Well, we’ve made it down to episode 9, the penultimate episode. We open with a mostly compelling flashback featuring the killer’s discovery of the Brandon James mask. From there we move into a very interrogation driven episode as Emma visits Branson and discovers he is her long-lost brother. Then she goes to visit the mother of Brandon James in a scene that feels very akin to I Know What You Did Last Summer.
There’s a very nice old-fashioned feel to the fact that the episode is based around a Halloween dance. That’s appreciated and definitely helps set the mood. The Pulp Fiction costumes though, those were a nice thought that just kind of hurt to look at after awhile. It’s very tough to have big revelations about the characters when they’re wearing those outfits. Especially when they go through the full dance.
By the end of the episode it’s clear that the show is trying to give us two major leads to the identity of the killer. It’s either Kieran, Branson, or both, that’s the note we end on. I still don’t think it’s going to be that simple in the end, though. At least, I hope it won’t be. There’s a lot of suspense in this episode and it feels much shorter than it actually is, which is a good thing because typically speaking the episode before the finale usually feels incredibly long as there is so much to set up for the ending.
It also pleases me to see that the finale will be based around a house party—in this case, Brooke’s after party—just as the original Scream had been. This should make for an exciting ending and I’m very interested to see what they do with their final hour.
Emma’s come into her own a lot over the course of the season, so I’m excited to see where she’s headed both emotionally and spiritually as she sets up for her showdown with the killer. This episode was actually the least proactive and quick-thinking that we’ve seen her all season. But on the whole, she’s gotten stronger and smarter as things have progressed.
At this point, it’s tough to say who the killer is, but this is the last chance to really form a theory. Branson looks highly suspicious at this point, considering the bodies left in his wake. But did he break himself out or did someone else break him out? Kieran has been a suspect of mine from the beginning, but he looks too obvious now.
I definitely think that Daisy is either involved in some capacity or will make some sort of big third-act day-saving gesture. I have a feeling it’s more along the lines of the former.
Jake also looks suspicious now. This is the first time I’ve seriously suspected him from the beginning, but there’s a lot of focus on him in the finale with no real specific reason for it. It’s a technique in horror to put someone front and center before they die so that they are fresh in the audience’s mind. But I have a feeling that the reverse could easily be true as well.
