Scream Queens: Halloween Blues – Denise? (Review)

Scream Queens “Halloween Blues” may just be the best episode out of both seasons. Not for Chanel-o-ween, or the Ivana, Ivanka Trump gag or even Chanel Oberlin turning blue. The highlight had to be the Denise Hemphill and Chanel homage to “Ghost.”

This Halloween episode started with Chanel wearing a Jackie Kennedy type outfit while she mourned the death of Chad Radwell. Getting zero empathy from anyone Oberlin goes off on a rant and Denise chases everyone out of the morgue so she can have some “alone” time with Radwell’s body.

It looks like there are two killers this season as well, although perhaps not until Hester was set free.  Keeping the show’s theme as ridiculous as possible, meant that when Chad was murdered, his entire family that previously disowned him died in a plane crash.

This allowed the rich deceased to leave all his money to Dean Munsch “for reasons that she is well aware of.” It also gave Chanel Oberlin a chance to launch herself at the hapless lawyer who read Chad’s last will and testament.

Denise allows Hester out of her cage for the party. She tells Ulrich she has to dress like Jason from the Friday the 13th movies but once Hester is out she goes for  Ivana, or Ivanka, Trump.

Hester goes after “I’m Blue, oobie doobie” Oberlin but fails to kill her. Later she starts to kill Chanel #5 but allows the Green Meanie to stab her in the back with the machete.

The party is a great excuse for a lot of fun with costumes. ZayDay gets a load of grief from Dr. Cascade for dressing like ISIS and Munsch dresses like Hamilton, aka Lin-Manuel Miranda.  The best sight gag of the series involved a whole load of “Hamilton’s” coming in the ER having been poisoned while  bobbing for apples at another Halloween party.

The only member of that party not to be poisoned was…wait for it…Snow White.

Boom…Boom.

Denise Hemphill dressing up in Chanel Oberlin’s wedding dress and reliving all her memories of shagging with Chad was almost hysterically funny.  The two recreated scenes from Brokeback Mountain and American Beauty.

For the first time since this series started Hemphill was actually funny and now Murphy and company  decide to kill her off? This Halloween episode was a winner not only for Hemphill but also Chanel Oberlin got to do some over the top reactions to Chad’s death and then his stiffing her in his will.

On top of Denise apparently being shock paddled to death, Chanel #5 may die as well. Although she was still able to call for help even with the machete stuck in her back.

The highlight of the episode was Denise and Chanel Oberlin using the “talking board” aka Ouija board, to speak with Chad.  With Radwell showing up and channeling Denise so he could talk to Chanel (See what we did there?) the entire sequence was gut bustingly funny.

Of course he loved Denise more than Chanel and of course the “spell” was broken before he could reveal who murdered him.  The killer may well be Dr. Brock Holt. Mainly because he does seem to be lacking somewhat as a doctor.

In this episode he turns Chanel Oberlin blue and misdiagnoses the Halloween party members who were poisoned. He decides the apples were full of ergot and it was actually the water causing the problems.

Chanel #3 was very quiet in this episode as was her new bae Dr. Cascade. Even Dean Munsch was not overly out in front in “Halloween Blues.

This episode belonged to Denise Hemphill Special Agent (nice Quantico reference by the way) and Chanel Oberlin. Even Chanel #5 got a little bit of the  spotlight with her little hissy fit about Ivana vs Ivanka.

Scream Queens knocked it out of the park with Denise Hemphill’s demise, or possible demise, and while it was not quite the bloodbath imagined, after the whole 1980’s massacre backstory, it was very good.

Speaking of the ’80’s, the music selection for the soundtrack was spot on. The series airs Tuesdays on FOX. Tune in and see if both Chanel #5 and Denise really are taking a dirt nap after that shocking attack by the Green Meanie.

CAST:

• Jamie Lee Curtis  –  Dean Munsch
• Emma Roberts  –  Chanel Oberlin
• Abigail Breslin  –  Chanel #5
• Billie Lourd  –  Chanel #3
• Taylor Lautner  –  Dr. Cassidy Cascade
• John Stamos  –  Dr. Brock Holt
• James Earl  –  Chamberlain Jackson
• Kirstie Alley  –  Ingrid Hoffel
• Lea Michele  –  Hester Ulrich
• Keke Palmer  –  ZayDay Williams
• Niecy Nash  –  Denise Hemphill 
• Glen Powell  –  Chad Radwell