5 reasons why no one will be screaming during the ‘Scream’ series

Screams are not quite in the air yet. The freshman TV series ‘Scream’ is an adaptation of Wes Craven’s classic film franchise of the same name debuted on MTV last month to poor reviews. However, this not-so-innovative show lacks a number of elements including the unpredictability factor, interesting character profiles, and the list goes on and on.

Nonetheless, the first six minutes of the pilot episode were entertaining given Bella Thorne’s stellar performance. She owned her character, no questions asked. I was hoping that the series would bring in fresh plot twists and more heat but was greatly disappointed with the premiere episode.

Here are five reasons why I think MTV’s Scream is a poor adaptation of the original film franchise:

1. Poor acting

Photo: IMDb

Keeping Bella Thorne’s performance aside, I believe that many actors on the show hardly did justice to their characters and punch lines. I felt as if they were trying too hard to live up to their parts. However, Willa Fitzgerald and Bex-Taylor Klaus offered decent performances in the pilot episode. Perhaps the team made poor decisions in recruiting newbie actors to play prominent characters in the series?

Well, it didn’t quite work, did it? The Scream films had many actors who were natural in their talent and that is primarily why the films stood out. But all in all, the boring scriptwriting and poor performances are a few reasons why Scream hasn’t kept the fans hooked for long.

2. So predictable

Photo: MTV Scream Facebook page

The direction and writing are two aspects that need to be spot on in a TV series. Sadly, Scream lacks both of these important features. The predictable plot twists and scenarios are based upon writing, and everything can be assumed in advance. In contrast, the films were more dramatised considering that the clichés were not widely known to the audience at that time. The television adaptation should have been more riveting and fun, but all we got to see was a young high school boy being pulled down in a lake. Not to forget the poor plot twist about Maggie’s awry connection with Ghostface. Awkward.

3. Where’s the story?

Photo: IMDb

Scream has no exact storyline to begin with. We as fans have no idea who Ghostface is targeting in the series. A killer does not pop up out of the blue after watching a video go viral on YouTube. There has to be a reason why Ghostface is injecting fear in Lakewood. Without any incentive, a story cannot progress.

Hence, there needs to be a connection among the characters and the killer for a better conception. Furthermore, the films had a robust storyline that showed a lead character, Sidney Prescott being stalked by a killer from the past, if you know what I mean.

4. Seems more like an adult film

Photo: IMDb

There were many awkward scenes in the pilot episode that made me question myself,

“Is this TV show for real?”

There shouldn’t always be a student-hot-for-teacher kind of scenario. Instead, greater emphasis could have been laid on the storyline. For sure, the films had an element of adultery but it was balanced with many climax scenes. Clearly, the writers were trying too hard to emulate the original 1996 Scream film. I guess they failed there too.

5. Direction at fault

Photo: IMDb

For me, direction is the core of television. It goes hand in hand with good writing and acting. Unfortunately, the pilot episode’s direction was out of place for the most part. The first six minutes might have been well directed, but the other half of the episode lacked sugar, spice and everything nice.

The directors of the original Scream films have always stood out considering that technology was not as futuristic back then and they made every scene seem so intriguing and intense despite the limited tools they had. There is nothing more disappointing than poor camera work, and the Scream TV series yet again shocks us with its faulty direction.

To sum it up in a few words, I believe that the Scream series lacks innovation and creativity. It might be fun to watch every Mondays on MTV but the writers could have done better. The pilot episode was jumbled up with poor performances and other faulty aspects. Even if there was a storyline, it was all over the place. Hence, one should now know that emulating the original is not a piece of cake, and no one and I mean, no one should mess with the original Scream.

from The Express Tribune Blog http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/28498/5-reasons-why-no-one-will-be-screaming-during-the-scream-series/