Chucky (TV series)

Not to be confused with Chuck (TV series).

Chucky
File:Chucky (2021 television series).png
Genre	Horror comedy Drama Slasher Absurdist humor
Created by	Don Mancini
Based on	Characters created by Don Mancini
Starring	Zackary Arthur Björgvin Arnarson Alyvia Alyn Lind Teo Briones Brad Dourif Devon Sawa
Music by	Joseph LoDuca
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	20
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jeff Renfroe Harley Peyton (season 1) Alex Hedlund Nick Antosca David Kirschner Don Mancini
Producer(s)	Mallory Westfall Alex Delyle Nick Zigler Mitch Engel Todd Copps Hartley Gorenstein
Production location(s)	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Cinematography	Colin Hoult Christopher Soos
Editor(s)	Randy Bricker Lisa Grootenboer Ken Ramos Shiran Carolyn Amir Thom Newell Alex Lamb
Running time	41–54 minutes
Production company(s)	Pheidippides David Kirschner Productions Eat the Cat Universal Content Productions
Release
Original network	Syfy USA Network
Original release	October 12, 2021 (2021-10-12) – present (present)
Chronology
Related shows	Cult of Chucky
External links
[{{#property:P856}} Website]

Chucky is an American horror television series created by Don Mancini and based on the Child's Play film franchise. It serves as a sequel to Cult of Chucky, the seventh film in the franchise, and stars Brad Dourif reprising his role as the voice of the titular character, alongside Zackary Arthur, Björgvin Arnarson, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Teo Briones and Devon Sawa. The cast also includes Fiona Dourif, Alex Vincent, Christine Elise, Jennifer Tilly, and Billy Boyd reprising their roles from previous films.

Developed for Syfy and USA Network, the series follows Chucky as he commits a series of mysterious murders in a quiet city in the United States. Series creator Mancini and producer David Kirschner both serve as executive producers for the series, alongside Nick Antosca, Alex Hedlund and Jeff Renfroe. The series premiered simultaneously on Syfy and the USA Network on October 12, 2021. It has received generally positive reviews from critics. In November 2021, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 5, 2022. In January 2023, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on October 4, 2023, and will air in two parts, with the second half coming in 2024.

Plot

The beginning of the series is set three weeks after the events of Cult of Chucky. In the city of Hackensack, New Jersey, 14-year-old Jake Wheeler buys a Good Guy doll at a yard sale to use it in his contemporary art project during the Halloween season. He later discovers that the doll is possessed by the soul of serial killer Charles Lee Ray, known as Chucky. Jake soon becomes a suspect in a series of strange events involving the doll, who unleashes a wave of shocking murders around the town. Some of the boy's classmates will also see themselves linked to these events. In addition, a series of flashbacks explore Charles's past as a seemingly normal kid who somehow became one of Hackensack's most notorious killers.

Starring mostly teenagers and advertised as a "coming of rage" story, the series tackles themes of sexuality, bullying, domestic life, and murder. The main character, Jake Wheeler, finds himself prompted to homicidal acts by the doll while also struggling with his crush on classmate Devon and other issues that arise from being gay in unaccepting environments.

Cast and characters

See also: List of Child's Play characters

Main

File:Chucky NYCC 2022 10.jpg

The series three main teenage actors. From left to right: Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler, Björgvin Arnarson as Devon Evans, and Alyvia Alyn Lind as Lexy Cross.

• Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler, a teenager who purchases Chucky at a yard sale and is then menaced by him. After killing his father, Chucky attempts to convince Jake to kill his bully, Lexy. However, he goes against Chucky and instead works with her and Devon, his crush turned boyfriend, to take down Chucky.
• Björgvin Arnarson as Devon Evans, Jake's classmate who hosts a true crime podcast and frequently speaks about Charles Lee Ray. Later, he becomes Jake's boyfriend.
• Alyvia Alyn Lind as Lexy Cross, Jake's classmate, who starts out as a school bully, but becomes friends with him and Devon after being attacked by Chucky and learning he is alive
• Teo Briones as Junior Wheeler (season 1), Jake's antagonistic cousin and Lexy's ex-boyfriend, who is forced into track by his dad
• Brad Dourif as the voice of Chucky / Charles Lee Ray, a vicious serial killer who, before dying, transferred his soul into a "Good Guy" doll
• Devon Sawa as:
  • Lucas Wheeler (guest season 1), Jake's father, Junior's uncle, Logan's twin brother, and Bree's brother-in-law, who only appears in the first episode
  • Logan Wheeler (recurring season 1), Jake's uncle, Junior's father, Lucas’ twin brother, and Bree's husband
  • Father Bryce (recurring season 2), the headmaster at the Catholic School of the Incarnate Lord
  • Chucky / Charles Lee Ray (guest season 2), a vicious serial killer who briefly possesses the body of Father Bryce
  • James Collins (main season 3), the President of the United States

Recurring

• Lexa Doig as Bree Wheeler (season 1), Jake's aunt, Junior's mother, Logan's wife, and Lucas’ sister-in-law, who has kept a secret from her family
• Barbara Alyn Woods as Mayor Michelle Cross (season 1; guest season 2), Lexy's mother and Hackensack's mayor
• Michael Therriault as
  • Nathan Cross (season 1), Lexy's father, and Michelle's husband. Therriault previously portrayed Dr. Foley in Cult of Chucky
  • Spence (season 3), the Vice President of the United States
• Rachelle Casseus as Kim Evans (season 1), Devon's mother, and a Hackensack detective who is suspicious of Jake, but later comes around to him after he begins dating Devon
• Carina London Battrick as Caroline Cross (seasons 1, 3; guest season 2), Lexy's younger sister, who is befriended by Chucky
• David Kohlsmith as young Charles Lee Ray as 7 years old (season 1; guest season 2)
• Fiona Dourif as:
  • Nica Pierce, a paraplegic woman who, since the events of Cult of Chucky, has been possessed by Chucky
  • Chucky / Charles Lee Ray (seasons 1-2), a vicious serial killer who possessed the body of Nica Pierce. Dourif also portrays Charles Lee Ray in 1980s flashbacks, with Brad Dourif providing his voice.
• Jennifer Tilly as:
  • Tiffany Valentine, Chucky's lover and partner in crime who possessed the body of actress Jennifer Tilly
    • Tilly also voices her doll form that originated in Bride of Chucky.
  • Herself (voice, season 2), an actress whose body Tiffany has possessed, whose soul was transferred into a doll
• Christine Elise as Kyle, Andy's foster sister
• Alex Vincent as Andy Barclay, Chucky's original owner and archenemy, who has been tormented by him since 1988
• Tyler Barish as young Charles Lee Ray as 14 years old (guest, season 1–2)
• Blaise Crocker as young Tiffany Valentine (season 1), from 1980s flashbacks
• Rosemary Dunsmore as:
  • Dr. Amanda Mixter (season 1–2), Bree's and the Cross' therapist, who has connections to Chucky
  • Chucky / Charles Lee Ray (season 2), a vicious serial killer who possessed the body of Dr. Mixter
• Annie M. Briggs as Ms. Fairchild (seasons 1, 3; guest season 2), the school's biology teacher, who is wrongly accused of the murders committed by Chucky.
• Lara Jean Chorostecki as:
  • Sister Ruth (season 2), a nun at the Catholic School of the Incarnate Lord
  • Charlotte Collins (season 3), First Lady of the United States
• Bella Higginbotham as Nadine (season 2), Lexy's roommate at the Catholic School of the Incarnate Lord
• Andrea Carter as Sister Catherine (season 2), a nun and teacher at the Catholic School of the Incarnate Lord
• Lachlan Watson as:
  • Glen Tilly (season 2), Chucky and Tiffany's non-binary child, who doesn't like violence, and refrains from killing. Watson replaces Beans El-Balawi as Glen's human body.
  • Glenda Tilly (season 2), Chucky and Tiffany's non-binary child, who has more violent tendencies, and is willing to kill. Watson replaces Kristina Hewitt as Glenda's human body.
• Jackson Kelly as Grant Collins (season 3), the older son of the President and the First Lady
• Callum Vinson as Henry Collins (season 3), the younger son of the President and the First Lady
• Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves as Melanie Spiegel (season 3), the White House Press Secretary
• Gil Bellows as Warren Pryce (season 3), a government agent

