Picking up where we left off in “I Like To Be Hugged”, this episode wastes no time in jumping in with Jake being forced to clean the mess he’s made, and it’s fantastic.
The walls closing in on Jake and his growing fear of Chucky’s influence are the heart of this episode, emotionally. I’m glad that time was taken for Jake to not only see but feel the aftermath of giving Chucky an inch and him turning it into a bloody mile. It would have been enough to show Jake’s relief that Devon wasn’t harmed, but having his guilt overwhelm him and confessing to Lexy in the wake of Caroline and Junior’s hospitalization took it even farther. With Detective Evans putting him in the hot seat later in the episode, we feel the sense of distrust in the adults around him and narrowing options he has for dealing with Chucky.
This episode is also the first truly humanizing glimpse we see of Lexy, who for the past few episodes has been mostly two-dimensional, even if Alyvia Alyn Lind’s portrayal is entertaining. It was satisfying to see her ruthless façade break down, showing she’s just a kid who feels as terrified and helpless as Jake, following Chucky’s attempt on her life. Watching her switch from frightened, to angry, to sad, before eventually becoming determined to stop Chucky, was compelling and sets her on an interesting path moving forward. All in all, Jake and Lexy’s choice to band together and the dialogue between them feels organic, and most importantly, exciting.
There are scenes in the episode where director Leslie Libman’s artistic choices can be slightly distracting, especially the conversation between Junior and Logan filmed almost entirely in poorly situated Dutch angles. Fortunately, this episode looks wonderful everywhere else. From the set design of Lexy’s house violently gutted by fire to the hospital’s ominously dark and sterile halls, all of it is brought to life by Colin Hoult’s cinematography and the lighting work done in the episode. Serious credit to the often forgotten but indispensable art and camera departments who make the dream a reality.
Libman’s directorial work also helps pull off that all-important balance between the grotesque and humorous. The image of the partially charred Chucky emerging from the shadows is genuinely freaky with Lexy’s life literally hanging in the balance. The under-lit silhouette of him in the darkness is unsettling when his sinister encouragement for Jake to let go mixes with Lexy’s whimpers for help. And when he is finally visible in the light, it is a lot of fun watching his feeble, tiny jumps to try and stab at her dangling legs. It’s gritty without taking itself too seriously.
Speaking of Chucky, all the flashbacks in this episode were exactly what I had wanted out of Episode 3. It’s nice to see Eddie Caputo’s backstory and the weird sociopathic bonding that motivates him to join back up with Charles later in life. More importantly, it’s a testament to Mancini’s love for the small details in all he’s written. And most importantly, who doesn’t love a shot of Chucky flipping somebody off to end the episode?
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS: Lind and Arthur give their characters’ new, dynamic relationship some gravity with their performances as they begin the slow turn from enemies to allies. Tyler Barish’s portrayal of 14-year-old Charles Lee Ray gave the character a creepy calmness that really made his scenes work, without being too over the top. Shoutout to Travis Milne for bringing some campiness to Detective Peyton’s grisly death by a barrage of syringes.
VISUAL HIGHLIGHTS: The sheer volume of enjoyable practical effects in this episode was delightful. The new, half-melted Chucky animatronic looks fantastic and gave some real Toxic Avenger vibes. The ridiculous ‘blood leaking out of the fingernails’ gag was a nice touch for Detective Peyton’s death. And as simple of an effect as it is, the maggots in the janitor’s wounds made me semi-nauseous. Impressive stuff!
QUOTE OF THE EPISODE: “Sorry asshole, but I just couldn’t take it for one more second! From the minute I first saw you, y’know? I couldn’t stand your fucking face…I don’t know. Maybe I’m just projecting.”
RATING: 9.5 (Hospital Cookies Stolen by A Doomed, Bumbling Cop)/10. Except for some minor directorial issues, this is a great episode that I can’t find many faults with. It is very close in ranking with the pilot for how engaging it was. At times it feels very cinematic and gives off the energy of the best parts of both Curse and Cult by utilizing the hospital and decrepit house settings to their fullest, without ever staying too long in one location.