Starz Gives ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ The Chainsaw
Good things must come to an end, and that time has come for one of TV's most blood-spattered, yet bizarrely entertaining shows. Ash vs. Evil Dead has officially gotten the axe -- or perhaps I should say chainsaw -- from Starz after three seasons on the air. The Season 3 finale will officially be the series finale.
The show, which continued the story of Ash Williams from the Evil Dead franchise (one of my personal all-time favorite gore romps), was never a huge hit in the ratings, and Season 3 has turned in disappointing numbers. Ash vs. Evil Dead debuted with 437,000 viewers and the latest episode (that aired on April 15) was watched by only 175,000 viewers.
Even though premium cable networks like Starz don't demand the same kind of ratings as broadcast or basic cable networks, less than 200,000 viewers wasn’t exactly a good sign for the future of the series. The cancellation doesn't come as a huge shock, although it surely comes as a disappointment to fans, like me.
Bruce Campbell did drop some comments earlier this year that indicated he ‘wasn’t 100% certain of the series' future, and later said that he thinks "Ash is done" if Ash vs. Evil Dead gets cancelled. Campbell has shared his thoughts on the cancellation via social media.
Bruce Campbell doesn't seem too bitter about Ash vs. Evil Dead getting cancelled. In fact, he seems much more appreciative of all the opportunities afforded him by the series rather than upset that the series is ending sooner rather than later. Ash is a role that put Campbell on the map as an actor; we can only hope that he gets a solid sendoff in the series finale later this month.
The series finale of Ash vs. Evil Dead airs on Sunday, April 29 at 9 p.m.ET/8p.m.CST on Starz.