Ghost Stories (Scream Queens)

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"Ghost Stories"
Scream Queens episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 9
Directed by Michael Uppendahl
Written by Ryan Murphy
Featured music
Production code1AYD09
Original air dateNovember 17, 2015 (2015-11-17)
Running time43 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Mommie Dearest"
Next 
"Thanksgiving"
List of episodes

"Ghost Stories" is the ninth episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens . It first aired on November 17, 2015 on Fox. The episode was directed by Michael Uppendahl and written by Ryan Murphy. The episode focuses on Denise (Niecy Nash)'s attempt to calm The Chanels down by telling them ghost stories and urban legends, which start to become true. The episode also features the return of special guest star Nick Jonas as Boone Clemens, whose activities while being absent are revealed in this episode.

Contents

The episode was viewed by 2.37 million viewers during its premiere and received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

Boone Clemens runs into Chanel #3, who mistakes him for a ghost. Clemens goes back to Kappa House and informs the other Chanels of her encounter with Boone. To take their minds off the incident, Denise tells the girls a story about a killer who drags women in toilets and a killer who kills people while they use the bathroom. Boone pays a visit to Chad, who also thinks he's a ghost. He borrows a 'date shirt' from Chad, saying that the only way for him to be 'among the living' would be to have sex with Zayday.

Denise goes to use the bathroom and is attacked by the Red Devil, as described in her story. Denise asks the rest of the girls for a ghost story to calm her down. Hester tells her a story about a girl being pursued by a killer while driving alone in her car.

Chanel #5 decides to drive home, where she is pursued by the Red Devil. In a parallel to the events in Hester's story, a trucker driving behind Denise honks his horn to scare off the Red Devil. The Red Devil fatally stabs the trucker with a machete.

Zayday and Earl Grey are passionately kissing on Zayday's bed until Earl goes to get a condom. Boone climbs through her bedroom window, trying to seduce Zayday, who realizes Boone is one of the Red Devils. Before he can make it back to Zayday's room, Earl is fatally stabbed by Boone, who is revealed as the Red Devil.

Boone tells Gigi that he has had had enough following her instructions. He is intent on murdering her with the help of the other Red Devil, but the other Red Devil stabs him in the chest.

Hester says that she will still have Chad get her pregnant. Angered, Chanel pushes Hester down the stairs, breaking her neck.

Production

Nick Jonas and Niecy Nash return as special guest stars, playing Boone Clemens, the former member of the Dickie Dollar Scholars who faked his death and the ally of the Red Devil, and Denise Hemphill, the kick-butt but odd security guard.

Reception

Ratings

Ghost Stories was watched live by 2.37 million U.S. viewers and got a 0.9 rating/3 share in the adult 18-49 demographic. [1]

Critical reception

Ghost Stories receive generally positive review from critics. Terri Schwartz from IGN gave the episode 8.0 out of 10, stated "Though Scream Queens still feels like it can't move the plot forward quickly without giving away the killer, "Ghost Stories" provided some fun new details without being completely focused on the murder mystery." [2] LaToya Ferguson from The A.V. club gave the episode B, noting "it’s easy to assume that Ryan Murphy (who penned this episode) doesn’t know what lampshading is; this episode’s so meta that if he did know, Kappa Kappa Tau would likely have gotten a home décor delivery by the beginning of Act Three." [3]

Related Research Articles

The killer in the backseat is an urban legend from the United States and United Kingdom. It was first noted by folklorist Carlos Drake in 1968 in texts collected by Indiana University students.

