'Ash vs Evil Dead' is the show fans have been waiting for
StarzAsh and his crewmates, Kelly and Pablo gear up to battle the dead.
After almost 30 years of waiting, fans of the Evil Dead franchise can watch their dreams come true - "Ash vs. Evil Dead" premiered Halloween night on Starz.I've previewed the first two episodes, and I can easily say Ash and his crew's bloody antics completely rocked my socks off.
I'm a huge fan of the "Evil Dead" movies, the horror cult films which exploded into popularity in the 1980s and '90s, so it doesn't take much to get me to watch the show. But you don't have to be a die-hard fan to fall in bloody love with "Ash vs. Evil Dead."
The show follows the events of "Army of Darkness," the last movie of the Evil Dead franchise which came out in 1992.
Not much has changed for Ash, played once again by Bruce Campbell. He lives alone in a trailer park and works as a stock boy at an appliance store.
When the evil demons of his past reappear in terrifying fashion, he's ready to leave town. But his coworkers Pablo and Kelly encourage him to stick around and save the world. He's the hero nobody wanted, but he's all they've got.
It's hard to express how awesome it is to see Campbell so comfortably step into Ash's shoes again. I've seen Campbell in other roles, as Sam Axe in "Burn Notice" and an elderly Elvis Presley in "Bubba Ho-tep," two characters with a few traits reminiscent of Ash. But watching him return to the role that launched his career was a fantastic return to form, and he doesn't miss a beat.
StarzBruce Campbell is back and he's a scene stealer in the first two episodes.
Ash has a certain swarmy charm, but he's also kind of an idiot. He doesn't know how hilarious he sometimes sounds especially because his sidekick Pablo, played by Ray Santiago, is totally in awe of him.On the other hand, Pablo's friend Kelly, played by Dana DeLorenzo, is adept at conveying facial expressions that reflect Ash's ability to both get on her nerves and completely amaze her. The first two episodes played up the trio's dynamic, and it's going to be a real treat to watch more of these guys as they figure out how to work together.
There's also Michigan State Police trooper Amanda Fisher, who, after a painful encounter with two demons called "deadites" has a bone to pick with the dead as well. It's unclear at this point what role she's going to play, but she's circling closer to unraveling the mystery of the monsters that are plaguing her town.
It doesn't take long for the insanely bloody action scenes to kick in, and when they do, they don't let up. The pilot episode was directed by Sam Raimi - the creator of the original film series - and his fingerprints are all over it. His quick cuts, extreme close ups, and disorienting tilted scenes were all present in the episodes, and it set the tone for the show's direction and choreography.
Anyone unfamiliar with the series might also be surprised by how funny it is, all the jokes delivered with an extra helping of blood. Seriously, there's a lot of blood. Campbell told Business Insider one of the reasons they opted to put the series on Starz was because it was the only network which wouldn't censor them. The show's gore crosses several lines I didn't know existed and shuttles straight into comedic territory. I won't divulge too many details, but let's just say keep an eye out for the fork.
Starz/Ash vs Evil DeadHere's one of the deadites. Yeah, they're creepy. Good thing Campbell's around to slice and dice.
It's also tough to keep track of all the one-liners and references to the movies Ash fires off. In one scene, Pablo dissects Ash's quips with fresh blood on his face - it gets pretty meta. The series' strength has always been in its ability to seamlessly cross between garish, bloody horror into absurdist, slapstick comedy, and it's safe to say it translates well on TV.If you're looking for something that will make you jump one second, but laugh the next, this is the show for you.
Don't be worried about tuning in if you've never seen an "Evil Dead" movie. Creative flashback devices are used to welcome newcomers to the franchise and catch everyone up. The first two episodes play out as a preview of what to expect before the trio carries on for its larger mission of ridding of the dead, while delivering enough nods to the original series to make fans giddy.
There are only 10 episodes this season, so it will be interesting to see how the story progresses without sacrificing the blood, guts, and chainsaws. (There's plenty of all three in the first two episodes.?)
"Ash v Evil Dead" airs Saturday nights on Starz at 9 p.m. The show has already been renewed for a second season.