The irony of it all is that fans were delighted with the announcement of "Scream" Season 3. Watching the slasher TV series ignites all sorts of terror, which raises the question: why are we fixated on scary films?
Unless you've been hiding under a rock, by now you have heard of MTV's renewal on the infamous "Scream" TV adaptation. However, "Scream" Season 3 managed to cause frustration, as news of it coming in only six episodes was reported as well. To make things worse, cancellation reports are also making its rounds on the "Scream" fandom.
Up until now, MTV is still pretty mum on the subject, but with a guaranteed "Scream" Season 3, fans might as well gear up for another screaming session. What's mind-boggling is that a lot of people love watching such genre. The part where it's entertaining is a well-accepted fact, but what if we go deeper?
According to psychologist Dr. Glenn D. Walters, there are three factors that explain the allure of the scary genre, which are tension, relevance, and unrealism. The original "Scream" movies definitely have all three and what fans are most likely to expect in "Scream" Season 3.
The tension in the slasher genre is created through suspense, mystery, shock, or gore - the basic elements of horror. Relevance is how you capture audiences. This is what they see onscreen and how it can be a realistic situation, which prompts them to think, it could happen to them. The sneak peek for "Scream" Season 3 highlights the second factor - you might want to check it out.
The third factor, unrealism, may be the most counter-intuitive. The fabricated reality in a horror film is one reason why people flock to watch it. There's a sense of "comfort" knowing it's not real, although a powerful horror film could be glued to your head and toy with your imagination after watching it. "Scream" Season 3 will present unrealism like a slap to the face - blunt and traumatizing.
Despite its shortness, fans are still pumped up for "Scream" Season 3. MTV is yet to announce the official air date in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.