Special guest stars

• Gina Gershon as herself (season 2)
• Joe Pantoliano as himself (season 2)
• Sutton Stracke as herself (season 2)
• Meg Tilly as herself (season 2)
• Liv Morgan as herself (season 2)
• Billy Boyd as the voice of G.G. Valentine (season 2), the combined minds of Glen and Glenda in doll form. Boyd reprises his role from Seed of Chucky.
• Kenan Thompson as Cab Driver (season 3)
• Sarah Sherman as Annie Gilpin (season 3)
• Nia Vardalos as Evelyn Elliot (season 3)
• John Waters as Wendell Wilkins (season 3)

Episodes

Series overview

Season		Episodes	Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
	1	8	October 12, 2021 (2021-10-12)	November 30, 2021 (2021-11-30)
	2	8	October 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)	November 23, 2022 (2022-11-23)
	3	8	TBA	TBA

Season 1 (2021)

Main article: Chucky (season 1)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	1	"Death by Misadventure"	Don Mancini	Don Mancini	October 12, 2021 (2021-10-12)	0.457 (Syfy) 0.358 (USA Network)
Jake Wheeler, a 14-year-old middle school student from Hackensack, New Jersey, purchases a vintage Good Guy doll named Chucky in a yard sale to use him in his personal contemporary art project. Jake's father, Lucas, disapproves of this hobby and, after an awkward dinner with some relatives, destroys the project. Jake takes Chucky to school the next day, hoping to sell it at a good price; he is then bullied by Lexy Cross, his cousin Junior's girlfriend. At night, Andy Barclay calls Jake and suggests caution with the doll. Upon confirming that Chucky works without batteries, Jake throws him away. Chucky tracks Jake down to the school talent show and forces him to fake an act of ventriloquism. During the show, Chucky publicly humiliates Lexy, and Jake is subsequently suspended from school for his horrible performance. Later on, Lucas hits Jake after a heated argument over his sexuality when he got a phone call from his teacher; Chucky murders Lucas soon after when he vomits the whiskey he had drunk from Lucas' bottle at his bare feet, which touches an exposed electric cable and electrocutes him in the basement. Jake is taken to live with Logan and Bree, Junior's parents, and Chucky proposes the prospect of killing Lexy too after he came to life in front of Jake and told him that his father deserved to die for always being abusive towards him. Flashbacks: In 1965, Charles Lee Ray is sitting with his mother, and they are looking at the mirror happily.
2	2	"Give Me Something Good to Eat"	Dermott Downs	Harley Peyton & Don Mancini	October 19, 2021 (2021-10-19)	0.390 (Syfy) 0.280 (USA Network)
Jake returns to school after his father's death, where he's invited to his classmate Oliver's Halloween party. While everyone is out, Chucky murders the Wheelers' maid. Jake confronts Chucky, who feigns innocence, and tries to convince Jake that he is on his side. That night, Junior and Jake overhear Logan and Bree discussing if they are even capable of looking after Jake, and Junior begins to fear Jake is capable of hurting Lexy. On the night of the Halloween party, Lexy is told to take her sister Caroline - who has begun to fixate on Chucky since seeing him in the talent show - trick-or-treating - but takes her to the party instead. Jake decides to stay home until he finds Chucky missing and races to the party. There, he finds Lexy dressed up as his father, mocking his death. Despite his rage, Jake stops Chucky from killing her. That night, Chucky once again tries to convince Jake to become a killer. Flashbacks: In 1965, Charles Lee Ray returns home from trick-or-treating. Inspecting his candy, he finds an apple with a razor blade in it, but eats it anyway, uncaring as he cuts his mouth.
3	3	"I Like to Be Hugged"	Dermott Downs	Nick Zigler & Sarah Acosta	October 26, 2021 (2021-10-26)	0.330 (Syfy) 0.352 (USA Network)
Chucky persuades Jake to give in to his temptation to kill Lexy, remembering his encounter with an unknown serial killer assailant in 1965. Jake attempts to murder Lexy in the woods, only to encounter Junior, who later tells Lexy to apologize to Jake because he worries about what Jake is capable of. Because of this and Caroline's outburst of wanting Chucky, Lexy apologizes to Jake in hopes of having Chucky calm her sister down. Jake originally declines, but after Chucky decides to kill Lexy himself, Jake accepts and seemingly gives him up. Meanwhile, Logan and Bree are called into a meeting alongside Lexy's parents, Hackensack's mayor Michelle Cross and her husband Nathan, due to transpired events. Concurrently, Lexy secretly hosts a rave party with Junior, Oliver, and classmate Devon Evans in attendance. Tensions arise as Junior and Oliver compete for Lexy. Chucky accidentally stabs Oliver when he mistakes him for Lexy and murders him upstairs as the rest of the partygoers are distracted by the blasting music, completely unaware of Oliver's screams. Chucky then corners Lexy in a room, causing a fire that engulfs the house as Jake visits his parents' graves. Flashbacks: In 1965, a young Charles Lee Ray helps the unknown assailant murder his parents.
4	4	"Just Let Go"	Leslie Libman	Mallory Westfall & Kim Garland	November 2, 2021 (2021-11-02)	0.282 (Syfy) 0.302 (USA Network)
As a result of the fire, Caroline ends in the ICU. Lexy and Jake begrudgingly team up to investigate Lexy's burned house for Chucky. Meanwhile, Junior undergoes a medical procedure, and Devon researches the urban legend about how Charles Lee Ray turned into a Good Guy doll. At Lexy's house, Jake saves her from falling from the railing despite Chucky's attempts to convince him to let Lexy die. A police officer appears after this and takes them and Chucky to the hospital. When the two kids get there, Jake is stopped by Devon's mother, Detective Kim Evans, who strongly believes he's behind the murders. At the hospital, Chucky murders the officer who found him. Devon finds Lexy and tells her the truth about Chucky. As Jake is being interrogated, Chucky unplugs Caroline's monitor, causing chaos in her hospital room. The officer's body is found, and Jake, Lexy, and Devon watch as Chucky flips them off from a distance. Flashbacks: In 1972 at a foster boarding home, a teenage Charles Lee Ray is seen living there with other children, including his young and future accomplice Eddie Caputo. Charles kills the home janitor and scares other children when they see his body in a forest. Eventually, Charles leaves the home and bids farewell to Caputo, leaving him a unique present in a box in the form of the janitor's severed hand.
