Home Again (Ash vs Evil Dead)
Ash travels to 1982 to undo the cabin events.
"Home Again" is the nineteenth episode of *Ash vs Evil Dead* overall and the ninth in its second season. The episode aired on Starz on December 4, 2016. It was written by co-producers Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner, marking the first writing credit for each, and directed by co-executive producer Rick Jacobson, his third directing credit for the series.
In the episode, Ash, Kelly, and Ruby travel back to 1982 to stop the cabin events from ever happening. The plot begins with Ash, drunk and grieving Pablo’s death, hallucinating a message from Pablo that his fate can be changed. Ash forces Ruby to transport them and Pablo’s corpse in the Delta back in time. Once in 1982, the group splits up in the woods when the Kandarian Demon appears. Ash hides in the cabin, where he steps on a nail, leading to an infection that forces him to cut open his leg and expel an evil fetus. He kills the fetus with a frying pan. Hearing a voice from the cellar, Ash descends with his chainsaw. There, he finds Henrietta Knowby, who claims her husband has been torturing her. When Professor Raymond Knowby arrives with a student named Tanya, Ash releases Henrietta, only to learn Knowby chained her because she was possessed. Henrietta knocks Knowby out and opens the Necronomicon. In the woods, Ruby senses the book’s opening, and a possessed tree attacks Kelly and Ruby. Ruby stabs the tree in its eye to free them. In the cellar, Henrietta transforms into a larger monster, and Ash’s chainsaw jams. Tanya is released but Knowby locks them in and flees with the Necronomicon.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.266 million household viewers and earned a 0.14 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, a 12% increase from the previous episode’s 0.237 million viewers and 0.12 share.
The episode received critical acclaim. Matt Fowler of IGN gave it a 9 out of 10, calling it “sharply funny and maliciously gory.” Michael Roffman of *The A.V. Club* gave it an A–, noting the show’s love for its own “brazen stupidity.” Stephen Harber of *Den of Geek* awarded a perfect 5 stars, praising it with “buckets of ooey gooey praise.” Steve Ford of *TV Fanatic* gave 4.5 stars, calling it a “solid episode with a nice nostalgic trip.” Merrill Barr of *Forbes* highlighted the season’s multiple arcs, noting the episode wraps up “in classic Ash fashion.”
- Series
- Ash vs Evil Dead
- Season
- 2
- Episode
- 9 (overall 19)
- Writers
- Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner
- Director
- Rick Jacobson
- Original air date
- December 4, 2016
- Network
- Starz
- Viewers (millions)
- 0.266
Lore & Background
In the episode, Ash Williams, distraught over the death of Pablo, takes his corpse in his Delta and hallucinates Pablo telling him his fate can be changed by going back in time. Ash forces Ruby to transport him, Kelly, and Ruby back to 1982, before the cabin events. They split up in the woods when the Kandarian Demon approaches. Ash hides in the cabin, steps on a nail that infects his leg, and cuts open his leg to expel an evil foetus, which he kills with a frying pan. Hearing a voice from the cellar, he descends with his chainsaw and finds Henrietta Knowby, who claims her husband tortured her. Professor Raymond Knowby enters with a student, Tanya, and reveals he chained Henrietta because she was possessed, intending to use the Necronomicon to transfer the demon. Ash releases Henrietta, but she transforms into a monster; Ash's chainsaw jams, and Knowby locks them in the cellar while fleeing with the Necronomicon. Meanwhile, Ruby and Kelly are attacked by a possessed tree, which Ruby defeats by stabbing its eye.
Reader's Guide
"Home Again" received critical acclaim, with critics praising its humor, horror aspects, references to the movies, and character development. According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.266 million household viewers and gained a 0.14 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, a 12% increase from the previous episode. Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a 9 out of 10, calling it "a sharply funny and maliciously gory chapter." Michael Roffman of The A.V. Club gave it an "A–" grade, noting the show's love for its "brazen stupidity." Stephen Harber of Den of Geek gave a perfect 5-star rating, and Steve Ford of TV Fanatic gave 4.5 stars. Merrill Barr of Forbes highlighted the season's multiple arcs. The episode serves as a key setup for the season finale, taking the characters back to the origin of the Evil Dead events.
