Chucky – S2 E4 – “Death on Denial”
We are back with Haunted MTL’s continuing coverage of the Chucky franchise. This week, we talk about Chucky S2 E4, “Death on Denial,” which presents a format break in the show and some of the wildest stuff seen this season.
Seriously. You’re not prepared for this week’s episode.
Chucky – S2 E4 – “Death on Denial”
Chucky, S2 E4, “Death on Denial” is a break in the established structure of the show to present a meta-humor murder-mystery farce. Plus, it opens with a talk-show-like wrap-around featuring Chucky. This episode is shockingly different for a show that has been more or less telling a fairly typically structured narrative. Right from the start, Chucky introduces the show in a faux-talk show setting, establishing it as a very special episode. Chucky directly addressing the viewers is nothing new to the franchise. Doing so directly and to such a degree shows something different is going on here.
The episode’s narrative picks back up with Tiffany/Jennifer back in Beverly Hills following her murder of Detective Sam Gavin. Shortly after, Glen and Glenda (Lachlan Watson, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) arrive for their 18th birthday (more on this at the end of the review). However, Tiffany/Jennifer’s plans for a small birthday gathering are disrupted when Glen and Glenda invite Jennifer Tilly’s real-life and reel-life friends. With this in mind, Tiffany/Jennifer hires help to guard a room in the house. However, when there is a shocking murder and everyone in the place is a suspect.
The episode’s central question is how much does anyone know about Jennifer Tilly? “Death on Denial” is a wild episode. It presents a break in the series format and swaps out the chaos of Chucky for a parlor-room murder mystery. The episode features Tiffany/Jennifer, Glen and Glenda, and real-life friends of Jennifer Tilly: Joe Pantoliano (Bound), Sutton Stracke (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), Gina Gershon (Bound), and Jennifer Tilly’s sister, Meg Tilly (Psycho II). Also, WWE Superstar Liv Morgan appears in a genre-blending Chucky-hosted wrap-around.
How Was It?
“Death on Denial” is probably the biggest, weirdest, swing-for-the-fences episode in the show so far. It even blows far past last week’s episode in that regard. If you thought a Good Chucky and a Swole Chucky were strange – an improvised murder-mystery party of a possessed actress and her real-life friends is certainly something that will catch most viewers off guard. I don’t think anyone, but Don Mancini could have directed this episode and been so successful in that regard. Everything from the act-signaling title cards to the non-linear structure to the wrap-around reflects his bold approach to the franchise in Seed of Chucky and beyond.
With that said, as fun as the episode is for someone like me who appreciates the weirdness and compartmentalizes the format break, this will be a divisive episode. Instead of continuing the threads of last week’s episode, we spend an hour at a farcical Beverly Hills birthday party that spirals out of control. We spend time with a wrestler, a reality-television star, four acclaimed actors, and three playing versions of themselves as the worst people imaginable, and it is hilarious. It’s an even campier Clue if you believe that possible.
Episode Highlights
Viewers and critics should pay extra attention to non-binary actor Lachlan Watson who steps into the roles of Glen and Glenda with confidence. The whole episode is full of Seed of Chucky references, down to eye-twitches and British accents on their part. Watson also pulls off the challenging prospect of making Glen and Glenda different characters while being part of an obvious split, unified personality. They also look great while doing it. The costume direction is fantastic and helps sell the differences in Watson’s take on the two kids.
The revelation of Nica’s long-term plan and how the fractured personality fits into the situation is also excellent, creating an explosive final 10 minutes. That 10 minutes also confirms the fate of a character who vanished in season one and opens up many narrative possibilities.
It’s hard to talk about this episode without running the risk of spoiling it, so some of these thoughts are best saved for my podcast. I wouldn’t suggest this as an episode for someone new to the franchise; it would be far too confusing. “Death on Denial” is a meta-heavy episode and every bit as ridiculous and hilarious as a “meta-heavy Chucky” episode would imply.
(5 / 5)
Chucky – S2 E4 – Kill Count and Spotlight
Three new corpses pile up in this week’s episode, bringing the season total to eight. This week we have a poisoning, a shooting, and multiple stabbing. The stabbing is probably the most fun of the three, especially given the context and enthused joy expressed by both victim and perpetrator.
Again, this is a weird episode.
Seeds of Chucky
As always, each review features some notes on references and continuity in the whole Chucky franchise.
