What Connects 'Scream' The Movie To The Series?

Few summer series are as highly anticipated as MTV's Scream TV show. The new series is loosely based on the slasher franchise of the same name, but if you're thinking that Sidney Prescott will be walking in the door to take down Ghostface, think again. The characters, locations, and even the mask are completely different on the new television series, so much so that if you swap out the name and general branding, it might as well be an entirely different show. That's not to say different is bad, of course. Instead of expanding on the Woodsboro murders and the universe in which they take place, Scream: The TV Series asks the question of what would a meta slasher flick look like if told in chapters on the small screen. Luckily, there are plenty of references to the Scream movie that started it all.

MTV's Scream is vastly different from the 1996 film, with far more characters and clues that suggest we'll dig deeper into their past then we ever could with the "bright and fast" original slasher flick. Though you might not recognize the world of the new Scream, there are quite a few winks at the audience within the series that connects it to its source material. You won't be seeing Ghostface any time soon, but the DNA of the original movie is still very much within the series. Here are the moments from the season premiere that most connect the two.

The First Girl Down

Nina's murder at her house kicks of the killing spree. Just like Casey from the first film, Nina is alone in her home and is contacted by a stranger via phone shortly before a chase scene that ends in her death. As with Casey, Nina's body is found by her mother. Perhaps the biggest difference in this case is the lack of the killer uttering the iconic phrase "Do you like scary movies?" and the fact that all of Nina's stalking comes from her smart phone, rather than an old school landline.

The Boyfriend Who Is Bad News

Will and Emma's relationship doesn't mirror Billy and Sidney's from the original film, but Will definitely sucks just as much as Billy does, even if he doesn't end up being the ultimate villain. For one thing, he's definitely up to something incredibly shady — like, say, filming underage girls getting dressed? — and already proved that he can be intimidating by telling Brooke that he would "break [her]" if she came between him and Emma. Whether he's a killer or not, he's totally not to be trusted — just like Billy wasn't.

Everything About Noah

He knows everything there is to know about slasher flicks and the town's dark history — just call him Randy 2.0.

The Ridiculously Meta Conversation

The original Scream made constant reference to slasher flicks, so the series wouldn't be complete without discussing horror television. Noah is quick to point out that while plenty of horror TV shows work (like Hannibal, which the series didn't realize would be cancelled by the time the pilot aired... RIP!) slasher flicks burn "too bright and fast" to be adapted for television. Except, oh wait — they're currently in a slasher TV series!

The Party

...in which Noah describes all the rules of a slasher movie. A total "wink" for Scream fans, who will remember the party in which Randy demands the guests follow all of his survival rules. Let's just hope that Noah can keep himself safe long enough to be our tour guide through this whole bloody mess.

Images: MTV (6)