Ash vs Evil Dead | |
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Genre | Comedy horror Action |
Based on | Characters by Sam Raimi |
Developed by |
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Starring | |
Composer(s) | Joseph LoDuca |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 20 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Cinematography |
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Editor(s) | Bob Murawski |
Running time |
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Production company(s) | Renaissance Pictures |
Release | |
Original network | Starz |
Picture format | |
Original release | October 31, 2015 | – present
Chronology | |
Preceded by | Army of Darkness |
External links | |
Website |
Ash vs Evil Dead is an American comedy horror television series developed by Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, and Tom Spezialy for the Starz network. It is set in Raimi's Evil Dead universe, with Bruce Campbell reprising his role as Ash Williams, and acts as a sequel to the original trilogy.
Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, and Lucy Lawless also star. The series is executive produced by Campbell, Raimi, Craig DiGregorio, and Robert Tapert, who produced all four Evil Dead films.[3] The series premiered on October 31, 2015. Three days before the series' premiere, Starz renewed it for a second season, which premiered on October 2, 2016. On October 7, 2016, while at the New York Comic Con Starz announced that the series had been renewed for a third season.[4]
Contents
Premise[edit]
The series is set approximately 30 years after the first three Evil Dead films. Ash Williams works at the "Value Stop" as a simple stock boy. Also working at the store is his friend Pablo and the object of Pablo's affections, Kelly. Ash has seemingly done very little with his life since returning from 1300 AD at the end of Army of Darkness, and the beginning of the series sees him living in a trailer and drinking alone in bars. However, Ash must soon renounce his comfortable existence and become a hero once more by taking up arms and facing the titular Evil Dead. Pablo and Kelly decide to join him on his quest to save humanity.
The series acts a sequel to the original Evil Dead trilogy, although due to a rights issue the events of Army of Darkness could not be directly referenced in the first season of the show. In April 2015, the producers made it clear that they wanted to resolve the issue so that the events of Army of Darkness could be referenced in the show.[5][6][7] In the summer of 2016, producer Robert Tabert stated that the rights issue had been solved and that references to Army of Darkness would appear from season two onward.[8]
Cast[edit]
Main cast[edit]
- Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams (season 1–present):
- Ash has changed in the 30 years since Army of Darkness. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Campbell stated, "Ash has survivor's guilt. You could have a heyday with his PTSD. He's a war vet. He doesn't want to talk about it, and he'll lie about that stump on his hand to impress the ladies. This is a guy who's got some issues. He's emotionally stunted. But, he's the guy you want in the foxhole next to you."[9]
- Over the course of season one, it is revealed that following the events of the film trilogy, Ash spent thirty years drifting from town to town, living in a mobile home trailer with his pet lizard Eli and working a series of dead-end jobs at different branches of Value Stop. Ash has attempted destroy the Necronomicon on multiple occasions. Unable to be rid of the book, he instead becomes its defacto caretaker.
- In season two, it is revealed that Ash had returned to his hometown of Elk Grove, Michigan, after the events of the films. The people of Elk Grove refused to believe his stories of Deadites, and instead accused him of murdering his friends and his sister in the cabin, shunned him, and dubbed him "Ashy Slashy".
- Ray Santiago as Pablo Simon Bolivar (season 1–present):[10]
- A co-worker who becomes Ash's loyal sidekick. Pablo believes that Ash is a true hero, and calls him "El Jefe" ("The Boss") as a mark of respect. Santiago describes his character as an "El Jefe in-training". He was raised by his uncle, a shaman, who told him stories of an evil power which can only be defeated by "El Jefe".
- Dana DeLorenzo as Kelly Maxwell (season 1–present):[11]
- An occasionally moody and initially reluctant young woman, Kelly is dragged into the fight against evil with Ash and Pablo after she is orphaned. She and her family are Jewish, and she temporarily worked at the Value Stop with Ash and Pablo. Her mother died in a car accident some six months prior to the beginning of the series.
- Lucy Lawless as Ruby Knowby (season 1–present):[12]
- A mysterious figure who is on a quest to hunt down the source of the recent evil outbreaks. She claims to be the daughter of Professor Raymond Knowby and sister of Annie Knowby from Evil Dead II.[13]
Recurring cast[edit]
- Jill Marie Jones as Amanda Fisher (season 1)[14]
- A Michigan State Trooper who sets out to find Ash following the death of her partner.
- Samara Weaving as Heather (season 1)
- The sole survivor of a hiking group, she is rescued by Pablo and Kelly when they reach the cabin. She is later indirectly killed by Ruby when the evil was set loose.
- Hemky Madera as El Brujo (season 1)
- Pablo's shaman uncle, Ash, Pablo and Kelly go to him for help against the Kandarian Demon. He is killed by the demon Eligos when he performs an exorcism on Kelly to release her from Eligos' thrall.
- Lee Majors as Brock Williams (season 2)
- Ash's father, whom Ash has not seen in 30 or so years, since the events of Evil Dead/Evil Dead II.[15][16] It is from his father that Ash got his bad habits (debauchery, etc.), and it's hinted that he has stolen girls/women from Ash in the past (i.e. his son's old high school P.E. teacher, Lillian Pendergrast). His day job is as a handyman/carpenter; his slogan is "Brock Williams - has wood - call me."