- Glen and Glenda’s age is a little complicated. Glen, as a singular entity, was born in 1998 during the events of Bride of Chucky. Glen and Glenda are a soul split into twins birthed by Jennifer Tilly in Seed of Chucky. The Valentine/Ray/Tilly family considers 2004 to be their actual birth.
- Chucky’s “affectionate” use of “Shitface” returns, contrasting Tiffany’s iconic “Sweetface.”
- The whole episode owes a lot to the murder mystery genre, but two significant influences up front are Clue (1985) and Agatha Christie’s novels.
- Regarding Clue: characters in this Chucky whodunit have color-based outfits that evoke those of the characters in the film and board game.
- Memory issues seem to be running with split souls. Glenda mentions a nightmare about killing a blond woman. Said woman is Joan from Seed of Chucky. Meanwhile, Tiffany/Jennifer doesn’t remember details about Meg and forgets Dianne Weist’s name and calls her Dianne West.
- Tiffany/Jennifer complains about losing an oscar to Dianne Weist in reference to the 1994 film Bullets Over Broadway.
- Far too many Bound references to convey here. The entire scene with Tiffany and Gina in a darkened bedroom features images pulled nearly directly from Bound. Specifically, a shot of the lips of the two women.
- The same trophy used to bludgeon someone in this episode is the one used to bludgeon Redman in Seed of Chucky.
- This is the first episode of the series not to feature Jake, Devon, and Lexi since their introduction.
- A certain… attachment to a character may reference the Evil Dead franchise.
That is the review and recap for this week. We’re continuing to cover the show at Kids’ Stuff – A Chucky Podcast. However, unlike these written reviews, our discussion show contains plenty of spoilers. If you missed the latest Kids’ Stuff, you could listen to it wherever you get your podcasts.
They say good things come to those who wait, and boy have we been patient. It has been close to a year since our eyes have indulged a full season of ‘The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs’, in fact, the season 4 finale premiered on Shudder July 1st, 2022. Since then, we have been able to satisfy our appetites with festive holiday specials sprinkled throughout the past year. Specials such as ‘Joe Bob’s Halloween Hangout’ guest starring horror’s favorite Mistress of the Dark, Elvira (played by the legendary Cassandra Peterson) and ‘Joe Bob’s Ghoultide Get-Together’. Last month was a treat in itself, as we were able to witness Joe Bob Briggs and co-host Darcy the Mail Girl (Diana Prince) marry one lucky couple for the first time on the show with ‘Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine‘ special.
While the current changes in staff at Shudder have left fans questioning whether we will receive a new season of the popular series, I can happily say mutant family, we need not worry. In fact, to our wonderous surprise, Joe Bob Briggs has officially announced via Twitter, season 5 of ‘The Last Drive-In‘ will be premiering April 21st, exclusively on Shudder! One thing that is noteworthy, is unlike previous seasons, it has been reported by 1428Elm that season 5 will be broken up into two parts of five double-feature blood-curdling episodes. Though we have not been provided the official release schedule for the second block of season 5, here is a sneak peek of what we can expect for the first half of the season:
April 21: Season 5 Launch Party!
April 28: Walpurgisnacht Part 2!
May 5: Cinco de Fucking Mayo!
May 12: Mama’s Day!
May 19: Dysfunctional Family Jubilee!
Unfortunately, we do not have an official list of the brand-new double feature films for the first half of season 5 but, with amusing episode titles such as these, one can only imagine what grindhouse-classics will be joining ‘The Last Drive-In’s’ already eclectic list of sloshy goodness. For those impatient mutants eagerly waiting for more hilarious Joe Bob rant-filled commentaries, or those newcomers who’ve yet to experience the magic that is ‘The Last Drive-In‘, all previous four seasons, including past holiday specials are currently available to stream now on Shudder.
If you are just as big of fans of ‘The Last Drive-In‘ as we here at HauntedMTL are, please be sure to follow us on Twitter @HauntedMTL and join us April 21st as we tweet along with Joe Bob and Darcy the Mail Girl for the season premier. As is tradition, we will be hosting live watch parties every Friday with each new episode, including fresh holiday specials. The road to season 5 is upon us…let the countdown begin!
April 21: Season 5 Launch Party!
April 28: Walpurgisnacht Part 2!
May 5: Cinco de Fucking Mayo!
May 12: Mama's Day!
May 19: Dysfunctional Family Jubilee!
