‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ 1.06 Recap: “What, You Never Saw a Guy with a Chainsaw Hand Before?”

If I was underwhelmed by the last couple episodes of ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’, this weekend’s episode worked better for me. If not quite as hilarious as the show’s premiere, it brings back some of the humor we’ve missed recently.

Always a few steps behind our heroes, Amanda and Ruby arrive at the brujo’s ranch just after Ash and the gang have left. Unfortunately, it seems that burning the brujo’s corpse didn’t quite keep him safe from Deadite possession. His mostly-charred skeleton leaps from the fire and attacks Amanda. Ruby fights it off, during which the Deadite calls her a “double crosser,” grabs her, and pulls her back into the fire with it. The pyre then explodes like a bomb went off. Amanda runs up to find her, but sees no sign of Ruby’s body at all.

I assume that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Lucy Lawless. I figure that she probably got pulled into the underworld or something. In the meantime, Amanda doesn’t have time to worry about it or grieve (not that she knew Ruby very well anyway). She immediately hops in her car to follow Ash’s trail. Weirdly, Ash’s severed hand has mysteriously disappeared.

There’s Always Room for Pancakes

Unaware that anyone is following them, Ash, Kelly and Pablo make a pit stop for breakfast at a diner called the Western Moose, where Ash shoves pancake after pancake down his gullet. He says that he’s figured out how to stop the Deadites. All roads lead back to the original cabin in the woods where he unleashed them for the first time. He tells Pablo and Kelly that they can’t come with him, because he doesn’t want to put them in any more danger, but they refuse to be left behind.

Ash runs into an old friend (if that’s the appropriate word) named Lem. He seems like a real dim bulb. He brags about being sober for nine whole days. He also says that he has recently joined a gun nut militia. Ash thinks it might be a good idea to stock up on weapons before heading to the cabin.

While waiting for Ash, Kelly and Pablo return to the trailer and have an awkward conversation about how she tried to seduce him when she was possessed by the demon. Pablo describes it as, “You were in full-on bone mode.” Kelly doesn’t entirely deny that the demon may have preyed on real feelings she had for him. Suddenly, the brujo’s necklace reacts to the presence of the ‘Necronomicon’ book. The two objects are drawn toward each other. Kelly and Pablo have to stash the book in a trunk and pile a bunch of stuff on top of it to keep it contained.

Amanda tracks Ash to the restaurant and calls in his location to her boss, Lieutenant Boyle. He tells her to stay put until he arrives.

Ash can’t pay the check for breakfast and pathetically tries to seduce the waitress. He says that his lovemaking skills are worth well more than the $22 bill – perhaps even twice that much. The waitress is not impressed.

Sensing that Ash is getting ready to leave, Amanda rushes into the diner to arrest him. He resists and they fight until Lt. Boyle shows up. Unfortunately, his arrival corresponds to a new Deadite attack. The whole front of the restaurant explodes, throwing everyone inside toward the opposite wall. Both Boyle and the waitress are killed and turn into Deadites.

Kelly and Pablo run in and toss Ash his chainsaw and shotgun. He takes care of Boyle while they fight the waitress. Kelly, who’s been eager for some Deadite payback over her parents’ murder, goes completely berserk and shoves the waitress’ face into a deli slicer.

In the midst of all this, Ash’s friend Lem runs away and calls someone named Crosby (presumably a militia buddy), but gets attacked and possessed by a Deadite.

In the aftermath of the big battle, Amanda finally realizes that Ash has been fighting evil the whole time, not orchestrating it. She agrees not to arrest him, and he invites her to join their team.

Episode Verdict

A few parts of this episode don’t quite work. The CGI for the brujo skeleton is pretty cheesy, for example. Nevertheless, the episode has a much stronger sense of gleefully demented fun than the last two. The copious amounts of gloriously over-the-top gore surely help.

Honestly, even the weaker episodes of this series are still pretty entertaining. I have a feeling that the show will play better in binge-watching marathons when there isn’t a week’s delay after each lull.

2 comments

  1. Blu-Bliss

    I agree that the skeleton cgi sucked big time. It didn’t match the level of quality shown so far with other deadites nor the menacing look of the demon that was summoned on the 3rd episode. I guess the show runners just went for some cheap cgi, since it was just a quick scene anyway. The skeleton did remind me of Army of Darkness though; which made me wish they would have done some modern stop-motion animation here.

    I liked the spike out of the power glove, which Ash used on Lieutenant Boyle. The scene with the deli cutter was gruesome. 🙂 I’m glad Amanda joined in the clan.

    This was a very fun and gore packed episode.

  2. CC

    Funniest part (that I had to rewind a few times) was when the police detective holds up a wanted sketch of Ash side by side with the real Ash. It is a ridiculous picture with a goofy pose, and as the detective holds its it up, Ash non-sensically, and for no reason, makes the ridiculous face that is in the poorly drawn caricature! A ‘blink and you missed it’ hilarious joke!!!

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