In the wake of the Halloween Party massacre, Chucky fears he is finally doomed, except, of course, he’s not really frightened at all.

It’s been a long wait since last October, when the WGA and SAG strikes brought production on Chucky, Season 3, to a standstill. I do my best to avoid clichés, but absence (absence of stomach-churning satirical gore, that is) really does make the heart grow fonder.

If anyone was worried (I wasn’t) that the hiatus would somehow allow the show to go off the boil, then they can be assured that Chucky, despite being struck down with a bad case of potential mortality, is as ready to gouge, slash and poison as he ever was, even if his current predicament has precipitated something of an existential crisis – made worse by a deliciously funny meta encounter with a popular cultural rival. Luckily, he manages to get a call in to Jennifer Tilly on death row, and she gives him just the psychopathic pep talk a mass murdering doll needs when he’s down.

Meanwhile, the President (Devon Sawa) is coming apart at the sanity seams, and Lexy is having to work hard to regain the First Son’s trust. Oh yes, Jake and Devon go off on a road trip to consult Chucky’s witch doctor, stopping off at a motel to fully consummate (and I mean, fully) their relationship along the way.

Verdict: Season 3 is back with a jam-packed episode that’s raring to go on all fronts. An ageing Chucky adds a darker tone to the show – and there are even some moments that swap hilarious gore for genuine chills. 10/10

Martin Jameson

www.ninjamarmoset.com