5	5	"Little Little Lies"	Leslie Libman	Harley Peyton & Rachael Paradis	November 9, 2021 (2021-11-09)	0.252 (Syfy) 0.265 (USA Network)
When the Cross family returns home, Nathan gives Caroline a Good Guy doll named Tommy, in replacement for the burnt-up Chucky. Jake, Devon, and Lexy ambush the burnt Chucky in a trash can and kick him to his apparent death. Believing Chucky is dead, they move on with their lives, and Jake and Devon have their first kiss. At a Hackensack hotel, Tiffany Valentine and a possessed Nica Pierce are seen living there with two male victims, one who is already dead, held hostage. The two get into an argument that leads to Nica temporarily regaining control of her body. She attempts to free the surviving victim until she returns under Chucky's spell and slashes his neck. Bree talks to her therapist about her stage 4 cancer diagnosis and promises to come clean to her family. Mayor Cross and Detective Evans hold a town meeting at the school, showing remorse for events that transpired and including announcing new city rules. However, things quickly become disastrous when the school principal's severed head rolls onto the stage. Chucky is revealed to be alive, having transferred his soul into the Tommy doll. Flashbacks: In the 1980s, a young adult, Charles Lee Ray, is seen in a dance club where he meets an exotic dancer whom he flirts with. He takes both the dancer and a red-headed woman to a hotel, where the two women put on a show until Charles kills the dancer much to the joy of both him and the other woman, who is revealed to be a young Tiffany.
6	6	"Cape Queer"	Samir Rehem	Nick Zigler & Sarah Acosta	November 16, 2021 (2021-11-16)	0.378 (Syfy) 0.278 (USA Network)
After the events of Cult of Chucky, Andy and his foster sister Kyle have begun to hunt down the remaining Chucky dolls. Jake, Devon, and Lexy watch as their biology teacher, Mrs. Fairchild, is arrested and charged for the deaths of Oliver and the principal; with no other option, Jake and Devon successfully contact Andy and Kyle. Meanwhile, Nica reverts to her original body and feigns Chucky in Tiffany's presence. However, Tiffany discovers the ruse and reveals that she has purchased Chucky's childhood home before knocking Nica out and tying her up inside the house. Bree comes clean about her cancer diagnosis to her family; during a meeting with her therapist, Chucky pushes a cart toward Bree and throws her out the glass window to her death. Bree's therapist attributes it to depression and labels it as suicide. Devon reveals his relationship with Jake to his mother; shortly after, Jake, Devon, and Lexy set up a trap for Chucky, who attacks the trio and murders Detective Evans by breaking her neck when she falls down the stairs. Flashbacks: In 1987, Charles Lee Ray and Tiffany purchase a car and slit the salesman's throat. While they drive, Charles reads a book about Voodoo.
7	7	"Twice the Grieving, Double the Loss"	Samir Rehem	Mallory Westfall & Isabella Gutierrez	November 23, 2021 (2021-11-23)	0.350 (Syfy) 0.348 (USA Network)
At Bree's wake, Junior blames Jake for the recent deaths. Tiffany shows up unannounced and kisses Logan. Andy abandons Kyle at a gas station and heads to Hackensack on his own. Devon prepares to leave the town and live with his aunt, following his mother's death. At a public conference, Mayor Cross announces that the annual town screening of Frankenstein will have a celebrity guest of Jennifer Tilly, with Tiffany posing as her. Chucky acquaints Junior and convinces him to kill those he believes is responsible for his family falling apart. Jake steals money from Logan and runs away from home; however, he changes his mind after buying a suspicious Good Guy doll and brings it to Lexy's house. Both kids seek out Devon's location and realize that he has broken into Chucky's childhood home. Meanwhile, Chucky, who has regained power over Nica's body, takes Devon hostage. Chucky convinces Junior that Logan cheated on Bree with Tiffany, somehow causing her "suicide," and proceeds to beat Logan to death with the doll. As Jake and Lexy prepare to head to Devon's location, the doll Jake brings begins to come alive. Andy arrives at the Wheeler's house, and Devon is revealed to be surrounded by a horde of Good Guy dolls. Flashbacks: In 1988, Tiffany finds out that Charles kills behind her back and the two have an argument before he storms out.
8	8	"An Affair to Dismember"	Jeff Renfroe	Don Mancini & Harley Peyton	November 30, 2021 (2021-11-30)	0.296 (Syfy) 0.313 (USA Network)
The doll Jake brought to the Cross house comes alive, but he is shot to death by Kyle, who reveals Chucky's voodoo abilities before drugging Jake and Lexy to keep them safe. When Tiffany arrives home, Chucky, as Nica, attempts to kill her, but Chucky and Junior arrive to handle the situation. Tiffany shows Chucky his horde of Good Guys dolls to fulfill Chucky's plan: the dolls will be distributed in a delivery truck to murder people all over the country. When Tiffany accuses Chucky of being self-centered, Chucky tells Junior to kill Nica, but Tiffany, fed up with Chucky's abusive and neglectful treatment of her, decapitates the doll before he can. Tiffany plants a bomb in the basement, which goes off and seemingly kills Andy and Kyle. At the Frankenstein screening, Chucky hides under the theater seats and begins stabbing and killing multiple guests, including Nathan. Lexy convinces Junior to do the right thing, so he stabs Chucky before being stabbed himself. Jake finishes Chucky by crushing his head. Junior apologizes before dying in Lexy's arms. Andy, who survived the explosion, hijacks the truck and foils Chucky's plan, but Tiffany's doll form reveals herself and takes him hostage with a gun. The following day, Tiffany reveals that she has cut off Nica's limbs in fear of what Chucky would do if he takes over Nica's body again. Jake, Devon, and Lexy visit the Wheeler family's graves before a gloved hand appears. In an epilogue, Chucky recaps the series' kills and ends the season finale. Flashbacks: In 1988, as Charles leaves his apartment, Tiffany calls Detective Mike Norris to report the "Lakeshore Strangler".

