Feelings about sex and virginity are very individualized. Everyone matures at a different level and even though we claim to live in a sex-positive era, there is still a level of judgment when it comes to people who are virgins. In her amazing sex/relationship column, Ask AnnieThing, actress Annie Murphy of Schitt’s Creek answers a question from a reader who is 22, a virgin and feels behind because of it.
Q: I’m 22 years old and—yikes!—still a super virgin. I’ve tried dating through apps and have had no success because everyone seems to be looking for an “instant gratification” that I can’t give them. I feel so behind the curve. How do I date when everyone I meet expects to have sex right away? Should I feel badly for being a virgin when my peers are sexually active?
Murphy’s answer, which you should definitely check out in full, is amazing and hilarious, but here are some of my favorite bits from the response:
“Here is my short answer: No, no, NO. You should absolutely, positively not feel badly for being a virgin at ANY age.
[…]
Losing the oooool’ V-card (ugh, I’m sorry) means different things to different people. There are people who make mixtapes comprising mostly of Goo Goo Dolls and Enya, and wait and wait and wait for a rainy day when their parents aren’t home, then slap on some fairy lights and invite their longtime boyfriend over for “the big event.” (Why are you looking at me like that; that’s not MY story. OK it was me.) Then there are people, like one of my best friends, who just wanted to get it over with, so they had sex with one of their friends in a bathroom at IHOP. (Don’t worry, I’ve been assured that bathroom was one of the “bigger, cleaner ones.”)
[…]
There are lots of fun, sexy things to do that don’t have to involve losing your virginity. Laser tag and handjobs, for example. […] Be honest about your virginity. Let things happen on your own terms. Losing your virginity doesn’t have to be “special” in the sense that you should spend 10 years crocheting a blanket upon which you shall be deflowered, but it certainly should be special in the sense that you are in control of, and comfortable with the situation when it happens. Go forth!!”
What I enjoy so much about Murphy’s response is that it makes it very clear that a person’s virginity should mean whatever you want it to mean. Bring sex-positive doesn’t just mean ending slut-shaming, it also means, not treating people who don’t want to have sex, for whatever reason, as if they are prudish or cold.
Regardless of if someone is asexual, waiting for marriage, or just waiting for the right time/date/location, virginity does not define someone’s worth sexually or otherwise. It is not something anybody should be ashamed of.
Besides, if anyone pressures you into having sex when you don’t want to or makes you feel bad about your virginity, they are a jerk and it’s for the best that you didn’t share any intimacy with someone who can’t even muster some respect for you, your body and the choices you’ve made for it.
(via Flare, image: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Feelings about sex and virginity are very individualized. Everyone matures at a different level and even though we claim to live in a sex-positive era, there is still a level of judgment when it comes to people who are virgins. In her amazing sex/relationship column, Ask AnnieThing, actress Annie Murphy of Schitt’s Creek answers a question from a reader who is 22, a virgin and feels behind because of it.
Q: I’m 22 years old and—yikes!—still a super virgin. I’ve tried dating through apps and have had no success because everyone seems to be looking for an “instant gratification” that I can’t give them. I feel so behind the curve. How do I date when everyone I meet expects to have sex right away? Should I feel badly for being a virgin when my peers are sexually active?
Murphy’s answer, which you should definitely check out in full, is amazing and hilarious, but here are some of my favorite bits from the response:
“Here is my short answer: No, no, NO. You should absolutely, positively not feel badly for being a virgin at ANY age.
[…]
Losing the oooool’ V-card (ugh, I’m sorry) means different things to different people. There are people who make mixtapes comprising mostly of Goo Goo Dolls and Enya, and wait and wait and wait for a rainy day when their parents aren’t home, then slap on some fairy lights and invite their longtime boyfriend over for “the big event.” (Why are you looking at me like that; that’s not MY story. OK it was me.) Then there are people, like one of my best friends, who just wanted to get it over with, so they had sex with one of their friends in a bathroom at IHOP. (Don’t worry, I’ve been assured that bathroom was one of the “bigger, cleaner ones.”)
