Coming off of two strong episodes in a row, many fans were hoping that Chucky‘s newest outing would maintain this momentum, and it did. In doing so, the series has firmly distanced itself from its lackluster premiere. Last week, this show started to hit its stride; now, it’s off to the races, as the creative team has successfully built up the characters and set the stage for what should be a heart-pounding second half of the season.
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Previously, Chucky has established arrogant bully Lexy as an utterly hateable antagonist to the extent that the viewer is actively rooting for Jake or the homicidal doll to give the girl her violent comeuppance. “Just Let Go” doesn’t change that; it doesn’t redeem Lexy, and it doesn’t make her likable. After all, she’s still the same person who cruelly dressed up as Jake’s dead dad for Halloween. But this chapter does force her to eventually treat Jake with some relative decency. Despite their issues with each other, they have to work together in an attempt to stop Chucky’s reign of terror.
This reluctant partnership is born out of necessity, as the beginning of the episode — which shows the tragic aftermath of Chucky’s latest outburst — makes it clear that someone needs to stop him. The body count continues to rise, and it’s becoming impossible for the townspeople to ignore the fact that Chucky, and by extension Jake, has been in at or near the scene of the crime every single time. Of course, even with this recognition, the concerned parents of Jake’s classmates aren’t quite ready to connect the dots entirely. That would require them to believe that a doll could both come alive and murder people, which must seem like sheer lunacy to anyone with a sane mind. They’ll likely need a few more dead bodies to give them an already overdue reality check.
As a result, Jake and Lexy have to put aside their differences for the greater good. The real kicker comes when Jake admits that he told Chucky to kill Lexy. Though she’s eager to punish her former victim for this attempted hit, he wisely points out that, even if she shares the information with her parents or the police, no one would believe her. Instead, she’d wind up like any number of the other characters, throughout this franchise, who have tried to tell the world about Chucky’s evil deeds — institutionalized or worse. Indeed, Lexy has no choice but to work with Jake in her mission to stop Chucky. But even as this partnership somewhat gels throughout the episode, it might be too little, too late.
“Just Let Go” explores the consequences of last week’s cliffhanger, when Chucky tried to burn Lexy’s house down while a group of kids was still inside. He also killed Oliver, one of Jake’s classmates, at this party, and the cops’ discovery of the body is the first strong indication that a killer is on the loose. In the aftermath, parents and kids alike try to process this traumatic evening at the local hospital while the news of Oliver’s murder spreads like wildfire. Even as more people are starting to see some semblance of the truth, Chucky continues to wreak havoc in a way that pays tribute to one of the franchise’s most fun outings.
Before this episode, Chucky used standard settings, including Jake’s house and his school. But “Just Let Go” ventures outside the box by letting the psychotic doll play in a hospital, which offers any number of new possibilities. Chucky capitalizes by using scalpels and surgical syringes as murder weapons, and he also delivers one-liners that are custom-made for the occasion; right before he uses a needle to kill someone, he does his best impression of a nurse by telling his victim they might feel a little “pinch.” By setting Chucky loose in this new environment, this episode calls back to Child’s Play 3, where Chucky raises some hell at Kent Military Academy. If nothing else, this indirect tribute to the franchise’s past is a pleasant surprise, and it sets up a second consecutive cliffhanger.
This time around, the episode ends with the discovery of Chucky’s latest victim; this time, the doll is found right next to the body, and Jake’s presence near the scene of the crime is certain to prompt some finger-pointing in his direction. Even as Jake rejects Chucky’s attempted manipulation of his inner temptation to kill Lexy, the boy is in danger of taking the fall for Chucky’s crimes. Now, the series is turning into a battle for both Jake’s soul and, quite literally, his freedom.
This added layer of tension draws the viewer in and makes Jake even more sympathetic; we all see Chucky’s crimes, but with each new murder, more suspicion is thrown Jake’s way, despite his efforts to do the right thing. Plus, his struggle for his soul, as Chucky continues his efforts to coax the boy to the dark side, continues to leave the viewer on the edge of their seat. At any given moment, it seems like Jake is just one push away from giving in to his violent nature.
Thankfully, horror fans won’t have to wait too long to see what’s next. New episodes of the Syfy and USA Network series will be released weekly, so catch Chucky, along with our review, every Tuesday.
