Stan Against Evil

Just finished Season 2 and can't wait to stream season 3 and beyond!

This is a great take on a classic storyline. A centuries-old vendetta haunts the Sherriff's of a backwoods town and manifests itself in all kinds of comical, yet just a bit scary forms. McGinley and Varney have a sweet brother-sisterly kind of relationship that is pure joy to watch, and there's a great supporting cast.

So, here's the progression I follow. I was a fan of Sarah Chalke from Rosanne, a fan of Christa Miller from The Drew Carey Show, and a fan of John C. from Platoon and Office Space. So, I gave Scrubs a chance and fell in love with it. I started watching Stan Against Evil BECAUSE I had been entertained so much by John C's character on Scrubs. I don't know what that other show is yet, but I will probably go watch it now because of John C. and Stan Against Evil.

I respect that some other reviewers may feel it's a bit to close for comfort to this Ash vs. Evil Dead, so I'm sure those same people didn't like Casino because DeNiro and Pesci had characters kind of similar to those they played in Goodfellas. You see, that's how the arts work. People see a painting by an artist or hear a song they like, and they want to see/hear/watch other works by the same artist. or they discover similar works by other artists so they become fans of that artist as well. That's why I like BB King AND Eric Clapton AND George Thorogood AND Stevie Ray Vaughn AND Johnny Lang AND Gary Clark.

Willard's Mill, New Hampshire is a cursed town where in around 1700, Constable Eccles burned 172 suspected witches. Since then, every sheriff has met an early unnatural death. Stanley Miller (John C. McGinley) is the former sheriff forced to resign after an incident at his wife's funeral to the horror of his daughter Denise Miller (Deborah Baker Jr.). Single mom Evie Barret (Janet Varney) is the new sheriff. Leon Drinkwater (Nate Mooney) is the idiot deputy. Stan uncovers his wife's secret works and necklace which unbeknownst to him protected the brash cop.

This is a fun little series on IFC and I do mean small. Everybody is trying. McGinley is a solid comedic actor. He does the frustrated sarcasm very well. Varney also does frustrated very well. I enjoy this cast. It's a show with its tongue well within its cheek. It's cancelled after three short seasons.

...that was left when Ash vs. Evil Dead was canceled. I loved Ash vs. Evil Dead and was highly disappointed when it got the axe. But at least I still have this show to get me by. It's definitely a very similar vibe and does a great job of mixing horror and comedy in a way that works very well. John C. McGinley is awesome as Stan Miller and brings a lot of the same angry sarcasm that we came to love from him on Scrubs. If you liked Ash vs. Evil Dead or just enjoy gorey horror/comedy, then I highly recommend this show.

I discovered this show the day before Halloween and binged watched the whole thing! The humor/horror mix is just right and brings out the best in all the characters. The special effects are surprisingly good for what is billed as a low-budget show. I am a long time horror fan and I am always impressed when I see a monster or creature that looks completely original. Yes, the show is campy and cheesy at times, but when done in a self-aware manner this becomes part of the fun. The story's structure is well done with a continually developing plot that still leaves room for stand-alone, monster-of-the-week type episodes that can still tie back in to the overall mythology.

My only complaint is that there isn't enough of it! I can accept a 21 minute show, but I would gladly watch a season that had twice as many episodes. Here's hoping that IFC gives us more!

This is one those shows you can easily enjoy, something light hearted and not too serious, it is a shame the show was cancelled but I'm glad we at the very least have three great seasons to enjoy.