Chucky may be a horror icon, but he is more of a second-tier character. A few years ago, a series based on the killer doll was released. MyMMO author Niko Hernes started watching the first episode, looking forward to mediocre trash. But he was surprised: the series is truly good.
Who is Chucky, the killer doll?
- The franchise started in 1988 and has had 8 films to date, including one reboot
- It is not purely horror, but more of a horror-comedy
- It revolves around a murderous toy doll that contains the spirit of a serial killer
- In 2021, the series was released, which continues the 7 films of the original franchise
For the series, no knowledge of the films is necessary, but one should know what Chucky is. However, one can enjoy the series without having seen the films. Those who have seen the films will find a lot of love and respect for the over 30-year-old film series. This is also because the creator of Chucky, Don Mancini, is involved in the series.
I like trash movies and series. Especially in the horror genre, they are often incredibly entertaining and have qualities that are completely unexpected. And so I started watching the first season of Chucky – but I got little trash, instead surprisingly much quality.
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From the Children’s Room to High School
Jake Wheeler is interested in art and retro stuff. At a flea market, he finds a doll with red hair that he wants to use for an art project. As it usually goes, the doll is Chucky, who now intrudes into Jake Wheeler’s sad life.
At the beginning of the series, Chucky takes on the role of a bad devil on the shoulder. He wants to entice Jake to commit a murder. Quickly, Chucky also directly intervenes in the chaos of high school.
The story in school is quite cliché and generic. But through Chucky, who kills and gives Jake tips, a very comedic atmosphere arises. Especially since most of the students are incredibly unsympathetic.
The series deals with classic high school clichés by having a murderous doll show how ridiculous it all actually is.
Chucky’s loose mouth is the star that gives the generic context the right flavor and kept me entertained in almost every episode. But the big, unexpected highlight for me are the action scenes and the kills.
A Well-Crafted Series
Everything so far sounds like a possibly fun trash guarantee, but what surprised me completely is how high-quality the series looks. Watching Chucky on the surface, the series looks quite good. While CGI is used, the star of the series is moved and played by puppeteers.
The way he moves and how it is staged makes him really look like a doll moving through voodoo. The voice of Chucky is Brad Dourif, who has voiced him since the original. Only in the terrible reboot of 2019 is Chucky voiced by Mark Hamil.
The combination of puppeteers and voice is especially a true feast in the murder and fight scenes. Chucky is small, but this allows him to move differently from other killers. For example, he moves under chairs or disguises himself as an ordinary doll.
The kills themselves are bloody, skillfully executed. Because of Chucky’s body, they are also creatively realized and enjoyable. It is never really scary, but as an element in a horror-comedy, these scenes work perfectly, without ever slipping into silly territories.
For fans of the film series, the show offers incredibly many recurring characters. These are not only visible in the background but also central figures in the story. They are reinterpreted in a new and modern way, while the entire history of the Chucky series is treated with respect.
I love the series. Sure, the nonsense with high school is not particularly exciting, but how Chucky deals with it is absolutely entertaining, and from the second season onward, we also move to a more exciting location.
Anyone who enjoys quality kills and absurd stories of a murdering doll with a loose mouth will have the time of their life here. But those expecting real
horror should rather resort to series like these:
New horror miniseries on Netflix is getting great reviews, perfect for Halloween
