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October 01, 2015
In The Mix

Dead and Alive

The producers of a beloved film franchise bring its horror — and humor — to Starz in Ash vs. Evil Dead.

Craig Tomashoff

For those who might not have a dictionary handy, Deadites are mystical creatures that can possess the spirits of humans, have a superior intellect and sense of humor and — just when you think they’re gone for good — they find new ways of returning to Earth.

In fact, they’re back in the new Starz show Ash vs. Evil Dead.

The 10-episode series, premiering on Halloween, is a spinoff of the Evil Dead movie franchise that has amassed a huge cult following since its beginnings 35 years ago — and has strongly influenced how horror is depicted on screen.

Bruce Campbell stars as the reluctant hero, Ash Williams, who must stop the evil spirits from taking over the planet. Nobody knows if Ash will prevail, but this much is clear: the series already represents a clear victory for television over movies.

As producer Rob Tapert relates, the idea for the series evolved as his production partner, producer-director Sam Raimi, was completing the fourth Evil Dead movie. “We said, ‘What if we do it as a series instead?’ says Tapert  (Hercules, Xena), calling from the show’s New Zealand set.

“Bruce and I love TV — we’re TV kind of guys. There’s no better place for an ongoing storyline, and you can spend so much more time with Ash. Plus, the economics of the business have changed so much — unless you’re making a $100 million-grossing movie, it’s tough to find investors who’ll make a big commitment.”

With Tapert having previously executive-produced Spartacus for Starz, the premium cable channel leapt at the chance to air Ash vs. Evil Dead. From The Walking Dead to Z Nation to iZombie, the undead have never had more life on television than they do right now. And Campbell is eager for viewers to get to know and love Deadites on a weekly basis.

“They are clever, they speak English, they pretend to not be possessed, they can be kids or even inanimate objects,” explains the actor, who also is an executive producer on the series, along with Raimi, Tapert and showrunner Craig DiGregorio. “They’re powerful and will mess with you however they want. They can totally kick the ass of the walkers in Walking Dead.”

That irreverence has always set Evil Dead apart from its spooky peers. The films offer equal amounts of horror and humor, which Tapert says is “a tricky line to walk. We’re not Shaun of the Dead and we’re not Walking Dead. We’re unique with our tone and blend of scares and laughs.”

In the series, the producers do add some twists. After yet again accidentally releasing Deadites upon the world, Ash gets some help from a young sidekick (Ray Santiago), a wild child (Dana DeLorenzo) and a disgraced cop (Jill Marie Jones). Lucy Lawless plays the mysterious Ruby, who is stalking Deadites and Ash.

And for a high-octane sense of action (“It’s more of a drag race than a NASCAR race,” Tapert says), episodes will run for only 30 minutes — but they’ll be chock full of over-the-top gore.

“I just walked by four five-gallon buckets of vomit — or what will stand in for vomit,” Tapert says, laughing. “We do want to retain the gore factor when Ash kills Deadites. We’ll try to have the sort of big gore sequences I enjoy in two of every three episodes.”

But just because the blood will flow doesn’t mean Ash vs. Evil Dead is only for the strong of stomach.

“We do horror that’s not grim,” Campbell says. “The torture porn you see so much these days was never our bag. Making someone jump in their seat is good filmmaking, and we try to do that. But just as important is the fact that Ash is the Everyman. He’s got flaws and limitations. He’s not a Navy SEAL or a tough FBI agent. He’s just a guy trying to adjust to getting old, and I love that. This show will be something people can relate to.”

Even if you’ve never had occasion to strap a chainsaw to your arm and carve a zombie in half.

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