And here it is: The episode of Ash vs. Evil Dead that Ashley Williams’ diehard fanbase has been waiting for. Sure, the series started off with a bang, setting Ash back to work messing up Deadites and protecting all that is good and living from all that is evil and, well, not living. But past “Books from Beyond,” the story has dug its heels down and gone into set-up mode. That’s not a bad thing, mind. Both “Brujo” and “The Host” made for good television, if perhaps a bit slow to get to the point. But hooooly boomstick, “The Killer of Killers” is the real deal, isn’t it? This is what we signed up for. This is why it was worth getting amped up, when Starz picked up Ash vs. Evil Dead and got the band back together.
As a disclosure, it must be said that the bloody delight of “The Killer of Killers” comes only in its final minutes. Up until that point, the episode mostly just moves chess pieces across the board, directing Ash, Pablo, and Kelly to a diner where shit eventually ends up getting real; the big “whoa” moment to start us off comes pre-credits, as Ruby is yanked into Brujo’s funeral pyre by the reanimated flaming skeletal remains of Brujo himself. Farewell, Ruby! We hardly knew ye. (Reminder: This is Evil Dead land, kids. Start placing your bets as to how soon Ruby will be back on her feet.) That’s a nice little bit of unpredictability in a show that, in terms of character deaths, is otherwise fairly predictable.
No sooner does Amanda find a new partner than she’s abruptly on her own again, which naturally just pushes her even harder to take Ash down once and for all. We can see where all of this is headed: Amanda makes for the diner, Ash tries to screw the waitress to avoid paying the check, and Pablo has a heart to heart with Kelly about that whole “possessed seductress” business from “The Host” before warning her about the dangers of seeking vengeance. Blah, blah, blah; we’ve got Deadites to slay. Enough with the chit-chat and the feelings. Look, that unseen evil force has been frolicking around over hill and dale for what feels like the entirety of Ash vs. Evil Dead’s first season. Each time it catches up to the Ghost Beaters, bad stuff goes down, none badder than what transpires once all of the major players are all in one room together at the end of “The Killer of Killers.”
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
