Ash Vs Evil Dead's "Confinement" plays like a big homage to both Assault On Precinct 13 and The Thing. Bruce Campbell's Ash was a big hero to horror fans, but following the box-office failure of Army Of Darkness (which has multiple cuts), it seemed like he would never make a comeback. The first two entries were demented, blood-splattered horror movies from Sam Raimi - though Evil Dead 2 leans closer to comedy - while Army Of Darkness was a studio-backed, more audience-friendly affair. The third outing is still a riot, but despite a bigger budget, audiences didn't take to it. After hoping for Evil Dead 4 to follow- which seemed even more unlikely when Raimi became busy with the Spider-Man movies - Ash Vs Evil Dead finally continued the titular character's adventures.
Ash Vs Evil Dead contained all of the gore and wild energy of the film trilogy, while also fleshing out both the lore and backstory of Ash himself. He even got some great new sidekicks in the form of Kelly and Pablo, but despite receiving positive critical ratings, the show struggled in ratings. Ash Vs Evil Dead was canceled after the third season, with Campbell then announcing his retirement from playing the role onscreen, citing age as the key factor.
The series really found its footing during the second season, which contains the Evil Dead franchise's grossest scene involving Ash and a corpse. Ash Evil Dead's "Confinement" is one of the season's weaker outings, though it does have some fun moments and homages to John Carpenter's Assault On Precinct 13 and The Thing. The former is seen in the episode's setting, with "Confinement" seeing Ash arrested by Sheriff/love rival Emery and taken to the local police station. Soon the entire cast is trapped in the building, as the body-hopping demon Baal makes his entrance and can take the form of anyone he skins.
Ash Vs Evil Dead's "Confinement" Homages
Ash Vs Evil Dead's "Confinement" is essentially a bottle TV episode taking place almost entirely in one locale. The Thing homage comes into play with the central dynamic, as once the characters figure out Baal's skin gimmick, they realize they can't trust each other. Given the more manic tone of Ash Vs Evil Dead, there's not much tension to be found, as the show is too impatient to milk much tension from this main conceit. That said, the reveal of who Baal is hiding in is well-handled, as it feels so obvious it's almost a subversion when it's confirmed.
"Confinement" also brings in some mild body horror, with Pablo's body seemingly being infected by demonic markings on his skin. This again calls to mind The Thing - which was saved in reshoots - while the skinless demon that attacks the Elk Grove police station gives the show its trademark shower of blood and dismemberment. Ash Vs Evil Dead's "Confinement" had the potential to be a stronger effort with its Assault On Precinct 13 / The Thing mash-up, but it's still a solid episode.