The premiere of USA Network and SYFY’s Chucky became one of the most watched premieres of the year for new tv shows. The episode drew in over 4 million viewers in its first week, according to The Wrap.
The show follows Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur), who finds the titular homicidal doll at a garage sale. Chaos soon ensues in Wheeler’s quiet suburban town as a string of murders encompasses the town. The series is a sequel to The Cult of Chucky (2017) and stays true to the series’s canon and source material.
According to The Wrap, the shows record turnout is reportedly attributed to the loyal fans who have watched the franchise from the beginning and a new, young collection of fans interested in the lore and story behind Chucky. Reportedly 1.1 million of the 4.4 million viewers were between the ages of 18-49.
A probable attraction for older fans was the return of franchise creator Don Mancini as he has came back to write for the new show after being absent from the 2019 reboot Child’s Play. Mancini is credited for writing all ten episodes for the series and directing one episode.
Another veteran returning to the show is none other than the original voice of the Chucky doll Brad Dourif (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Dune). Having also sat out of the 2019 reboot, Dourif hasn’t appeared in a Chucky movie since The Cult of Chucky.
Chucky and fellow SYFY show Resident Alien are the two biggest debuts among new cable series in 2021. These shows have also beaten out popular streaming service shows such as Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers and Disney Plus’s Loki. The one show Chucky hasn’t been able to compete with is the recently trending Squid Game on Netflix; which has logged over two billion minutes streamed on Netflix.
“Over the years, it’s always been important for me to reinvent the franchise. Whether as a comedy with ‘Bride of Chucky’ or as a gothic horror with ‘Curse of Chucky,’ I always try to reinvent it. That’s what keeps it fresh and part of its longevity,” Mancini said in an interview with the Richmond Times Dispatch.