This week sees ZayDay still in the clutches of Cassidy’s mother, Jane. The running gag in “Lovin the D” is that no one realizes that Williams is missing. Scream Queens actually managed to hit a couple of sublime moments, one of which being the “Green Meanie Summit” run by Hester.
The other almost perfect moment was Wes saying “playlist” and falling backward, arms crossed, into the giant vat of boiling peanut oil. Whether intentional or not, Grace’s father’s death was almost elegant in its execution.
Scream Queens starts off with a “Benny Hill” type sequence, sans the Yakety Sax music, where three Green Meanies chase the final three Chanel’s. The bit was not sped up but did include #3’s wink to her murdering boyfriend in the Green mask, Dr. Cassidy.
There was also a great moment where Cassidy’s Meanie stops another Meanie from killing Chanel Oberlin. As they stand arguing, in mime, she escapes causing the one Green Meanie to throw up its hands in frustration.
It was a splendid start to the episode and followed through by each Meanie taking off its mask to reveal all three murderers, Cassidy, Gardiner and Hoffel. Heather calls for a Green Meanie Summit so the killers can fairly divvy up the last victims.
We learn that Hester is, apparently, Wes’ daughter as well. It is also revealed at the “Green Summit” that the lion’s share of kills belong to Cassidy.
There is a reluctant agreement to allow Chanel Oberlin to be killed by Hoffel. She gains brownie points since it was her sister that Oberlin killed in the deep fat fryer. (A splendid bit of comedy later on has Hoffel filling up a hydrotherapy tub with peanut oil…)
Scream Queens has editor Dr. Annenberg investigating C.U.R.E. and the Chanel’s end up taking the MCAT exams. Ironically, #5 ends up scoring higher than the other two, who cheated. She is excited to realize that she is a genius, no one else is impressed.
Brooke Shields guest stars as a TV doctor who wants to feature the Chanels and Dr. Holt performing a live surgery for her show “Lovin the D.” All three Chanels are beyond excited at the prospect and even volunteer to take the exams.
Hoffel tells Chanel Oberlin, while taking a break from filling the tub with peanut oil, that the secret to passing the MCAT is that all the answers are ‘B’.
After the summit, Wes gets Cassidy to agree that he should kill Oberlin and then frame Hoffel for all the murders. Toward the end of the episode, however, Wes discovers that Cascade has double-crossed him.
The doctor sides with Hoffel in the end and Wes realizes that the two mean to kill him. He falls into the vat of boiling oil after saying “playlist.”
Before Gardiner dies, Cassidy goes against Chanel #3 by siding with his homicidal mother Jane. The doctor does not know that ZayDay Williams is trapped quite literally under his mother’s bed.
Cathy Munsch finally reveals to all her staff that she has an incurable disease. Apparently in the finale, Dr. Holt will operate in an attempt to save her life.
Season two of Scream Queens could well end on a triple cliffhanger. ZayDay being trapped at Jane Hollis’ house, Munsch on the operating table and the fate of the Chanels all may well hand in the balance next week.
Kudos to Brooke Shields for making the most of her guest stint on the show. She still looks marvelous (as in Billy Crystal “Mah-ve-lous”) and pulled off being quite ominous as well.
The plot this week was funny and, as mentioned above, quite nearly sublime in spots. Other notable bits were Chanel #3’s logical explanation and argument with Cassidy’s mother and #5 passing the MCAT with a nearly perfect score.
Scream Queens airs Tuesdays on FOX. Tune in next week for the season two finale.
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
Guest starring Oliver Hudson as Wes Gardiner, Trilby Glover as Jane Hollis, Brooke Shields as Dr. Scarlett Lovin, Clayton Farris as Lenk Van D’Vlonne and Ajay Mehta as Dr. Arthur Annenburg
Mikes Film Talk 