North Texas Daily

Everyone’s favorite killer doll made his way back to prime-time television last year, with season one of “Chucky” taking the horror world by storm. Since 1988, Chucky has sliced his way through pop culture and maintained one of the most consistent, quality franchises in horror history. 

Season two of “Chucky” cranks everything up a notch, placing confidence in the viewers to sit down and enjoy the wacky ride. Creator Don Mancini has never failed to deliver, and from what season two brought to the table, it doesn’t look like he will anytime soon.

After the events of season one, Jake (Zackary Arthur), Devon (Bjorgvin Arnarson) and Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind) find themselves being pursued by Chucky once again. The trio is placed in a Catholic school, where they are constantly tested by evil.

This season also picks up where Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) left off, which is continuing to hold Nica (Fiona Dourif) prisoner. If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. This show is crazy in the most perfectly twisted way possible.

It would take far too long to cover each actor individually, but everyone did a phenomenal job this season. Even with a cast as full as this one, everyone had moments to shine to their fullest potential.

Additions to the cast, like Glen/Glenda (Lachlan Watson) and Nadine (Bella Higginbotham), introduced new dynamics to multiple storylines. Both actors give fantastic performances, and their reception has landed both of them in fan-favorite territory.

Brad Dourif has been the voice of Chucky for over three decades and is having the most fun he’s ever had with the character this season. It turns out Chucky comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes too, with fun variants of the doll playing prominent roles in the chaos. A buff version of Chucky and a bald Chucky doll are just a taste of what gorgeous monstrosities are cooked up this season.

Mancini’s sandbox is always expanding. Just when you may think the story is approaching a stalemate, he finds a new toy to throw into the mix.

Tilly is the standout for season two, making the most — and then some — out of every second of her screen time. The amount of camp she brings to the screen is iconic in its own right. No other actor can replicate the magic Tilly delivered over the eight episodes. She’s just as important to this franchise as Chucky himself.

The gore jumped in both quality and quantity this season. One thing about Chucky, he will always find a way to put on a show when he is killing someone.

Some of the most elaborate killings are just as entertaining as a basic hack-and-slash, especially when they are followed with the iconic Chucky laugh fans know and love. It is less about scaring the audience and more about seeing how far the show can get your jaw to drop to the floor from its absurdness.

From timely comedic writing to LGBTQ representation, there are so many fine details in “Chucky” that add a level of appreciation missing from many mainstream franchises. When watching the show play out, it is apparent the cast and crew work as a family and not just as coworkers.

It is easy to sniff out when something is made for a studio’s approval and when something is made with the fans in mind. This show is the latter.

Aside from an abysmal reboot in 2019, this franchise’s continuity has held strong for over 30 years. Despite tone changes and newly introduced characters over the span of seven films and two TV seasons, there are no retcons to be seen.

Compare Chucky’s legacy to another horror franchise like “Halloween,” where multiple timelines exist and there doesn’t seem to be an ounce of organization anywhere. It makes it effortless to crown “Child’s Play” as the ultimate horror franchise.

It turns out there are more ways to make splashes in the horror genre than hitting the big screen. Chucky and company have found a home on weekly television, and it suits them perfectly.

Season two of “Chucky” takes the franchise where it has never been before, with some seedlings planted for outrageous future plans. In an era where new and established horror is thriving like never before, it seems no one is doing it quite like Chucky.

Jaden’s rating: 5/5

Featured Illustration by Jazmine Garcia