‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ gets second-season order ahead of premiere

If you are wondering what “Ash vs. Evil Dead” – the TV sequel to the cult over-the-top campy horror classic “Evil Dead” film franchise – is going to be like, let its star tell you. Together, the trio made fright flick history by blending humor and over-the-top horror in “The Evil Dead” (1981), “Evil Dead 2” (1987) and “Army of Darkness” (1992).

It’ll be a double celebration tonight on Hollywood Boulevard for director/executive producer Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Lucy Lawless and the rest of the Ash Vs. Evil Dead gang. But this is Evil Dead.

Through the first two episodes, though, that hasn’t happened. It’s a safe bet that “Ash vs. Evil Dead” will chalk up many more than that. It’s unclear how many episodes Season 2 will have, but Deadline says it’ll be at least as long as Season 1, which consisted of ten episodes.

All I can say is, I really hope season one turns out to be good, or we’re all going to feel very silly. Either we all watch all ten episodes as soon as they drop, or we don’t.

Ever the idiot/blowhard, Ash still has the Necronomicon, and even uses it to impress the ladies. Ash is directly joined by two co-workers from the “Valu-Mart”, Pablo (Ray Santiago) and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo). Lucy Lawless will also apparently survive the first season of the new Starz program, as shes definitely been signed on for Season 2.

All kidding aside, Raimi praised Campbell’s portrayal of Ash as the unique ingredient that kept fans clamoring for more. With his big mouth, predilection for massive screw ups, and passion for zombie decapitation, he’s the ideal audience surrogate for horror movie lovers, and an easy guy to root for.

It looks like Starz has a ton of confidence in their upcoming TV series, “Ash Vs Evil Dead”. During the five hours I spend on the blood-splattered set of Ash vs Evil Dead, my white sneakers get stuck to the floor in a blood-drenched saloon, I trip over a bucket containing a child’s head floating in a puddle of brown goo, and at one point, I’m handed a string of sticky intestines to hold. Old school Evil Dead fans will definitely spend the early portion of this show doing the same thing; sizing it up for authenticity.

But gory comedy has become so common in the three-plus decades since the premiere of the original “Evil Dead” that many viewers will be neither grossed out nor amused. “So anyone who’s looking for it, it’s coming your way”.