Scream: In the Trenches Review

Before I even try to start talking about that final, bloody, abhorrent, heart rattling, vomit-worthy scene, I just have to say…they had me fooled. I can usually guess whether or not there will be a final twist at the end of the episode by gauging how many minutes are left until the end time. However, this episode kept my eyes away from the clock and sucked into the screen. Last night, we were treated to perhaps the most scenes giving us a full on view of the new, freaky mask. While it is terrifying lurking in the back of a scene, it’s even worse up close, seeing the dark, hollow of its twisted mouth up close.

In her television directorial debut, on the rise horror director Leigh Janiak did not hold back, as the masked killer went on his most bloody rampage since the season premiere.

The episode picks up right where it left off, Piper waking up from her blow to the head and Will missing. She recruits the gang (minus Audrey…hm) to go looking for Will, who is in none other than a creepy bowling alley!

Great.

Even after Noah and Emma find Will alive, dangling from the ceiling by his wrists, the episode is only about half way over, leaving the feeling that finding Will isn’t the only mission of the night. Jake is lost in the process, and he’s later found stabbed by Brooke, who decides it’s best to remove the knife on her own. For how much these teenagers talk about movies, you’d think they would have learned to just leave the weapon alone! Oh, well. Where’s Noah when you need him?

Noah is given the best lines of the night from comedic relief to more horror genre knowledge one liners. Watching him struggle to make a “knife stick” as he calls it was fantastic. He also comments on the classic cheesiness that this episode embodied. There were scenes of pure and tragic horror as well as scenes that were ridiculous and laced with corny lines and unrealistic plot devices. Like somehow Noah knows the perfect door to get out of the bowling alley. Sure. After they all finally do leave the bowling alley through this magic exit, Noah breaks the relieving moment by saying, “Cue the reunion montage.” And cued it is indeed. Both Audrey, Kieran, and Emma’s mom are there to greet, hug, and reunite with their loved ones.

Classic Noah.

All is well, right? For a minute, you think this episode is going to end as a normal teen show would. Emma tells Kieran she’s not quite ready to move on from Will. Then she agrees to go over to Will’s house and watch a movie. She’s happy, Kieran’s not, but Emma and Will seem…ok.

That is until she realizes it’s another set up. Will is taken, again, and Emma has his fate in her hands. Or rather, in her legs. As an incredibly large circular saw threatens to slice through Will, Emma runs to save him but trips on a wire, which forces the saw through him, painting Emma red. I looked away for only a moment to see Emma dripping in Will’s blood.

I should have seen it coming, really. Finally, he is righting his wrongs, and he and Emma seemed to be on to a good chapter in their lives. So, of course he was next on the chopping block! It wasn’t enough that he was stabbed, tied up, carved up, and left to die, was it?

So, who had the most motive?

The Mayor

Brooke manages to confront him in this episode about the knowledge of the video and the blackmail with Will and Jake. He tries to play it off cool…but I get the impression that this guy isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. I mean…maybe the body he was dragging in the video wasn’t Brooke’s mom. But it is still a dead body.

While he may have had the most motive in this episode, it most likely wasn’t him.

The killer, of course, had time to leave Emma more and more clues to find, including a tape of Emma’s dad revealing that Emma’s mom and Brandon James had slept together.

Woah, Momma! Dear ‘ol Daisy is keeping more secrets. Seems like she is good at that.

So far the deaths have not brought Emma down too much, but will Will’s murder take her down the deep end? Or will she keep taking those stupid calls? I’m starting to really wonder what would happen if she just didn’t pick up?