Michael J. Bassett directs his second episode of Ash vs Evil Dead and maintains the high level of action, comedy, and over-the-top gore that I’m coming to expect from this show. Sure the CG effects are a bit wonky, but when they cut to the practical effects there are gallons of blood and the Deadites look every bit as horrific as they should. And this week we meet a new creature: the demon Eligos (Ben Fransham).
This opens up the mythology of the show in a way that hadn’t really been attempted before and I like it.
Also broadening the narrative is the arrival of Lucy Lawless (for real this time) as Ruby Knowby. We don’t know a lot about her just yet, but she’s known to the Deadites and has apparently been tracking the Necromicon for a while. She also has no qualms about torturing and brutalizing the Deadites to get the information she wants.
All in all, she’s kind of badass.
But then, she’s Lucy Lawless.
Speaking of badass, Ash (Bruce Campbell) is Ash, once again, and his poor decision-making skills are nearly the death of everyone as he decides summoning a demon from the Necronomicon would be a good idea. You know, a little wimpy one that he can boss around. A demon nerd. Pablo (Ray Santiago) doesn’t think it’s a good idea, but the bookstore owner Lionel Hawkins (Kelson Henderson) has waiting his whole life to get a glimpse at the book, so…
I like the fact that Ash vs Evil Dead is embracing Ash’s inherent hyper-masculine idiocy without simply blowing it off as a joke. Sure, he’s a dickhead and is directly responsible for the impending end of the world, but he’s also heroic when he has to be and has even developed into a more complicated character in just these first three episodes. He’s never going to stop being an insensitive jerk, or an insufferable sexist ass, but he’s so damned charismatic that when he does the right thing, all that stuff just falls to the wayside.
It helps that this time out he’s got a supporting cast of strong women to help provide some sort of contextual border. So far, Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) has been sarcastic and blunt with him, playing the voice of reason when possible. She doesn’t just serve as a potential love interest for Pablo – who is on his own journey into manhood – but has become vital to the team in a very short time. Her loyalty to Ash is refreshing, given where they started.
Jill Marie Jones as Officer Amanda Fisher is also coming into her own as a capable and determined frenemy, who’s really going to have a few words for the gang when they next meet up. Provided she survives being handcuffed to a rail with a Deadite in the room.
The only complaint that I’ve got with the show is the runtime. A half-hour just isn’t enough time with these characters. I’m tempted to just watch every other week, so I can make the enjoyment last.
Just kidding. I couldn’t do that. If they’re just going to give me 30-minute portions, I’ll take them and hope that the already approved Second Season may stretch that a bit. There’s just a lot that can be done with this property that hasn’t really been explored before, and show developers Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, and Tom Spezialy and showrunner Craig DiGregorio have a great opportunity here to make something special: a horror comedy that doesn’t skimp on either the horror or the comedy.
I just want MORE. NOW.