Season 2 (2022)

Main article: Chucky (season 2)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
9	1	"Halloween II"	Jeff Renfroe	Don Mancini	October 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)	0.355 (Syfy) 0.320 (USA Network)
While the Tiffany doll holds him at gunpoint inside the truck of Good Guy dolls he stole, Andy drives it off a cliff. Six months later, Jake now lives with a foster family in Salem, New Jersey, with his younger foster brother Gary. Both Jake and Devon suddenly receive threatening phone calls from Chucky, who reveals he is outside Lexy's house. Caroline lets him in, believing he is a trick-or-treater. Devon calls the police, but Chucky is already gone. Mayor Cross, attending therapy with Caroline and Lexy, blames the Hackensack murders on Junior. Their therapist, Dr. Mixter, helps Caroline overcome her new fear of dolls by giving her a "non-possessed" doll of her own, which resembles the original bride design of the Tiffany doll. Lexy grows suspicious and warns Caroline not to trust her or any other doll. Lexy alerts Jake and Devon of the new doll; they arrive at her house and stay the night. The next day, Gary arrives at Lexy's house with Chucky in tow. Carrying a homemade bomb, Chucky explains that his army of dolls survived the truck crash, and that he planned to lure Jake, Devon, and Lexy to the same location so he could kill all three of them. When Chucky is distracted, Devon tases him, causing him to drop the bomb. Gary picks up the bomb and runs, but Chucky attacks him and detonates the bomb, killing himself and Gary. Jake, Devon, and Lexy are blamed for Gary's death and, in lieu of juvenile prison, they are sent to the Catholic School of the Incarnate Lord. When they arrive, Devon immediately recognizes the school as the same building that contained the boarding home where Charles Lee Ray grew up. Shortly after their arrival, a mail truck delivers a Chucky-box-sized package to the school.
10	2	"The Sinners Are Much More Fun"	Samir Rehem	Mallory Westfall & Don Mancini	October 12, 2022 (2022-10-12)	0.219 (Syfy) 0.209 (USA Network)
Tiffany wakes up next to the bloody head of the Tiffany doll that Andy killed. Nica-Chucky, who has now been Tiffany's captive for a year, says it's a warning that he is coming to kill her. A detective later visits Tiffany, investigating Nica's disappearance, but Tiffany kills him. At the School of the Incarnate Lord, Jake, Devon, and Lexy meet the headmaster, Father Bryce, as well as Lexy's eccentric roommate, Nadine, who admits she is a kleptomaniac. Lexy also discovers that Trevor, her childhood bully, is a student and altar boy. Meanwhile, the Chucky doll sent to the school awakens and causes a nun to die of a heart attack, whom he then photographs. When Father Bryce catches Jake confronting Chucky, he locks them in the same room. Chucky photographs Jake and escapes through the chimney. He then makes his way to Lexy's room and photographs her snorting clonazepam. Jake and Devon arrive and tie him up; Jake theorizes this specific Chucky is merely a scout for someone else. After it is revealed that Nica and Chucky have formed an alliance to take down Tiffany, Glen and Glenda, Chucky and Tiffany's twin children, arrive at their house.
11	3	"Hail Mary!"	Samir Rehem	Nick Zigler & Rachael Paradis	October 19, 2022 (2022-10-19)	0.272 (Syfy) 0.239 (USA Network)
Lexy discovers that Chucky has only one contact in his phone, named "The Colonel." Trevor, who sees the drugs in Lexy's possession, informs her that her mother lost re-election. He later threatens to use his leverage to ruin her life. When Chucky refuses to reveal any information, Jake instead attempts to sway him to their side by means of sensory overload and aversion therapy. It appears to work, turning Chucky docile (and, seemingly, amnesiac). Jake and Devon argue over their methods, with Devon wanting to kill Chucky, while Jake still overcome with guilt over Gary's death, believing he can only forgive himself if he can also forgive Chucky. Father Bryce witnesses the two kissing. Meanwhile, another Chucky doll is delivered to the school; he kills a priest while Nadine is in confessional. When Lexy suffers an anxiety attack, the docile Chucky leaves, later showing up on Father Bryce's desk. Lexy admits to Nadine that she suffers from depression and anger, and they grow closer. The next day, Trevor enters Lexy's empty room, but the newer Chucky follows him and brutally kills him. Jake, Devon, Lexy, and Nadine are forced to hide the body. The newer Chucky, who is bigger and stronger than normal, enters Father Bryce's office and threatens the docile Chucky.
12	4	"Death on Denial"	Don Mancini	Alex Delyle & Kim Garland	October 26, 2022 (2022-10-26)	0.224 (Syfy) 0.255 (USA Network)
Glen and Glenda, who believe Tiffany is actually Jennifer Tilly, question her about her knowledge of Nica; Tiffany feigns ignorance. Glenda then tells Tiffany of a recurring nightmare in which they murder a young woman. Glen and Glenda also reveal they've invited over Jennifer's friends and family - Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, Sutton Stracke, and Meg Tilly - as part of a surprise party. Tiffany has also hired a butler, Jeeves, who quickly aggravates the guests with his crass questions despite Tiffany only hiring him to guard Nica's room. When Nica disappears from her room and Jeeves turns up dead, Tiffany pretends she's hosting a murder mystery party. As Tiffany searches for Nica and questions her guests about Jeeves's death, it is revealed that Glen is aiding Nica and attempting to help her escape. A flashback from three months ago further reveals that Glen and Glenda discovered a tied-up Nica, accidentally triggering an emergence of Nica-Chucky, who convinced Glenda to help him kill Tiffany. In the present, as Glen tries to usher Nica out of the house, the sight of Joe's corpse reawakens Nica-Chucky, and Glenda knocks Glen unconscious. With the aid of new metal arms, Nica-Chucky tries to shoot Tiffany, but the bullets are gone. Tiffany slaps Nica-Chucky, bringing back Nica; Glen elects to stay behind as Nica escapes with Glenda, entering a car driven by a still-alive Kyle. Finally, Chucky reveals to the audience that Glenda killed Jeeves, while Gina used up the gun's bullets, killing Joe.
13	5	"Doll on Doll"	Leslie Libman	Mallory Westfall & Isabella Gutierrez	November 2, 2022 (2022-11-02)	0.227 (Syfy) 0.249 (USA Network)
