Martin Carr reviews the tenth episode of Scream: The TV Series season 2…
This week we are treated to references outside the horror genre, which for someone like me who has instant recall is a whole barrel of fun. Aside from the tagline we get direct and indirect hat tipping for Dirty Harry, Buried and Grosse Pointe Blank. For the curious these are not all visual cues and may require the knowledge of certain dialogue scenes. That aside this is what I would call a cracking episode, full of close and personal autopsy work, quality stabbings of the unexpected kind and an interlacing murder mystery plotline. Not to mention a twist that will blow your hair back.
References aside of which only one is really pertinent, Scream has raised the bar, upped that ante and made All The Right Moves. Karna under threat is a new interesting development which allows for inch from the lens acting, hallucinations and crazy confined off the chain shows of hysteria. He has leapt another few rungs up the estimation ladder for me, as that post coital innocence is replaced with something much harder character wise. Those moments observed from above require a metaphorical casting off of childhood concerns delivered with minimal fuss and controlled mayhem.
Elsewhere the bringing together of Emma and Audrey only for that emotional distance to be increased through circumstance and revelation feels forced. Both Taylor-Klaus and Fitzgerald sell the premise, but somehow after the numerous betrayals their forced reconciliation never rings true. Even after Audrey admits something deeply personal and they somehow come to a point where everyone is fine again, there is still a sense of character manipulation for convenience.
What seems somehow secondary right now are the subplots involving Acosta, Maggie and Stavo. We understand that they have a history and Brandon James in flashback features very heavily in the overall outcome, but right now there is a lack of interest from me. To be honest I never saw the Piper thing coming, but the various discoveries that have been shared during season two have served to stoke that fire. However whoever the eventual killer is Scream has now earned its core audience and more besides, so a third season would seem guaranteed. And judging from the cold blooded way in which a certain person gets dispatched this week, there remain more than one or two tricks up the collective sleeves of those involved.
As for that twist it’s a blinder coming out of left field, feeding into every suspicion people have already had but still feeling like a red herring. I fail to believe things are that straightforward and the villain, if such a thing exists these days, is really standing there grooming a wax moustache and epitomising evil in such an obvious way. There must be more to it surely.
Martin Carr – Follow me on Twitter
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https://youtu.be/b7Ozs5mj5ao?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng
Originally published August 6, 2016. Updated November 29, 2022.