[…]
There are lots of fun, sexy things to do that don’t have to involve losing your virginity. Laser tag and handjobs, for example. […] Be honest about your virginity. Let things happen on your own terms. Losing your virginity doesn’t have to be “special” in the sense that you should spend 10 years crocheting a blanket upon which you shall be deflowered, but it certainly should be special in the sense that you are in control of, and comfortable with the situation when it happens. Go forth!!”
What I enjoy so much about Murphy’s response is that it makes it very clear that a person’s virginity should mean whatever you want it to mean. Bring sex-positive doesn’t just mean ending slut-shaming, it also means, not treating people who don’t want to have sex, for whatever reason, as if they are prudish or cold.
Regardless of if someone is asexual, waiting for marriage, or just waiting for the right time/date/location, virginity does not define someone’s worth sexually or otherwise. It is not something anybody should be ashamed of.
Besides, if anyone pressures you into having sex when you don’t want to or makes you feel bad about your virginity, they are a jerk and it’s for the best that you didn’t share any intimacy with someone who can’t even muster some respect for you, your body and the choices you’ve made for it.
(via Flare, image: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
The premiere episode of Syfy’s The Expanse was intense! I got teary-eyed a few times in this episode. Once was when Alex (Cas Anvar) sent a video message to his family. It was rare to see such a personal moment with the character and Anvar acted the hell out of that scene! The other moment was close to the end when Chrisjen (Shohreh Aghdashloo) was saying goodbye to Coytar (Nick Tarabay) as she was getting into the racer ship.
I was lucky enough this past Wednesday to chat briefly with Anvar about the season three premiere before it aired that night. He did hint at some more story arc for Alex this season, so I can look forward to that. What else is he excited about season 3? Let’s find out, shall we? Also, fans can see him in person at Big Apple Comic Con in New York this weekend! We discuss that briefly too. Enjoy!
Cas Anvar: . . . Now, I’m all yours. Let’s let the games begin.
TNE: Yeah. So, The Expanse is premiering tonight. I just saw the premiere of it, I’m like, “Holy smokes!”. . . “Oh, my gosh!” Alex finally leaves a message for his family because it’s been a minute. So, is that –
Cas Anvar: I have a question for you, when are you gonna air this?
TNE: After it airs.
Cas Anvar: After the episode, okay. . .
TNE: Yeah. . . . Alex finally leaves a message. [I]s that a hint or foreshadowing that we will actually get to see his family? Even if it’s via a video call or something that’s happening on Mars, and we’re just seeing it from their perspective. Is there any hint to that?
Cas Anvar: Let’s say Mars is a big component of the season for Alex. And he has been growing a lot over the past two seasons. He’s been changing and morphing and evolving. His family that he has developed on the Roci has had a really strong influence on him. And so, that’s what provoked the sudden and kind of spontaneous need for him to reach out and connect. You can tell it’s been on his mind. He’s brought it up in the past two seasons.
TNE: Yes, yes, absolutely.
Cas Anvar: He’s been thinking about it, and he’s been wanting to do something, and he hasn’t known what to do. And so, finally, because of the events of the past two seasons, finally, at the top of this one, he finally, as they say, ‘shits or get off the pot.’ Let’s just say that there is a lot for him to go through in this season.
TNE: Awesome. Because he’s kind of like peripheral. [The show] kind of focuses a lot on Holden and then Chrisjen and then Bobby. But you’re kinda seeing what’s going on with Holden and then Naomi and all that stuff, kind of observing. And so, it’s nice to see that Alex gets kind of his own story arc this season[.]
Cas Anvar: It’s part of his personality, actually. Alex is very private, and he’s very reserved, and he’s very – he doesn’t talk about his family with anyone. Some people kinda poke at him. Amos gets a little bit of information out of him and provoked him a couple of times. Bobby asks some questions. But there’s very little information. He doesn’t share everything. He keeps it very close to the chest. And he’s an observer, and he’s always helping other people. He’s always helping other people out of situations and helping calm the waters and keeping the new family together. But very rarely does he actually share. And part of that has to do with the crew that he’s with.