The two Chuckys fight inside Father Bryce's office; the docile Chucky, now calling himself Good Chucky, gets the upper hand and incapacitates the evil Chucky via crucifixion. Nadine and Lexy discover that Trevor's body is gone. Devon becomes exasperated at Jake's continued defense of Good Chucky, who begins to doubt his own morality. The evil Chucky recovers in front of nun Sister Ruth, who is immediately convinced that he is a reincarnation of God. Meanwhile, Glen, who has been having the same nightmare as Glenda, confronts Tiffany about Nica's captivity, but Tiffany refuses to divulge any information unless Glen reveals Nica's whereabouts. When a suspicious Meg decides to stay at Tiffany's house, a captive Jennifer - trapped inside a Tiffany doll - feeds Tiffany false information, and Meg and Glen walk in on the two arguing. When Jennifer begs Meg for help, Tiffany murders Meg and reveals her true identity to Glen, bequeathing them the original Glen/Glenda doll. Tiffany and Glen burn down the house and leave with the doll and a tied-up Jennifer to find Glenda. Meanwhile, Devon and Lexy follow clues from the photos on Chucky's phone, leading them to a cabin near the grounds; in it, they see the bodies of Chucky's recent victims, "The Colonel", who is a bald Chucky torturing a still-alive Andy, and Dr. Mixter, who calls the doll "Charlie".
14	6	"He Is Risen Indeed"	Leslie Libman	Alex Delyle & Kim Garland	November 9, 2022 (2022-11-09)	0.227 (Syfy) 0.246 (USA Network)
A flashback reveals that after the truck crash, several of the remaining Chuckys, including The Colonel, dragged an unconscious Andy to captivity. Dr. Mixter, who was Charles Lee Ray's childhood therapist, offers to help The Colonel kill the other teens. When they leave the cabin, Devon and Lexy free Andy, who demands they take him back to the school. Father Bryce, furious at Devon and Lexy for leaving the grounds, locks down the school. Devon and Lexy bring Andy (posing as a homeless man) to the school, and Father Bryce begrudgingly allows him to stay thanks to the influence of Sister Catherine. Meanwhile, Kyle convinces Nica to allow her to speak to Nica-Chucky, but he merely taunts her about Andy and unsuccessfully urges Glenda to kill her. Kyle, Nica, and Glenda later drive towards the school. Sister Ruth attempts to convince Father Bryce of the evil Chucky's God-like sentience, but he accuses her of heresy; The Colonel later kills the evil Chucky via arsenic-laced communion wafers. Sister Ruth vows to avenge him. Andy informs the teens that The Colonel went insane and killed all the other surviving Chuckys from the crash. He kills The Colonel but is disturbed to see Good Chucky. Dr. Mixter, armed with a gun, retrieves Good Chucky, locking Andy and the teens inside their room. Good Chucky sees Father Bryce and begs for help while Andy breaks down the door; in the ensuing chaos, Dr. Mixter wounds Sister Catherine and knocks Andy unconscious, while Good Chucky runs upstairs with Nadine in pursuit. When Nadine tries to comfort him, he briefly turns evil and pushes her out of a window to her death.
15	7	"Goin' to the Chapel"	John Hyams	Nick Zigler & Amanda Blanchard	November 16, 2022 (2022-11-16)	0.130 (Syfy) 0.230 (USA Network)
Dr. Mixter claims she needs Good Chucky, the final Good Guy doll, to free Nica-Chucky, who she calls "Chucky Prime." She forces Father Bryce, along with the rest of the group, to perform an exorcism on Good Chucky to send Chucky to Hell, in exchange for performing a voodoo ritual to move Chucky Prime to Good Chucky's body. A traumatized Lexy overdoses on clonazepam, causing her to hallucinate Nadine's ghost, who convinces her to keep going. Glenda demands answers from Chucky, but he simply calls them a killer and demands they help him escape. The exorcism causes Chucky to enter Father Bryce's body; Father Bryce then explodes. Nica successfully performs the ritual, and Jake attempts to kill Chucky Prime, but Sister Ruth arrives, holding Lexy at gunpoint. Jake allows Dr. Mixter to leave with Chucky Prime; Sister Ruth prepares to kill Lexy anyway, but Glenda kills Sister Ruth before she can. Andy chases Dr. Mixter and Chucky Prime; he kills Chucky Prime, but Dr. Mixter escapes. Meanwhile, with Jennifer Tilly now wanted for murder, Tiffany has formulated a new plan: to swap bodies with Jennifer again. However, Jennifer escapes from the car and is killed by an oncoming truck, devastating Tiffany. Tiffany and Glen arrive at the school, where Nica attempts to shoot Tiffany, but Glen jumps in the path of the bullet. Tiffany and Glenda take Glen away to get help.
16	8	"Chucky Actually"	Jeff Renfroe	Alex Delyle & Mallory Westfall & Don Mancini	November 23, 2022 (2022-11-23)	0.138 (Syfy) 0.244 (USA Network)
A flashback reveals that Chucky Prime was able to perform the ritual to swap bodies with Dr. Mixter before Andy killed the doll. Now in her body, Chucky retrieves a new Good Guy doll from her office, which he transfers himself into (resulting in the police finding Dr. Mixter's body). With Glen's condition worsening, Glenda and Tiffany decide to save them by transferring them into the Glen/Glenda doll. After killing a suspicious cop, they perform the ritual - transferring both twins into the doll, now calling themselves G.G. Tiffany ships G.G. to England, so they can learn more about their origins. Weeks after returning home, Jake and Lexy enlist in group therapy, and Lexy invites Jake and Devon to stay at her house for Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Jake and Devon, along with Lexy and Mayor Cross, mend their respective relationships. Chucky arrives at the house, as does Tiffany, who is searching for Caroline's Belle doll. Chucky murders Mayor Cross when she comes down the stairs, and Tiffany doesn't intervene when Lexy arrives and kills Chucky. Jake and Devon wound Tiffany, but Caroline, whose mind has been fully twisted by Chucky, claims Tiffany is her real mother and leaves with her and the Belle doll. The next day, Jake, Devon, and Lexy are visited by Miss Fairchild, who believes their stories about Chucky. Three weeks later, after Tiffany and Caroline moved to New York, Tiffany received a threatening phone call from Nica (who is in New York as well), who swears revenge on her. Tiffany attempts to transfer her soul into the Belle doll but fails when it's revealed to be Chucky in disguise; he attacks Tiffany as Caroline smiles. Chucky then recaps the season's kills as he did in the first season.

