It’s not news to say that the Child’s Play franchise is very queer. We wouldn’t even have the series without Don Mancini, who is a gay man himself. Therefore, having queer characters throughout the Chucky series isn’t surprising. Though it served as such a treat for those of us who are part of the community.
The Chucky TV series is of course about how Chucky (voiced by Brad Dourif), the famed possessed doll, is running rampant and ruining the lives of … well, everyone. He’s good at that, after all. The series is also about Jake (Zackary Arthur) and the people he’s claimed as chosen family. One person who is included in Jake’s circle is Devon (Björgvin Arnarson), who eventually becomes his boyfriend. And they make so much sense as a pairing, rather than be strung together for representation points.
What exactly makes them so precious as a couple? I’ll list some reasons why below.
1. They are friends, too
It’s more meaningful when there’s an established connection before a relationship begins. With Jake and Devon, they were friends then become boyfriends. What we’re also made aware of from the beginning is that Jake was pining for a long time. He was listening to Devon’s podcast, sitting behind him on the bus, and admiring from afar. Jake being gay adds a dimension to that, as well. His identity wasn’t welcomed by his father, and there was abuse going on at home. Being open about his feelings was undoubtedly terrifying. Only Devon welcomed him into his life, and they got close enough to know what was between them.
2. They are allowed to be teens
Having teen characters simply act their age doesn’t happen so often. Even after everything both Devon and Jake go through, they still feel like kids. They aren’t aged up and hypersexualized. They’re simply allowed to be teens going through a lot of trauma and grief. The actors being teens themselves adds that authenticity. Why does that make their relationship precious? When you take into consideration how queerness is often written in ways that treat it as inherently sexual, which enters problematic territory.
3. There’s no judgement between them
At the beginning of the season, Chucky tries to influence Jake. He nearly succeeds in convincing him to kill Lexi (Alyvia Alyn Lind), who was actively bullying him and even made fun of his father’s death. Even when Jake has the opportunity to allow Chucky to kill her, he opts out. But he’s not judged by Devon for anything that happened before their relationship. When they briefly break up, it’s primarily to do with the personal loss Devon’s going through.
4. Their first kiss scene
When do you ever see a first kiss, let alone a first kiss between queer kids, that plays out so realistically as this? Zackary and Björgvin do have chemistry, and that contributes to this scene. Rather than portray their characters as people who are super experienced (when we know they’re not), their first kiss is awkward in the cutest way. Again, them being literal teen actors playing teens is an important factor in their scenes. Ultimately, we were given a memorable first kiss that helped shape their relationship moving forward.
5. How they defend each other
Putting yourself in harm’s way for another person is a huge testament to love and loyalty. Both of them not running from Chucky but facing him is brave, especially after all the death that Chucky caused directly, some of which were their parents. There’s a catharsis that Jake undoubtedly feels ending at least one Chucky doll. And being able to defend his relationship? That’s the icing on the cake. They do their best to protect each other throughout Chucky’s reign of terror, and there’s no doubt in mind that season 2 will bring us more moments like that.
(featured image: Syfy)