. . . and that's only the beginning.#TheLastDriveIn pic.twitter.com/WfeTx0shNa— Joe Bob Briggs (@therealjoebob) March 16, 2023
Mutant family, please gather ’round as February kicks rocks and we shove our way into March. With the new month comes the shifting from winter to spring as death beautifully resurrects back to life, drunken patrons swarm our local bars like rabid locusts for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and of course new exclusives and returning favorites on Shudder to satisfy the horror fiend in us all. To quote the prestigious Samuel L. Jackson, “hold onto your butts” and let’s dive right into Shudder’s March 2023 release schedule.
Shudder Exclusives
While it is true that the release schedule for the start of 2023 on Shudder has been minor and slightly mixed, with films such as the much talked about experimental low-budget indie ‘Skinamarink‘, the surprisingly entertaining horror comedy ‘Sorry About the Demon‘, and writer/director Neil Marshall’s return to the genre with ‘The Lair‘. We also graciously received the wildly fun ‘The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine” special, with season 5 currently in production and premiering later this year; though it can’t come soon enough. As we like to do here at HauntedMTL, let’s kick off March with Shudder’s newest exclusives currently streaming now and in the coming weeks.
Spoonful of Sugar – Now Streaming
Starting off this list we begin with director Mercedes Bryce Morgan and writer Leah Saint Marie’s latest film ‘Spoonful of Sugar‘, now currently streaming.
Millicent (Morgan Saylor), a disturbed college student working on her thesis about children with severe allergies, is hired to babysit little Johnny (Danilo Crovetti), a sickly, mute child who suffers from every allergy under the sun. His mother Rebecca (Kate Foster) is an accomplished author currently focused on her newest book release, while his father Jacob (Myko Olivier) spends his days in the backyard working on frivolous carpentry projects. After experiencing a bizarre sexual awakening while using LSD as an alternative treatment for Johnny, she soon uncovers the family’s dark secrets as things begin to become unhinged.
Leave – Premiering Friday 3/17
After having been abandoned as an infant at a cemetery wrapped in a cloth with satanic symbols, Hunter White (Alicia von Rittberg) grows obsessed with figuring out who her biological parents are and why they seemingly abandoned her. However, as she gets closer to the answers she so desperately seeks, a malevolent spirit is warning her to leave.
‘Leave‘ premiers exclusively on Shudder Friday 03/17 and is directed by Alex Herron and written by Thomas Moldestad, starring Alicia von Rittberg, Herman Tømmeraas, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, and Stig R. Amda
The Unheard – Premiering Friday 03/31
‘The Unheard‘ follows the story of deaf 20-year-old Chloe Grayden (Lachlan Watson) after she undergoes an experimental treatment to restore her hearing. While recovering at her family’s beach home after the successful procedure, Chloe begins to fear she is not alone as she begins to experience auditory hallucinations related to the mysterious disappearance of her mother.
‘The Unheard’ is directed by Shudder alumni Jeffrey A. Brown (The Beach House) and written by brothers/screenwriting partners Shawn Rasmussen and Michael Rasmussen (Crawl), co-starring Michele Hicks and Nick Sandow. ‘The Unheard‘ premiers exclusively on Shudder Friday 03/31.
Returning Classic and Fan Favorites
Now that we’ve removed the veil for the new exclusive titles dropping this month, I think it’s time we reveal the returning classics jump starting our transition into spring for 2023. Allow me to highlight some of my favorite films returning to Shudder for March including ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ and ‘The Company of Wolves‘; grim re-telling’s of popular children’s fairy tales. We also cannot forget John Carpenter’s haunted coastal horror ‘The Fog‘; no, not the remake…thankfully.
Gretel and Hansel – Now Streaming
Directed by Osgood Perkins, ‘Gretel and Hansel’ is a terrifyingly dark and unique vision to one of history’s most famous childhood fairy tales. After being thrown out of their mother’s home, Gretel (Sophia Lillis) leads her younger brother, Hansel (Samuel Leakey), through the woods in search of food and work. The children soon discover a quaint cottage where a fragile old woman Holda (Alice Krige) offers fresh food and bed. The children accept all Holda has to offer, with little thought as to what may be asked of them in return.
