If you’ve been missing fake blood and slapstick-filled gore scenes, fear not because Ash Vs. Evil Dead Season 3 debuts on STARZ Sunday, Feb. 25 . A Supernatural War is brewing and the gang's back together, with the assistance of two new characters. How will this affect the paths of our current Evil-hunting heroes?
Dana DeLorenzo’s character on the show, Kelly Maxwell, has come a long way the past two seasons. In the past, her ideas have been overshadowed by Ash or Ruby’s plans of attack. Season 3 will give Kelly the chance to show what she’s made of, even while passing the torch of knowledge to a newcomer, Ash’s newly discovered daughter, Brandy (Arielle Carver-O’Neill).
Given ongoing debates surrounding women and diversity in entertainment, DeLorenzo feels portraying a strong female character is more important than ever. Last February, she wrote an article arguing for the need to get away from describing strong characters by their ethnicity or sex. “Write a strong character and let people who are meant to play it, play it. I hope that we get to that point. Such a plethora that we don't have to specifically say it anymore.”
The last two seasons of Ash Vs. Evil Dead have seen Kelly evolve into this kind of kick-ass character, and Season 3 will see her passing that wisdom along to Brandy. But with new characters coming into an already tight-knit group, changes in dynamics can be expected.
“Kelly gets a little bit miffed that, all of a sudden, now there's this girl. ‘Oh God, she’s 18, oh she’s a teen.’ Now Kelly's gotta babysit this girl? We don't need any more obstacles! Evil is back and this is all I’ve (Kelly) been waiting for,” DeLorenzo told Player.One at New York Comic Con last fall.
At the same time, Kelly sympathizes with Brandy. “Kelly is the one who takes Brandy under her wing, because she starts seeing these similarities. Brandy loses her mom, Brandy thinks Ash is a dummy, just the way Kelly did when he first saved her life. Now Kelly’s the one who’s telling Brandy, ‘I know he seems like an idiot, and he IS. I get it ya know, you're going to have lots of therapy with Ash Williams as your dad. But honestly, the guy is going to save us all from evil,’” said DeLorenzo.
DeLorenzo also suggests the bond between Kelly and Brandy will echo relationships in past seasons of Ash Vs. Evil Dead. “I love that in this journey, she takes her under the wing the same way that Ruby did with Kelly,” she notes.
Still, don’t expect Kelly to hold Brandy’s hand. The newcomer is likely to find herself thrown in at the deep end.. “Inadvertently, Kelly is teaching her by just being there and giving her the experience. But also, Kelly wants to protect her. But she's also Ash Williams’ daughter, so Brandy’s gonna have those innate skills anyways,” said DeLorenzo.
Kelly’s experience will allow her to know when to communicate to Brandy and when to be a disciplinarian. “We’re going to have to take the teenager out and put the warrior in. This is not time to be stubborn and go out past your curfew and be a rebel. This is the time where you need to listen to me and were going to go from there,” she explained.
Kelly and Ash have developed a sort of father/daughter bond over Ash Vs. Evil Dead’s first two seasons, so it’s not difficult to imagine how Kelly could fit in as a big sister. “You see very quickly that Kelly and Brandy become like this, but it does change the dynamic from the family that is “bound by blood” and the family that is “bound by blood-shed,” she told Player.One.
Ash Vs. Evil Dead ’s attentiveness to the relationships between characters doesn’t mean the showrunners have forgotten about over-the-top action. Each season, the physicality and stunts get more wild. Does having 220 gallons of fake blood being poured on you while nailing the perfect take ever get easier? “I don't know if it's easier, but it sure has become something I can build up on and become more comfortable with every time. I look forward to pushing myself farther each episode. And if I don’t, the writers and the creators sure as hell will,” she explained.
We see Kelly grow a lot this season, both as a teacher and when it comes to making big decisions and taking action. “How great is that, when she finally, maybe has this chance for revenge, that it might not be what she wanted in the end at all? But when she goes for it, that's what matters. And she'll never be the same EVER, and you'll see how that turns out,” DeLorenzo teased.
Season 3 promises to be the biggest and baddest yet. Ash vs Evil Dead returns to STARZ Sunday, Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. Kelly is finally ready to start making her own decisions, but how will they affect Ash and the rest of the gang? Will her sisterly advice to newcomer Brandy have a positive effect? Let us know how excited you are and what you hope to see this season in the comments below.