TNE: True.
Cas Anvar: [Laughs]They’re all very self-involved. And they’re all going through major kind of chaos and bedlam and maelstroms of their own, emotionally. No one’s really asking him any questions. So, he’s kinda just dealing with things in private. And now, he’s kinda gotten to a point where he actually has to do something about it.
TNE: Now, Naomi took it upon herself to provide the protomolecule to Fred Johnson without really –
Cas Anvar: [Exclaims]What is up with that!?
TNE: Do you think if she had at least discussed it with everyone – I felt like she tried to, but it wasn’t quite – you all were set on it. Do you think if you all had made the decision together that this wouldn’t – you all would not have tension right now?
Cas Anvar: That’s kinda how the Roci works, right? It is not an autocracy. It is a democracy. And we vote on everything. And we voted. We discussed it, and we voted around the dinner table. And she was outvoted. So, it’s a huge breach. It is this huge breach of trust. It is a huge betrayal. She made a decision for all of us. So, there’s gonna be fallout, there’s gonna be consequences for that.
TNE: Do you like the new name that the Roci has to go under now? I think it’s called – what is it? Cor – oh, my gosh. I went blank on it already. But it starts with a C.
Cas Anvar: The Pinus Contorta. Hell, no!
TNE: The Contorta, yeah. Contorta. Like contortion or whatever.
Cas Anvar: It is and always will be the Rocinante.
TNE: I hear that. I was like, “But the Roci sounds better.”
Cas Anvar: Every time Alex has to look at that on the screen, he’s like, “Oh, God dammit! What’s with this?”
TNE: So, from the trailers, it looks like Bobby [Draper] and Chrisjen [Avasarala] are gonna be interacting with you guys. So, how does it feel to finally interact with some of the other characters that have actually had their own story arcs up until this point, that you’ve actually just read scripts for. And you’ve kinda followed along [watching] and, of course, live tweeting the show. So, how does it feel to actually, finally, interact with them and just be part of that story arc[?]
Cas Anvar: It’s very exciting to finally be able to kind of interact with the other leads in the show. We’re all friends. We all go out to dinner. And we all have fun with each other. And we all have gotten to know each other. But we haven’t gotten to work with everybody. And that was frustrating at times. I’ve been wanting to work with Shohreh for two, three years. And to finally get to be in the same set and interact with her was wonderful! And it’s very exciting.
TNE: Now, you’ve at least interacted with [Shohreh Aghdashloo], you said, off set, but also, have you – in between takes, have you actually gone to her set and seen her film scenes or…?
Cas Anvar: It’s very rare that we do, actually, because usually they’re on completely different days.
TNE: Oh, wow.
Cas Anvar: And they’ll be an entire week that is all Earth. And so, the Roci crew isn’t even called into set. A lot of us go back to Los Angeles or do other things. So, it’s very rare, except on these special occasions, they call them double-up days. And that’s when one episode is finishing, the last day, and the next episode is starting the first day, and we have two episodes shooting simultaneously.
And typically, everybody is at the studio at the same time. And we have twice as much crew. And we literally have two directors going and two sets and everyone – and so, during those days, we will overlap and run into each other on set and in the trailers and in the makeup and hair. And oftentimes, we will cross each other on set. And I will go and watch some scenes when I’m not shooting.
TNE: Awesome!. . . Alex, as you’ve mentioned before, has just grown so much. And there’s still some people that you haven’t really had a chance to interact with. And so, who, next on your list, would you wanna interact with after Chrisjen and [Bobby] Draper?
