One of the Best Evil Dead Projects of All Time Is Officially Streaming for Free

Like the relentless Deadites that have been there from its start in 1981, the Evil Dead franchise simply won’t die. The latest installment, Evil Dead Burn, has again revived interest in the franchise, reminding moviegoers to be careful about the books they take out of the library. But despite its “Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes score, the film, like 2013’s Evil Dead and Evil Dead Rise before it, is missing the franchise’s arrogant, quip-heavy, bumbling heart: Bruce Campbell‘s chainsaw-wielding Ash Williams. At least in any sort of meaningful way: a brief after-credits cameo in Evil Dead, a voice-only cameo that may be him in Evil Dead Rise, and appearances in photos that, again, may be him in Evil Dead Burn don’t really cut it. Which is why the TV series that centers around Ash Williams, Ash vs Evil Dead, stands as one of the best entries in the Evil Dead franchise as a whole.

What Is ‘Ash vs Evil Dead’ About?

Ash vs Evil Dead picks up thirty years after Ash took out a Deadite with his boomstick at a Michigan S-Mart (“shop smart, shop S-Mart”) in the final scene of Army of Darkness. During that time, he moved from town to town, picking up work at local Value Stops and living out of a mobile home trailer, with only his pet lizard, Eli, there to keep him company, all in an effort to stay ahead of the Deadites. But after reading from the Necronomicon while high, in a vain attempt at seducing a young prostitute, the evil is reawakened yet again. Things come to a head at his latest stop in Jackson, Michigan, when sinister events happening around town jar Ash’s memory about his recent misstep (remember, kids: no reading the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis while on drugs).

Ash prepares to leave town on the down-low, but is stopped by two Value Stop co-workers: Pablo Simon Bolivar (Ray Santiago) and Kelly Maxwell (Dana DeLorenzo), who have figured out that Ash is to blame for the evil being unleashed in the town. They’re reluctant to believe Ash’s account, at first, until a possessed neighbor attacks the three in Ash’s trailer. Ash, in a moment that calls back to Army of Darkness, takes control of his iconic chainsaw once again, stopping the attack and resuming the fight. This time he won’t be alone, as Pablo decides that he’ll fight alongside Ash as his sidekick, referring to Ash as “El Jefe” (“The Boss”).

Kelly, however, is reluctant, but the sudden return of her mother (Mimi Rogers), feared dead after a car accident months prior, raises Ash’s suspicions. Sure enough, despite her mother appearing normal, Ash provokes her into revealing herself as a Deadite, who kills her father (Phil Peleton) with a fork. Still, Kelly’s mother tries to convince her she’s just fine, but a final reveal of her Deadite true-self forces Kelly to accept that she is now, truly, an orphan. After Ash dispatches her, Kelly, now filled with an insatiable rage against the Deadites, joins forces with Pablo and Ash to form the “Ghost Beaters.”

They are soon joined by Ruby Knowby (Lucy Lawless), a mysterious woman who, secretly, is a demon — not just any demon, mind you, but one of the ancient Dark Ones and the author of, yes, the Necronomicon. She reveals herself in the Season 1 finale, breaking bad until the following season, when she must reluctantly join Team Ghost Beaters after losing control of her demon spawn. Revelations, deaths, rebirths, time travel, flashbacks, a fight between Ash and his possessed 1973 Delta 88, and lots and lots of blood — and laughs — permeate Ash vs Evil Dead from the start to its end after three glorious seasons.

Bruce Campbell Shines in ‘Ash vs Evil Dead’

Ash vs Evil Dead brings everything we love about the franchise while expanding on its mythology. The Necronomicon, in particular, is given a deep, troubling history that befits its status within Evil Dead. The aftermath of Evil Dead II is revealed, with the people of Elk Grove, Michigan, refusing to believe Ash’s account of Deadites being responsible for the deaths that occurred in it, accusing him of the murders and giving him the moniker “Ashy Slashy.” There’s the blood, the dark humor, the slapstick, and the practical effects (and some admittedly dodgy CGI, but not enough to derail the thrill of watching it). The supporting cast, too, is perfection: Santiago nails the progression of Pablo from kindhearted and naive sidekick to “Brujo Especial” (a powerful shaman); DeLorenzo brings swagger and sarcasm to her hard-as-nails Kelly; and Ruby might just be the most layered TV demon ever, with Lawless excelling at bringing depth, just as she did with Xena: Warrior Princess.

But make no mistake: Ash vs Evil Dead belongs to Bruce Campbell, full stop. He’s given unprecedented freedom to inhabit the iconic hero, and he makes the best of it, owning the series in a way that only the truly charismatic actors can. His story is fleshed out, giving us a far more in-depth understanding of Ash: his tragic past, the relationship with his estranged father (Lee Majors), and Brandy (Arielle Carver-O’Neill), the long-lost daughter he didn’t know he had. In Army of Darkness especially, Ash is a caricature, an anti-hero with a foul mouth and arrogance in spades. In Ash vs Evil Dead, he’s still a caricature, yes, but one with depth, a careful balancing act that Campbell has perfected with his intimate knowledge of the character.

Ash vs Evil Dead is Bruce Campbell’s last hurrah as Ash Williams, and it sends him out at the top, ready to face the Deadites again in an uncertain future. There is one certainty, however: you, dear reader, sitting your arse down and watching the entire series on Pluto TV for free.