We can be heroes!
Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) thinks he’s gotten the greatest deal of his life. Ash, Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo), and Pablo (Ray Santiago) have a new life in Jacksonville…but Ash is about to find out that making a deal with Ruby (Lucy Lawless) could have consequences. Travelling back to his home town of Elk Grove, Michigan, Ash is forced to confront his past and learns that Ruby’s ex Baal (Joel Tobeck) could be a bigger threat than Ruby.
Ash vs Evil Dead—Season 2 first introduced its premiere first as a streamable episode before beginning the season’s run from October 2, 2016 to December 11, 2016 on FX. The series was popular with fans of the Evil Dead franchise, but sometimes struggled to find a mainstream audience.
I would watch a whole series based around this critter…
The Evil Dead films have always been an odd series of movies. They are disjointed, semi-remakes of each other, and range from horror to slapstick comedy. Ash vs Evil Dead followed the pattern of the movies, but this season set to rectify some of the past problems.
One issue plaguing Ash vs. Evil Dead is a rights issue. Army of Darkness was owned by Universal Pictures and couldn’t be referenced…but this season the licensing was cleared up and as a result a few references to that film were made. The series (which always had rollercoaster plots and over-the-top dialogue) got into an interesting idea late in the season of parallel worlds in which they played with the whole continuity issues of the series. Did Ash’s actions stop Army of Darkness from happening or was there already time problems between Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2? It is never really answered, but it is at least hinted at.
Ashy Slashy will get the girls
The cast continues to be fun. None of the actors get bogged down in the serious nature of the film. While Bruce Campbell is completely comic relief and plays off of the somewhat straight characters of Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, and Lucy Lawless, those characters also have many moments of humor that keep you from just writing the series off as a comedy. It was fun to see Ted Raimi show up as Ash’s friend Chet Kaminski and the return of original Evil Dead star Ellen Sandweiss. I liked Lee Majors as Ash’s father and wish he had been incorporated more (but his dismissal was part of the joke).
Can Ash end the darkness?
Visually, this season seem to take it even farther than the previous season. It is more graphic, more violent, and more bloodspattered than before. You get one episode where Ash is pulled into a corpse by intestines…and nothing is hidden the full frontal scene…plus, we get more of the scary Ruby spawns.
Ash vs Evil Dead—Season 2 continues a fun, short series. With half-hour episodes and ten episode seasons, the series flies by. The season might be short, but it also seems about the right length because too big of doses of Ash can be too much. This season ends in a slight cliffhanger, but less of a cliffhanger than the first season…and leaving you wanting more Ash vs Evil Dead! Groovy!
Ash vs Evil Dead—Season 2 Complete Episode Guide:
“Home”
2.1 Home Airdate: 09/27/16 (Streaming)/10/02/16 (US)
Having struck a deal with Ruby (Lucy Lawless), Ash (Bruce Campbell), Pablo (Ray Santiago), and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) are living it up in Jacksonville until the arrival of Deadites reveal the truce has been broken. Ash is forced to head to the one place he hoped never to return to…his home of Elk Grove, Michigan. As Pablo finds that he’s having repercussions from being possessed by the Necronomicon, Ash is dealing with his father Brock (Lee Majors) and the people of Elk Grove who remember what happened the last time Ash stopped by. Ruby’s got a surprise for Ash, and Ash finds himself with an unlikely ally.
“The Morgue”
2.2 The Morgue Airdate: 10/09/16
Ruby and Ash are working together to stop Ruby’s children, but first Ash and Kelly must retrieve the Necronomicon from Ruby’s secret hiding place. While Ash and Kelly head out on their mission, Pablo questions Ruby about what is happening to him since the Necronomicon possessed him.
“Last Call”
2.3 Last Call Airdate: 10/16/16
Ruby realizes her children hope to summon Baal and realizes she must have the Necronomicon to stop him. Ash decides the best chance to reclaim the book is to lure the thieves back by throwing an awesome party with his friend Chet (Ted Raimi). While Ash’s party rages, the Necronomicon takes possession of Ash’s prized Nova…and turns it into a killing machine!
“DUI”
2.4 DUI Airdate: 10/23/16
Brock is dead, and Ash is out to avenge his father by stopping his possessed car with the help of Chet. Unfortunately for Ash, the Nova has Pablo prisoner along with Lacey (Pepi Sonuga) the daughter of Linda (Michelle Hurd) and could demand a sacrifice. Ruby and Kelly go on a mission to stop Ruby’s children once and for all!
“Confinement”
2.5 Confinement Airdate: 10/30/16
Baal (Joel Tobeck) has been set free and his ability to takeover bodies has made everyone a suspect. Trapped in the police station, Pablo finds that he is suffering more complications from his bonding with the Necronomicon while Ruby deals with her past deals with Baal. Thomas (Stephen Lovatt) suspects Ash for murder, and Linda and Lacey learn Ash might be telling the truth.
“Trapped Inside”
2.6 Trapped Inside Airdate: 11/06/16
Pablo is becoming the living embodiment of the Necronomicon, and Ruby realizes it might be the only thing that can save them. As Ruby works to summon the power of the Necronomicon from Pablo, Candace, and Kelly fight an angry mob led by Sheriff Emery and Baal bent on capturing Ash. Ash discovers his own problems when he learns his sister Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss) is back from the dead, and Chet has a big secret.
“Delusion”
2.7 Delusion Airdate: 11/13/16
Ash is instituationalized but believes it is all a trick of Baal. Despite Dr. Peacock trying to convince Ash that he is a killer, Ash knows he isn’t…or has the past thirty years been part of his delusions?
“Ashy Slashy”
2.8 Ashy Slashy Airdate: 11/20/16
Kelly, Pablo, and Ruby are on a rescue mission to save Ash, but Ash might not be the same Ash they remember. Baal has Ash under his control, and “Ashy-Slashy” could be fatal.
“Home Again”
2.9 Home Again Airdate: 12/04/16
Pablo is dead, but Ash has an idea on how to bring him back. Travelling back to the 1980s with Ruby and Kelly, Ash sets out to stop himself from ever reading the Necronomicon, but he discovers that the past isn’t as black-and-white as he thought.
“Second Coming”
2.10 Second Coming Airdate: 12/11/16
Attempts to save Pablo have given birth to Baal, and it is time for Baal and Ash to have their ultimate showdown. Kelly finds herself at odds with the ’80s Ruby as the battle for the Necronomicon reaches its climax.
Related Links:
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