<i>Scream Queens</i> (2015 TV series) 2015 TV series

Scream Queens is an American satirical black comedy slasher television series that aired on Fox from September 22, 2015, to December 20, 2016. The series was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan and produced by Murphy, Falchuk, Brennan, and Alexis Martin Woodall, and by 20th Century Fox Television, Ryan Murphy Productions, Brad Falchuk Teley-vision, and Prospect Films. The first season stars an ensemble cast consisting of Emma Roberts, Skyler Samuels, Lea Michele, Glen Powell, Diego Boneta, Abigail Breslin, Keke Palmer, Oliver Hudson, Nasim Pedrad, Lucien Laviscount, Billie Lourd, and Jamie Lee Curtis, with Niecy Nash, Ariana Grande, and Nick Jonas in supporting roles. It takes place at the fictional Wallace University, and was filmed at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. It follows a sorority, Kappa Kappa Tau (KKT), which is targeted by a serial killer using the university's Red Devil mascot as a disguise.

"Hell Week" is the second episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It premiered on September 22, 2015, along with the Pilot, as the special two hour premiere on Fox. The series focuses on a college that is rocked by a serial killer in a Red Devil costume. The episode was directed by Brad Falchuk, and was written by Falchuk with co-creators Ryan Murphy, and Ian Brennan.

"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It had its world premiere at the 2015 Comic-Con, and premiered on September 22, 2015, along with the next episode, "Hell Week", as the special two-hour premiere on Fox. The series focuses on a college that is rocked by a serial killer in a Red Devil costume. The episode was directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, and was written by Murphy and his co-creators, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan. Ariana Grande and Nick Jonas guest star as Chanel #2 and Boone Clemens.

"Chainsaw" is the third episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It premiered on September 29, 2015, on Fox. The episode was both directed and written by Ian Brennan. In this episode, the Red Devil continues the terror on campus using a chainsaw. Chanel finds a new project in Hester, and Dean Munsch appoints a new Wallace University mascot while trying to separate Gigi and Wes 's budding relationship as Chad and Earl Grey lead their fraternity on a witch hunt for the Red Devil.

"Haunted House" is the fourth episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It was first aired on October 6, 2015, on Fox. The episode was directed by Bradley Buecker and was written by Brad Falchuk. In this episode, as Halloween approaches, Zayday makes a stunning announcement and in response, Chanel concocts a devious plan. Pete and Grace visit a mysterious woman connected to Kappa's past. And as Hester starts to grow closer to Chad, Dean Munsch struggles to keep Wallace University open after the whole murder spree by the Red Devil.

"Pumpkin Patch" is the fifth episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It first aired on October 13, 2015 on Fox. The episode was both directed and written by Brad Falchuk. In this episode, Dean Munsch makes an announcement that affects the campus, and mostly, Chanel 's plan to throw a pumpkin patch party in support of her Kappa presidential campaign. Grace and Pete lead a search for Zayday, who was kidnapped by the Red Devil.

"Seven Minutes in Hell" is the sixth episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It first aired on October 20, 2015, on Fox. The episode directed by Michael Uppendahl and written by Ryan Murphy. In this episode, Chanel makes a surprising decision: to protect herself from the Red Devil by leaving Zayday in position of power and win the election as president of Kappa Kappa Tau. When the Kappa girls hold a slumber party, it costs the life of some people and a shocking discovery is made. The episode title refers to the game Seven Minutes in Heaven, one of the ones played by the Kappa Kappa Tau sisters and Dickie Dollar Scholars brothers in this episode as part of the slumber party.

"Beware of Young Girls" is the seventh episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It premiered on November 3, 2015 on Fox, after a week hiatus due to the 2015 World Series. The episode was directed by Barbara Brown and written by Ryan Murphy. The episode centers around the Chanels' effort to contact the deceased Chanel #2 using a Ouija board to dig information about the killer, and Dean Munsch dealing with facing her ex-husband and his young mistress.

"Mommie Dearest" is the eighth episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It first aired on November 10, 2015 on Fox. The episode was directed by Michael Uppendahl and written by Ian Brennan. The episode was watched by 2.51 million viewers and received positive reviews from critics.