Cas Anvar: Bobby is fun, as I said, because she’s a Martian. I’ve been waiting for that. Miller, I don’t know what’s gonna happen with [Detective] Miller. I may have missed the boat on that one. We got to shoot some scenes together, so I did get to work with Thomas [Jane], which was fun. I don’t know if there’s much left in terms of – I have not gotten to work with Errinwright. I’m a big fan of the actor [Shawn Doyle]. We’re actually buddies off set. I would love to be able to shoot some scenes with him. I don’t see how we would ever meet. So, I can’t think of a circumstance where Errinwright and Alex would actually meet face to face and have words.
TNE: Right, right, right, right.
Cas Anvar: But I love his work, and I love his character. That would be fun.
TNE: He’s so devious. Oh, my gosh!
Cas Anvar: Mm-hmm. And you just can’t read him. You never know where he’s going.
TNE: Well, he’s screwing Chrisjen [Avasarala] already, so it’s like, “What else do you have up your sleeve? I wanna know!”
Cas Anvar: Exactly, exactly. And it’s like he always kinda gets you from out of left field. You think you figured him out, and then you realize, nope, you didn’t.
TNE: Now, do you have a favorite episode of this season so far? Have you guys finished filming completely, or are you still filming?
Cas Anvar: Oh, no, we’re done. We’re doing the final touches on the post production.
TNE: Okay.
Cas Anvar: But we finished shooting. Favorite episodes. Phewf!
TNE: You can just list numbers, you don’t have to list –
Cas Anvar: It is so exciting. It, literally, this season escalates. It’s like a reverse avalanche is – it just keeps going up and up and up and up. Every episode gets more tense. I think by the time we get to episodes 11 and 12, it’s, basically, hold on to your seats. You’re gonna be holding your breath for the next episode. I just think it just gets better and better as the season goes on.
TNE: So, since I’m gonna still call it the Roci, is Alex gonna be fighting some – gonna be in some ship battles?
Cas Anvar: You can be guaranteed that he is gonna be right there to protect his family when they get into trouble, absolutely.
TNE: Yay!
Cas Anvar: Absolutely. He’s not gonna let me them down ever again.
TNE: Aw, that just makes me wanna cry.
Cas Anvar: There you go.
TNE: So, you’ve been to a few conventions. You just went to WonderCon, correct? Are you gonna go into any other conventions this year?
Cas Anvar: Yeah, I’m going to Big Apple Comic Con in New York City in a few days, like Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
TNE: Wait. What con is in New York?
Cas Anvar: I’ll be at the Big Apple –
TNE: Big Apple?
Cas Anvar: Yeah, it’s the called the Big Apple Comic Con.
TNE: Oh, okay. I’m used to New York and BookCon and even the Anime. I’m just like, “What?”
Cas Anvar: This is an independent con. They’re doing a bunch of stuff there this weekend. So, I’m going down there to partake.
TNE: And you’re probably gonna be at San Diego. Let’s be for real.
Cas Anvar: I’m pretty sure we will be, yeah. I’m trying to get the fans to get us invited to Dragon Con.
TNE: Oh, that would be awesome because I’m going for the first time.
Cas Anvar: Yeah, it would be my first time, too. I’ve heard so many good things about it. I heard it’s really a fan con and an artist con as opposed to a corporate thing.
TNE: Yeah. Are there are other cons other than Dragon Con that you’ve, pretty much, wanted to go to but just haven’t had a chance to?
Cas Anvar: Chicago, I wanted to go to. I’ve been to Motor City, which I really liked, once. I’d love to go back. London, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and European cons, I’ve heard great things about these cons in Europe. The Expanse is really popular in Europe. So, I would love to go overseas. I think top of the food chain would be Australia and New Zealand.
TNE: Of course, of course. Because it’s just gorgeous over there.
Cas Anvar: Dragon Con. And Australia and New Zealand, I think they’ve got Armageddon and MegaCon or something. I can’t remember the name. There’s Armageddon and Supanova, I think are the two Australia cons.
TNE: So, for your gaming fans, are you gonna be voicing any characters soon or any games coming out that are voiced by you or have characters by you?
Cas Anvar: I think I just had a voice – no. Gaming, no. But I think I just had a voice role come out with a new animated film, Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles team up. And so, it’s Batman and the TMNT versus Ra’s al Ghul and Shredder.