Season 3 (2023-2024)

Main article: Chucky (season 3)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
Part 1
17	1	"Murder at 1600"	Jeff Renfroe	Nick Zigler & Don Mancini	October 4, 2023 (2023-10-04)	0.172 (Syfy) 0.207 (USA Network)
In the White House, Henry mentions how his doll "Joseph" protects him, which is in fact Chucky before going to sleep. The power then goes out and the Secret Service gets the President and his family to safety by going into the underground bunker before the power comes back on. During a conference the next day, press secretary Melanie explains that President James and his family are safe, and the power outage was just an inconvenience. As Melanie, Spence and James are in the Oval Office discuss the power outage, James insists that he does not want to bury the news or lie to the American people about it. James also introduces the vice president and Melanie to "Joseph", whom he brought along at Henry's request. He finds it odd that the doll has this name, as it is the name of his son who died the previous winter. When Henry returns home from school, he asks his security detail Teddy to check for him. Once inside, Teddy bends down and spots Chucky before picking him up. Chucky takes this opportunity to steal Teddy's gun and shoot him in the head, killing him. The press secretary informs the public of his death, which has been ruled a suicide. Meanwhile, Jake, Lexy, and Devon are attempting to use social media to spread awareness of Chucky and to find Caroline. Later at night, Chucky sends the three of them text before calling them on an unlisted number, and when they ask where he is, he taunts them that his new residence has "strict policies against visitors". In the morning the three discuss their call from Chucky. Just then, they see a news story about Teddy's funeral, and see Henry holding a Good Guy doll. They then make their plan to travel to the White House and kill Chucky once and for all.
18	2	"Let the Right One In"	John Hyams	Catherine Schetina & Amanda Blanchard and Alex Delyle & Rachael Paradis	October 11, 2023 (2023-10-11)	0.124 (Syfy) 0.261 (USA Network)
The next morning at breakfast, Henry says that "Joseph" doesn't want to go to school and would rather check out the Oval Office again. James agrees to let the doll come with him to work one more time. While in the Oval Office, James and Spence meet with a government agent named Pryce, who is investigating the suspicious nature of Teddy's death. The three leave the Oval Office while Samantha enters, and spots Chucky on the floor. When she picks him up, he springs to life and slits her throat with a letter opener. After Chucky leaves, Pryce walks into the Oval Office and finds Samantha's corpse. He summons Charlotte to help him cover up the murder for the sake of James' administration. Meanwhile Jake, Devon and Lexy are attempting to gain access to the White House. Lexy reaches out to Grant on TikTok and Grant connects with Lexy, and invites the three of them to the White House's Halloween party. However, when Grant tells Charlotte about this, she is upset with him over his "new friends". However through convincing Charlotte reluctantly agrees to meet with their legal guardian Miss Fairchild. During their meeting, the First Lady allows her three wards to attend the Halloween party. Just then, Pryce summons Charlotte away to which Chucky murders Miss Fairchild by smothering her to death with an American flag, and steals her phone. He then calls Charlotte, and taunts her and Pryce by saying that he has left a fresh body for them. Pryce tells Charlotte that he will continue to cover up any evidence of murders. To ensure Charlotte stays in line, Pryce blackmails her with evidence of an affair. Chucky then makes one final call to Jake, Devon and Lexy. He taunts them over the murder of their legal guardian, and remarks that he is waiting for them.
19	3	"Jennifer's Body"	John Hyams	Alex Delyle & Rachael Paradis and Catherine Schetina & Amanda Blanchard	October 18, 2023 (2023-10-18)	0.210 (Syfy) 0.230 (USA Network)
The episode depicts the events that occurred the previous year. First, Chucky is interrupted from killing Tiffany by a police raid; she is arrested for the murder of Mayor Cross. Nica arrives and attempts to chase Caroline and Chucky, but they escape through the subway. When Chucky discovers his doll form is starting to age, he visits a doctor who is an expert in voodoo. The doctor tells him that, as a result of his exorcism at the School of the Incarnate Lord, Damballa has abandoned him; he must sacrifice six people, located in an 'evil' location, to regain Damballa's faith and allow him to continue living. Chucky first tries killing six people in a house in Amityville, but the ritual fails, so he chooses the White House as his next location. He shows up at Joseph's gravesite while the First Family is mourning, and Henry keeps him. Meanwhile, at Tiffany's trial, Nica, Jake, Devon, and Lexy all testify against her; 'Jennifer Tilly' is convicted of 103 counts of murder and sentenced to death.
20	4	"Dressed to Kill"	Jeff Renfroe	Rachael Paradis & Don Mancini	October 25, 2023 (2023-10-25)	0.105 (Syfy) 0.247 (USA Network)
Despite Charlotte's objections, Pryce convinces her to hold their annual Halloween party at the White House to assuage President James and the populace. Charlotte hires nanny Annie Gilpin to watch over Henry during the party. Chucky plans for the arrival of Jake, Devon, and Lexy, intending to kill them as his final three sacrifices. The three arrive at the party with a plan to prove Chucky's guilt as well as subdue him. Henry comes downstairs with Chucky and the three try to get Chucky to speak, but the power goes out again. When it comes back on, a chandelier loosened by Chucky falls, killing Annie and several other guests. Henry and Chucky are ushered upstairs as the remaining guests are escorted out. Chucky attempts the ritual once again, but it fails again and he discovers he is even older than before. In prison, Tiffany meets celebrity chef Evelyn Elliot, who quickly despises her upon hearing that she killed Meg. Tiffany receives a package of voodoo dolls. She uses one to torture and kill Evelyn, then uses another to hypnotize a guard into helping her escape.

Production

Development

File:Chucky NYCC 2022 1.jpg

Don Mancini (left) took a somewhat autobiographical approach to Jake's character, played by Zackary Arthur (right).

On January 29, 2019, it was reported that a television series based on the Child's Play franchise was in development on Syfy, with Don Mancini serving as the creator. Mancini was also expected to serve as executive producer alongside David Kirschner, Harley Peyton, and Nick Antosca. On January 11, 2020, during NBCUniversal's presentation at the TCA Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, California, it was announced that Syfy had given the production a straight-to-series order, in a deal with Universal Content Productions. While working on the show, Mancini was concerned about the potential impact the 2019 Child's Play reboot could have had in the franchise, speculating that, had it been a success, Universal Pictures could have decided to abandon the original film's continuity. However, the reboot film (made without Mancini's approval) did not affect the TV show, and a sequel has not been produced.

Mancini, who began working for television on the Hannibal series, wanted to "reinvent" the Chucky franchise by bringing it to this format, and subsequently expand its fandom. He took a somewhat autobiographical approach to Jake's character, a gay teenager whose father is not accepting of the boy's "burgeoning sexual and romantic identity". The director cites this conflict as referential to his own adolescence. The show is a direct sequel to Cult of Chucky (2017), where the cliffhanger ending puts the titular character "on the road to a sexual exploration" after he transfers his soul to a female body. As an innovation for the character, Chucky is also used as a metaphor of the real life bully, guising himself to be "charming [and] funny" and manipulating people, what Mancini called "the ultimate bully". By making him close to Jake, whose struggles are related to those of the LGBT community, the series also acknowledges that "Chucky himself has a queer kid" (Glen/Glenda, from Seed of Chucky). According to Decider's Jon O'Brien, "queer characters have been a Child's Play mainstay ever since Bride of Chucky's ill-fated David (Gordon Michael Woolvett) back in 1998", but this series marks the first time they have such a prominent presence. However, Mancini stated that Chucky "is just a psychopath" and "will kill anybody", despite posing as Jake's ally.

