Over the last few months I’ve been writing about the new television series that have made the transition from the big screen. Unfortunately, they have been less than stellar, so it’s pretty exciting to find a series that seems to have finally gotten it right, managing to capture the feel of the original film.
Ash vs. Evil Dead seems to seemingly fit right where the next chapter after of the film franchise, ending with Army of Darkness, should. Sure, it could have happened earlier, but that’s really not important. What is important is that we see what the repercussions of Ash’s adventures have had on his life and how he’s changed through them. What we find is Ash really hasn’t grown that much.
The series opens with Ash putting on a girdle and dolling himself up for a night on the town. There are a few gags like this, seemingly poking fun at his age at face value, but what it also reinforces is something fans have always known about Ash, that it’s hard to tell whether he’s a fraud or not. Ash has always been the type of character that dips in and out of the hero role, going from complete buffoon to capable warrior at the drop of a hat. What we see from Ash is that he’s still ever the braggart, boasting of his skills even though, at times, he lacks the conviction to spring into action.
Ash’s buffoonery seems to have hit its peak in the Starz series, as the return of the Deadites is clearly his fault when he should have known better. In an attempt to impress a girl, Ash reads from the Necronomicon, the book that has tormented him from the very beginning of the franchise, bringing forth the evil once again. Even though this type of head slapping stupidity seems unreal for someone of Ash’s age, it’s really totally typical of his character. Ash has always been the type of person to absolutely fail at pivotal moments, forcing him to have to fix the outcome of his incompetence.
Ash is not the only character the series follows. We are also introduced to his co-workers, Pablo and Kelly. Much like in Army of Darkness, Ash finds he has his fans and detractors. Pablo is confident that Ash is “El Jefe,” the man who can finally rid the world of evil. Just as in Army of Darkness, even Ash doesn’t believe this to be possible.
Sharing his opinion is Kelly, a cashier, who is almost immediately dismissive of Ash, and for good reason. As always, Ash puts on a confident facade that comes of as arrogance to most. Ash is quickly put in his place by Kelly, who proves that she quite capable of seeing through his bullshit and defending herself if necessary.
The other character the series seems to follow is Amanda, a cop, who responds to a call and comes face to face with a Deadite who manages to turn her partner into a member of the Evil Dead. Although not much is explained in the pilot as to why her character is important in the series, it seems clear she plays a pivotal role. During the attack, the Deadite mentions that she knows who she is. Perhaps Amanda has some secret past or lineage that will prove to be important later on in the story? Who knows, but at least one character seems interested in her, Ruby, played by Lucy Lawless. It’s clear Ruby is following her, interacting with her in a diner after Amanda believes she’s seen another Deadite in broad daylight.
The action is everything you would expect from the Evil Dead franchise. Much of it is laced with a healthy amount of humor (something more familiar from Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness). Ash confronts a number of manifestations from your regular homegrown Deadites to a box cutter wielding killer doll. Ash seems to fumble his way through these battles at first, but eventually comes into his own when he gets his hand (just one of course) on his trusty chainsaw and boomstick.
The only place where Ash vs. Evil Dead seems to falter is when it decides to opt for CG effects over practical. Some of the CG looks cheap and over the top, something it shares with the previous Raimi produced Starz series, Spartacus. In one particular scene, a Deadite has its head blown to pieces in slow motion. The blood and viscera is bright and strangely lit compared to the surroundings, making it stand out awkwardly. It’s a small issue, as the rest of the practical effects look fantastic and characteristic of the film franchise.
At thirty minutes, Ash vs. Evil Dead had me wanting more. Clearly that’s a good thing and something we hope all TV series manage to accomplish episode to episode, but I really would have liked to see an hour-long pilot or two episodes back to back. Still, Ash vs. Evil Dead leaves enough for the viewer to see where the series is heading and how each character fits into the big picture. If you’re a fan of the films, particularly Army of Darkness, you should love the new series.