- Stephen Lovatt as Sheriff Thomas Emery (season 2)
- The husband of Linda whom Ash used to pick on in highschool. He is now the strict sheriff of Elk Grove.
- Joel Tobeck as Baal (season 2)
- A diabolical demon and Ruby's ex-husband who wants the Necronomicon for his own nefarious purposes. His abilities include using lust to manipulate others, possessing human bodies and the ability to slow down time near a target where he can converse with or injure said target. When Baal is using this power nobody seems to be able to see him besides the person he is interacting with. Ruby has also mentioned that he is impervious to physical attacks and can only be harmed through mystic or spiritual means.
- Michelle Hurd as Linda Bates-Emery (season 2–present):
- Ash's high school girlfriend who is now married to Emery, the sheriff of Elk Grove, and has a daughter, Lacey. She is one of the few people in Elk Grove happy to see Ash return.
- Ted Raimi as Chet Kaminski (season 2)
- A party-hard, old childhood friend of Ash's. He was secretly intimate with Ash's sister, Cheryl, a long time ago.
- Pepi Sonuga as Lacey Emery (season 2)
- Thomas' and Linda's 17-year-old daughter.
Special guests[edit]
- Rebekkah Farrell as Linda (season 1)
- Ellen Sandweiss as Cheryl Williams (season 2)
- Nicholas Hope as Professor Raymond Knowby (season 2)
- Alison Quigan (normal form) and Ted Raimi (Deadite form) as Henrietta Knowby (season 2)
Production[edit]
The series first started life as two competing ideas for a fourth Evil Dead film.[17] However at the time the Raimi brothers did not know how to get funding for the film and so it was instead written as a TV show. Writing for the medium presented new challenges for Sam as he had to make the series accessible to new viewers as well as create new characters to "bounce off of".[17] The project was first officially revealed by Raimi at a surprise appearance at the 2014 San Diego Comicon [18] That November Starz announced that they officially put an order in for the series.[19] Campbell said the channel was the only network that would give them the ability to be unrated and unrestricted; Campbell has stated that Starz does not require the crew to create alternate, "wimpy" versions for television.[20] Due to legal issues with Universal Pictures, the events from Army of Darkness can not specifically be mentioned on the show.[21] Original film series producer Robert Tapert has returned to co-produce along with Raimi, Campbell and Craig DiGregorio.[22] So far two seasons of Ash vs Evil Dead consisting of 10 episodes per season (30 minutes each) have been ordered by Starz.[23] On February 11, 2015, Ray Santiago and Dana Delorenzo were cast in the roles of Pablo Simon Bolivar and Kelly Maxwell.
The pilot episode of the series was written by Sam Raimi (who also directed), Ivan Raimi and Tom Spezialy.[22] In February 2015, Starz confirmed that Jill Marie Jones will be playing the leading role of Michigan State Trooper Amanda Fisher.[14] In March 2015, Lucy Lawless will co-star as Ruby, a mysterious figure who's on a quest to stop the evil outbreak and believes that Ash is the one who's the cause of it.[12] In April 2015, Starz released a new graphic teaser advertising the TV show is coming in the Fall of 2015, along with a new poster for the series.[24]
Filming commenced in Auckland, New Zealand in April 2015.[25]
Episodes[edit]
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
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First aired | Last aired | ||||
1 | 10 | October 31, 2015 | January 2, 2016 | ||
2 | 10 | October 2, 2016 | December 11, 2016 |
Season 1 (2015–16)[edit]
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "El Jefe" | Sam Raimi | Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi and Tom Spezialy | October 31, 2015 | 0.437[26] |
Thirty years after his epic battle against the evil Deadites, Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) is living in a trailer park, working in a ValueShop department store, and spending his evenings womanizing in dive bars. After seeing a demonic visage appear on a woman's face, Ash recalls having a recent Marijuana-addled "poetry read" with another girlfriend, from the Necronomicon, which he still keeps locked in a trunk. Elsewhere in town, Michigan state police detective Amanda Fisher, (Jill Marie Jones), investigates a disturbance at an abandoned house and encounters Ash's demon-possessed girlfriend who kills her partner. After defeating the possessed woman, she is then forced to put down her undead partner who attacks her. Later, Amanda meets the mysterious Ruby Knowby, (Lucy Lawless), who seems almost too understanding about the horrors Amanda has witnessed. As more evil happenings occur around him, Ash realizes he unwittingly reawakened the horrible curse again and decides to slip out of town, but he is stopped by his co-workers, Pablo (Ray Santiago) and Kelly, (Dana DeLorenzo), who realize he's to blame for what is going on. After having to kill his possessed neighbor, Ash reluctantly decides to resume his old chainsaw-wielding persona once again. | ||||||
2 | 2 | "Bait" | Michael J. Bassett | Dominic Dierkes | November 7, 2015 | 0.276[27] |
