It’s been a rather long hiatus for the FOX horror comedy series Scream Queens, but, after the massive cliffhanger, we learn the fate of officer Denise and Chanel #5.

Recap: “Chanel Pour Homme-icide”

As the episode begins, Chanel, #3, Zayday and Dean/Dr. Munsch rush to their aid (Chanel credits a Sense8-style connection with her fellow Chanel) and are more torn up about Denise and another patient’s murder than #5. In typical #5 fashion, she’s ignored until they finally contact police and place a nearly-deceased Denise in a cryo-sleep tank, courtesy of the Radwell fortune — but I’m just happy to know Chanel #5 is still alive and (mostly) well. Munsch continuously stresses her desires to keep things hidden, but the media and police investigation actually gave the C.U.R.E. Institute more publicity and patients than ever before.

The Chanels decide that with more “less attractive” people around, they could, in fact, utilize that to their advantage and find new Chanel pledges to do their bidding (as well as the unfortunate hospital duties they have). Zayday begins to become suspicious of candy striper Chamberlain and takes her concerns to Munsch, who didn’t even know how he was on the staff. She tells Munsch he claims to have come from a Craigslist ad, and she responds by saying, of course, a liar with a voluntary position geared toward women (and finally acknowledging it’s no longer a job) should be considered as the new killer.

Zayday later finds Chanel #5 in the loft the girls live in, when #5 informs her that Chanel removed her from ICU to have her accessible to insult. Zayday uses the opportunity to say she’ll take care of her injuries but asks for her companionship in return while investigating the pregnancy and murder of 1985. Chanel and #3 begin the quest to find other Chanels (one with face paralysis, one who is especially tall, and another a male fan who writes Chanel lesbian fan fiction…) using the pledges as a way to sacrifice others to ensure their survival. In the middle of the chaos, Dr Brock, #3 and Dr Cascade help a woman who transitions through accents — leading them to do the same. (Best referred to as what happened to Madonna.)

Chanel wanders the hospital hallways and hears the eerie moans of a woman, eventually finding Hester hiding out in a room. Chanel asks her what and why she’s even there, leading Hester to announce she’s “psychotic and a sociopath and allergic to gluten”, which is a line that reminds me why I enjoy Hester so much. Hester tells Chanel she has heard about the new recruits and explains she has missed her — wanting to be asked back regardless of her attempted murders. Chanel makes the executive decision to do so, thinking it is best to have the insight of a psychotic murderer as an ally. The other Chanels don’t warm up to the idea as easily until she tells them it’s best to kill off “annoying twink”, but it’s settled on “moebius girl”, instead, at the request of #3.

Zayday and #5 locate documents that track down the woman whose husband was killed Halloween of 1985, teaming up to seek out answers. When they go to her house, #5 only succeeds in offending her repeatedly but discovers that her husband was African American — making Zayday wonder if Chamberlain was the child. As the others discover why a patient fluctuated through different accents, they couldn’t help but recreate accents subconsciously through actors in films, coined “Madonna syndrome.” After Munsch observes the behavior of Nurse Practitioner Hoffel, she is called to her office to be fired for her bad attitude and drug addiction. She, initially, denies the allegation, but an unexpected rant about it being her best friend and lover confirms the comment. In order to save herself, Hoffel divulges that she knows Munsch has a terminal illness and blackmails the hospital owner to keep her position and threaten Munsch’s reputation.

The Chanels (new and old) gather at the hospital for a slumber party with pillow fights and makeovers — but mainly to use a sacrifice of the weak to keep them alive from the Green Meanie. (The meta awareness is completely real.) They send one of the new girls to the morgue for an Hermes choker, but Chanel Pour Homme (the obsessive “twink”) tries to find it for himself and is murdered by the Green Meanie. The next step from Munsch is to bring a few more Chanels into the fold but to find Hester, and she has her suspicions that the girls are hiding her from authorities. Within moments of joining, the group is attacked, and another new Chanel loses her life, making the group of girls down to four. The last scene of the episode shows Dr. Cascade arrive to the home of the woman from the 1985 murder, revealing that he is the son of the deceased patient wronged by the entire staff all those years ago.

Overall Grade: 7.5/10

The fact that Chanel #5 survived was a pleasant way to resolve a looming concern the last episode presented. I was also delighted to watch Hester rejoin the Chanels for some of the best comedic moments to come from the four girls. I’m not completely sure where the series is headed with the plot mystery, but they continue to provide characters that I enjoy watching and root for to survive the comedy/horror series.

Aedan’s Final Thoughts:

– New Chanels are always welcomed, even if it’s as temporary placeholders to be killed.

– Dr. Cascade was an early suspect in relation to the murders, but I don’t believe he is the killer.