I always think great TV happens when the fourth wall is “broken” and I’m still able to stay convinced in the story. There’s a moment in the pilot where one of the characters says “You cant do a slasher movie as a TV series”, which is ironic because as the audience we know that we are actually watching a slasher movie remade as a TV series. Later that same character breaks the fourth wall again, but this time it just adds to the creepy suspense actually making the audience feel like we are more a part of this world than before. Maybe we’re getting creeped on also.
Representation
MTV is also known for its representation and this did not let down. I spotted characters who were people of color, characters who were gay, straight, and bi. Not only were they represented, but they were represented WELL. There were many instances where the writers could have steered in a stereotypical way, but they did the opposite and it was a pleasant surprise. In just this first episode the characters tackled some pretty touchy subjects and I can only imagine it gets tougher for them along the line. I’m confident that it will only improve from here.
The Soundtrack
The original home of Music Television does not let down with this one. The soundtrack is hip and upbeat when it needs to be and almost dead silent at certain points to add to the uneasy feel of the show.
There were a lot of other moments that basically turned me into the human embodiment of “!!!” and it was incredibly hard to not live tweet the entire thing. I can’t wait for the show to air and I’m sure you will enjoy it as well. It’s a nice new take on a classic, and I can’t wait to see what other twists and turns the show has to offer! Find something to scream about yourself! Make sure to catch the pilot on MTV June 30th, at 10pm!