Last week’s episode of Ash vs Evil Dead ended with a bit of a stunner – the death of Ash’s father Brock. There was an open-endedness to what Brock was trying to tell Ash right before his death, but somehow Ash seems to have quickly forgotten that. Guess he’s not into mysteries, and more into catchphrases; “Think of life as a good time, not a long time.”

There isn’t much time for mourning either. The race is still on to get the Necronimicon back from the Delta before Ruby’s “children” can get a hold of it to raise ol’ pops.

Poor Pablo is immediately gets roped into the Delta with Lacey (a couple I can root for – though is it too soon since the tragic car-murder of her bland boyfriend?). The Delta speeds off into the night, leaving Ash in its wake. Some nice Tracey-Pablo moments. It works.

Who else to go to but to Chet and his awful car? Ash, seemingly fully recovered from all the Pink Fuck he drank, takes control of the driving. Chet, being brilliantly dim, is curious about Ash’s chainsaw and shotgun (one for ice sculptures, the other for keeping people away from them until they pay) and pleasantly goes along with Ash’s explanations until the two friends are attacked by the Delta. Ash finally gives a 10-second overview about Baal and the demons, which Chet easily accepts.

You go Chet.

Both Chet and Ash know where to go: the Smash ‘Em Up Derby.

The Kelly-Ruby power couple actually ends up a lot more positively than expected. The two go back to the crematorium to take down Ruby’s “children” before the little demons can raise their father. While initially Kelly gets grabbed by one of the eyeless-demons, she ends up being able to show off some funky moves. It’s pretty cool to see a lady-team taking care of business. Even if it’s a pointless victory, thanks to the men in their lives.

I would like to ask for a bit more for personality for poor Ruby, please. There are glimmers of it as she tells Kelly about how awful Baal is, how he manipulates people and she feels powerless to it. It’s the bad relationship that pretty much everyone can relate to.

Meanwhile at the derby, Ash is busy bull fighting with his car. Still in the Delta, Pablo is still feeling the hold the Necronomicon has over him after last season when he had to wear the jacket of the book as a face mask. The book tells him that all he needs to do is put the book in the trunk of the Delta to let the book go back to its own realm.

This is obviously a horrible idea, but once Pablo is ejected from the car, he is fairly taken with the idea. With only Ash and Pablo around and no one there to pull the reigns on them, the two agree it’s a fabulous idea to listen to what the demon book tells them. When Pablo hesitates,  Ash simply asks Pablo, “could it get any worse?” Which of course it can. Please.

Disappointingly, “DUI” ends on a lame jump scare. Nothing says lazy writing like another unimaginative jump scare. I guess we’re supposed to know that Baal has been released, but why such an unexciting reveal?

“DUI” was definitely the weakest episode of the season thus far. It didn’t really add to any of the plotlines while mostly filling the time with constant action.  There was, of course, plenty of fun in the episode, but it sometimes goes a bit too far. And what’s the point when the viewer will have problems focusing on what exactly is happening?

While Ash vs Evil Dead is all about that slapstick and ridiculous scenes of gore, there’s more too it than that. This show has such a great cast of characters, and the actors have done really well with them, particularly Ray Santiago as Pablo. He has be on point all season, with whatever has been thrown at him.