Mancini wrote all eight episodes of the first season along with a team of writers, and directed the first episode. For Chucky, he was allowed to use the word "fuck" a maximum of ten times per episode, since he considers it an elemental aspect of the character. With eight hours to explore different sides of the story, Mancini saw the opportunity to elucidate the killer's past and answer questions that fans had been asking, like who his first victim was and how he met his bride Tiffany. Regarding the concept of multiple Chuckys, he explained that there are different versions of the character rather than a collective mind, something that also had its origin in Cult of Chucky.

On November 29, 2021, USA Network and Syfy renewed the series for a second season. Mancini began working on the first script in December and told Gizmodo that "a lot of the characters that fans love" might reappear in the second season. This was further commented by Jennifer Tilly, who foresaw the return of Glen/Glenda. Despite being disappointed by the initial reception of Seed of Chucky, Mancini was glad that this character was later embraced by queer fans of the franchise, which motivated him to expand their story in season two. Also inspired by Catholic-based horror films like The Exorcist and The Omen, he set the second season on a Catholic reform school, thinking that it would be troublesome for Jake and Devon's relationship to keep unfolding in an environment that is not "exactly down with the gays". This also draws from Mancini's youth since he grew up under the beliefs of the Catholic Church. He also stated that, at this point, making the show had become "cathartic", and that he began to exploit "specific actors' strengths and interests" with his writing (for example, Björgvin Arnarson's comedic side). The season also marks the reintroduction of the "Wedding Belle" doll, an item from Bride of Chucky that Mancini had been planning to reuse "for quite a while".

On January 15, 2023, USA Network and Syfy renewed the series for a third season, which was set for release in the fourth quarter of 2023. Filming began on April 27 of that year.

Casting

The first teaser for the show, released on July 15, 2020, revealed that Brad Dourif would again provide the voice of Chucky. He initially recorded his dialogues at home, working remotely with Don Mancini. Between March and April of the following year, many other actors already linked to the franchise were confirmed to have recurring roles, including Jennifer Tilly as Tiffany Valentine, Alex Vincent as Andy Barclay, Christine Elise as Kyle, and Fiona Dourif as Nica Pierce. Fiona also plays an adult version of Charles Lee Ray, but her voice was replaced with Brad's in post-production. A reason for this was that Nica sounded too similar when possessed by Charles, which would have been "confusing" for the audience. All these actors renewed their contract for the second season between April and May 2022.

Devon Sawa was cast to play the roles of twins Lucas and Logan Wheeler, while Barbara Alyn Woods and Lexa Doig took the roles of Michelle Cross and Bree Wheeler, respectively. Four teenage actors star in the series: Zackary Arthur as Jake, Teo Briones as Junior, Alyvia Alyn Lind as Lexy, and Björgvin Arnarson as Devon. Arthur, whose parents did not let him watch R-rated movies as a kid, had his first introduction to the saga in preparation for his role. Arnarson told Screen Rant that, near the end of shooting, Mancini told him that he wished he had written a slightly different version of his character, and maybe make him interested in stand-up comedy. In regards to Lexy, who evolves from the "classic mean girl" to someone who cares about others, Alyn Lind stated: "I just really wanted to make sure that she knew exactly what she wanted at all times [...] I wanted to make that switch very clear." In the second season they are joined by Bella Higginbotham, who described her character Nadine as "a light" in the Chucky franchise.

Woods reprises her role as Michelle in the second season, while Sawa returns as a new character, Father Bryce, the headmaster at the Catholic School of the Incarnate Lord. In June 2022, Lachlan Watson was cast as Glen and Glenda Ray, Chucky's twin children from Seed of Chucky. Mancini cast Watson in the dual role after meeting them during a virtual San Diego Comic-Con 2019 panel about transgender representation, when Watson was speaking about their trans character in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Expressing his desire to work with them and following conversations they had about Chucky led Mancini to see "what Glen and Glenda represent for him" in Watson. Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, Sutton Stracke and Meg Tilly make guest appearances; they play themselves as part of Jennifer Tilly's inner circle in the episode "Death on Denial". WWE wrestler Liv Morgan also appears in said episode; she had declared herself a lifelong Child's Play fan and was added to the script by Don Mancini per her request.

In the third season, Sawa returns again as a new character, the fictional President of the United States (his fourth character in the franchise). Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, Zackary Arthur, Björgvin Arnarson, and Alyvia Alyn Lind also return, with Lara Jean Chorostecki playing the President's wife. Comedian Kenan Thompson guest stars in the third episode of this season, playing a taxi driver who soon gets killed by Chucky with an umbrella. Mancini met Thompson through Barbara Alyn Woods, and following the 2022 New York Comic Con, talks about having Thompson play a character began. Amanda Blanchard wrote Thompson's death scene, and Mancini went on to consider it "one of the best kills in the franchise". Sarah Sherman and Nia Vardalos also appear in the season as guest stars. John Waters, who previously played Pete Peters in Seed of Chucky, will play Good Guys creator, Wendell Wilkins.

Filming

Filming for the series was scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2020, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shooting for the first season officially began on March 29, 2021, and concluded on August 11, 2021, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Square One parking lot in Mississauga was used as a "base camp" for the production team. Tony Gardner and Peter Chevako developed Chucky's look with the goal to make him look exactly like in Child's Play 2. This was because, from Mancini's standpoint, the first sequel seems to be the general fan favorite. It took group of six or seven puppeteers to make Chucky move, which represents 99.5% of the doll's actions, according to Mancini, who has expressed his preference to do things practically over using computer-generated images. Digital effects were only used to erase puppeteers from screen or any implements required by the animatronic, such as rods or cables. A child named Jacob sometimes performed as a double.

Mancini explained that there were "several Chuckys" on set to perform different activities, with roughly two props for each action, in order to make him talk, walk or achieve some elaborate shots. Teo Briones, who plays Junior Wheeler in the first season, explained that his death scene was executed with two of those different Chuckys: one to "rough around a little bit", and another that could move its mouth for the close-ups. He also remarked that those scenes showing interaction between the doll and the actors were significantly longer to shoot due to their complexity. On the other hand, the young adult aspect of the show is emphasized by "over-the-top, stylistic, grandiose, visual stuff", because, in Mancini's words, "that's how you experience things when you are a teenager. Everything is incredibly vivid."

Filming for the second season began on April 20, 2022, and concluded on August 29, 2022, in Toronto. This season sees the addition of Lachlan Watson as Glen and Glenda Ray, characters whose scenes had to be carefully planned into schedule, since each of them needed a different characterization that took an hour to complete at the hair and makeup department. Watson, who is a non-binary person and goes by gender-neutral pronouns, explained that the camera would be set and film them as Glenda, then they would change their costume and return to be filmed as Glen, with an ear piece that played the lines they had recorded previously. "When you're in that environment the timing has to be perfect. So that was a big learning curve," Watson said.

