Stan Against Evil Review: The Horrors of Marriage and Parenting
Carissa Pavlica
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If you thought the mundane existence of marriage and family life presented on Married with Children horrific, you're finally getting another gory look at what that experience can do to you.
On Stan Against Evil Season 2 Episode 5 and Stan Against Evil Season 2 Episode 6 marriage and parenting were trounced when a demon wanted to be married so badly she came out of retirement to punish Evie for not having the same desire, and Denise got her first taste of parenting with a demon baby.
As usual, every line could have been written down and used as a quote. If there's one thing this cast needs to work on, it's being a little less entertaining.
Only pros of the highest level could make this series in a timely manner because keeping a straight face while saying most of the lines has to be next to impossible.
The fun started right away because Evie wanted to mark herself as married to keep the men away. Does she even listen to the entirety of the conversations she has with Stan? I heard "clean hair and nice gums," and she heard "wedding ring."
While Evie was out buying a wedding ring, I would have been reveling in the facts I didn't have to shower or do my hair for work anymore. Different strokes, people!!
Such that it was, Evie made the wrong move, reigniting a retired demon who thought Evie's lack of consideration for marriage rather tragic.
I just killed a guy! We were fighting, and he had a heart attack. He kicked my ass to death!
Leon
I'm not wrong that the young woman with the dude who died with Leon was also Leon's soon-to-be wife, right? When she mentioned what Leon wouldn't be doing again if he didn't shave his mustache, that was the (hilarious) clue?
I love that Evie has settled into Willard's Mill so well now she just goes about her business until she has to stop and check the historical records to match up current circumstances against a possible demon.
I also totally dig that she and Leon have such asinine conversations while Evie's completely aware she's having them. Let's be honest, in real life, don't you have dumbass conversations like these and wonder why you're continuing to engage?? They're some of the best moments in life.
Evie: Oh! They found a long gray hair on the leather jacket and guess what was on the end of that!
Leon: Saltwater taffy.
Evie: What?
Leon: Paper clips.
Evie: No!
Leon: Chewing tobacco.
Evie: Why am I letting you guess?
Leon: Motor oil.
Evie: No. Neurotic flesh, like from a dead person.
Leon: Oh, so we're looking for a dead person who pushes people off of rooves and may or may not work at Jiffy Lube...
Nate Mooney was having a lot of fun as Leon, and why not? Leon got the girl! If that's not something crow about, what is?
What was with the murder of crows, anyway? The little things that happen to Stan and Denise are special only to Willard's Mill!
I wonder if we'll hear more from Leon being a widower as time goes by. Can someone who marries a dead person inherit property? Wouldn't that be a hoot? His status gives him something in common with Stan (oh, low blow).
Stan has been taking a backseat as John C. McGinley's costars are given a chance to shine. Of late, it's been Evie, Leon, and Denise Against Evil a bit more than Stan, even if he does come in at the end to tie up loose ends.
Stan wasn't all that pleased that Evie saw it upon herself to take Denise away from her ice cube duty by securing her a job, but that didn't stop father of the year from taking Denise lunch while she was working.
Stan: I went ahead and got you some lunch.
Denise: Two beers??
Stan: Yeah. That's what I had for lunch.
Evie doesn't like any of the choices Denise makes, whether it be her job (she doesn't have one) or her taste in men (all involved in the industry of death), but scoring her a position with a demon baby only got her a smidge closer to Kevin.
I've never paid Kevin all that much mind, but he's a good guy. An excellent crossover option for him would be The X-Files. He has the conspiracy angles down, and who can blame him at this point?
But he was looking after Denise when nobody else seemed to realize she was really in trouble.
Evie: So Aiden Braiden is feeding off of your affection. That means it sees Kevin as a threat to its food source.
Stan: Sounds like your normal asshole baby to me.
Weirdly, I didn't understand what the demon baby was going to do with Denise long-term. The most current mother didn't look ill, so even if the baby sucked all the affection out of her, it didn't do much damage.
Just like your run of the mill asshole baby.
Kevin tried to tell everyone he was beat up by the baby, but nobody believed him. And when Stan went into dad mode, I wished my dad (Stan BTW) were alive to watch Stan Against Evil because does anybody but a beer-swilling, cargo shorts-wearing, curmudgeonly dad know about Fatty Arbuckle?
Honey, honey, to be clear, we're not saying Kevin is a bad guy. He only kicked the shit out of himself and blamed it on a baby. Hell, for all we know, he's a true romantic at heart like that Fatty Arbuckle or that Sid and Nancy.
Stan
Denise may be totally off her rocker 95% of the time, but she reeled in a good guy.
Even Aiden Braiden (best baby name ever, no matter how it's spelled) smelled the competition and wanted to get rid of him. Thanks to whoever was in that baby suit because it was a helluva site seeing the demonic bugger go to town on Kevin after he got rescued from his swaddling of mucus.
My Slayland would be an eerie and grosstastic addition to a carnival instead of a traditional haunted house. What kind of rights would AMC/IFC have to give up for that to happen?
Walking through there would scare the hell outta me!
Two more former witches were defeated, and Stan's no closer to finding the demon eyeballs needed to go back in time to save Claire. That's despite an episode dedicated to Evie's eyes, Stan imploring the universe for a little help, and a quick look at a pic of his dearly departed.
For a season that was supposed to be about the man's detour to all things ex, he's spent a lot of time drinking, watching TV, and helping everyone else out of their jams.
When will all of his studying of that book and his search for demon eyes come to fruition? And why hasn't he complained about it just a little bit more?
Stan might be going a little softer than I even imagined as Stan Against Evil Season 2 began. Maybe reconnecting with his wife isn't the priority it once was because he's pretty damn content with the way things are right now.
What say you Stan Fanatics? Thoughts on Stan, Evie, Leon, or Denise? Maybe Kevin tickled your fancy? Demon babies or engagement? What got your giggles going? When you have a chance to watch Stan Against Evil online, drop me a line below.
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.
