Why Chucky Episode 3’s Origin Reveal Succeeds (Where Other Slasher Series Fail)
Warning: SPOILERS for Chucky season 1, episode 3.
Chucky season 1, episode 3, "I Like to Be Hugged" revealed Charles Lee Ray's murderous origin and, in the process, succeeded where other slasher horror franchises fail. When bringing the Chucky franchise (which began with 1988's Child's Play) to TV, creator Don Mancini vowed to use the extended storytelling real estate to its fullest. As well as fleshing out a whole host of new characters and featuring more Chucky references and Easter eggs, he stated that the 8 episodes would delve deeper into Chucky's backstory than ever before.
Fans have already gotten a taste of that, with brief glimpses to Charles Lee Ray's childhood occurring in the first two episodes. In Chucky season 1, episode 3, "I Like to Be Hugged," however, things were taken to a whole new level. As Chucky continued to urge Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur) to murder his bully, Lexy Cross (Alyvia Alyn Lind), the psychotic doll relayed the story of his first kill. From the moment the Chucky TV show was first announced, many fans understandably worried that exploring Chucky's killer backstory could be a mistake. After all, the impact and ominous mystique of many a slasher horror icon has been diminished by the light increasingly shed on their motives and origins. Fortunately, the writers of Chucky perfectly understood that fact and managed to walk the tightrope in an expert fashion.
After news of a murderer terrorizing the town was teased in Chucky episode 1, "Death by Misadventure," Young Charles Lee Ray (David Kohlsmith) experienced a first-hand encounter. When the unnamed assailant (Christopher Cordell) broke into his house, Charles witnessed his father's murder before he and his mother (Marisa McIntyre) were themselves pursued. As the killer discovered their hiding place, however, it was revealed that Charles had already done the murderous deed. At that moment, Chucky remained as consistent with what came before as the various Child's Play and Chucky movies. The reveal didn't drastically alter, explain, or undermine the sinister mindset of Charles Lee Ray. It simply leaned into what fans already knew of the character — with a few fresh details sprinkled on top to add some extra flavor.
Unlike Freddy Krueger in the classic A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, there was no increasingly complex mythology needed to explain things. Unlike Michael Myers in several Halloween sequels, there was no adding rhyme or reason to his crimes nor the introduction of an outside force that drives him. And unlike Jason Voorhees in the Friday the 13th movies, Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal Rising, or countless others, there was no abuse to avenge or traumatic event that shaped his motivations and path in life. Charles Lee Ray had loving parents and was part of a warm community in Chucky's version of Hackensack, New Jersey. And while it could be construed that he had a psychotic break from witnessing his father's murder, Chucky episode 3, "I Like to Be Hugged" made clear that that wasn't the case.
As emphasized by other flashbacks across Chucky episodes, his derangement was naturally in-built — and was consistently blended with innocent things. Birthday cakes and piñatas were attacked with glee, he intertwined trick or treating with bloodshed, and killing his mother was a conclusion to a twisted hide and seek. As such, Charles wasn't broken by what he witnessed, he was fascinated and inspired. Decades before he would target Chucky 2021's cast of characters, the event simply gave him a license to take his already existing urges to the next level. It was simple but fitting. As Billy Loomis said in the original Scream movie, "it's a lot scarier when there's no motive." Chucky has both embraced that fact and taken it a step beyond, reaffirming that, while there is a root to some of his M.O (such as why he's tried to mentor Jake), everything the titular killer has done is simply because he enjoys it. As a result, the Chucky series has further elevated him in the pantheon of slasher horror icons.