Pablo and Ash help Kelly who is worried about a strange call from her father and the sudden return of her lost mother, (Mimi Rogers), who was feared dead years ago. Ash remains suspicious of the mother, believing she's a Deadite impostor. Meanwhile Amanda follows leads that Ash Williams is behind the recent deaths and strange happenings around town, and decides to track him down. Ash and Pablo arrive at Kelly's father's house to find Kelly's mother acting normal. However, after being provoked at the dinner table by Ash, Kelly's mother reveals herself as a Deadite and kills Kelly's father with a fork. After a madcap fight between her and Ash, the Deadite tries to convince Kelly that she's fine now, but shows herself again and Ash kills her. After burying the two bodies, Kelly agrees to accompany Ash and Pablo, and the three drive away. | ||||||
3 | 3 | "Books from Beyond" | Michael J. Bassett | Sean Clements | November 14, 2015 | 0.383[28] |
With the mysterious Ruby one step behind them, Ash and his friends seek out Lionel, the owner of an occult bookstore, "Books from Beyond," to find a way to undo the evil curse. Lionel uses the Necronomicon to summon the demon Eligos in hopes of compelling it to give the answers Ash seeks. The ceremony goes awry when Amanda arrives to arrest Ash and Eligos escapes the summoning circle. In all the chaos, Ash does manage to get a cryptic response that the solution to his predicament resides within him. | ||||||
4 | 4 | "Brujo" | David Frazee | James E. Eagan | November 21, 2015 | 0.448[29] |
After dealing with the demon, Ash leaves the uncooperative Amanda handcuffed in the bookstore and trapped with a Deadite Lionel. She is saved however by Ruby, and after learning of her interest in Ash, the two join forces in hunting him down. Meanwhile Pablo takes Ash to meet his shaman uncle, a "Brujo", who may be able to help. Along the way, Kelly gets sick and acts strangely, having been unknowingly possessed by Eligos. Eventually the Brujo gives Ash a drug-induced vision of himself relaxing on a pier in Jacksonville, Florida, (Ash's idealized vacation spot), where his pet lizard Eli appears and tells him he must bury the Necronomicon deep in the place where everything started – the cabin in the woods. During the trip, a possessed Kelly attacks Ash. | ||||||
5 | 5 | "The Host" | David Frazee | Zoe Green | November 28, 2015 | 0.430[30] |
The Eligos-possessed Kelly convinces Pablo and his uncle that Ash is the one possessed. Elsewhere, Amanda and Ruby close in on Ash by using Ash's severed undead hand to guide them. The Brujo prepares for an exorcism while, back in Ash's trailer, Kelly tries to seduce Pablo and later kill him. Once the demon reveals himself the Brujo performs the exorcism on Kelly, forcing Eligos to leave, but not before the Brujo is killed. During a funeral for the Brujo, Pablo takes his uncle's sacred medallion. Back at the trailer, Pablo gives Ash a new mechanical hand that he had been working on. | ||||||
6 | 6 | "The Killer of Killers" | Michael Hurst | Nate Crocker | December 5, 2015 | 0.402[31] |
Ruby and Amanda arrive at the Brujo's ranch just having missed Ash, but the charred skeleton of the Brujo emerges from the funeral pyre and confronts Ruby telling her that she'll never have the book for herself. The two fall into the pyre which then explodes. Amanda leaves in Ruby's car but notices Ash's hand has disappeared. On their way to the cabin, Ash, Pablo and Kelly stop at a roadside diner to meet Lem, a old militia friend of Ash, and ask for help in acquiring some weapons. While Ash tries to scam his way out of paying the diner check, Pablo and Kelly return to the trailer and deal with the Necronomicon which comes alive and reacts to the Brujo's medallion. Meanwhile, Amanda confronts Ash and arrests him, just as her police chief arrives. Soon, however, the Kandarian Demon attacks the diner, turning the police chief and a waitress into Deadites. Having barely escaped the horror, Lem calls his militia buddies to "arm up" but he is soon attacked by the Evil Dead. Back at the smoldering diner, Amanda agrees to join up with Ash's group. | ||||||
7 | 7 | "Fire in the Hole" | Michael Hurst | Sean Clements, Dominic Dierkes and Ivan Raimi | December 12, 2015 | 0.452[32] |
Ash and his group go to meet the militiamen, but find they have been attacked by a demon-possessed Lem. Lem attacks them again, but Ash and Amanda become trapped in the militia bunker with him. Meanwhile Kelly and Pablo escape to the woods, but the militiamen, (thinking the two are government agents and their friend Lem is infected with a government virus), hunt them down. Back at the Brujo's ranch, Ruby emerges from the funeral pyre unharmed; she goes to the diner and resumes her search for Ash. Eventually Pablo and Kelly rescue Ash and Amanda and get the weapons from the militia, but Ash has unexpectedly vanished. A closing scene shows Ash's severed hand crawling through the woods toward the cabin. | ||||||
8 | 8 | "Ashes to Ashes" | Tony Tilse | Michael J. Bassett | December 19, 2015 | 0.465[33] |
