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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Scream and Final Destination have their rules of surviving a horror scenario. Meanwhile, Chucky teaches you how to control the situation by becoming the killer. The third episode of Don Mancini’s hit horror slasher series is titled “I Like to Be Hugged”. Executive story editor Nick Zigler and story editor Sarah Acosta serve as the writers of the episode. Meanwhile, Dermott Downs (Doom Patrol) returns to the director’s chair.
In this review, I will be discussing Chucky‘s third episode. There will be spoilers to follow, as the title of this article suggests. Please read ahead at your own discretion, or forever be doomed with revelations.
Plot Summary
Hackensack – 1965
At his birthday party, young Charles Lee Ray (David Kohlsmith) shows signs of his becoming a killer. He smashes into a piñata repeatedly before slicing into his cake with a kitchen knife. His parents, Elizabeth (Marisa McIntyre) and Peter Ray (Andrew Butcher) hear of a serial killer on the loose.
Soon afterward, he awakes one night to crashing sounds from outside his bedroom. He walks downstairs to see his father being stabbed to death by an intruder (Christopher Cordell). Elizabeth takes Charles upstairs, where they hide in a closet. The boy arms himself with a pocket knife. Unfortunately for his mother, she is stabbed to death by her own son before the intruder opens the closet to see the mess. The intruder then commends the boy for the act and gives him a piece of advice.
Prologue to the Present
At the Wheelers’ mansion, Charles “Chucky” Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) teaches Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur) how to be a killer. Jake asks him when he first started to become a killer. Chucky tells the boy his tale (see above sub-section), saying, “You never forget your first”.
At School – Daytime – Present
At Perry Middle School, science teacher Miss Fairchild (Annie Briggs) is met by Detective Kim Evans (Rachelle Casseus). The police detective questions her about Jake Wheeler, but Fairchild refuses to help in the investigation. Meanwhile, in the hallway, the detective’s son, Devon Evans (Björgvin Arnarson) speaks with Jake. He expresses his wanting to protect him from trouble.
After school, Fairchild tells Jake that she has called for a meeting with the Wheelers and the Crosses. She believes this will “diffuse the situation” between him and Lexy Cross (Alyvia Alyn Lind). His teacher also says she is there for him.
Afternoon – Present
With the helping of a tracking device and Chucky’s knife, Jake stalks whom he believes is Lexy. However, it turns out to be his cousin, Junior Wheeler (Teo Briones), jogging.
Junior stops by Lexy’s house to return her phone to her. He tells her that she crossed a line with her Halloween costume and that she needs to apologize to his cousin. Inside, her younger sister, Caroline (Carina London Battrick), throws a tantrum to her parents, Michelle Cross (Barbara Alyn Woods) and Mr. Cross (Michael Therriault); the girl wants the Chucky doll.
In the Wheelers’ garage, Jake picks out weapons to use to kill Lexy. Lexy comes over to apologize for her Halloween stunt only to ask for Chucky in exchange. Initially, he refuses, but upon Chucky’s advice later, Jake gives the doll to Caroline.
Meanwhile, Detective Evans tells Devon to stay away from Jake. She says it is because she has her suspicions of the boy.
Evening – Present
Oliver Hayden (Avery Esteves), Junior, Devon, and other kids come over to the Crosses’ home while Lexy and Caroline’s parents are away. Oliver gives Lexy a bottle of alcohol, arousing Junior’s jealousy.
Bree Wheeler (Lexa Doig) arrives a bit late to Fairchild and Principal McVey (Jana Peck)’s after-school meeting. Her husband Logan Wheeler (Devon Sawa) and Fairchild argue that the situation is caused by Lexy’s bullying. However, Michelle defends her daughter, who says that Jake humiliated Lexy and many others at the school talent show. Fairchild then shows the parents a video recording of Lexy in her Halloween costume as Logan’s dying brother, Lucas.
Nighttime – Present
Jake visits his parents’ tombstones at the town cemetery. There, he apologizes for the mistakes he believes he’s made and for not being the type of son they wanted.
At the Crosses’ house, Lexy puts her sister to sleep by singing an ominous lullaby. She and Junior tuck Caroline and Chucky into bed. After they leave, Chucky tells the girl that he will kill her sister, then proceeds to cut through the blanket with his knife.
Downstairs, Junior grows even more jealous as he watches Lexy dance with Oliver. Lexy dances with Junior then heads into the kitchen, where she is met by Caroline. Her sister tells her that Chucky plans to kill her. Upstairs, Lexy puts her sister back to bed and searches for the doll. There, Chucky sees someone walk out of a room and he stabs them through a leg. To his disappointment, it is revealed to be Oliver. Chucky then continues to stab him repeatedly, although none of the other teenagers see this happen due to their wearing headphones and dancing to loud music.
Lexy walks up to her bedroom, where she smokes up a blunt. She finds Chucky’s tennis shoes hiding behind her red curtains. She picks them up as Chucky attempts to strangle her from behind. Lexy drops her lit joint by the curtains. They catch on fire while she tries to get Chucky off of her. She slams the doll to the ground, but he picks up his knife. The fire grows as he laughs and nears her.
