Scream Queens: Season 1 – Episode 6

Reviewed on February 24th, 2010 By Jigsaw (contributor) & filed in the TV Show Reviews vault "We all go a little mad sometimes"

“You’re like 12 different people in one body”

So far all the girls I like have made it through to this stage in the competition, leaving me with a serious dilemma. Who do I want to be voted off next? The answer to that is simple, I don’t want anyone to go. With that in mind you have an idea of the mixed feelings I had watching this episode, I love this show but by this episode’s end it wasn’t going to be the same, one of my favourites was about to leave.

Shawnee introduces the show telling the ladies the focus of this week’s episode would be Altered States. Even though I said I wanted all the queens to stay there are still two girls on the top of my list for the entertainment factor (Jessica and Michelle). As this week  was about changing from one personality to another it seemed perfect opportunity for Jessica to stay in the competition as that bitch is crazy. That was until the first challenge started.

One by one they were to lie in the centre of a giant pentagram and channel the spirit of a demon from Hell. I’m having a hard time recalling all the performances as all I can remember were Lindsay’s huge breasts trying to break free from her top. Now before you start screaming pervert I wasn’t the only one, each of the queens also had something to say on the matter so the show was encouraging me to look at her breasts. At least that’s the story I’m sticking to. The real reason why it was hard to remember each performance was because they were all really solid, Well, except for one. Jessica.

Rather than trying her best Jessica decided to channel the spirit of a character she used a few episodes back – the handicapped deaf person from episode 4. Rather than being funny (as it was before) this was just pathetic and it really made me think that perhaps she had finally overstayed her welcome. Michelle (who had a breakthrough last week) continues to impress and was given the win for the challenge. If Michelle, who was at one point the worst actress in the competition has managed to improve this much shouldn’t Jessica be getting better also?

The closer we get to the final the less we get of the girls’ conflicts at home. I assume this is a combination of the girls actually getting to know one another better so there are less squabbles and the challenges are getting bigger so they take up more time. I like the challenges but I miss the arguments that were core when the show began and judging by John Homa’s acting class he also enjoys conflict.

After last week’s excursion to the morgue we’re back in the more familiar setting of the mansion. Homa instructs the ladies that they would be paired up and have to switch personalities. As if this wasn’t enough to cause problems they were to only pick out the negative and evil aspects that relate to their performance in the competition. It sounds to me like they wanted another fight. But wait I hear you cry, there are 5 girls left in the competition how can they be paired up? Homa saves the best for last that he himself would perform with Jessica. After all the problems they have had over the course of the series he was spurring her on to insult him.

Lindsey and Angela used the session as therapy, both stated positive aspects that were negatively interfering with the competition. Both girls ended up in tears and although they were they only ones to fully grasp what the purpose of the exercise was they were also the least engaging to watch. Next up was Jessica who really didn’t understand what she was doing, delivering an impression of Homa where she berated herself. She then proceeds to list her own faults even though she continues to imitate Homa. As Jessica cocked this challenge up I remembered why I originally liked watching her as she is completely unpredictable and unintentionally funny. After this there is no way she is going to be here next week, then again I have made that statement before…

Episode highlight coming up, Michelle and Tenedra sit down to tackle the task and without malicious intent Michelle manages to piss Tenedra off. Stating that she is a strong black woman from the projects (in Inglewood no less). Michelle thinks she is hitting home as Tenedra is crying. Unfortunately for Michelle this is actually stereotypical thoughts she has as Tenedra is not from the projects. Rather than spouting abuse Tenedra uses the task as an opportunity to create her own stereotypical impressions of Michelle where she surmises that Michelle is a racist airhead that has no talent. This impression is so passionate everyone in the room sits there in shock including Homa. The emotion was running high and Tenedra gives a speech about how she’s in the competition not because of her race but because of her ability. This moment was up there with last episode’s breakdowns (the morgue) and shows despite this programme being light entertainment it can delve into something a lot deeper, which makes it quite a unique experience. I wanted conflict and I got it by the bucket load.

James Gunn’s directorial challenge set the girls as sexy vampires who must seduce and the bite their victim. The fun part here was the victim was to be played by Michael Rooker (Henry: portrait of a serial killer) who had previously worked with Gunn on Slither. The queens were given their own choice of costume from wardrobe but as Michelle won the immunity challenge (which no longer grants immunity) she got to choose hers first. This was fun to watch as each of the girls ran through their scenes. Angela who was a relative nobody a few weeks back was great and despite deciding to give her character a Transylvanian accent it actually worked. Everyone else was great and looked amazing. No wait, not everyone, that’s right Jessica once again underperformed. Poor delivery of lines, bizarre mouth movements and failing to listen to direction leave me asking was she trying to be kicked off this week.

Who found themselves on the list this week? No surprises here Jessica. Followed by Lindsey, I would put this down to her nervousness and self doubt. Finally Angela was to be called before the judges. This was where my opinion of her quickly changed. After giving a stellar set of performances her personality suddenly changed. Arrogance quickly surfaced and she relished the chance to go before the judges as she was certain she was the leading lady (she wasn’t quite right). Thrusting the fact she was better than the rest did not sit well with me. Last week she was a frail gentle girl who was dealing with family problems. Was all that bullshit? This is not the same person that we got to know over the competition.

Jessica and Lindsey were the bottom two and even though both girls knew who was going, the judges knew who was going, we the audience knew who was going, yet Lindsey felt the need to give a valiant speech as to why she should stay. I was not impressed with this and lost a lot of respect for her as this felt like an excuse to get more screen time and have a memorable moment like Michelle had last week and Tenedra had earlier this show. Maybe I’m being harsh but I felt as Jessica was about to get the axe this should have been about her. When she finally was told she was going we got the most realistic person she could have been as she cried and thanked them for letting her take part on the show. I’m sad to see her go but it genuinely was the right decision.

This was an average episode but seeing as next week is the penultimate episode I’m sure everything will be a lot larger. One last thing in the closing moments of the show; Angela and Lindsey are told to return to the house and inform Michelle that she was this week’s leading lady. Angela’s face was classic and her comments “this is bullshit, I’ve never won a thing” brought a huge smile to my face, take that you arrogant bitch. 7/10

Starring: Shawnee Smith, James Gunn, John Homa, Michael Rooker
Contestants: Michelle, Jessica, Lindsay, Angela, Tenedra

(1 votes, average: 7.00 out of 10)

 Loading ...

Post a comment