Ash vs Evil Dead Season 1 Episode 9 Review: Bound in the Flesh

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Just let her carry your load, Jefe!!

Those infamous words out of Pablo's mouth from Ash vs Evil Dead Season 1 Episode 9 are words he is most likely regretting quite a bit. 

"Bound in the Flesh" had a bit of everything: lots of gore, quite a bit of humor (Lucy Lawless and Bruce Campbell play off each other beautifully) and that surprise ending reminiscent of a gooey version of The Mask. Will Pablo be going Jim Carrey on us?

Ash Goes Into Battle - Ash vs Evil Dead

You know how I've mentioned the difference between fun horror and other horror, the qualifier of which I can't quite place my finger on, but I'm thinking of movies like Saw and Hostel? When gore is present in the latter, I cringe, wretch and turn away. When it's done as it is here in Ash vs Evil Dead, I not only watch, but embrace it. Hell, I was eating while watching Ash chop himself up and Ruby rip through the hikers.

And what a hoot it was with the continuation of the two Ashes. Not only when Kelly and Pablo found them and put them through their paces, but even Ash talking to himself and chopping himself up with a chainsaw. I loved it! It was so fun to watch.

Ash was so busy playing with himself he allowed Amanda to sneak off into the woods, giving Jill Marie Jones some time to get all deadite. Why should Bruce Campbell have all the fun in his dual role, right? I'm assuming Jones was inside her deadite self. If it was my character, I'd want to play the dark side! The voice was masculine, and she was holding up people by their necks, so who knows.

Keeping things ridiculous to the extreme, when the hikers returned to the cabin to find Kelly, Ash and Pablo covered in bloody goo, they never batted an eyelash, instead continuing to request shelter and assistance from the trio. Assholes deserved to die, to be honest.

Let the guts running down someone's chest be the first clue you're barking up the wrong survival tree, and let their lame stories about being strange veterinarians be your second. Just turn tail and run like hell! 

I also had to laugh at Pablo wrapping up hot Heather's broken legs. I've never seen anyone put a tourniquet onto a compound fracture with the bone still outside the skin, and I never want to see it again. Ever. It gave me the heebie jeebies just to look at it. OMG can you imagine the pain?!

As expected, Ruby is...someone. Important. She wrote the book. 

So...why didn't the book jump on to her face? You'd think it would want a willing participant. But it was funny as hell seeing it cling to Pablo's face, and frankly, I hope it stays there. Not that I don't like the look of Pablo's face, but the possibilities are amusing.

If the book was that traumatic for 30 years to Ash, what the hell would the skin from the cover do to Pablo stuck to his? The question of Superman or Stockboy was thrown at Ash. No doubt he wants to remain Superman, his version at least. 

While the power of the book may be out of his hands, at least temporarily, it seems highly unlikely he'll stop trying to get it back by way of saving Pablo. Or something. 

One more episode to go before we're on hold for Season 2. What do you expect to happen? Say hello deadite fanatics!

Bound in the Flesh Review

Editor Rating: 4.7 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.3 / 5.0 (9 Votes)

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.

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Ash vs Evil Dead Season 1 Episode 9 Quotes

Ruby: You put a chainsaw on your stump? Congratulations.
Ash: It's a lot harder than it looks. How many other people you know have a funtioning chainsaw on their arm?

Chopping up my evil clone. Maybe someday that will feel weird.

Ash