Ash vs Evil Dead: The script is flipped

At 1428 Elm, we were granted a preview of episodes 6 through 9 of Ash vs Evil Dead. The script is flipped and the tone is getting considerably darker. It is time to test the mettle of the fans.

“You guys are such a buzzkill. Let’s get wasted.” – Ash Williams

In the Beginning There Was “Splatstick”

Episodes 1– 5 of Ash vs Evil Dead have come and gone. Fueled by a decent amount of comedy and gore, known as “splatstick” in the franchise jargon, viewers saw everything from a Spidermanesque sperm fight in a cryobank to a baby returning to the womb, so to speak.

While fans were enjoying the signature brand of humor and crude asides, there are a significant number of viewers wanting a return to the Evil Dead era. They want storylines to be more serious and with a focus on the lore of the Necronomicon.

Now It’s Dark

Starting with episode 6, the script is flipped and the tone is getting darker. The idea of the mini-movie feel is definitely not going away. While there’s still some one liners here and there, they aren’t as prevalent as they were in the first half of the series.

There will be blood. Perhaps more blood than ever before on a grand scale. At one point, it will seem like a virtual sea of red. Get ready for some horrific effects and a scene that will remind you of the Cenobites appearing in Hellraiser.

As for the acting, it gets cranked to an eleven. There are two standouts in particular that are worth mentioning. Lucy Lawless and Dana DeLorenzo are tearing up the screen as Ruby and Kelly. Lawless has never been more terrifying. She makes Norma Bates look like a model PTA mother.

As for DeLorenzo, Kelly is turning into the badass warrior that we always knew that she was and it is glorious. She has learned well from Ash and is skilled in combat. There is no doubt in anyone’s minds that she could lead the Ghostbeaters into battle if she had to.

Full Circles

Ash vs Evil Dead – Ash in Ashy’s Slashy’s Hardware Store and Sex Toy Emporium – Courtesy of STARZ

The latter half of this series is the culmination of journeys beginning in Season 1. There are many callbacks to the Evil Dead movies that fans will no doubt enjoy, as well as echoes of episodes past. Everyone gets their moment in the sun so to speak.

Now is the time for everything and everyone to come full circle. Pablo is not the shy young boy from Value Stop. Ray Santiago has made him into a confident man with a sense of purpose who has finally found his place in the world of Elk Grove and beyond.

Even Ash has changed. In the beginning, he was having to adjust to being a father. Not quite sure of how to balance raising a teenage daughter with being a responsible adult, he was definitely flailing.

Hard to believe but Ash is transforming into a person who is less about the needs of one and more about the needs of others. Actions speak louder than words and in this character’s case volumes.

Bruce Campbell has repeatedly said that he’s fixing Ash. What he’s done with a role that he has played for nearly forty years is layer him with an innate sense of destiny. The veneer gets stripped away and what we see is a man who is like everyone and yet like no one.

Brandy is also letting her guard down. At first, she was reluctant and wary to trust Ash, especially since she was under Ruby’s influence as the kindly guidance counselor Ms. Prevett. However, as the show progresses, she begins to see she can love her father and, that above all else, he will protect her and has her best interests at heart.

Moments of Truth

What do you think of Season 3 so far? Feel free to share your opinions in the comment section below. We want to hear from you.

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Ash vs Evil Dead: The script is flipped – Spoiler free review

By Susan Leighton | Mar 28, 2018