When one pictures a sorority, one usually envisions a group of perfect girls proudly displaying their Greek letters. Rarely does this image include a sisterhood victimized by mass murder. And less often is mass murder used to portray social commentary. But leave it to director Ryan Murphy to illustrate all of this in his latest television success, Scream Queens.
Following its Sept. 22 premiere on Fox, Murphy’s satirical representation of the college Greek system has the media buzzing. Scream Queens opens with a flashback to the Kappa Kappa Tau house at Wallace University in 1995, when the first mysterious murder occurred. Two decades later, a murder strikes again in the sorority house and investigation and panic erupt on campus.
When one pictures a sorority, one usually envisions a group of perfect girls proudly displaying their Greek letters. Rarely does this image include a sisterhood victimized by mass murder. And less often is mass murder used to portray social commentary. But leave it to director Ryan Murphy to illustrate all of this in his latest television success, Scream Queens.
Murphy’s use of satire and entertaining storyline emphasize the overlooked issues associated with college life, including sexual identity, social class and race. Through each character and their relationships with one another, these problems are—for what seems like the first time on television—bluntly addressed.
The concept of exclusive Greek housing at the university is utilized as the outlet to reveal prominent social issues. Chanel thrives solely on her appearance and wealthy background, which she believes justifies her cruel behavior. Fulfilling the stereotype of a sorority girl, Chanel is first to recognize and reject any person who differs from her in any way.
Nearly each character in Scream Queens represents a social controversy in itself. Boon, played by Nick Jonas, is introduced as a closeted gay character; he feels the need to act as a heterosexual frat boy to fit into an evidently homophobic environment. These extreme prejudicial views progress when Zayday (Keke Palmer), one of the only African-American characters, joins KKT as a pledge. Chanel doesn’t hold back from racist comments, such as resorting to write on Zayday with white eyeliner rather than a normal marker during a hazing activity.
Murphy’s previous TV hits were Glee, known for its sharp social commentary, and American Horror Story thrills, with some laughs in between.
When one pictures a sorority, one usually envisions a group of perfect girls proudly displaying their Greek letters. Rarely does this image include a sisterhood victimized by mass murder. And less frequently is mass murder used to present social commentary. But leave it to director Ryan Murphy to illustrate all of this in his latest television success, Scream Queens.
Following its Sept. 22 premiere on Fox, Murphy’s satirical representation of the college Greek system has the media buzzing. Scream Queens opens with a flashback to the Kappa Kappa Tau house at Wallace University in 1995, when the first mysterious murder occurred. Two decades later, a murder strikes again in the sorority house and investigation and panic erupt on campus.
Prior to the murder, the dean of Wallace University (Jamie Lee Curtis) demanded the elite sorority accept all pledges due to recurring negative behavior. President and KKT queen Chanel Oberlin (Emma Roberts) reluctantly accepts, and a diverse group of girls ranging from Tiffany or “deaf Taylor Swift” to protagonist Grace Gardner join the sorority, turning it upside down. Character after character are then killed off the show by an unknown person in a red plastic devil costume.
Murphy’s use of satire, along with creating an entertaining storyline, emphasizes the overlooked issues associated with college life including sexual identity, social class and race. Through each individual character and their relationships with one another, these problems are, for what seems like the first time on television, bluntly addressed.
The concept of exclusive Greek housing at the university is utilized as the outlet to reveal prominent social issues. Chanel thrives solely on her appearance and wealthy background, which she believes justifies her cruel behavior. Fulfilling the stereotype of a sorority girl, Chanel is first to recognize and reject any person who differs from her in any way.
Nearly each character in Scream Queens represents a social issue in itself. Boon, played by Nick Jonas, is introduced as a gay character; however, he feels the need to act as a heterosexual frat boy to fit into an evidently homophobic environment. These extreme prejudicial views progress when Zayday, one of the only African-American characters, joins KKT as a pledge. Chanel doesn’t hold back from racist comments, such as resorting to write on her with white eyeliner rather than a normal marker during a hazing activity.
Murphy’s previous TV hits were Glee, known for its sharp social commentary, and American Horror Story, known for its blood and gore. By mixing the two ideas and throwing them into a college setting, Murphy has given us filled screen with thought-provoking ideas as well as thrills a minute.