TNE: Oh, okay! And which character are you?
Cas Anvar: I’ll be doing the honors of playing Ra’s al Ghul.
TNE: Oh, wow.
Cas Anvar: Something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.
TNE: I know. You could’ve been on Gotham, man. That would’ve been awesome.
Cas Anvar: What, right? I know. What was up with that?
TNE: They did have another good actor. I’ll give them that. But I’m just like, “Okay, there’s Cas Anvar. He could’ve been Ra’s ah Ghul.”
Cas Anvar: He could do it. He could play Ra’s al Ghul.
TNE: But at least you get to voice him. Maybe eventually do a live version. So, thank you, Cas, for taking a few minutes of your very busy day to talk to me.
Cas Anvar: I’m very happy, very happy to be of service.
TNE: And I’m glad that The Expanse is finally back. I look at the video from last year, from San Diego, and I’m like, “Oh, my gosh, it’s finally here.”
Cas Anvar: Absolutely. And we’ll be live tweeting tonight. So, whatever coast you’re on, whether it’s East Coast or West Coast, 9:00 pm, we will be there. All the actors are gonna be there, and we will join you guys. So, if you wanna interact with us, just seek us out, hashtag us, The Expanse, and get the show trending. We trended last year almost every week. You should be part of that because it’s a lot of fun to interact with the cast and crew.
TNE: Yes, I will be live tweeting from the TV Talk pod Twitter handle. So, I’ll be looking forward to that. Yeah, you guys usually – a few of you usually try and live tweet, at least on the East Coast, every week, which is cool. We appreciate it.
Cas Anvar: Yeah.
TNE: All right.
Cas Anvar: Hopefully, your readers will come and visit me in New York.
TNE: Yes, absolutely. You’re a great guest to interact with, especially since your table is not too – well, it’s busy, probably, on some days, like Saturday, it’s probably super busy. But if there’s a quiet moment, we can really talk to you. So, that’s awesome.
Cas Anvar: Yeah, absolutely. I always enjoy talking to my fans.
TNE: Yes. And that’s always a good experience with a fan that goes to a con like that. So, we appreciate when those slow moments happen. We’re like, “Oh, my gosh. We get to actually have that conversation.”
Cas Anvar: Exactly.
TNE: All right. Thank you, Cas.
Cas Anvar: Thank you. And you take care.
As always it was a pleasure talking with Anvar. Here’s to a phenomenal season 3 of The Expanse! Sound off below about what you like about the character Alex!
A Louisiana woman was killed on Facebook Live on Thursday (April 12) by her ex-boyfriend, according to reports. Rannita Williams was shot and killed after a standoff with her former beau of five years, Johnathan Robinson.
Previously on Ash Vs. Evil Dead: Ruby (Lucy Lawless) spawned a toothsome baby demon that has a fleshy chainsaw for one hand, while a couple of hapless hitchhikers became baby’s first meals. Dalton (Lindsay Farris) reveals more about Ruby’s and the Knights of Sumeria’s origins. He mentions a sorceress named Kaya who was a Knight who turned evil, which means she’ll probably appear this season, given how she’s now bound inside the Necronomicon. Ash (Bruce Campbell) tries to bond with Brandy (Arielle Carver-O’Neill), which kinda sorta goes okay, maybe, except she’s really close to her guidance counselor, Ms. Prevett, who is really Ruby. Ash has an epically nasty battle at the local sperm bank because the Deadites are determined to destroy his seed. Meanwhile, Pablo (Ray Santiago) and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) have a heart-to-heart.
