Ash vs Evil Dead and Fargo Reviews! The Bruce Campbell Connection
Ahh, early January on the East Coast. It's cold as crap, the holidays are over and the sun sets right after lunch time. It's a time of joy and excitement!
I still think hibernation should be a viable option from January through March.
If you're anything like me, the majority of your free time is huddled under a blanket either on the couch or in bed watching TV. Since going outside to do anything is left to polar bears and characters from Game of Thrones, I've had the opportunity to finish two awesome shows. And because I love you guys so much, and Bruce Campbell is in both of these series, I'm going to review them both and it won't be weird!
Fargo Season 2
I love this show. I'm a big fan of the movie and when they announced there would be a television series, I wondered how it would translate to the small screen. It was handled perfectly, taking the locale and feel of the movie and translating it into a longer, 10 1-hour-long episodes format.
For such a popular show that is a magnet for critical acclaim (currently sitting at a 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), I have a hard time finding anyone else who's seen it, too. I wanted to discuss this earlier but it's not really the typical GGR fare so this is more me selling Fargo to you. Hopefully I can introduce something awesome to you.
Now, Fargo doesn't fit with most of the other things we talk about. There are no lightsabers, no super heroes, and there is no video game adaptation.
granted, I bet Rockstar could do a pretty awesome video game, including the woodchipper scene from the movie. Think of it like L.A. Noire but with that heavy Midwestern accent. "OHH JEEZ MARGIE!!!"
That being said, I would be doing a disservice to anyone reading this site if I didn't talk about how good this show is. I didn't think it would be possible to top the first season. It was an incredible ride with the same dark sense of humor the feature film had. I was delightfully proven wrong as the 2nd season delivered in a big way. What's great about this show is the way each season is independent of it's predecessor and the film where it get's its name. There are so many shows that if you really want to know what's going on, you need to watch all the seasons in order or you'll be lost (thank you Walking Dead ).
This season starts in the late 70's in the same locale as the first season: the Fargo, North Dakota/Minnesota area. The main character, a Minnesota State Trooper named Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson), is investigating a triple homicide at a diner. It sounds like a simple enough story to follow. In this dark comedy/crime drama, nothing is ever as it seems as this murder investigation turns into a manhunt, then a security detail involving at-the-time-Presidential-hopeful Ronald Regan (played by Bruce Campbell), and has Lou Solverson and his father-in-law Sheriff Hank Larsson (Ted Danson) right in the middle of a turf war between rival crime families...and there's a UFO sighting, too. The series never gives you a chance to assume what's going to happen next. It has fantastic supporting roles as well, Nick Offerman playing my personal favorite, conspiracy nut and part-time lawyer Karl Weathers (not the same as the Apollo Creed-playing Carl Weathers)
Hank: so, everyone's dead?
Lou: Oh you betcha, ya.
Hank: So, don't think they could rustle up some pancakes, then?
Lou: Oh Jeez, Hank. For Pete's sake! Too soon. I'm standing in the fry cook's blood.
Hank: Oh yaaa, too soon then.
The series is bloody and violent so if that's not your thing, stay away, but the show is handled in an artful way that is not often seen by other shows. With it's dark sense of humor, incredible writing and acting, it is a show unlike any other on television. You'll find yourself laughing at things you normally wouldn't laugh at but instead of feeling remorse, you end up remembering them as your favorite scenes.
Doing a breakdown of the story would be doing this incredibly written series a disservice. It's a must watch. Step outside of your comfort zone if this isn't your normal sort of TV viewing and watch this series. If you've never seen season 1 or the 1996 film, go back and do that after you've seen season 2. They are all worth the time. Season 1 and 2 rank easily in my top 10 favorite TV series of all time.
Ash vs The Evil Dead Season 1
The talented Andy Bartsch discussed the season premiere of this show previously. There was more than one episode, though and as most of us who've watched TV for any extended period of time can attest, a good pilot episode doesn't necessarily mean the rest of the show will be any good. Thankfully, that wasn't the case with Ash vs the Evil Dead. I've been singing this show's praises for months now, since it's release on Halloween. If you like horror, but more specifically, you're a fan of the original Evil Dead/Army of Darkness series you have to find the time to watch this 10 episode series.
Don't let the angry man with a chainsaw for a hand influence your decision :)
When we last left our hero, Ash had awoken Evil again after reading from the Necronomicon. This time he's not alone in his fight; he has his co-workers from Value Stop, Pablo and Kelly. This is a new twist for Ash as he is normally a loner, choosing to fight evil by himself to mitigate the possibility of people he cares about getting hurt. As the season progresses, Pablo and Kelly both prove to be able to hold their own in a fight as the threesome gets closer to stopping the evil curse of the "book of the dead."
3 times the boomstick!
Officer Amanda Fisher is a crucial part of the season as well, seeing the effects of the Evil Dead herself and being fortunate enough to survive. She thinks all of this is Ash's fault, and is dead set to find him and avenge her partner's death. Lucy Lawless' mysterious character Ruby proves to be a force to be reckoned with as the finale approaches. We are not sure of her true intentions until the last 2 episodes and boy, is it a reveal!
Ruby...you got something right there...like...on your cheek...you know what, your creepy stare tells me that you're not too concerned.
This is another series you simply need to watch. I could tell you how the first season ends and some of the twists and turns it takes, but it's worth seeing firsthand (no pun intended, Ash).
If Fargo is too bloody and violent for you, then DEFINITELY stay away from Ash vs The Evil Dead. I'm just giving you fair warning if you're not familiar with Sam Raimi's style of gore. If you're into that sort of thing (and you're reading this, so I'm sure you are), this show hits the pedal to the floor from the first episode and doesn't let up once during the series. You think you've seen the most bloody and gory scene and then something else tops it. I can give away the fact that there is going to be a second season. I couldn't be more excited. The end of season one leaves me wishing for more, just like you want a series to do. This one isn't for everyone, but for those of you who love this sort of horror/action/comedy mash-up, it's 10 out of 10.
Final Tally
Both of these series are incredible, but for completely different yet strikingly similar reasons. Fargo is violent, gory, and hilarious in a grounded-in-reality sort of way, often making the viewer realize how absurd life can be. It shows us all how our own vanity and pride can unravel our tenuous hold on normalcy.
"Oh yaaaa, this UFO unraveled my hold on that there whatcha call it...normalcy."
Ash vs The Evil Dead is also violent, gory, and hilarious in a ridiculous-over-the-top style of "how can we scare you, gross you out and make you laugh all at the same time?" You can never accuse Bruce Campbell of taking himself too seriously in this role but at the same time, you wonder if Ash will ever get to live a normal life...and if he could, would he really want to?
"With a jawline like this, how could I live a normal life? "
What TV shows did you absolutely love in 2015? Let us know! We'd love to talk about those as well.
Mike Lunsford is the Editor-In-Chief of GGR: The Great Geek Refuge. He currently is obsessed with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It's a miracle we got him to write about something else for this article.
Don't forget to pick up some of the movies/TV shows Mike talked about in this article from our buddies over at Amazon!
