Scream

Scream is currently streaming in the US on Netflix and Paramount Plus Premium, and in the UK on Paramount Plus, and its case-by-case structure never gets in the way of the bigger story. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Melissa Barrera's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on Netflix — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Scream is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. At its heart, Scream understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past. Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. It was released in 2022. What makes Scream hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find Scream proves them wrong. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Melissa Barrera carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.