Pilot

"**Pilot"** is the first episode of the first season of the television series *Scream*. It is directed by Jamie Travis and was written by Jill E. Blotevogel and co-written by Jaime Paglia. It aired on 30th June, 2015.

## Plot

When a cyber-bullying incident results in a popular high school student's murder, the violence stirs up memories of a twenty-one-year-old killing spree that has haunted some, intrigued others and maybe just inspired a new killer.

## Summary

The episode opens up as Nina Patterson was eagerly witnessing the attention her video of Audrey Jensen was receiving with Tyler O'Neill, justifying her cruelty by saying that it was "the law of nature." Tyler attempted to persuade Nina into letting him spend the night with her, but Nina refused and admitted that she had only wanted him for his "tech savvy" in order to anonymously post and send out the video. Nina went into her lavish house and began undressing to get into the hot tub. Whilst doing this, she received chilling messages and Snapchat-esque videos from an anonymous number, with the messages implying that the sender was nearby and could hear her. Nina was not severely alarmed by the messages, believing them to be from a scorned Tyler. Under that assumption, Nina seductively entered the hot tub wearing a black bikini and continued to toy with the texter — until Tyler's severed head was tossed into the hot tub. Horrified, Nina screamed, grabbed her phone, and scrambled out of the hot tub. She aimlessly ran across her backyard before hiding behind a tree and unsuccessfully trying to call 911 by using Siri (due to being unable to dial her passcode to call 911 with her fingers being wet). Frightened and terrified, Nina dropped her phone and tried to get into her house, but found all the patio doors were locked. The killer then appeared behind Nina and slashed her back horizontally with a hunting knife. While bleeding in pain, Nina fell and stumbled across the patio but fell onto the grass. She feebly tried to crawl away, but was caught and lifted up by the masked maniac near the edge of the swimming pool. Nina pleaded for her life, only for the masked maniac to respond by swiftly slicing Nina's throat open, letting the villainess choke on her own blood. They then carelessly tossed the limp Nina into the swimming pool, not even bothering to see if she was alive. Nina quickly succumbed to her wounds, and floated face down in the water. A close-up of her phone shows her mom is trying to call her and we see a close-up of the Lakewood Slasher facing the camera before the title appears.

The next morning, Emma Duval is studyiher with her boyfriend Will Belmont before having breakfast with her mother Maggie, who works as the coroner in the town of Lakewood. Emma teases her mother about Maggie's possible romantic connection to Sheriff Clark Hudson. At George Washington High School, Audrey commiserates with her friend Noah Foster about the "*Audrey's Face Suck Extravaganza*" video. Emma and Will discuss the video with their friends Brooke Maddox, Riley Marra, and Jake Fitzgerald. In Language Arts class, Emma and her friends take notice of new transfer student Kieran Wilcox, who recently moved to Lakewood. Nina's parents return home and the mother discovers her daughter's dead body in the pool and screams in horror.

Word of Nina's murder quickly makes it to school. One rumor regarding the killers identity suggests that Brandon James has returned to Lakewood. Serial killer history enthusiast Noah tells the story of how Brandon James, who had a caring older brother named Troy, was a teenager with Proteus syndrome who died 20 years earlier. Brandon had fallen in love with a girl named Daisy, but when she became frightened by his appearance following an unmasking at the school's Halloween dance, a group of drunken jocks beat him. Brandon then killed five students. Cops later shot Brandon during an arranged meeting with Daisy on the pier. Daisy is revealed to secretly be Emma's mother Maggie.

The students learn that Tyler is missing and is suspected in Nina's murder. Emma and Will discuss the situation with their friends. In an effort to renew their former friendship, Emma invites Audrey to the party Brooke is throwing as a memorial for Nina. Will and Jake have a tense confrontation with each other over a secret involvement they had with Nina. Language Arts teacher Seth Branson tries unsuccessfully to end his affair with Brooke. Back at home, Emma finds a package on her doorstep addressed to Daisy. Emma's mother plays coy about the name on the label. After Emma leaves with Will for Brooke's party, Maggie opens the package and finds a note that reads, "Emma looks just like you at that age" along with a bloody animal heart.

Because of the commotion surrounding her shaming video, Audrey's unexpected arrival at Brooke's party creates an initially awkward moment. Audrey and Emma later bond while having a poolside conversation. Riley takes an interest in Noah. Maggie calls Sheriff Hudson about the anonymous package and reveals to him that Daisy was her family nickname. Maggie fears that a cycle of murders could be happening again. Clark promises to track down Emma's father Kevin. Noah continues discussing Brandon James, Nina's murder, and teenage horror tropes while partygoers drink around the fireplace. Brooke hints that Will and Nina had some sort of connection and Emma realizes that Will slept with Nina. After confronting Will, Emma walks off alone and finds Kieran in the greenhouse. Kieran explains the family circumstances that brought him to Lakewood. Kieran and Emma end up kissing.

Brooke investigates a light turning on in the garage, she finds one of car doors open. When she goes inside to get the key and close the door, she hears the sound of a knife and starts to run out the garage and runs into Will, who then threatens her to never come between he and Emma again. Having previously passed out, Noah regains consciousness to find himself stripped to his underwear and alone on the pier. Noah goes into the lake and is pulled under the water.

Kieran rescues Noah. Noah insists that someone grabbed him and pulled him beneath the waters surface. Kieran drives Emma home and the two of them see Sheriff Hudson speaking to Maggie in the doorway. Kieran reveals that the sheriff is his father. The Lakewood Slasher stalks Audrey as she visits her girlfriend Rachel.

At school, Sheriff Hudson asks Noah to come to the station for questioning regarding Brandon James. Riley and Noah continue flirting with each other. Emma visits Audrey and admits that she was with Nina when the shaming video was recorded. The Lakewood Slasher taunts Emma over the phone as she walks home. As Noah continues explaining tropes to Riley, Jake is revealed to have secret video of Nina on his computer, Audrey is revealed to have a picture of Brandon James unmasked, and Noah is seen hiding a bloody wound on his forehead.