“Chucky Actually” is a true holiday special, and that it's the Season 2 finale makes it all the better. The kids’ time at the Incarnate Lord, which was supposed to heal them from their violent past, threw them right back into it. There might be some calm though. Because Chucky is dead! Like, jaw shot off, body full of bullets dead. At the end of last week’s episode, the slasher icon finally -- nah, he’s very much alive. Before Andy (Alex Vincent) kept firing his gun, Chucky switched bodies with Dr. Mixter (Rosemary Dunsmore). We see flashbacks of Dr. Mixter remembering her history with Chucky, dancing with him as a kid when he was her patient, to more current times. She helped Chucky in his planning during the first season. Her advice is simple. Mess up the lives of the teens he’s after and one is bound to be the killer he needs. Which is what happened with Junior (Teo Briones).
And after all the help Mixter has given, how does Chucky repay her? Well, Christmas is the season of giving. And Chucky decides Dr. Mixter should give up her life for him. Back at Incarnate Lord, Chucky does his Damballa body switch while everyone else is busy dealing with Sister Ruth. Once she gets the knife in her eye from Glenda, Chucky is full-on admiring his new self in Mixter’s body and bolts. So the doll that dies in agony is Mixter, and she deserves it. But that means Chucky is still on the loose. Arriving at Mixter’s office, Chucky opens up a vault and there is a healthy looking Good Guy doll as a vessel. They dance in joy, as it snows out the window and the opening credits start up.
3 Chopping Days 'Til Christmas
Back in Hackensack, New Jersey, the town is all decorated for the holidays. Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind) opens up about her mental health at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. She finally is bettering herself. Along with her is Jake (Zachary Arthur). Right when he thinks she is going to open up about all things Chucky, Lexy actually opens up about her mother. And there is a lot of resentment. Over at the Cross house, Lexy’s sister Caroline (Carina Battrick) is spending time with the Belle doll when Lexy and Jake arrive, Jake spending the holidays with Lexy. Michelle (Barbara Alyn Woods) greets them, overly cheery, and it shouldn’t be a surprise it’s all an act. She’s live-streaming on social media, to make herself look better and reap the holiday season’s streaming numbers. It’s Christmas and Lexy has a gift for Jake: Devon (Björgvin Arnarson), who’s also going to stay over at the Cross home. The reunion for the boyfriends is awkward to say the least. Devon tries his hardest to let Jake know, he doesn’t need a gift -- Jake is the gift. No, that isn’t good enough. Jake, acting very cringe, leaves the house, promising to return with a better gift.
On the news, it’s confirmed. Mixter is dead, and Incarnate Lord is closed down for good. Over in the Hackensack hospital, Glenda (Lachlan Watson) goes to visit Glen. They are alive but clinging to life. The situation is dire. Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) calls in to check on her child, and Glenda confirms what needs to happen. To save Glen, they need to perform the Damballa chant and transfer them into the Glen/Glenda doll.
Meanwhile, Chucky is busy making his own preparations. Now back in doll-form, he’s busy looking up the “world’s quietest chainsaw.” He puts the purchase on a credit card, it's too good to pass up. Michelle continues to try too hard to trend on social media. She shows off a nativity scene, using Caroline’s Belle doll in place of baby Jesus. Putting that doll out on social media isn't going to be good, not with Tiffany needing an escape from a human body.
Over at the hospital, Glenda rolls in a suitcase, looking as innocent as they can appear. No, they aren’t pushing their mother inside, the Glen/Glenda doll is there. Tiffany does her best to sneak past the security guard at the door, wearing scrubs to look like as close to Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) as possible. Glenda and Tiffany get the cop to leave his position outside the room, but it isn’t for long. He walks in, but his interruption is short-lived. Tiffany knocks the cop out and Glenda asks for approval, her mother giving it, before using a defibrillator to electrocute him, causing the man to burst into flames. Mother and child look on happily, comforted by this makeshift yule log. When Tiffany leaves, she brings the doll. The human Glen and Glenda are dead, having transferred over into the doll.
Holiday Makeovers & Bad Gifts
Once safe, Tiffany sees Michelle’s social media post. Now she knows where the Belle doll is. But before she can get too excited, Tiffany has some motherly business to do. She does her child's makeup, although now they prefer a more authentic name and choose to go by G.G. And being back in the doll means Billy Boyd is back, doing the voice he first did in Seed of Chucky! That soft-spoken voice has been missed. G.G. wears a “They/Them” pin with pride and after Tiffany finishes up their makeup, G.G. decides on a big next step. They want to take some time to travel to England. How will this doll visit Buckingham Palace without anyone wondering what the hell is happening?