Sirens sound in the distance as Jake begs his deceased parents for forgiveness. Charles Lee Ray’s tombstone is also revealed to be at the cemetery.
Cast of Chucky
Paul Gordon portrays a TV News Reporter in 1965, while Christine Aziz plays a present-day TV News Reporter.
Nick Fisher plays a Good Guy Doll, while Tony Gardner, Peter Chevako, Erik Beck, Pamela Iveta, Steve Newburn, and Gord Robertson act as puppeteers.
Discussion
In this episode, Lisa Grootenboer returns as the editor, while David Tarnawsky returns as the assistant editor. Brent Bell serves as the set designer. Pete Von Sholly serves as the storyboard artist.
I love how twisted this episode becomes as time progresses. The title gets its name from the Good Guy Dolls’ popular catchphrase. Although, I would like to believe that it also refers to Chucky’s hard way of killing his victims (see the next section). The writers and the other crew members of the episode went for something cruel in terms of both the killer and the human protagonists. Along with Hoult’s cinematographic framing and LoDuca’s composition, I can’t help but commend the writers and the editors for the pacing of the episode. The build-up to the final act was just tremendous, and the entire episode itself is deserving of multiple rewatches.
I also couldn’t help but notice that Therriault’s character looked strangely familiar. I may be late, but he is referred to as “Mr. Cross” in the show. However, the actor also appears in 2017’s Cult of Chucky as Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif)’s psychiatrist, Dr. Foley. With the strange dual roles of this and that (such as twins) that I’ve noted in the previous two episodes, my theory could be that the two characters may be very well connected. Who knows for sure? Perhaps it’s all just a coincidence.
Easter Eggs
- The episode’s introduction title sequence features pitchforks and other gardening tools. This is different compared to that of the pilot and Episode 102. This one, in particular, seems to be a nod to Stephen King’s short story, “Children of the Corn”, and the adaptation(s) thereof.
- Chucky tries to strangle Lexy; this is similar to his attack on Karen Barclay (Catherine Hicks) in Child’s Play (1988).
- This may be a reach, but if we are to keep referring to the 1980s… This episode’s final shot of Chucky in front of the growing fire is reminiscent of Charlene “Charlie” McGee (Drew Barrymore) in Mark L. Lester’s 1984 adaptation of King’s novel, Firestarter.
- Going into the mid-to-late 1990s; as I’ve mentioned at the beginning of this article, it seems Chucky wants to make his rules of horror known. Wes Craven’s Scream franchise involves the rules of surviving a slasher scenario, while James Wong and Jeffrey Reddick’s Final Destination franchise is about surviving Death in a supernatural situation. In the next section, I shall note down the killer doll’s rules for being a killer.
Don’t Try This at Home
Chucky advises Jake on how to be a killer. (This does *NOT* mean you should, in any way, follow along and is only meant for critical purposes.)
- “Picking your prey – [they] could be a total stranger, could be someone close to you. Or maybe someone that you just want to shut the f*ck up, but no matter how you slice it, you got to find that special someone.”
- “[R]eally get to know your victim; what they like, where they go. … The moment isn’t always right, but I promise you, the right moment always comes.”
- Give your victim what they want. “When it all comes together, it’s like fireworks. … Every killer needs a cover.”
BONUS: the Intruder tells a young Charles to cover his tracks in order to “do this right”.
Performances and Character Developments
I love Arthur’s performance and the development that Jake undergoes throughout this episode. This is a character who has been tempted by wrath to do what needs to be done. Working with Chucky is something that doesn’t occur with the doll’s other young characters, so this is new for fans.
Since we’re on the subject of the Seven Deadly Sins, Briones’s character Junior expresses his envy/jealousy when Lexy seems to give more attention to Oliver. Oliver’s death was to be expected when he appeared in TV spots and trailers. His appearance on the show didn’t seem significant at all and felt like a speck of dirt to be washed away from a plate. Although, I will say that Esteves’s performance as a bully during these past three episodes (however little it may be) is worthwhile.
I will say, though, that Lind’s character proves to be a more effective bully to Jake and one that will last longer. Her fate in the episode isn’t shown, so we’ll have to wait until at least next week to discover what happened to her. Briggs and Sawa are just great as adults who are actually wanting to do the right thing as well as knowing what that is. Lexy is, indeed, a terrible child whose primary vice is her hubris.
Final Thoughts
Excluding Arnarson’s Devon, I feel like the main trio of teenagers comes off as if they are fit to be featured in a Scream poster. With how these kids have developed as characters over the course of just three episodes, it would not be surprising if somehow Lexy and Junior turn into Chucky’s puppets. They do look like they have what it takes to be on the sinful side.
“I Like to Be Hugged” further takes us back to Chucky’s roots, not just in his childhood but also in his journey to murder. He calls upon a few lessons he’s learned along the way and even tries to go old-fashioned when it comes to his attempt at killing Lexy. In the way that Joe Chill is the person that leads Bruce Wayne to become Batman, the Intruder serves as Charles Lee Ray’s inspiration to become the killer Chucky doll.
Chucky is on SYFY and USA Network!
Have you seen this week’s newest episode yet? If you have, what are your thoughts on it? Let us know! For more adaptation, horror, and television-related news and reviews, give The Cinema Spot a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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