The air’s getting colder, the pumpkins are fading, and twinkle lights are starting to take their place. As Halloween’s chills make way for holiday cheer, it’s the perfect time to cozy up with a few distractions.

From “IT: Welcome to Derry,” setting up a new wave of nightmares to “Dancing with the Stars'” Halloween night thrills and the scream-worthy “Scream VII” trailer, here’s what’s keeping fans entertained this week.

Here’s a list of distractions from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2.

 ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ revives Pennywise’s past

HBO Max’s newest horror series, “IT: Welcome to Derry,” takes fans back to where the original nightmare began. Director of the movie series “IT,” Andy Muschietti, created the series alongside his sister Barbara Muschietti, expanding on Stephen King’s creepy universe. Set in the 1960s, the prequel explores how the cursed town of Derry first fell under Pennywise’s haunting influence, offering fans a deeper look at the origins of the evil that would later haunt the Loser’s Club. Brianna Sorrell

‘Dancing with the Stars: Halloween Night’

The Halloween-themed night came with many scares from contestants. Dylan Efron broke his nose during rehearsal but was able to continue to dance, while Elaine Hendrix was sent to the hospital after an injury to her ribs. Elaine, unfortunately, wasn’t able to perform, but judges were allowed to score her most recent rehearsal on video and successfully escaped elimination. 

Alix Earle danced a spooky Tango to “Bury a Friend” by Billie Eilish, and Robert Irwin brought on a haunting side to himself with his Argentine Tango to “Sweet Dreams are Made of This” by the Hampton Strings Quartet. Both stars had near-perfect technique, receiving their first tens of the season.  

The fright night ends with a “Monsterthon” where all teams dance their hearts out for extra points, where Whitney Leavitt was crowned champion. 

Fans continue to speculate who deserves to be this far in the competition after controversy sparks over Jen Affleck and new pro Jan Ravnik being eliminated, along with conflict over who truly won the Monsterthon. Gracie Benner

Medium Build performs at Party in the Grove

On Wednesday, October 29, a few MTSU students, faculty, and alumni were brave enough to face the rain for Medium Build’s performance at Party in the Grove. 

Nicholas “Nick” Carpenter, an MTSU alum, performed under the alias Medium Build and spoke highly of his time at MTSU to the scattered students in front of the stage. He advised students to nurture their friendships and emphasized the importance of relationships with peers and professors. Before playing “White Male Privilege,” he told the crowd he first played the song for Professor Odie Blackmon when he was a student, and encouraged current students to use their professors’ feedback as motivation. 

He wasn’t discouraged by the rain and cold, wearing a Carhartt jacket, Build played songs like “Crying Over You” and “Last Time,” and telling stories of how each one came to be. 

Before leaving the stage, he asked the crowd for requests for his final two songs and granted them by playing “John & Lydia” and “I Never Learned to Dance” to end his time at his alma mater. Kerstie Wolaver

‘Scream VII’ brings returning characters and higher stakes

The seventh entry in the “Scream” franchise received its first trailer this week. Ghostface is back, slashing his way through a new cast of characters — and some familiar faces. 

New to the franchise is Sidney Prescott’s daughter, named after Sidney’s best friend from the original “Scream.” Tatum’s introduction adds new stakes to this killer series, with “Scream VII” promising tense scenes of Sidney and her daughter fleeing Ghostface. 

Along with the new familial dynamic comes a Ghostface who vows he’s “not hiding this time.” The trailer closes with an iconic line delivered by one of the original Ghostface killers, hinting at an entertaining watch for fans new and old. Jesse Jones 

‘Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers’

“Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers” sheds new light on Aileen Wuornos, a woman who killed seven men over the span of a year in 1989-1990. The documentary takes viewers through archival footage from “Dateline” reporter Michele Gillen, police tapes, court scenes, and never-before-seen footage of Wuornos talking with filmmaker Jasmine Hirst. What makes the documentary so distinctive is that all the interviews are conducted audio-only. Several voices are heard throughout the film that are important to Wuornos’s story. However, you never see their faces unless it’s on archived footage. This creative choice thrusts Wuornos farther into the spotlight and keeps audiences invested in her personal story, not just her criminal history. Tucker Young