'Scream Queens' Pop Culture Jokes Are Hilarious

It looks like the most hilarious slasher series ever has arrived. Amid the blood and gore of Scream Queens, there is so much comic relief that I'd totally recommend it to anyone who loves dark humor — as long as they don't mind seeing someone get shoved face first into a deep fryer in between laughs, of course. The show is completely self-aware of its status as a campy horror series that centers around a group of sorority girls who embody literally every horrible stereotype about Greek life (and then some). And that's why the best comics moments on Scream Queens come from its pop culture referneces — ranging from social media to celebrities to everyone's favorite true crime podcast.

The opening scene, which takes place in 1995, is hilariously dated. Sure, the Kappa girls' attire contributes to that tone, but the infinitely funnier aspect is their undying love for the song "Waterfalls." Heck, they love it so much that they are so not in the mood to miss jamming to TLC in order to help out a pledge who just gave birth in the bathtub upstairs. Flash-forward to 2015, and our protagonist Grace is en route to her freshman year of college. Her dad cautions her to please not join a sorority, because he thinks they're more like Game of Thrones than a sisterhood. Scream Queens hasn't quite reached that level of bloodshed yet — but yeah, his overall point applies.

The sorority girls in Kappa are merciless, but I'll give them (and the rest of the cast) major points for bringing us these amazing pop culture jokes in the series premiere alone.

Their Career Aspirations In The Media

Basically everyone in Kappa aspires to someday be a news anchor. Chanel is desperate to keep the sorority's charter because it will guarantee her a Good Morning America internship with Diane Sawyer. Her doomed minion Chanel No. 2 (aka Ariana Grande, for anyone who was having trouble keeping track of all these Chanels) aspires to be a network newscaster and is seriously concerned that stashing their housekeeper's dead body in a meat locker will interfere with her career goals. Another sister declares that she wants to be the next Megyn Kelly.

Their Insane Use Of Social Media

If a masked killer is in your room texting you that he plans to kill you, what should you do? Chanel No. 2's answer is "use social media to write a really long status update about how the Red Devil is going to kill you." And, use her mistakes as a cautionary tale, because things don't end well. RIP, Chanel No. 2 — we barely got to know you, but you were pretty awful.

Gigi's Suggestion To Pretend They're In A Friends Episode

The Kappa sisters are less than pleased when they're told to stay in the sorority house at all times for their own protection. Chapter President Gigi wants to look on the bright side, because she's either an optimist or just completely unhinged, and promises they'll make it fun: "It's like a Friends episode... but someone is trying to murder all the friends."

Friends writers really missed a golden opportunity when they failed to make a special Halloween episode called "The One Where Someone Is Trying To Murder All The Friends."

Both Taylor Swift & Kanye West Get Shoutouts

One of the best Kappa pledges proudly tells everyone who will listen that being deaf doesn't stop her from singing Taylor Swift songs all the time at the top of her lungs. Meanwhile, the interjection "Sweet Yeezus!" is used, so I have to wonder if the line "I'mma let you finish" is in a future script.

But, It'll Be Hard To Top The Serial Reference

The best joke of the entire premiere comes when the two budget security guards joke that, “No bad thing has ever happened at a Best Buy parking lot!” before laughing uproariously at their own wit (as well as they should — that was the best line of the episode).

As long as Scream Queens keeps the pop culture jokes coming, I'd say this series is going to quickly become the new favorite of viewers who love mystery interspersed with plenty of dark wit.

Images: Steve Dietl/FOX; Giphy (5)