Do you like scary TV shows? Good, because we’re about to break down the first two episodes of VH1’s Scream: Resurrection. Proceed at your own risk…
A new (albeit condensed) murder mystery was launched on Monday with the premiere of Scream: Resurrection, which introduced viewers to a fresh crop of potential victims, as well as an intriguing theory about which ne’er-do-well might be lurking beneath the iconic Ghostface mask this time.
Let’s start with the victims: Resurrection‘s budding mystery revolves around Deion Elliot (played by Power Rangers‘ RJ Cyler), an all-star football player who remains forever tormented by the death of his twin brother Marcus, who was killed eight years earlier on Halloween night. As a result, the holiday is fairly triggering for Deion, which we learn during a conversation with his concerned mother (played by The Umbrella Academy‘s Mary J. Blige). “I’m good,” he tells her. “I’m not seeing ghosts anymore.”
Of course, this quickly changes when Ghostface begins targeting members of the “Deadfast Club,” a motley crew of high-school archetypes who convene during a surprisingly racist detention session. (“I won’t call your names,” the teacher tells them. “Mostly because they’re so complicated.” Wow.) This mixed bag of characters includes activist Kym (Scream Queens‘ Keke Palmer), who spends her lunch period screaming at other students about President Trump; Kym’s more-than-just-a-gay-best-friend Manny (Iron Fist‘s Giullian Yao Gioiello); Liv (Recovery Road‘s Jessica Sula), the school “princess” whose hot dad also happens to be in law enforcement; Amir (Notorious‘ CJ Wallace), a soft-spoken individual who helps run his family’s donut shop; and Beth (The Punisher‘s Giorgia Whigham), the show’s resident horror movie buff who also smells like “Skittles and smoke.” Unrelated, but still interesting.
After giving the gang a few good scares, Ghostface turns up the heat by gathering everyone at a sketchy rave hosted by an unknown party benefactor named “Mr. Fade,” where he claims his first big victim: a real d-bag named Avery, who was apparently targeted because he failed to reveal his true self — a racist. “Show me your insides, or you’re next!” reads a text they all receive after Avery’s brutal murder, inspiring Beth to explain the rules of the deadly game they didn’t even know they were playing.
“We’re being hunted by a killer here,” she says. “Killers have codes, and horror has rules.” Though she acknowledges that Liv has “final girl potential,” her predictions for the rest of the group are pretty grim. “Goth? Geek? Gay? Not a chance. We’re usually the first ones that drop,” she says of herself, Amir and Manny. As for Deion and Kym, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you guys are black. In horror, that’s pretty much an insta-kill.”
No one is thrilled by this deduction, but Kym has a particularly difficult time accepting it, especially after Ghostface kills a hot drug dealer in her neighborhood. From this point on, she decides she’s done following the rules of horror as decided upon by white people. “We’re making our own rules,” she says. “Just like Jordan Peele!” This includes going after the killer, as opposed to waiting for him to come after them. And because most of the group believes that the killer is a burnout named Shane (Teen Wolf‘s Tyler Posey), they do what anyone would do in this situation: they lure him to a secluded space, gas him, then tie him to a chair for interrogation.
Unfortunately, it seems they’ve jumped to conclusions a bit too soon; not only did Shane receive the same “Show me your insides!” text as the rest of the Deadfast Club, but the second episode ends with him foaming at the mouth after being pumped full of drugs (through his eye!) by Ghostface.
To make matters even more complicated, Liv drops a pretty massive bombshell on Deion: Not only does she believe that Marcus is alive, but she thinks he’s the one underneath the Ghostface mask. Dun, dun, DUN!
Questions after Episodes 1 and 2…
* Who’s going to take care of Shane’s sick mother now that he’s dead?!
* How funny is Keke Palmer on this show? The franchise has always poked fun at itself, but some of her lines — for example, saying that Ghostface will get out of prison in no time because “his face is white” — are just so sharp.
* How will you feel if Marcus turns out to be the killer? Will you be relieved that a theory actually panned out for once, or disappointed that the show made it so obvious?
OK, Scream fans, it’s time to weigh in: Was Resurrection worth the wait? Grade the first pair of episodes below, then drop a comment with your initial theories.
I was thinking it was Marcus until she told Deon her theory now I don’t think so anymore. Also I enjoyed this way more then I thought I would. Keke Palmer was excellent in this show.
Honestly, it was awful, but then it got pretty entertaining. I’ll be tuning in.