"Black Friday" is the eleventh episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It premiered on December 1, 2015 on Fox. The episode was directed by Bradley Buecker and written by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan. In this episode, The Red Devils attempt to crash The Chanels' shopping spree in celebration of their favorite holiday, Black Friday. As the Kappa Kappa Tau girls conclude that Dean Munsch is the Devil, they make several attempts to kill her. Meanwhile, someone else confesses to being the murderer.

"Dorkus" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the first season of the black comedy slasher television series Scream Queens. It premiered on December 8, 2015 on Fox and was shown back-to-back with the season's final episode, "The Final Girl(s)". The episode was directed by Bradley Buecker and written by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan. The episode follows Chanel's life spiraling downhill, as well as Grace getting information about the identity of the last "Red Devil" killer.

"The Final Girl(s)" is the thirteenth and final episode of the first season of the black comedy slasher television series Scream Queens. It premiered on December 8, 2015 on Fox along with the previous episode, "Dorkus", as the two-hour season finale. It was directed by Brad Falchuk, and written by Falchuk, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. The episode focuses on the last remaining "Red Devil" killer, and how the revelation impacts the characters' fates.

"Thanksgiving" is the tenth episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens. It premiered on November 24, 2015 on Fox. The episode was directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Brad Falchuk. The episode features special guest star Chad Michael Murray as Brad Radwell, the older brother of Chad Radwell. The rest of the Radwell family are played by guest stars Alan Thicke, Julia Duffy, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Rachele Brooke Smith. As this is the Thanksgiving special episode, the episode centers around the main characters' activities during Thanksgiving.

<i>Scream Queens</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of the black comedy slasher television series Scream Queens originally aired on Fox in the United States. It premiered on September 22, 2015 and concluded on December 8, 2015. The season consists of 13 episodes.

<i>Scream Queens</i> (season 2) Season of television series

The second season of the black comedy slasher television series Scream Queens aired on Fox. Fox renewed the series for a second season on January 15, 2016. It premiered on September 20, 2016 and concluded on December 20, 2016. The season consists of 10 episodes.

"Scream Again" is the season premiere and the fourteenth episode of the horror black comedy series Scream Queens, which premiered on Fox on September 20, 2016. It was directed by Brad Falchuk and written by Falchuk and his co-creators, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. The episode was watched by 2.17 million viewers and received mixed to positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hester Ulrich</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Scream Queens

Hester Ulrich, also known as Chanel #6, is a fictional character in the horror-comedy television series Scream Queens, portrayed by Lea Michele. Hester is introduced as a pledge of the popular Kappa Kappa Tau sorority at Wallace University. She faked suffering from scoliosis and is accepted as a pledge due to Dean Cathy Munch's new rule that everyone who would like to join the university's fraternities and sororities is welcome to. As the Red Devil, she was the main antagonist of season one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chanel Oberlin</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Scream Queens

Chanel Oberlin, or Chanel #1, is a fictional character from the Fox comedy horror series Scream Queens. The character is portrayed by actress Emma Roberts and has appeared in the series since its pilot episode. She is introduced as the rich and self-centered president of Kappa Kappa Tau sorority at Wallace University during the first season, where it was targeted by a serial killer in a red devil costume. In the second season, she is enlisted as a medical nurse by Dean Cathy Munsch in the C.U.R.E. Institute, where again, serial killings occur. Chanel was developed by Ryan Murphy and was created specifically for Roberts. The character, along with Roberts' portrayal has been acclaimed by critics and has become popular in the internet with quotations made by Roberts as Chanel.

References

  1. "Tuesday final ratings: 'Flash' and 'NCIS' adjust up, 'Chicago Med' premiere holds | TV By The Numbers by zap2it.com". Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. 2015-11-18. Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
  2. "Scream Queens: "Ghost Stories" Review". IGN. 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
  3. Valentine, Genevieve (2015-11-17). ""Ghost Stories" · Scream Queens · TV Review Scream Queens gets meta as hell with a few "Ghost Stories" · TV Club · The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. Retrieved 2015-11-29.