The back half of Don Mancini’s “Chucky“ Season 3 has finally arrived, which means the metaphorical training wheels are off. The first half of the season introduced new slaying grounds for the killer Good Guy doll, thrusting Chucky into the White House with its complicated tenants. Episode 5, “Death Becomes Her,” wastes no time addressing Episode 4’s massive dangling threads while barreling toward what’s sure to be an unpredictable battle for control.
The Halloween bloodbath at the end of Episode 4 did poor President James Collins (Devon Sawa) no favors, both for his career and declining mental health. Mistaking a disguised Chucky (Brad Dourif) for his deceased son Joseph has left him deeply troubled and convinced he’s haunted. First Lady Charlotte Collins (Lara Jean Chorostecki) is left to pick up the pieces while navigating her guilt, which is made worse by tricky CIA agent Warren Pryce (Gil Bellows).
Meanwhile, Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur), Devon (Bjorgvin Arnarson), and Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind) are still determined to stop the White House invader, even though Lexy burned her bridge with the President’s surviving son, Grant (Jackson Kelly). The scales were tipped in their favor in Episode 4 when Chucky mysteriously discovered he was rapidly aging, and Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) was locked away on death row. But this is “Chucky,” of course, and not even age or prison can deter these psychopaths from their insatiable lust for blood.
“Death Becomes Her” endearingly lets Jake and Devon take full advantage of their momentary reprieve from the serial killer’s devious machinations now that he’s sidelined with an aging affliction. The committed pair finally carve out time for their relationship while Lexy regroups over her strategy with Grant. These early scenes are touching, highlighting just how much growth they’ve all experienced and endured without losing their light in the process. But the trio know their foe well enough to know they can’t rest for long.
Series creator Don Mancini maintains that uncanny ability to catapult viewers through the zaniest situations, gory kills, and sharp narrative detours with effortless speed. That continues here, and the brisk pacing means that we mercifully don’t have to wait long for an explanation of Chucky’s new situation. While the reasoning is amusing, it pales in comparison to seeing how Chucky copes with his new senior citizen status. “Death Becomes Her” delivers no shortage of zingers from the pint-sized killer, and Brad Dourif’s line delivery induces full-on belly laughs. Mancini and Dourif combine forces for a particular meta fan service moment that’s every bit as delightful and hilarious as intended, all but sure to rally the fanbase even harder around it.
It’s the humor that shines brightest in “Chucky” Season 3’s awaited return. The one-liners, over-the-top kills, cheeky Damballa specialists, and Dourif having a ball exploring a new side to his enduring character make for a welcome return. As entertaining as the episode is, with so many standout charming moments, Mancini propels the story forward in subtler ways. The increasingly complicated situation involving James and Charlotte escalates in ways that will shape the entire trajectory of Season 3’s back half for all players involved.
Chucky isn’t the type to wallow long, especially with the support of Tiffany, and “Death Becomes Her” effectively starts the ramp-up toward what’s sure to be another insane, wildly unpredictable season finale. We wouldn’t expect anything less from “Chucky.”
“Chucky” Season 3: Part 2 premieres on April 10 at 10/9c on USA & SYFY.