The holidays are chilly this year, especially at the Cross house. Jake gives a big gift to Devon, eager for his boyfriend to open it. It's better not to worry over where Jake got the money for this gift. The big box ends up being podcast equipment -- and Devon’s reaction isn’t what Jake is hoping for. It’s been a long time since Devon has done any podcast work. That was Season 1. But these two haven’t been on the same wavelength for a while. Jake is pissed. Devon is annoyed. By dinner, everything remains uncomfortable. Not even Lexy wearing reindeer antlers or Jake and Devon in ugly Christmas sweaters is helping change the mood. The boyfriends get into another argument and Lexy puts her voice into the mix. But she directs it to Michelle. The mother braces herself for whatever her daughter is going to say. However, Lexy surprises everyone. She takes responsibility. Lexy recognizes her mother hasn’t been the best, but Lexy can’t keep on blaming everything on her. Michelle, ever so carefully, apologizes on her own end. This very melodramatic dinner switches into some great character moments. Caroline, the smallest of everyone and below most of the framing with everyone else, acts like Tiny Tim. Now everyone isn’t so upset, let’s enjoy the dinner.
In Lexy’s bedroom, the trio get ready for bed. They talk about not wanting to end up like Andy and Kyle. Those legacy survivors have to keep one eye open in case of a doll attack. Finally, Jake and Devon grow closer. Mistletoe is hanging above them, because of course, so they can't help it. They kiss before settling in for sleep. Downstairs, while no creature is stirring, not even a mouse, Chucky kills the yuletide safety. He enters through the chimney, with a chainsaw and a Santa hat, ready to scare.
He isn’t the only killer at the Cross house. Tiffany drives up, ready to doll-nap the Wedding Belle. But that’s Caroline’s and while during the day, it’s in the nativity scene, at night it’s in the girl’s bed. Tiffany is going to have to go break inside. Michelle hurries downstairs, hearing something. Michelle, having met “Jennifer Tilly” last season, is not at all worried she’s in the house. Michelle is delighted, not at all concerned she broke in. Tiffany lies her way to get her claws on the Belle doll. But Chucky shows up, turns his chainsaw on and brings it down into Michelle, splitting the Hackensack ex-mayor in half. Blood splashes everywhere. Tiffany can't believe the sight, crying out, "Killing a mother on Christmas Eve? You're despicable!" She's a hypocrite with a heart.
Christmas Carnage to Remember
In keeping up with the chaos, Lexy literally jumps into action. She leaps down the stairs to subdue Chucky, using his chainsaw to slice into his face. Tiffany takes this time to head upstairs but while she picks up the Belle doll, Jake and Devon surprise attack her. The boyfriends each get a chance to stab her. The end of Tiffany feels very close. Jake, Devon, and Lexy (looking like Sissy Spacek at a '70s prom) corner her. Caroline then walks over, right up to Tiffany. She might have seemed like Tiny Tim at dinner, but it’s all an act. Caroline has been brainwashed by Chucky, so much so that she believes Tiffany is her real mother. Tiffany holds a knife to Caroline's throat, just in case Lexy tries to play the hero. And that’s Tiffany's ticket out of there. She has the Belle doll, Caroline, and escapes again.
Damn, these kids can never get a break. The next morning, the police are at the Cross house. Jake, Devon, and Lexy pin the blame on Jennifer Tilly. To which a cop has the gall to say she’s “overrated.” Tiffany really has ruined the good name of Miss Tilly. Suddenly, Ms. Fairchild (Annie Briggs) walks in. She was the kids teacher back in Season 1. It looks like she will have some role in taking care of them going forward. And the kids agree to let her in on everything.
But that isn’t the end. In New York City, Tiffany in a dark glam aesthetic waits in a hotel room with Caroline. A call comes from Nica (Fiona Dourif), who herself is looking very chic. Nica reveals she won’t stop until she gets her revenge on Tiffany. Nica will play nice. Tiffany gets a head start to run, because Nica isn’t calling from afar. She’s in a nearby hotel room. In this urgent time, Tiffany commits to the Damballa chant. She tries to use the Caroline’s Wedding Belle doll to possess, but a revival doesn’t happen right away. And when the doll does sit up, the Belle doll reveals itself to be Chucky in disguise. As he laughs, he readies for an attack. Chucky always has something up his little sleeve.
This is where Season 2 closes. Obviously, this can’t be the end of Tiffany. Will the show ever bring back the Tiffany doll version? How murderous is G.G. going to be on their trip overseas? Who knows for now. “Chucky Actually” continues the risk taking and unexpected twists the series is having so much fun in pulling off. Unexpected pacing brings storylines to an end when it seems they could go on longer. Killing off poor in-universe Jennifer Tilly is evidence of this. Giving Rosemary Dunsmore a sinister shift as Dr. Mixter -- yes, yes, yes. If Season 3 is as bonkers as Season 2, it really can’t come soon enough.