Though it has been met with mixed reviews, ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ offers astounding performances by veteran actress Alice Krige as the films iconic Witch of the woods and Sophia Lillis as lead Gretel. Director Osgood Perkins does well to draw his viewer in with a beautifully haunting score and unnerving cinematography, making this one grim re-telling worth checking out at least once. ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ is available to stream now.
The Company of Wolves – Now Streaming
Continuing our list of returning classics, we have yet another bold re-telling of a beloved children’s fairy tale, 1984’s ‘The Company of Wolves‘. While the story of ‘Little Red Riding Hood‘ has been retold through various forms of media, including numerous films, ‘The Company of Wolves‘ is a beloved horror interpretation with adult themes and memorable practical effects including one of the genres best werewolf transformations.
A wise grandmother (Angela Lansbury) tells her granddaughter Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson) a disturbing tale of innocent maidens falling in love with handsome strangers … and of their sudden mysterious disappearances when the moon is full and accompanied by the strange sound of a beast in the woods.
‘The Company of Wolves’ is co-written and directed by Neil Jordan and stars Sarah Patterson, Angela Lansbury, Micha Bergese, and David Warner, streaming now.
John Carpenter’s The Fog – Streaming 03/31
Writer, director, musician, and horror master John Carpenter is a legend in the genre having provided countless classics such as ‘The Thing‘, a terrifyingly gruesome remake of ‘The Thing from Another World‘. Or his sci-fi action/horror ‘They Live’ where he deals with societal control through corporations and government. And of course, my personal favorite, the film that jumpstarted his career and created one of horror’s most iconic slashers…’Halloween‘.
1980’s ‘The Fog‘ is a terrifying shoreside tale of vengeful spirits haunting the fictional coastal town of Antonio Bay, OR. as they begin preparations to celebrate its centenary. Following exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in the town’s waters, a thick unearthly fog harboring the souls of those who perished rolls in and with them, the dark secrets of Antonio Bay’s past.
John Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’ stars scream queen and recent Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, genre alums Adrienne Barbeau, Janet Leigh, Tom Atkins, Charles Cyphers, and Nancy Kyes, and was co-written by the late Debra Hill. ‘The Fog‘ will be available to stream on Shudder 03/31.
Full Shudder March 2023 Film Releases
For a full comprehensive list of all the titles being added to Shudder for the month of January, please refer to the graphic below. Please be on the lookout for our review of ‘The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine’ to drop later this week here on HauntedMTL and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more Shudder news and spooky reviews!
3/1:
Gretel and Hansel
3/2:
Spoonful of Sugar
3/9:
The Company of Wolves
3/13:
Holidays
3/17:
Leave
3/20:
Jack be Nimble
3/27:
Ultra Pulpe
After Blue
3/31:
The Unheard
The Fog
The Blair Witch Project & Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
So this isn’t a review but more just some thoughts…
I have to admit that I actually like the She Wolf music video by Shakira.
Maybe partly because my Zumba group back in the day used to dance to it with all of us cautioned to not to look up the music video for fear it would be too risque or something… (The Zumba dance to this was one of my favorites, and I loved our group of mostly 60+ year old retirees for all that some of them did act surprised at these things, whether or not they actually were.) Or maybe partly because it reminds me of Madonna’s Express Yourself, or by extension the famous dance scene in Metropolis directed by Fritz Lang.
It’s a guilty pleasure.
The ways these things evolve and stay the same over time fascinates me, especially how the messaging and movement change, and yet stay the same.
Anyway, I created this artwork based upon the She Wolf video and song, incorporating a Hazelle puppet head atop a modern Barbie doll body. I don’t recall what happened to Barbie’s actual head though I’m pretty sure I needed it for another project. (Technically I needed the body for another project too, and this was just a stopover.) Years ago this piece found itself part of the Women’s Caucus for Art website as one of the chosen artworks for the year. I was going to try to write something to go with it for Haunted MTL but instead I thought I’d share it as a lead up to my revisitation of my werewolf story from St. Patrick’s Day last year.
Feel free to check out more of Jennifer Weigel’s work here on Haunted MTL or on her writing, fine art, and conceptual projects websites.
-
Breaking News2 days agoThe Last Drive-In Season 5 Premiering April 21st Exclusively on Shudder!
-
Original Creations5 days ago
The Way Things Were, story by Jennifer Weigel
-
Lighter than Dark3 days ago
LTD: Revisiting Broken Doll Head, Interview 2
-
Sound4 days ago
Unwell, a Midwestern Gothic Mystery, Season two