Armed with his chainsaw, shotgun and the Necronomicon, Ash returns to the sinister cabin after 30 years. He finds Amanda behind him who convinces him that he shouldn't face the evil alone. Meanwhile Kelly and Pablo are lost in the woods but find a group of hikers consisting of Brad, his fiancée and Heather, who lead them toward the cabin. At the cabin, Ash is taunted by the severed head of his old girlfriend Linda that he left in the work shed three decades ago. In the cabin, Amanda listens to the old tape recorder about the Necronomicon. Ash suddenly appears and tells her that they should just leave and be together, but Amanda notices his putrid hand and he attacks her. She manages to cut off and destroy the hand, but imposter-Ash impales her on the antlers of the deer head in the living room. The real Ash then finds Amanda just before she dies. Pablo and Kelly return and Ash tells them that she was killed by another Evil Ash that is running around somewhere. | ||||||
9 | 9 | "Bound in Flesh" | Tony Tilse | Rob Wright | December 26, 2015 | 0.343[34] |
Pablo and Kelly confront the two Ashes and, once they realize who the impostor is, they kill him. Ash decides to chop up the bodies of the impostor and Amanda before they turn into Deadites, but the hikers return. Pablo and Kelly lead them away while Ash dismembers his clone. Suddenly the Necronomicon starts talking to him, trying to convince him not to bury it. He throws the book in the refrigerator then notices Amanda has disappeared. Amanda, now a Deadite, attacks Pablo, Kelly and the hikers. She kills Brad and his fiancée and Heather breaks her leg. Ruby arrives and Amanda runs off. Returning to the cabin, Ruby confronts Ash, introducing herself as the one who's been cleaning up his mess. She explains that the book cannot be simply buried but needs to be dismantled. Ash agrees to destroy the book and cuts off its face, but once he hands it over Ruby begins a ritual to unleash the evil upon the entire world. Ruby claims to have written the Necronomicon and the face of the book animates and attaches itself to Pablo. | ||||||
10 | 10 | "The Dark One" | Rick Jacobson | Craig DiGregorio | January 2, 2016 | 0.508[35] |
Before Ash can react to what is going on, Amanda returns and attacks him. He manages to defeat her but notices Ruby and Pablo have disappeared into the cellar. He goes down to find them but the Kandarian Demon pounds the cabin and Ash falls down the steps. He suddenly finds himself back in his trailer with the Necronomicon. Ruby appears and tells him that he was destined to stand against her, and then tries to broker a truce by offering him what he desires the most – a peaceful retirement in Jacksonville. Refusing the offer, Ash finds himself back in the cellar and under attack by a demonic child that was birthed by Pablo, who is under the control of the Necronomicon. Meanwhile, Kelly and Heather attempt to survive a demonic onslaught. Heather is killed while Kelly is locked out of the cabin. Ash again confronts Ruby, who promises to leave Ash and his friends alone in exchange for allowing her to release evil spirits (which she claims she can control) from the Necronomicon. Ash accepts the deal and starts driving to Jacksonville with Kelly and Pablo, while sinkholes begin to open up around the world. |
Season 2 (2016)[edit]
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | 1 | "Home" | Rick Jacobson | Craig DiGregorio | September 27, 2016[36] October 2, 2016 (broadcast) |
(online)0.436[37] |
While enjoying his time at Jacksonville, Ash is forced to come out of retirement after being attacked by Deadites summoned by Ruby. Ash (still in possession of the Kandarian Dagger), Pablo and Kelly return to Ash's hometown, Elk Grove, where they meet up with his father, Brock, who criticizes him for running away from the town after the events that transpired 30 years ago. While searching around town for Ruby, Ash encounters his former love, Linda Bates, who is married to the town's sheriff, Thomas Emery. Emery mocks Ash, and promises to take him in when he can. Pablo receives a vision, prompting the gang to head to the town's crematorium, where Ash finds an injured Ruby, claiming that her children have betrayed her, forcing her to hide the Necronomicon. After saving her from her three demon children, Ash and Ruby form a temporary alliance. | ||||||
12 | 2 | "The Morgue" | Tony Tilse | Cameron Welsh | October 9, 2016 | 0.333[38] |
Ruby reveals to the group that she hid the Necronomicon inside a corpse at the town morgue, which prompts Ash and Kelly to go retrieve it, while Pablo stays with her at Brock's house in order to find out about his visions. While attempting to get the book, Ash discovers that his old high school P.E. teacher, who is dating Brock, turns out to have been dead and is now a Deadite. Ash returns home just in time to stop the Deadite from raising hell. Meanwhile, Pablo's grasp on reality is tested when Ruby reveals that the Necronomicon has gifted him with premonitions, a detail seen in one from which Ruby deduces that her ex-husband, Baal, is the reason behind why all of her children have turned on her. At the end, Ash's car, the Delta, is stolen by two teenagers, while still carrying the Necronomicon in it. | ||||||
13 | 3 | "Last Call" | Tony Tilse | Noelle Valdivia | October 16, 2016 | 0.321[39] |