Recap
“Apparently Dead” opens at the church where Candy’s (Katrina Hobbs) funeral is about to take place. Brandy tells Ash he doesn’t have to do the dad thing, and that her counselor, Ms. Prevett, will take her in. Ash makes an actual effort to be a good father, so Brandy agrees to stay with him. The funeral director (Richard Felix) comes in to tell them they can view Candy’s body, saying he’s restored her head. Ash knows that’s bad news; he grabs a fork and heads to the casket, where he pokes Candy to see if she Deadites out. She doesn’t move. He says a few words about their relationship, turns to leave, then turns back to say one more thing, but Candy is gone. He slowly approaches the empty casket and leans in. Candy suddenly reaches out and drags him inside. She attacks and tries to initiate sex, but Ash says, “No Means NO!” as she crunches his balls. Candy bites Ash’s metal hand, shorting it out a little. Their fight is gruesome, culminating in Ash cutting her head off and quipping, “How was that for you?” The casket seals shut with Ash in it. Beginning credits!
The funeral director wants to start the funeral, but Brandy wants to wait for Ash. Ruby is there in a black veil, sympathizing with Brandy. Brandy gets up to say a few words about her mom while the organist plays a creepy sad song. The casket begins moving and the funeralgoers gasp. The movement stops and Brandy continues her eulogy, but it ends because Ash finally manages to open the casket. “Fucking hell,” he exclaims, and when he climbs out, Candy’s head falls off his crotch. He puts it back in the casket as everyone is grossing out. Ash is covered in blood and pus because this show can’t go one day without covering him in indignity.
The funeralgoers file out; Ruby then reveals herself to Ash. Brandy tell him that’s her counselor who she’s known for two years, but Ash says it’s Ruby, the evil hellbeast who turned Brandy’s friend and mom into demons. Brandy runs out; Ruby tells Ash to back off and threatens Brandy to top it off. She leaves, and the casket rolls open, spilling out Candy’s defiled body pieces.
Kelly, Pablo and Dalton arrive. Ash says Ruby is back, disguised as Brandy’s counselor. Pablo hears the Masked Woman (Hannah Tasker-Poland) calling him. She appears and tells him to listen to his Brujo, and to go find the Kandarian dagger. No one else can see her or the others who appear with her. Pablo, smitten, asks the Masked Woman her name and if she’d like to go on a date. What the hell, Pablo, you’ve got evil to fight! She tells him to set his destiny.
In the background, Dalton is telling Ash and Kelly they have to kill Ruby with the Kandarian dagger Pablo, fresh off his vision, says he knows where the dagger is. Ash tells them they have to go solo because he has to talk to his daughter.
The Ghostbeaters and Dalton arrive at the old cabin site at night, which is always a good time to visit the place where an ancient evil resides. As they dig around, whispers are heard. Kelly remarks that it’s creepy being back and that she last saw two Rubys there. Dalton remarks that they should “dig fast.” Pablo hits something hard—it’s the deer head! It doesn’t laugh, though. Pablo says the dagger is definitely there.
Ruby-as-Prevett drops Brandy off at Casa de Ash to get her things. In Cheryl’s room, Brandy plops on the bed and thinks. She sees a sketch Cheryl made of a young Brock (Lee Majors). At the cemetery, Ruby lays the Necromonicon down on a grave and pulls out a box with a moth. She impales the moth on a knife and places it on the grave. The book opens to the spell Ruby needs; she drips her blood on the moth and recites the incantation. The moth flies away and a hand bursts through the ground.
Back at the house, Brandy plays some of Cheryl’s music on an old cassette player. It’s “Crimson and Clover” as covered by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Brandy tries on Ash’s hardware store uniform as a dead thing comes up the stairs and…takes a shower! Brandy keeps looking through Cheryl’s things while the corpse showers, pulling off layers of dirt and skin. The song choice makes the scene extra-yucky. Brandy finally hears the shower being used and heads towards the bathroom, calling out “Ash?” The moth is on a light in the hallway. Brandy sees steam and the muddy footprints going toward the door. The door opens and…??
Ash arrives; he goes into the house and hears Brandy talking to someone. It’s Brock! He looks normal. Ash asks Brock what he’s doing. He and Brandy are watching Ash’s commercial and making fun of it. Ash tells Brandy that Brock is dead, but Brandy says Brock told her how he survived being hit by the Delta ’88. He also tells Ash to stop being “such an asshole.” Ash asks if he can speak to his dead father privately.
