"Doll on Doll" begins to plant seeds that will weave the storylines of Jake (Zackary Arthur), Devon (Björgvin Arnarson), Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind), and Nadine (Bella Higginbotham), with Tiffany Valentine (Jennifer Tilly) and Glen and Glenda (Lachlan Watson). The latest episode of Chucky begins and ends with its focus on the several dolls that make an appearance within "Doll on Doll," pitching a new avenue in which these characters may be tormented. To aid its progression, "Doll on Doll" also begins to utilize the Catholic School's backdrop effectively.
"Doll on Doll" covers a great deal of ground in its bouncing between the several characters and their current troubles. Chucky's newest episode offers an end to some ongoing problems, including Lexy's drug addiction. However, Chucky also proposes that there's never a lack of opposition the series can throw at these characters. Jake's guilt has led him to make questionable decisions that have created a rift in his relationship with Devon, and Lexy and Devon's latest discovery reveals their need for a new extradition plan.
One of the most compelling functions of "Doll on Doll," is its use of the Child's Play franchise. The episode introduced a second Tiffany doll that was unveiled to harbor the spirit of Jennifer Tilly, as Tiffany Valentine has taken over Tilly's body. On par with the Chucky series and the Child's Play franchise, there is a comedic exchange between the two women, as the doll remarks that she's made her human form money playing online poker and keeping the bills up to date. Despite enjoying her lavish lifestyle, the importance of the doll's work appears lost on Tiffany's human form. Instead, her goal is convincing others that she is actually Jennifer Tilly. The ridiculousness of Tiffany's wishes coincides perfectly with her character, whose only motives are deception and murder.
Tilly and Tiffany's back-and-forth banter in "Doll on Doll" provides a gateway for Chucky to introduce another doll from the Child's Play series. After selecting to stay behind with their mother, Glen pressures her about Tiffany Valentine and her relationship with Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif). On the other hand, Tiffany tries to discover where Glenda has taken Nica, and attempts to lure that information out of Glen. This cat-and-mouse game between them works out in Tiffany's favor after telling Glen who she really is. She also uses Glen and Glenda's recurring dream about the murder Glenda committed in the Child's Play franchise that has kept the twins awake at night, as a method of gaining Glen's trust. Tiffany provides Glen with the Glen doll from Seed of Chucky, which Glen recognizes immediately; they stare at the doll as if they're looking into a mirror. Glen immediately remarks the need to share it with Glenda, allowing Tiffany to get what she's been after.
Chucky's second season has made a priority of exploring the countless dolls within the series. Each one is equipped with its own personality and goals. Chucky, Tiffany, and Glen have already been demonstrated to have that throughout the Child's Play franchise, but the television series has emphasized this in their twisted relationship with one another, and the various Chucky dolls running amuck. "Doll on Doll" opened with the exchange between the much larger and comedically ripped Chucky talking with the brainwashed Chucky, who crossed paths in "Hail, Mary!" The pair's varying allegiances cause a fight to break out between them and ends with the muscular Chucky doll crucified to the wall. Both survive the episode and in the final moments of "Doll on Doll," Chucky unveils the identity of the Colonel: a bald Chucky doll who was approached by Dr. Mixter (Rosemary Dunsmore) while torturing a live Andy (Alex Vincent).
The episode's focus on the dolls as powerful entities is emphasized by the human reaction to these dolls. Jake believes the brainwashed Chucky has been successfully rid of his evil tendencies, going as far as to baptize him. However, Devon and Lexy uncover photos on his phone that lead them to discover the cabin where the Colonel, Dr. Mixter, and Andy are, along with the dead bodies of those that have been killed at the Catholic School. Sister Ruth (Lara Jean Chorostecki), who was tasked with disposing of the crucified Chucky doll, finds herself at the doll's mercy when he rises from the trashcan. Having previously remarked that she saw the Lord's face in the Good Guys doll, Ruth firmly believes that the resurrection of this doll has put her at the mercy of the Lord's bidding. The corruption of her character given the bullying she has sustained at the hands of others working at the Catholic School has created another problem the teens inside will have to overcome.
"Doll on Doll" is certainly filled with Chucky's signature comedic moments, but it isn't its highlight. The episode uses its setting as a tool to propel the circumstances of its characters further. Up until this point, the Catholic School has merely been the environment into which Jake, Devon, and Lexy have catapulted. Now, the religious foundation of the Catholic School and those within it, are beginning to be corrupted by the evil forces trapped within its walls. The ending of "Doll on Doll" proposes that Dr. Mixter bonded with Charles Lee Ray during his time at the school, as she approaches the bald doll calling him "Charlie." This unfortunate discovery by Lexy and Devon all but proves people in their lives have actively been working against them. With the rift the newly baptized Chucky has drawn between them and Jake, the latter is unlikely to believe what the pair has to offer.
Season 1 of Chucky is now streaming on Peacock.