In an attempt to lure the teenagers who stole his car to his place, Ash and his best buddy, Chet, devise a plan to throw a party at the bar, lure the thieves in, and get the Delta and the Necronomicon back. The plan backfires, however, as one of the teenagers' friends accidentally reads from the Necronomicon, allowing evil to possess her as well as the Delta, leading to a mass killing spree. The possessed teenager, Amber, heads to Ash's party, where she almost kills Brock before Ash intervenes. Brock realizes the truth about his son and shows his pride, but before he could reveal a secret to Ash, he is run over by the Delta. Meanwhile, Ruby attempts to convince Kelly that she is the one Ruby was supposed to be looking for. | ||||||
14 | 4 | "DUI" | Michael J. Bassett | Ivan Raimi | October 23, 2016 | 0.274[40] |
The possessed Delta continues its rampage holding one of the teenagers, Lacey, hostage. It comes back and kidnaps Pablo as well. Ash takes Chet in tow, driving his car and pursues the Delta. Meanwhile, Ruby and Kelly head back to Ash's trailer to pick up weapons, where Ruby reveals that Baal can get into an individual's mind and manipulate them, and that she has been manipulated before. While they go back to the crematorium and kill the rest of her spawn, Ash continues chasing down Pablo, and Chet drops him off at an abandoned Demolition derby park. The Delta lets go of Pablo and Lacey, facing Ash by itself. While Pablo tries to deface the book, it tells him to read a passage. Ash stops the Delta, and they throw the book into the trunk of the car, a portal to hell, seemingly destroying it. Ruby, sensing the book's disappearance, runs back along with Kelly. A demon jumps out of the trunk at the end. | ||||||
15 | 5 | "Confinement" | Michael J. Bassett | William Bromell | October 30, 2016 | 0.274[41] |
Baal arrives on Earth and seduces a police officer before killing her and removing her skin. Ash is arrested for Amber's murder but is freed from his cell by Baal, disguised as the police officer. Pablo, Kelly and Ruby arrive at the police station to free Ash, while Lacey and Linda come looking for Sheriff Emery. Before going to look for the Kandarian Dagger, Ruby warns the group of Baal's ability to disguise himself by wearing peoples' skin, which sets the group on edge as they come to realise that any one of them could be Baal. Pablo reveals a strange rash to Ash and Kelly. Seeing Pablo's condition worsen, Emery believes that he is Baal, leading him to pull out his gun and threaten the group. Ruby returns with Ash's weapons and Ash defeats the reanimated flesh of a fallen police officer. On examining Pablo's rash, Ruby declares that he might be their only chance to stop Baal. | ||||||
16 | 6 | "Trapped Inside" | Mark Beesley | James E. Eagan | November 6, 2016 | 0.330[42] |
Ash, Kelly, Ruby, Linda and Lacey take Pablo back to Ash's house, where Ruby reveals that if they wait long enough, the required spell to send Baal back to hell will emerge on Pablo's skin. Baal uses his powers to convince Emery to lead a mob of Elk Grove townspeople to capture Ash. As the townspeople surround Ash's house, Ash hears a noise coming from Cheryl's room. Inside he sees Chet, who had come to warn him about the mob. The required spell emerges from Pablo's skin, while Ruby reveals to Kelly that birthing her demon "children" cost her her immortality. A Deadite Cheryl appears and fights Ash, killing Chet in the process. The fight is taken outside, where the townspeople are surprised to see Cheryl, seemingly alive. Ash kills her and reveals her to be a Deadite, thus convincing the people that he is not a murderer. Ash is then knocked out by Baal. | ||||||
17 | 7 | "Delusion" | Mark Beesley | Hank Chilton | November 13, 2016 | 0.337[43] |
Ash wakes up from a nightmare only to find himself in an asylum, where a man calling himself Doctor Peacock claims that Ash has been locked up since the murder of his friends at the cabin, and that everything about the Necronomicon was a delusion he made up to deny responsibility for his actions. Ash realizes that Peacock is none other than Baal, who is trying to break his mind through an illusion. Within the illusion he sees Ruby, as a nurse, Kelly as a fellow inmate, and Pablo as an orderly. Ash attempts to fight through the illusions, but fails time after time. After meeting with Linda, and seeing Ruby, Pablo and Kelly arrive outside the asylum, Ash then seemingly agrees to follow Baal's command to destroy the Necronomicon. | ||||||
18 | 8 | "Ashy Slashy" | Tony Tilse | Suzanne Keilly and Aaron Lam | November 20, 2016 | 0.237[44] |
Ruby, Pablo and Kelly enter the asylum and encounter Sheriff Emery, who got Linda to help him capture Ash in exchange for Lacey's freedom from Baal. Lacey, however, turns up as a Deadite and murders Emery, and is later killed by Kelly. Ruby and Pablo encounter Ash, who then tracks them down and takes Pablo to Baal. Kelly later meets up with Linda, who learns about the deaths of both her husband and daughter. She then resolves to take down Baal for good. They reach Pablo, where Ash reveals that he was never broken by Baal, and it was all part of his plan to get Pablo and Baal in the same room. Pablo then recites the incantation to send Baal back to Hell, but before disappearing, Baal slashes Pablo in the stomach, cutting him in half. | ||||||
