Scream 2 on AMC*

 I fell asleep, waking up to Scream 2 (1997) when Derek Feldman is singing to Sidney Prescott in the cafeteria...immediate cringe. Already, in the sequel, the series was approaching its own parody status. But, to this day, the murder of one of the series most beloved characters -- Randy Meeks -- remains a VERY sore spot with people. Especially when you consider how Sidney, Gale, and Dewey have remained survivors through all films up to the current date. I recall being in the theater for that second film, a very excited fan really jazzed about a new film in the series. I appreciate that feeling, too, of still having the memory of that time in my life when the Scream name carried a lot of punch to it. Nowadays, I am afraid that is a minor, if fleeting, reminder of a thrill that's almost gone...but not quite. But, back to Randy, taking one of the most popular characters out of the franchise so early still feels wrong. No, dumb. It feels dumb. And I can only imagine I wasn't the only deflated balloon in the audience that night, wondering why the fuck they greenlit that decision during the script-to-screen process. I don't believe the film ever truly recovers from that decision. I can remember being so bummed out, and that buzz depleting when Randy is pulled into the van sort of remains such a nagging issue throughout the remainder of the film. I want to say that was part of the reason I had such a series buzzkill. 

And they even provoked what would have been just as potent reaction with Dewey being stabbed in the theater outside a sound room...and despite multiple stab wounds, even with Dewey bleeding out of the mouth and on the glass (!!!), he still survives! I mean, really, what the hell?! So you could have kept Randy in the film just the same way. I get it, though. Someone had to go. As Randy would say, "Them's the rules."