TV Review: Ash vs Evil Dead Season 2, Episode 2 “The Morgue” (USA, 2016) be the most bizarre episode yet

So uh…the second episode of season two might very well be the most bizarre episode yet. Not that Ash vs Evil Dead is typically grounded or rooted in normalcy every other week but this ep certainly did its best to deliver a WTF moment.

Now that Ruby has joined the gang, enlisting Ash, Pablo and Kelly’s help to put her children (read: demons from the underworld) back in their place, all they need to do is grab the Necronomicon. Problem is, Ruby left the ol’ thing inside of a body at the morgue. See, flesh disguises the smell, but despite the improvisational genius of the plan, Ash is none too happy about having to retrieve it.

While he and Kelly head to the morgue, Pablo volunteers to stay back at Ash’s childhood home with Ruby in order to gain information on why he’s having visions.

This is where things get freaking whacked man. Ash once again gets attacked by some manifestation of evil, this time played by an intestine from the corpse that the book was in. Cue fight sequence which results in Ash being dragged up said corpses *cough* rectum until he’s wearing the dude as a hat. Also, front on dead penis. Starz really doesn’t have any limits and even after the scene is done and Ash is covered in excrement, it’s still hard to accept what the hell we just saw. I suppose this might be AvED’s thing; trying to top itself in the shock department. I still just can’t figure out whether this was too ridiculous even by Evil Dead standards.

So when Ash isn’t being devoured by butt holes, Ruby and Pablo converse on all things death and demons. It’s always interesting watching Ruby’s character evolve. I imagine the whole trust angle will be played on for the majority of the season. Lucy Lawless is doing a fine job, acting sympathetic but potentially harbouring much more sinister motives.

Dana DeLorenzo is quickly becoming my favourite person in the world. She has brought Kelly from generic sidekick to confident bad ass and she’s hilarious to boot. Her exchange and subsequent ass kicking of town Sheriff Emery cements every element of her character perfectly.

After an obligatory deadite fight – sometimes I feel as though they exist simply for the gratuity of it all but it’s not a complaint – Ruby learns through Pablo’s latest vision that the deadites are attempting to raise their father Baal. And so we come to the crux of the season and a weighty one at that. The terror on Ruby’s face upon the revelation signifies someone much more terrifying than she ever was. Its integral for the show-runners to capitalise on this build now because I for one am hooked.

Our two women are co-MVP’s of The Morgue. DeLorenzo and Lawless had a ball with their characters, solidifying who they’ll be going forward. It was an episode that provided more gore and vulgarity than any substantial plot progression but it wasn’t completely unremarkable.
Now excuse me while I go and have a good, long sit and think about that morgue scene…

Highlights:

      • A potentially solid character build up
      • Dana DeLorenzo being awesome
      • That morgue scene?

Lowlights:

        • That morgue scene?

Review Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)

Ash vs Evil Dead is streaming now on Stan.

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