The Chucky series COULD have gone a couple different ways in quality. Knowing that it comes from Don Mancini and has a majority of the older actors on board, this one gives us the horror series that we all deserve. The new age of Child’s Play/Chucky isn’t for everyone. Those that don’t have as much of a sense of humor might not enjoy this show for it’s horror/dark comedy vibes. This one leans heavily into that comedy for some of it’s kills, but it makes Chucky truly scary once again.

It takes a little while for the show to fully get going, but once it reaches the point of no return for all our characters, it’s fantastic. If you’re in need of a bit of a refresher on Chucky, here’s the synopsis:

In the new CHUCKY television series, an idyllic American town is thrown into chaos after a vintage ‘Good Guy’ doll turns up at a suburban yard sale. Soon, everyone must grapple with a series of horrifying murders that begin to expose the town’s deep hypocrisies and hidden secrets. Meanwhile, friends and foes from Chucky’s past creep back into his world and threaten to expose the truth behind his mysterious origins as a seemingly ordinary child who somehow became this notorious monster.

It stars Zackary Arthur, Brad Dourif, Carina Battrick, Alex Vincent, Devon Sawa, Jennifer Tilly, and Fiona Dourif. This isn’t another reboot or remake though. This continues the story from the very first Child’s Play and on through Cult of Chucky. How does it continue that story? Well from here on out, we’ll be discussing tiny spoiler for the first four episodes.

Chucky Is What Horror TV Needs To Be

CHUCKY — “Death by Misadventure” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler, Chucky — (Photo by: Steve Wilkie/USA Network)

If you’re in the market for series long horror, Chucky is everything you’d want. There are gruesome kills, the acting is pretty good, especially for the kids. When they’re just clowning around at school or when they’re in horrible danger, they do a stand-up job. The adults are actually the ones that overact in some cases. In the case of Jake’s (Arthur) science teacher, they use crass language in front of their students, so it sort of sticks out. But overall the performances here range from decent to great. Brad Dourif’s vocal performance as Chucky is as good as you’d expect. At this point he’s a horror hall of famer and this show gives him just as much space to stretch out as the voice of Chucky.

As for the effects and kills, you get a couple sprinkled in the first two episodes and then by the time episode three rolls around, it’s a kill-fest. From what I could see, there was little to no CGI used for the kills. It’s practical effects and buckets of blood. The combined efforts of puppets, animatronics, and actors, Chucky has never looked better. The new design of Chucky is also fantastic and evokes different versions of him all throughout the series. It’s a combination that should please new and long-time fans of the character.

What Could Upset “Fans” Of The Series

CHUCKY — “Death by Misadventure” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Alyvia Alyn Lind as Lexy Cross, Chucky, Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler — (Photo by: Steve Wilkie/USA Network)

Let’s get to the part of the series that might upset certain people. In horror, some out there, flat out do not want to know the backstory of famous horror characters. This series gives us a clue into the upbringing of Charles Lee Ray. It’s not obtrusive, it doesn’t fundamentally change the way we view the character. What we do see gives us a look into what shaped Ray without ruining the character.

In the first four episodes, we don’t see Andy, Tiffany, or Nica from the previous movies. There’s an indication that Andy might be the one calling Jake about the doll, but that’s not confirmed. This is very much a story about our new characters and how they interact with Chucky for the first four episodes.

The other thing that could be off-putting for people is the characters and high schoolers. We see a good amount of violence towards the teenagers of the show. The dialogue between the kids is also a bit out of the realm of possibility. Outside of those issues, this is just a fantastic experience for horror and fans of the whole series.

A New Frontier For Horror And Chucky Is Leading The Charge

CHUCKY — “Death by Misadventure” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Chucky, Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler — (Photo by: Steve Wilkie/USA Network)

If these first four episodes are any indication, Chucky is one of the best horror shows we’re going to get. It follows the mythology of the series and builds upon it in a way that fans will enjoy. Chucky is brutal, hilarious, and is back to being truly terrifying here. This episodic format leads to more tension and more backstory for all of our characters than we would get out of a movie. This plot likely wouldn’t be possible without the series format.

Even being on TV, the violence and gore is there in full force. Chucky even has room for his potty-mouth to show up. I was worried at first that a showing on USA Network/SYFY would be hampered by censors and other outside forces. Those worries are unfounded because this show fulfills everything you would want out of something with Chucky.

Chucky premieres on USA & SYFY tonight, October 12th, at 10PM. New episodes air every Tuesday after that.

For more on horror, make sure to check out Fright-A-Thon, the month-plus long Halloween marathon, or stay tuned to That Hashtag Show.

The 2021 Halloween Movie Marathon Schedule [Fright-A-Thon]