My only criticism is some of the dialog was bland and cheap. However the characters all seem interesting enough. I gave it a solid B the scene where tyler Posey didn’t shoot the killer was almost cringe worthy but keke palmer for me brought it back to a B
jeezus christ, are they planning on killing any black people on this show. Not a lot of white people left…
“Subtlety, Stu, you should look it up…”
I guess she missed the part where KeKe Palmer’s character found the guy in the chair with his throat slit. Pay no attention to the person behind the curtain clutching their pearls over non-existent racism on a teen show!!!
And literally the first person killed (or was he?) was Black too. Lol
People really see what they want to see…
I’m watching the premiere right now. So far, I’m liking what I’m seeing. Looking forward to tomorrow night. Love the inclusion of the original “Scream” mask.
Why did they make a Resurrection of The TV Series Of Scream , with new cast members. What about Continuing with the last episode of season 2, like nobody knows, who was the 3rd killer?. I would like to know who killed Kyeren in the court holding cell?. That’s what they should have done, instead of making a Resurrection, it should have been Scream 3 .
Honestly, it was worse than the first two seasons. At least in the first two seasons the viewer cared about most of the victims. By the end of the two hours, I wanted them ALL dead, except for Cruella. I can’t even remember her name.
I liked the way that this season has subverted the established rules of the “Scream” franchise by making the hero a guy. I love how almost nobody dies in the first two episodes with the exception of two people. Will be sticking around to watch. Will any of you?
I’m not sure who the killer is yet. When Shane didn’t shoot Ghostface, I was really thinking it was him and he was letting whoever his partner was get away unscathed…but the ending of the episode proved that theory wrong. Maybe Liv is the one?
Anyway, it was a decent two hours of television. Burning it off in three nights in the summer was wise because I don’t think I’d prioritize it in the fall over other shows, and I don’t know if it’d hold my attention for six weeks straight. I’ll watch the next two nights.
It’s obvious that Dion is actually Marcus and what they didn’t show us is the two brothers switching costumes before they went out.
👀
it was perfect i enjoy watching it and i love it.
What about the guy in the car who was drowned in his own blood? Who the heck was he? When is that going to become part of this? And what secrets are the others hiding?
Yes, I’m a night behind, but I’m on board. Great TV? No, but fun and a little spooky when it wants to be. Loving the Ghostface mask.
I think after this outing of the show they need to call it quits. Other then the return of the original mask and the original guy who supplied the voice for the movie the formula was the same as the first 2 seasons which I thought were great! HS kids who meet and ban together to solve they mystery of the Ghostfaced killer, gee is that not what season 1 and 2 did? Accept you had a good cast and you rooted for them and cared about them and followed them and their individual stories as well as the main story. But, MTV pulled one over on it’s loyal fan base. After 2 really good seasons and a MTV Special that neither closed out those characters or brought and end to their story leaving us with more questions and a giant cliff hanger to boot MTV decides they are going to have a season 3 with a catch! 6 episodes and it’s another ****** reboot! forget the first 2 seasons and that cliff hanger that hangs way over our heads they re-cast with a new groups of kids, a new town and no connection to the first 2 seasons, like the first 2 seasons never happened, real smart MTV, um no I don’t think so. MTV new going in with that it had pissed off the fans, but they continued anyway but did not count on the amout of backlash that the fans were not happy and wanted closure from the 2 seasons they have invested in and those characters and the unfinished story they left us with. But after a long time past we finally get season 3 if you can even call it that, more like just a new show under the same title more like a mini-serise or season 1 of a new show that does the same thing. MTV though was smart, they pawned it off to VH1 knowing how many of the fans won’t like it, some will but those loyal to the first 2 seasons not so much, MTV figured will give it to VH1 and let them take all the blows from the fans. If VH1 had any smarts they would try to find a away and bring back the original cast of SN 1 and 2 even if for just a TV movie so the fans can finally get closure of those characters and finished off that cliff hanger of a story, but that maybe asking to much now since so much time has gone by and been wasted, the actors from the first two season are all most likely busy working on new projects. Thank You MTV for not listening to the fans and doing what you wanted and failed, Thanks VH1 for trying with airing this but as a fan I’m tired, sick and disgusted! It’s was not bad just not what I wanted and hoped for I think I can speak for those of us who were fans of the Season 1 and 2 cast and their story.
I started watching it, and I agree about the racism on the show. Kym has had the most racist remarks by far. She should try to make some white friends.