TV Series Review: Ash Vs Evil Dead (Season 3)

Ash, Pablo & Kelly are back for another season of blood soaked mayhem. The wickedly gore-filled series stars Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, the chainsaw-wielding anti-hero tasked with saving the world from evil. Also, Lucy Lawless as Ruby, the unpredictable foe and occasional ally who has strong ties to the origin of the Necronomicon.

Season 3 continues exactly where season 2 left off. Ash’s status in Elk Grove, Michigan has changed from murderous urban legend to humanity-saving hometown hero. With Evil defeated, there was only one thing left to do: open a hardware store! Ashy Slashy slashes prices! However, where Ash is you can bet your ass that Evil isn’t far behind. Kelly witnesses a televised massacre with Ruby’s fingerprints all over it, she returns with a new friend to warn Ash and Pablo that evil isn’t done with them yet.

Also, it is revealed by a former lover that Ash has a daughter named Brandy. Ruby attempts to use her as a way of getting to Ash. Will he be able to defeat Ruby, fulfil the foretold prophecy and put a stop to evil once and for all?

Ash Vs Evil Dead season 3 somehow manages to continue the high standard of what had come before it. Throughout the 10 episodes, there are a lot of memorably awesome moments involving Ash as well as your other favourite characters. Still, as entertaining as every moment is some of the episodes of are just kind of there. Don’t get me wrong, none of it is bad. It’s sort of more of the same which is fine. Much like the previous seasons, the show is very fast paced. Everything happens at breakneck speed with few moments to breathe in between.

The gore still looks great. However, some rather lacklustre CGI is littered throughout. I enjoyed that this season delivered some moments of genuine dread opposed to being all about the comedy. That isn’t me saying that it isn’t funny because it really is.

There are lots of cool scenes, even if most of the season is a little by the numbers. Also, it delves deeper into the Evil Dead lore than we’ve ever seen previously.

The final two episodes of season 3 might just be my favourites of the entire show. There are a number of emotionally charged moments involving Ash, Brandy, Kelly & Pablo. I’ve been yearning to see Ash get serious, just for a moment and it doesn’t fall flat when he finally breaks down. In a lot of ways, these episodes perfectly culminate everything that has come before it in terms of Ash and the entire Evil Dead story. Another thing, credit to Arielle Carver-O’Neill for her portrayal of Brandy. She’s very reminiscent of a younger, frightened Ash Williams and looks quite similar too.

I know people are mad at Starz for cancelling the show and I can understand why. I love Evil Dead too and knowing that it has truly ended is devastating. However, I thank Starz for giving us fans 3 seasons of something that probably had no right existing in the first place. Also, they certainly must have threw a decent amount of cash at those final two episodes. What truly sucks is seeing the cliff hanger that season 3 ends on. It leaves you with a lot of questions and some serious heartache for how awesome it likely would have been. I mean, post-apocalyptic Ash? Dear lord, that looked great. I would have liked for season 3 to have gotten to this point sooner. Instead of wasting quite a bit of time on episodes and moments that probably could have been cut without much loss.

Overall, if Ash Vs Evil Dead season 3 is truly the end then at the very least it ends things on a high. Thank you Bruce Campbell, Hail to the king baby.