In the woods, the Ghostbeaters and Dalton have dug up have the cabin’s contents—the clock, the projector, and other items familiar from the films. Pablo hears weird noises as Kelly finds the dagger. Evil heads toward them, knocking down trees and turning on the items from the cabin. The three run. Dalton tries to shoot the evil, but it drags him off. Kelly searches for Dalton and Pablo, and finds Dalton impaled on a tree branch. He says Pablo did it to him; Pablo set them up, Dalton insists, and they should’ve killed Pablo when they had the chance. He asks for the dagger, but Kelly hesitates. It’s good that she did because Dalton Deadites out and snarls, “Give me that fucking dagger!” Pablo shows up in a truck and runs Dalton down. Kelly runs over to find where the truck stops, but it’s empty.
Back at Ash’s, Brock is nonchalantly looking in the fridge for food. Ash asks what’s going on while Brandy is in the den, laughing at Ash’s commercial. Brock says Ruby pulled him from the grave so he could look in on Brandy. Brandy comes in just as Brock attacks Ash, knocking out Brandy in the process.
The two men try to shove each other’s faces into the electrical stovetop. Brock basically gets the upper hand (ha!); he beats the tar out of Ash, who has to put the chainsaw on his hand and gores his father in the gut. Naturally, Brandy shows up just in time to see her newly met grandfather brutally murdered—she thinks he’s really alive—and she gets covered in his blood. Brandy is completely freaked out. Ash says the good news is that he can explain, but Brandy wishes Ash was dead instead and runs out of the house. Ash calls after her, telling her Brock was already dead, but she’s gone. “Kids!” Ash says as if he was a dad for Brandy’s whole life. End credits!
Review
“Apparently Dead” is a good place-setter for the big battle (predicted by Dalton last time) to come. The script by Ivan Raimi makes good use of both Brandy and Brock, and it’s great to see Lee Majors back on the show, even if Ash eviscerates him rather quickly. Majors has a natural rapport with Carver-O’Neill, helping to further integrate her character into Ash’s life, and his interactions with Campbell are golden. The two really up each other’s acting game.
The direction by Diego Meza-Valdes & Andres Meza-Valdes fits seamlessly with the series while emphasizing the horror a bit more. There’s a good jump scare when Candy drags Ash into the casket, and they convey the claustrophobia of being trapped inside a casket nicely before upping the horror by having Candy’s head appear seemingly out of nowhere. That it seems like the casket isn’t any larger than normal even as Candy crawls up on Ash is a neat bit of effects work, too.
Lawless makes Ruby nastier than before; her threat to Ash about Brandy has true danger behind it, bring Ash’s “papa bear” out in force. While it may seem rather sudden for Ash to care so much for Brandy, we’ve had two seasons to see him come to love Pablo and Kelly as family, so we already know he’s capable of having love for a daughter (despite his terror last episode that he may have a whole baseball team of children out there). Not so sure he’s going to love his demon child the same way, but time will tell.
Lastly, while “Crimson and Clover” took on a creepy vibe, as I mentioned in the recap, the song that plays over the end credits, “Kids” from the musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” fits just as perfectly here as it does in its original context. That it’s sung by Campbell and Lawless may also be foreshadowing Ash’s eventual meeting with his demon progeny. We’ll see. As always, stay tuned for the next episode!
This week in Ash (and other) one-liners (plus other stuff I liked):
“Oh, no, this ain’t the Kroger parking lot!” Also, Ash has a flashlight on his metal hand. Pablo thought of everything!
Kelly at the funeral: “Fuck me! It looks like a snuff film in here!”
“I love the smell of old man in the morning!”
Bruce Campbell’s and Lucy Lawless’ singing is damn good. More, please!
Linda B. Watch: Linda B. is not mentioned. I should probably give up (or Google Michelle Hurd to find out why she hasn’t been on the show), but this is more fun. No one ruin it for me!