Filming for the third season began on April 27, and was expected to last until August 28, 2023, in Toronto. However, it was interrupted due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Knowing that the strike was coming, the show's crew focused their resources into finishing the first four episodes of the season before going on hiatus. According to Don Mancini, episodes five and six were almost finished as well, and some pieces of seven and eight. As a consequence of the strike, the season was split in two, with the first half ending on a cliffhanger in the episode "Dressed to Kill". Filming resumed on November 24, 2023.

Music

Joseph LoDuca served as the series' composer, as he did in Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky. For the show, he read the scripts beforehand and waited until the scenes were filmed to figure out ways to add a fitting soundtrack. Piano chords are used sometimes throughout the first season as an accompaniment to Jake and Devon's relationship, since the latter is seen playing that same instrument in the first episode. LoDuca also utilized a detuned toy piano to symbolize Chucky's "feigned innocence" in the first season. A similar theme was used to imply "something more sinister" to what was happening in certain scenes. A different version of the Child's Play 2 theme can also be heard in scenes involving Chucky and Caroline. LoDuca described the score for Tiffany as "lush", which helps present her as a "classic Hollywood vamp", while the flashbacks showing how she and Charles Lee Ray became a couple have a "80's synth vibe". Likewise, the show features licensed music by groups and solo artists like Billie Eilish, Kim Petras, Electric Youth, The Go-Go's, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Shaed, Rob Zombie, and Blue Öyster Cult, amongst many others.

Promotion and broadcast

File:Chucky panel @ New York Comic Con 2021, by Chris Roth.jpg

Chucky panel at the 2021 New York Comic Con. From left to right: Alex Vincent, Zackary Arthur, and Don Mancini.

Advertised as a "coming of rage" story, Chucky premiered simultaneously on Syfy and USA Network on October 12, 2021. Prior to the premiere, both channels released several promotional posters and videos, including one where Chucky reenacts the trailer for the 1978 film Magic with his classic voodoo chant to Damballa. In June, Syfy presented the "Pride of Chucky" marathon, consisting of six of the seven films from the Child's Play franchise, in celebration of LGBTQ+ pride month. On October 8, Don Mancini, Zackary Arthur, Jennifer Tilly and Alex Vincent attended the New York Comic Con, where a "Good Guys" branded ice cream truck was displayed. A screening of the first episode was also held at the same event.

The series became available for streaming on Peacock after the season 1 finale on December 1, 2021. A week after the American premiere, Chucky premiered on Showcase in Canada on October 19, 2021. It is also available on Star+ for all of Latin America, 9Now in Australia, Mediaset Infinity in Italy and on Sky Sci-Fi in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The second season premiered on October 5, 2022. The first trailer, released online on July 23, was going to premiere at the Chucky panel at San Diego Comic-Con that same day, but the show's crew cancelled their attendance just days prior for unclear reasons. A second trailer was released by IGN on September 14, accompanied by a promotional poster that shows Chucky sitting on a golden throne that references past films and the religious themes of the second season. A sneak peek of the second episode was screened during the Chucky panel at New York Comic Con, on October 7.

The third season premiered on October 4, 2023, on Syfy and USA Network, with each episode later appearing on Peacock. The premiere announcement came in the form of a teaser, where Chucky confirms vague details about the season during a "foul-mouthed" press conference. The first teaser trailer later came on August 31, and the first official trailer was released on September 18.

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 91% based on 34 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A bloody good time that benefits greatly from Brad Dourif's return, Chucky may not play well for non-fans, but franchise devotees will find its absurd humor and creative horror very much intact on the small screen." Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 10 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Earlier reviews, which focused on the first four episodes that were sent to critics, commented on how the franchise was adapted to the television format. Alex McLevy from The A.V. Club said that the series "retains all of [Chucky's] penchant for grotesque kills and juvenile, acidic humor", and that "when the oddball mix of sensibilities works, [the show] can be daffily entertaining". Television critic Daniel Fienberg finds the franchise "more funny than scary", with this installment still leaning towards the latter; writing for The Hollywood Reporter, he affirmed that "the series delivers solidly" when it comes to displaying Chucky in action, although being "a tiny bit unnerving when it shows how humans interact with the doll". Allison Keene from Paste described it as "surprisingly warm in terms of its atmosphere and direction", whereas Steven Scaife from Slant called it a "funny, absurd series that engenders sympathy as well as shock", also stating: "It creates a world of malleable, alienated kids failed to varying degrees by their parents, and then it expresses the danger of what they find once they're pushed away".

On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season has an approval rating of 91% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. Reviewing the first two episodes that were sent to critics, Collider's Alyse Wax said that the show at first "just seems like standard everyday horrors", although being "fun" and "a delight". Slash Film's Jeff Ewing highlighted the way the three main actors (Arthur, Arnarson and Alyn Lind) play off each other's performances, since they are "more convincing together than apart".

On Rotten Tomatoes, the third season holds an approval rating of 100% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critics consensus states, Chucky takes Washington and ought to earn every horror fan's vote with this raucous third round of mayhem.

Ratings

Within its first week, the show attracted a total of 4.4 million viewers, half of them being in the 18-49 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. It was one of the highest-rated premieres of 2021 in cable television. With the episodes later debuting on both Syfy and USA Network's official YouTube channels for free, Chucky also gathered 2.9 million views combined in the United States by October 25. Although it was the second most in-demand new TV series in mid-November, the sixth episode saw a 10.9% decrease in viewership as the Christmas season approached. The seventh episode, "Twice the Grieving, Double the Loss", was watched by 0.348 million viewers on USA Network and 0.350 million on Syfy, meaning an increase in viewership compared to the previous episode. The first season ended with its eighth episode and a smaller decrease in audience than the sixth, with 0.296 million viewers on Syfy and 0.313 million on USA Network.

The season two premiere was watched by 0.335 million viewers on Syfy and 0.320 million on USA Network. In the following two weeks, the show was watched by 4 million people. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chucky was among the top 10 dramas in cable television among adults 18–49 in 2022.

Accolades

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
Critics' Choice Super Awards	March 17, 2022	Best Horror Series	Chucky	Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards	April 2, 2022	Outstanding New TV Series	Chucky	Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association Awards	August 13, 2022	Best Cable Network Series, Drama	Chucky	Nominated
Saturn Awards	October 25, 2022	Best Horror Television Series: Network/Cable	Chucky	Nominated
		Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Network or Cable Television Series	Zackary Arthur	Nominated
		Best Guest-Starring Performance in a Network or Cable Television Series	Jennifer Tilly	Won
		Best Television Series Release	Chucky (Season 1)	Won
Critics' Choice Super Awards	March 16, 2023	Best Horror Series, Limited Series or TV Movie	Chucky	Nominated
		Best Villain in a Series, Limited Series or TV Movie	Brad Dourif	Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards	March 30, 2023	Outstanding Drama Series	Chucky	Nominated
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards	May 22, 2023	Best Series	Chucky	Nominated

See also

• List of television series based on films

External links

• Chucky at IMDb
• Official website (Syfy)
• Official website (USA Network)