19 | 9 | "Home Again" | Rick Jacobson | Jennifer Ames & Steve Turner | December 4, 2016 | 0.266[45] |
Distraught over the loss of Pablo, Ash and the gang attempt to travel back in time to ensure that young Ash will never see the Necronomicon. They return to the year 1982, before young Ash went to the cabin. As they travel to the woods, the gang is chased down by the Kandarian Demon, and Ruby and Kelly are separated from Ash, who run into the cabin. After a brief altercation with an evil foetus that attempts to infect Ash from his leg, Ash hears a faint voice crying for help from the cellar. He finds the voice to be coming from Henrietta Knowby, who claims to have been trapped and tortured here by her husband. While initially not believing her, Ash eventually discovers as Professor Knowby returns with one of his students, Tanya, who he plans to use to transfer the Kandarian Demon from within Henrietta onto her. Ash then frees Henrietta, just as he realizes he's been tricked, allowing her to run amok. In the midst of the chaos, Professor Knowby escapes with the Necronomicon and locks Ash and Tanya down in the cellar with Henrietta. Meanwhile, Ruby and Kelly are attacked by possessed trees, as well as being followed by a mysterious being. | ||||||
20 | 10 | "Second Coming" | Rick Jacobson | Luke Kalteux | December 11, 2016 | 0.269 |
As Professor Knowby attempts to escape the cabin, he is killed by the Ruby of year 1982, who then retrieves the Necronomicon. Henrietta murders Tanya, and battles Ash, but is ultimately defeated. As Ash reunites with present-day Ruby and Kelly, past Ruby learns of their involvement and then kills present-day Ruby, while Ash and Kelly attempt to escape. The effects of the timeline alteration take place as Ash notices the return of his missing right hand, and Pablo seemingly returning to life. However, he turns out to be Baal, who has secretly taken over Pablo's corpse rather than being banished. Baal and the alternate Ruby take Ash and Kelly back to the cabin, where they begin to perform rituals to give birth to their spawns. Ash proposes a fair fight between him and Baal, without the use of any magic or weapon. Baal gains the upper hand by using his powers to change form into Chet, Cheryl and Brock, tricking Ash and removing his right hand once more. As Baal prepares to execute Ash, however, he is outwitted and defeated. As the cabin begins to burn down and crumble, Baal, Ruby, their spawns, and the Necronomicon are seemingly banished to the underworld as part of the deal, while Pablo is brought back to life. Ash returns to his time, where Elk Grove reveres him as a hero, while the alternate Ruby watches him from afar. In a post-credit scene, the Necronomicon is picked up by an unknown traveler from the remains of the cabin. |
Music[edit]
Joseph LoDuca, a frequent Sam Raimi collaborator who composed the scores for the Evil Dead films, contributes the original music for Ash vs Evil Dead. The series also leverages excerpts from various 1970s and '80s popular songs, particularly featuring artists (e.g., Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent and Frijid Pink) from the greater Detroit area where Season One's action is based (and where Raimi, Campbell and Tapert grew up). In an interview, Sam Raimi states that the music selected for the series is based on the lack of growth the Ash character has progressed over the past 30–35 years, and that, "the music should reflect the last time he was engaged in society, and living".[46]
On November 11, 2015, it was announced that the Joseph LoDuca music score entitled Ash vs Evil Dead: Music from the STARZ Original Series would be released by Varèse Sarabande digitally on December 11, 2015 and via audio CD on December 18, 2015.[47][48] The following are the tracks that are on that album:[47]
Track listing | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
1. | "Sheet Show / Main Title" | 4:25 |
2. | "Ain't for Shabbas" | 3:22 |
3. | "Linda / Where It Began" | 2:20 |
4. | "Ash's Trip" | 2:49 |
5. | "It Did Happen / Outta Here" | 2:50 |
6. | "A Foul Wind Bloweth / Mom Returns" | 2:47 |
7. | "Deer Amanda / Shut Up Linda" | 3:50 |
8. | "The Handyman Can't" | 0:46 |
9. | "Adios, Tio Brujo" | 2:28 |
10. | "Soave Pablo / She Got Him" | 2:34 |
11. | "Offer to Fisher / Handy Escape / She Was Ruby" | 2:18 |
12. | "Let’s Start Over / Pablo's Process" | 2:06 |
13. | "Kill Me Now / Perp's Getting Away" | 2:07 |
14. | "No Accident" | 1:59 |
15. | "Evil Catches Up" | 1:11 |
16. | "Missed Ya'" | 1:38 |
17. | "Amanda Returns" | 2:38 |
18. | "Ritual" | 2:17 |
19. | "Not My Boyfriend / Burn the Cabin" | 1:22 |
20. | "Burn Baby / Mortal Toys" | 3:52 |
21. | "Without Evil There Is No Good" | 2:37 |
22. | "Ash's Theme" | 1:35 |
Total length: | 53:51 |
Title | Performed by | Played during | Episode | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
"Space Truckin' (1997 Remix)" | Purple, DeepDeep Purple | Opening of episode | 1. "El Jefe" | [46] |
"End Of The Line" | Pink, FrijidFrijid Pink | Flashback scene | 1. "El Jefe" | [49] |
"Journey to the Center of the Mind" | Dukes, AmboyAmboy Dukes | Chainsaw scene and credits | 1. "El Jefe" | [50] |
"Highway Star (1997 Remix)" | Purple, DeepDeep Purple | Car fight | 2. "Bait" | [51] |
"Knife-Edge" | Emerson, Lake & Palmer | Credits | 2. "Bait" | [52] |