Development & Production Journey
The road to Evil Dead Rise was littered with abandoned plans. As early as 2013, Fede Álvarez announced a sequel to his own remake, while Sam Raimi confirmed he would write a fourth entry set as a continuation of Army of Darkness. At a WonderCon panel that March, Bruce Campbell and Álvarez sketched out a seven-film arc in which the narratives of Ash Williams and Mia Allen would eventually converge, with Campbell set to return and Raimi directing the Army of Darkness follow-up. None of those projects survived. A fourth season of Ash vs Evil Dead (2015–2018) was also cancelled, and Campbell voiced doubts about a fourth film by November 2013. The series finally moved forward when Raimi announced a new project in October 2019, with Rob Tapert producing and Raimi alongside Campbell as executive producers. Lee Cronin was hired to write and direct, and New Line Cinema joined as a production company. Principal photography ran from June to October 2021 in New Zealand, making the film an international co-production spanning New Zealand, Ireland, and the United States. Though originally earmarked for HBO Max, Warner Bros. Pictures shifted it to a theatrical release after strong test screenings.
Narrative Structure & Plot
Unlike earlier entries set in remote cabins, Evil Dead Rise confines its terror to a single Los Angeles apartment building. Guitar technician Beth discovers she is pregnant and reaches out to her estranged sister Ellie, a single mother to Danny, Bridget, and Kassie whose husband has walked out. An earthquake cracks open a hidden chamber beneath the parking lot, where Danny stumbles upon three phonograph records and a volume of the Naturom Demonto, one of three books of the dead. The records recount a priest who studied the tome and accidentally summoned Deadites. Once Ellie is possessed, the family and their neighbors are sealed in as the staircase collapses and the elevator is wrecked. Each child falls to possession in turn before all three merge into a multi-limbed creature called the Marauder. Beth and Kassie ultimately destroy the creature in a wood chipper, with Ellie's severed head delivering a final taunt that Beth silences by kicking it into the machine. A lakeside frame story involving Jessica and her cousin Teresa bookends the central apartment siege.
Cast & The Campbell Cameo
Lily Sullivan anchors the film as Beth, while Alyssa Sutherland plays her estranged sister Ellie, the two women forming the emotional spine of the story. Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, and Nell Fisher round out the supporting cast, with Fisher making her feature-film debut in the role. The frame story introduces additional characters at a lakeside cabin. The most discussed casting choice, however, is Bruce Campbell's uncredited, voice-only appearance. On one of the 1923 phonograph records, Campbell voices an unnamed figure who warns the priests about the resurrection ritual's dangers and insists they destroy the book. Director Cronin explained he deliberately cast Campbell in that brief part, framing the character as a time-displaced Ash Williams—a subtle wink to the franchise's most recognizable figure without requiring Campbell to appear on screen. The decision threads the new entry into the series' long history while keeping the spotlight firmly on Sullivan and Sutherland's performances.
Reception & Franchise Legacy
Evil Dead Rise debuted at South by Southwest on March 15, 2023, before opening in U.S. theaters on April 21 under Warner Bros. Pictures. Critics responded warmly, and the film went on to collect $147 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing entry in the entire Evil Dead franchise. At the 51st Saturn Awards it earned nominations for Best Horror Film and Best Make-up, a recognition of the practical-effects work that underpins its scares. The film's commercial and critical success also set the stage for continued growth: a sixth installment, Evil Dead Burn, arrived on July 10, 2026. The journey from multiple scrapped sequels and a cancelled television season to a theatrical blockbuster illustrates how the franchise found renewed creative momentum under Cronin's direction. The decision to pull the film from a streaming debut and push it into cinemas—spurred by positive test screenings—underscored the studio's confidence in the material as a wide-audience event rather than a niche digital release.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Home Again in Ash vs Evil Dead?
It is the ninth episode of Season 2 (and the 19th installment overall) of the Starz series, which premiered on December 4, 2016. The story follows Ash, Kelly, and Ruby as they journey back to 1982 in a bid to make the original cabin events never have happened.
Who wrote and directed Home Again?
Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner penned the script, marking the first writing credit each had on the show. Rick Jacobson directed, making it his third time behind the camera for the series.
What drives Ash to go back to 1982 in Home Again?
Reeling from Pablo's death, Ash is drunk and begins hallucinating a message from Pablo implying his fate is still alterable. That delusion pushes him to force Ruby and Kelly into a time-trip so the cabin horror can be erased entirely.
Why is Home Again considered a pivotal episode?
It is the boldest narrative swing the series has taken, literally sending the characters into the timeline of the original Evil Dead film to rewrite history. It also closes out Season 2 and introduces the first writing team of Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner.
Where does Home Again sit in the overall Ash vs Evil Dead run?
It is episode 19 across the entire series and the final entry of the second season. The episode aired on Starz on December 4, 2016, serving as the season's capstone.
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