Ash vs Evil Dead
Episode 3.8 “Rifting Apart”
Directed by Mark Beesley
Written by Bryan Hill
Created by Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, Tom Spezialy
Starring Bruce Campbell, Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, Lucy Lawless, Joel Tobeck, Katrina Hobbs, Lindsay Farris, Arielle Carver-O’Neill
Starz
Air date: Saturday, April 14, 2018

“To save those two, I would submit to a prostate exam.”

Warning: spoilers below…

The last two weeks on Ash vs Evil Dead have been rough on Ash and the Ghost Beaters. First, a vengeance-seeking Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) was killed by Ruby (Lucy Lawless) after a knockout drag-out fight. Then Ash had to watch as Ruby threw the Candarian dagger straight into her daughter Brandy’s back killing her as well. Ash is distraught as any father would be. Pablo (Ray Santiago) is also in tears, as this week’s episode begins due to Kelly being trapped in the Rift. Since Pablo used his Brujo Especial powers to open the Rift in the hardware store basement once before, they come up with a crazy plan to get their loved ones back…

Brandy (Arielle Carver-O’Neill) is alone and scared in the Rift, which looks like the AvED version of the Upside Down from Stranger Things. We learn that anyone killed through evil passes through here, which means after last week’s Demon Ash prom massacre, the Rift is more crowded than usual. Luckily for her, before a nightmarish force can get her, she’s rescued by DALTON!!!

The crazy plan I mentioned earlier harkens back to something Ash remembers from Evil Dead 2 over 30 years ago! If Ash can cross into the Rift he can rescue everyone who has died. Unfortunately that means Ash needs to die and then have Pablo open the Rift and allow them all to return”¦ hopefully in one piece. Before they can carry on with this, they steal the coroner’s van with Brandy’s body and drive to hardware store.

A lot has been made of Ash’s transformation into a devoted father, but I think we’re seeing the original Ash we met way back in the original Evil Dead. This guy was devoted to his girlfriend Linda and used the necklace he bought her to vanquish the deadites the first time he faced them.

Back in the basement, Pablo is waiting to open the Rift when the body bag turns up empty. While he goes to search for whatever is waiting upstairs, Ash finds the rest of his crew in the Rift and it’s genuinely emotional when him and Brandy embrace. There’s also the fun fact that Ash now has his very own right hand back for the first time since the infamous “Who’s Laughing Now?!” scene in Evil Dead 2. They need to get back the Rift-side of the basement, but that becomes harder when the half Lovecraft, half LOST-Smoke monster-looking thing blocks their path. Dalton (Lindsay Farris) sacrifices himself in a great moment getting to toss out some nice one-liners. And Ash gets another family reunion, this time with the Delta!

After Pablo uses Ash’s hardware tools to fight off a deadite prom queen, including a grisly kill with a head vice, it’s downstairs to open the Rift. Unfortunately since Kelly’s body is currently being occupied by Kaya, she’s trapped there while Ash and Brandy manage to escape.

Another great episode making it 8/8 this season for Ash vs Evil Dead. The next two episodes are going to be huge. The cast made a big deal about the final two during NYCC and even the evil characters are scared of the Dark Ones, so something big is definitely on the way. These characters truly are a family at this point. Campbell and company have really demonstrated tremendous growth and pushed their range of emotions to the hilt.

Sadly, we have to bring up the realities that viewership simply hasn’t picked up and after this season was delayed by STARZ, it feels unlikely that low viewership will see AvED picked up again unless they see a huge jump. Seasons 1 & 2 are streaming now on Netflix, so you have no excuse not to catch up. Download the STARZ app and get a 7-day free trial and it’s only $8.99 a month after that. Along with AvED you’ll get American Gods, Outlander, Black Sails as well as a huge selection of premium movies. During every episode of Ash vs Evil Dead, show STARZ you care by using the hashtags #AshvsEvilDead and #BringBackBoomstick on social media and live tweet the show while it’s on. You can join with us at 9:00 pm EST on Sunday nights. Also check out my reactions on the free Stardust app @DrZaiusGoD and tag me in your reactions.

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