EPISODE 1 OF THE NEW CHUCKY SERIES F*CKING SLAPS!
Before I get into how beautifully deranged and amazing the first episode of USA NETWORKS | SYFY new CHUCKY series is, I’d like to share a funny story with you all. At the very least, it will make you laugh at just how much of a knucklehead I am. I was attending this year's New York Comic Con (NYCC for short) and CHUCKY was being delightfully promoted with a fun and massive interactive exhibit which was made to look like an ice cream truck, driven by none other than our titular anti-hero, that has crashed into a home. To get inside the exhibit, which was an obvious decision, the wait for me was about 90 minutes give or take. That’s not that long in the grand scheme of con wait times, but it’s also a lot of time regardless. So as I gleefully get my turn to enter this ice cream truck bloodbath, I half pay attention to the directions being given on where and what direction to stand once inside. So there I am, listening to the voice of Brad Douriff berating me for not smiling, and then the big reveal is a series of hands that pop out and scare you the last time Chucky tells you to “scream”. The thing is, I missed this reveal. Because I had my back turned. I was turned the wrong, fucking, way. See the GIF below, and pictures of the amazing display so at the very least you can get a solid laugh at my ill-fated expense.
Caution: Possible Spoilers Ahead
Aside from absolutely fumbling the one photo op I waited in line for, I also got a chance to take in a sneak preview of the premiere episode of USA NETWORKS | SYFY new series CHUCKY! Not only were we treated to the first episode in full, but there was also a Q&A at the end with none other than series creator and caretaker DON MANCINI and film series favorite JENNIFER TILLY from her infamous role as TIFFANY. So how was the first episode?
To quote the third, and often least liked, installment in the CHILD’S PLAY series, "You Just Can't Keep A Good Guy Down.". That’s what DON MANCINI and the team have shown with the first hour-long episode in the upcoming CHUCKY series. Chucky gets picked up at a yard sale and no time is wasted until he is back to his old tricks again. This time, Chucky is picked up by Jake Webber (ZACKARY ARTHUR), a middle school kid who doesn’t fit in at home or in school. Without going into spoiler details, it isn’t too long until Jake realizes this isn’t any ordinary doll as Chucky comes to life, voiced exquisitely as usual by BRAD DOURIF, and starts to show everyone he’s here to fuck.shit.up!
What I really enjoyed about this is how Mancini wastes no time by introducing us to Chucky and gives the viewer some credit that they know what kind of show this is. While I’m not confident in saying everyone knows who Chucky is, I would venture to guess he is recognizable past a certain age. We get all the things we love about Chucky in this episode; vulgar banter, creative kills, and a new human companion to manipulate. It remains to be seen how their relationship will progress, but if the preview at the end of the episode was any indication then we are in for a treat. Above all, this felt like a Child’s Play film in the best way and I was quite surprised with just how far USA NETWORKS | SYFY is going with the language and violence. It’s funny to me because I still remember when NYPD Blue said “shit” on network TV and when South Park debuted their “shit” episode on Comedy Central. My, how far we have come...
After the episode, the crowd was in for a treat as both DON MANCINI and JENNIFER TILLY came out on stage for a quick Q&A between the two. We got some insight into how Don originally conceived the character in the 80s, as well as how he was able to weave in some of his own experiences as a young teen into the character of Jake. Then, before things wrapped, we had a couple of surprise guests by way of ALEX VINCENT and ZACKARY ARTHUR. You can watch some more in the videos below, and don’t @ me with the recording quality. There is a reason I write about movies and don’t make them *blows kiss*
CHUCKY will debut on October 12, 2021, on USA Network and SYFY.