"Loose" | Stooges, TheThe Stooges | Credits | 3. "Books from Beyond" | [53] |
"Midnight Rider" | The Allman Brothers Band | Car ride scene | 4. "Brujo" | [54] |
"Here I Go Again" | Whitesnake | Drug trip | 4. "Brujo" | [54] |
"Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow" | Funkadelic | Credits | 4. "Brujo" | [54] |
"Down by the Water" | Harvey, PJPJ Harvey | Car scene | 5. "The Host" | [55] |
"Is It My Body" | Cooper, AliceAlice Cooper | Bong scene | 5. "The Host" | [56] |
"Stranglehold" | Nugent, TedTed Nugent | Credits | 5. "The Host" | [55] |
"Be My Lover" | Cooper, AliceAlice Cooper | Washroom fight | 6. "The Killer of Killers" | [57] |
"All My Ex's Live in Texas" | Shafer, WhiteyWhitey Shafer | Ash eating at diner | 6. "The Killer of Killers" | [58] |
"Freakin' Out" | Death | Diner fight | 6. "The Killer of Killers" | [57] |
"Renegade" | Styx | Credits | 6. "The Killer of Killers" | [57] |
"Time Has Come Today" | Collins, BootsyBootsy Collins | Credits | 7. "Fire in the Hole" | [59] |
"The Two of Us Together" | Gibson, DonDon Gibson and Thompson, SueSue Thompson | Credits | 8. "Ashes to Ashes" | [60] |
"Just the Two of Us" | Withers, BillBill Withers | Chainsaw the clone scene | 9. "Bound in Flesh" | [61] |
"I Could Write a Book" | Washington, DinahDinah Washington | Credits | 9. "Bound in Flesh" | [61] |
"End Of The Line" | Pink, FrijidFrijid Pink | Trailer scene | 10. "The Dark One" | [62] |
"No More Mr. Nice Guy" | Cooper, AliceAlice Cooper | Car ride scene | 10. "The Dark One" | [62] |
"Back in Black" | AC/DC | Credits | 10. "The Dark One" | [62] |
Reception[edit]
Critical[edit]
The first season of Ash vs Evil Dead has received critical acclaim. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the season a 98% "Certified Fresh" rating based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The site's critical consensus reading: "True to the movies that spawned it, Ash vs Evil Dead is a gory, hilarious, and audacious resurrection of Sam Raimi's beloved horror franchise."[63] Metacritic gave the season a rating of 75 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[64]
The second season has received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a score of 100%, based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The site's critical consensus currently reads, "Ash vs. Evil Dead's sophomore season proves the show is in command of its characters and tone, turning up the gore, fun, and energy to deliver even more grisly, action-packed thrills and laughs."[65] On Metacritic, the season has a rating of 82 out of 100, based on 5 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim."[66]
Accolades[edit]
Year | Association | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards[67] | Best Television Series | Ash vs Evil Dead | Won |
Best Actor on Television | Bruce Campbell | Won | ||
Best Supporting Actress on Television | Dana DeLorenzo | Nominated | ||
Saturn Awards | Best Horror Television Series | Ash vs Evil Dead | Nominated | |
Best Actor on Television | Bruce Campbell | Won | ||
Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards | Best TV Presentation | Ash vs Evil Dead (Episode: "Brujo") | Won [68] |
Media releases[edit]
Subscribers to Starz can stream episodes of the show on Amazon Video. Season Two is not yet available for purchase or rental on Amazon without a Starz account.[69] On August 23, 2016, Anchor Bay Entertainment released the first season of the series on Blu-ray and DVD.[70]
References[edit]
- ^ Elavksy, Cindy (January 15, 2015). "Celebrity Extra". King Features. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ^ "Comcast Readies Xi4 Ultra HD Set-Top Box with 4K Content from Starz, Syfy, USA and More". highdefdigest.
- ^ Ng, Philiana (10 November 2014). "Starz Orders 'Evil Dead' TV Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ Patten, Dominic (October 7, 2016). "Starz Renews 'Ash Vs. Evil Dead' For Third Season – NY Comic-Con". Deadline. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Kevin (April 23, 2015). "Starz 'Ash vs. Evil Dead' Summons New Photo, May Ignore 'Army of Darkness'". Screen Crush.
- ^ Goldman, Eric (November 6, 2015). "Ash vs Evil Dead showrunner on Ash's "zero" progression, his time travel history and more". IGN.
- ^ Bruce Campbell on Making 'Ash vs. Evil Dead' without the Rights to 'Army of Darkness'. Collider Videos. October 26, 2015. 2:23 minutes in – via YouTube.
- ^ http://screenrant.com/ash-vs-evil-dead-season-2-army-darkness/
- ^ Hibberd, James. "'Evil Dead' scoop: Bruce Campbell reveals series details". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Maas, Jennifer (11 February 2015). "Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo join Ash vs Evil Dead". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ Mr Disgusting (February 11, 2015). "Breaking: "Ash Vs Evil Dead" Casting and Details!". Bloody Disgusting.
- ^ a b Goldberg, Lesley (March 9, 2015). "Lucy Lawless to Co-Star in 'Evil Dead' Sequel". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "Ep 104 – Brujo". Encore. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- ^ a b Sean Decker (February 11, 2015). "Lead Actress Announced for 'Ash Vs Evil Dead'!l". Bloody Disgusting.
