If you’re looking for a solid horror TV series, then you could do much worse thanAsh vs Evil Dead. In terms of scares and ghouls, this mid-2010s series truly has it all. We’re talking a spooky horror atmosphere, imaginative monsters, vile gore, impressive practical effects, a strong storyline, and a killer cast made up ofBruce Campbell,Dana DeLorenzo, andRay Santiago. Beyond its horror-adjacent creative choices,Ash vs Evil Deadis also just flat-out funny. This series pushes the comedyharder than any other titlein theEvil Deadfranchise. For some fans, that might be a bit off-putting, but for those who just want a fun and sinister TV show that juggles creepy and comic, this is a must-see. Don’t just take my word for it, either. This isthe highest-rated horror serieson Rotten Tomatoes. Even if you aren’t a fan of that site, landing a 99% Tomatometer score while also being this audacious is undoubtedly impressive.
If you’re anEvil Deadfan, and you haven’t watched this show yet, then it’s best that you get some context before jumping in.Ash vs Evil Deaddoesn’t carry the bleak tone of the first film, nor the 2013Fede Álvarezremake, buthalf of the movies in this seriesdon’t either. This has more than all the fun that you’ll find inEvil Dead II,Army of Darkness, andEvil Dead Rise, so much so that you could chalk this series up to a flat-out comedy with horror elements. But that shouldn’t scare off the horror fans who are looking for their next nightmarish fix.Ash vs Evil Deadgoes all in on that department. By airing on Starz,Sam Raimi,Robert Tapert, Campbell, and co. were able to craft an even more gruesome and disgusting series than any other channel would have provided.Ash vs Evil Dead’s particular brand of scares, laughs, and a small audience of devoted fans makes thisthe ultimate cult horror show.
Ash vs Evil Dead
Ash has spent the last thirty years avoiding responsibility, maturity, and the terrors of the Evil Dead until a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind and Ash becomes mankind’s only hope.
Ash vs Evil Deadmight have come only two years after the franchise was revived by the 2013 reboot, but it feels more like a throwback to the original movies than that film ever did. That feature-length project was gravely serious and pitch black in tone — a choice that fans appreciated, but didn’t quite scratch the itch we were all feeling. What we wanted was over-the-top horror, a tone that juggled both the light and the dark, and of course, Bruce Campbell returning as Ash Williams. With this series, it feels as though the team behind those original movies heard our cries. After three seasons,each made up of ten 30-minute episodes, fans were given all the Ash Williams-centricEvil Deadthat they could possibly need.
Picking up 30 years after the originalEvil Deadtrilogy,Ash vs Evil Deadfollows its titular character as he, once again, plunges head-first into a battle against the demonic forces of the Necronomicon. This comes in the most bone-headed way in which the Kandarian Demons have ever been revived: after Ash smokes a bunch of weed in his mobile home trailer and reads from the Necronomicon to impress a woman that he has over. From there, he bands together with his department store co-workers, Pablo (Santiago) and Kelly (DeLorenzo), to try and rid the world of the Evil Dead once and for all. From there, we meet warriors who have lived their lives trying to keep the demons at bay, family and friends of Ash’s, and dig up secrets about his past that the movies never explored. It also provides us withthe most developed version of Ashthat we’ve ever seen.
This adventure doesn’t just take Ash to the cabin from the classic movies, it also brings him back to his hometown, a military base, a spooky morgue, Jacksonville, Florida, and more.Ash vs Evil Deaddoesn’t just drop us into the same old Deadite monsters and scenarios but with a new location as a backdrop. 30 episodes of this show gave the creators plenty of room to get creative with the ghouls that pop up. There are possessed cars, dolls, bodies from a morgue, and even gigantic Deadites. Still, afew classic villains from throughout the seriesappear here and there. This gives us enough to keep new and old fans satisfied. No matter how you personally are meeting this show, as long as you’re a horror fan, you’ll be sure to have a great time. How could you not have fun with a series that combines itsEvil Deadtropes with classic horror stories likeChristine,Child’s Play, and the works ofH.P. Lovecraft?
Ash vs Evil Deadis a total overdose of horror. This series has some of the most disgusting stuff that you’ll ever see in a movie or a TV show, ranging from its over-the-top gore to an absolutely vile scene involving a possessed colon. That said, a possessed colon sounds pretty silly, right? You’ll find that every time that this show makes you squirm, it’salso bound to make you howl with laughter. Bruce Campbell, in particular, is in top comedic form. He’s rolling off hilarious one-liners, insults, and quips like it’s nothing. This is also while turning up the slapstick comedy all the way. Even in his late 50s, Campbell was taking endless floods of blood and guts to the face, and going all out with some pretty strenuousThree Stooges-inspired action scenes. As for the supporting cast, Santiago brings a charming wide-eyed wonder to the role, while DeLorenzo delivers every line with a sarcastic edge. Even when this show leans hard into true horror, this cast doesn’t let the tone stray too far from still being a good time.
Unfortunately,Ash vs Evil Deadhad a fairly short run. Three seasons of TV isn’tnothing, but the series ends on such a great note that you can’t help but wonder where else things would go. Seriously, if you think the original ending ofArmy of Darknessis a great cliffhanger, then think again.Ash vs EvilDeadends in such a way that it’s hard to believethat it’ll never be followed up.Evil Dead Risewas an enormous success both critically and financially. In terms of the latter,it’s made more moneythan any movie in this entire series. Let’s hope that Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi saddle back up sometime and give us theMad Max-inspiredEvil Deadouting that we were promised at the end ofAsh vs Evil Dead.
That said, part of the fun ofAsh vs Evil Deadis that it’s now one of those horror releases that was underseen when it came out, but is now enjoying a second life on various streaming services. Since it finished airing on Starz, Ash’s standalone show hopped over to Netflix andis now on Hulu. The success ofEvil Dead Risehas to have helped as well, and made new fans look back on older projects in the franchise. Any way you roll it, this is one of those series that you want to be in the know about.
Most importantly, its short run is also proof that this series never overstayed its welcome. In 30 episodes, each clocking in at half an hour, you’re able to tear throughAsh vs Evil Deadlike it’s nothing. This is a wonderfully breezy roller coaster of a series that more than lives up to its title as the highest-rated horror show. Do you need gore? Got it. Atmosphere? That too. Fun leads? Check. Chock full of laughs? You bet. In a world that’s filled with shows likeThe Walking Dead,American Horror Story, andThe X-Files, shows that were all great at a time but went on far too long,Ash vs Evil Deadis a brief but fresh breath of air. It would be funif the series was revivedor if a feature-length sequel was made, but if we never get that, then that’s okay.Ash vs Evil Deadis theperfect send-off for its titular character, and a killer horror show as it is.
Ash vs Evil Deadis available to stream in the U.S. on Hulu