- ^ ‘Ash Vs Evil Dead’ Adds Lee Majors & Ted Raimi To Season 2 Cast On Starz
- ^ Lee Majors Makes His Comic-Con Debut At ‘Ash Vs Evil Dead’ Panel
- ^ a b Mancuso, Vinnie. "Interview: Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi, The Face and Mind of "Evil Dead"". Observer. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ Robertson, Adi. "Sam Raimi writing 'Evil Dead' TV series". The Verge. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ Prudom, Laura. "Starz Orders 'Evil Dead' Sequel Series for 2015". Variety. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ "Bruce Campbell On Ash vs Evil Dead, Fargo and Why He's Not As Typecast As You Think". papermag.com. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- ^ http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3357283/doesnt-ash-work-s-mart-ash-vs-evil-dead/
- ^ a b Sean Decker (February 11, 2015). "Bruce Campbell Talks Ash vs Evil Dead with Dread Central". Dread Central.
- ^ "'Ash Vs. Evil Dead' Grabs Early Season 2 Renewal From Starz". variety.com. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
- ^ Lealos, Shawn. "Ash vs Evil Dead Teaser". Renegade Cinema. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
- ^ http://tvtrippin.com/tv/old-friends-in-new-zealand-on-the-set-of-ash-vs-evil-dead/
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 3, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 10.31.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
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- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 14, 2015). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 11.14.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 14, 2015). "EXPANDED SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 11.21.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 2, 2015). "SHWOBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 11.28.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 8, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 12.5.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 15, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 12.12.2015". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 22, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 12.19.2015". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 30, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 12.26.2015". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (January 6, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 1.2.2016". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ Cheryl Eddy (September 27, 2016). "How to Catch an Early Viewing of the Ash vs Evil Dead Season Two Premiere". Gizmodo.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (October 4, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.2.2016". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (October 11, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.9.2016". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (October 18, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.16.2016". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (October 25, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.23.2016". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 1, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.30.2016". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 8, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.7.2016". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 15, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.13.2016". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 22, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.20.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 6, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.4.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
- ^ a b "Maybe they like it! - Sam Raimi on audience reaction to Ash vs Evil Dead, and his own future as a filmmaker - Nov 3, 2015". Blastr. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- ^ a b ""Ash vs Evil Dead" Original Soundtrack Details Revealed [Exclusive] - Nov 11, 2015". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
- ^ "Ash Vs. Evil Dead - Music from the STARZ Original Series - Joseph LoDuca". Varese Sarabande. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ "Music from Ash vs Evil Dead - Season 1 - Episode 1 - El Jefe". tunefind.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- ^ "Ash vs Evil Dead Recap: So Far, So Groovy - Oct 31, 2015". vulture.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- ^ "Guess who's coming to dinner in Ash Vs Evil Dead? - Nov 7, 2015". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- ^ "5 'Groovy' Moments from Ash vs Evil Dead Episode 2 - November 9, 2015". Moviepilot. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- ^ "Ash Vs Evil Dead gets lost in the bookstore - Nov 14, 2015". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Ash Vs Evil Dead swaps gore for psychedelia - Nov 21, 2015". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
- ^ a b "'Ash vs Evil Dead' Recap: The Exorcist(s) - Nov 28, 2015". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
- ^ "Ash vs Evil Dead Recap: Shoot First, Think Never) - Nov 28, 2015". Vulture.com. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Ash vs. Evil Dead Bad Skeletons and Good Intestines - Dec 5, 2015". Vulture.com. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
- ^ "Music from Ash vs. Evil Dead - Season 1 - Episode 6 - The Killer of Killers - Dec 5, 2015". tunefind.com. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
- ^ "Music from Ash vs. Evil Dead - Season 1 - Episode 7 - Fire in the Hole (gives information on cover version of song) - Dec 12, 2015". tunefind.com. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
- ^ "Ash vs. Evil Dead Recap: Back to the Cabin - December 19, 2015". Vulture. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
- ^ a b "Ash vs. Evil Dead Recap: "Hey Evil, Why Don't You Eat My Butt!" - December 26, 2015". tunefind.com. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Music from Ash vs. Evil Dead - Season 1 - Episode 10 - The Dark One". tunefind.com. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
- ^ "Ash vs Evil Dead: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ "Ash Vs Evil Dead - Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/ash_vs_evil_dead/s02/
- ^ http://www.metacritic.com/tv/ash-vs-evil-dead/season-2
- ^ Fangoria Staff (January 14, 2016). "Never mind Oscar, here's the 2016 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards Nominees Ballot!". Fangoria. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
- ^ rondo1234 (February 17, 2016). "Winners announced in the (Gasp!) 14th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards". rondoaward.com. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
- ^ "Amazon.com: Ash vs Evil Dead: Bruce Campbell, Ray Santiago, Dana Delorenzo, Sam Raimi: Amazon Digital Services LLC". 2016-01-02. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
- ^ "Anchor Bay Entertainment: ASH VS. EVIL DEAD SEASON 1". Retrieved 2016-09-08.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Ash vs Evil Dead at Deadites Online.
- Ash vs Evil Dead at the Internet Movie Database