STACK #168 Oct 2018

DVD & BD REVIEWS

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It's time to test the mettle of man. ASH VS EVIL DEAD: SEASON 3

Insane clown posse. AMERICAN HORROR STORY: CULT

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Release Date: 24/10/18

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Release Date: 24/10/18

One of the most successful translations of a film franchise into a TV series, Ash vs. Evil Dead has consistently delivered the gruesome goods and Bruce Campbell slapstick, expanding on the movie mythology while carving its own identity. Season 3 is, sadly, the series' swan song, but it's been an insane ride. Following the mayhem of last season, Ash is now slashing prices at his late father's hardware store in Elk Grove. He also discovers he has a daughter, but don't

The 2016 US presidential election is the springboard for the seventh season of AHS, although don't expect to see Kathy Bates playing Donald Trump. The villain here is blue-haired sociopath and cult leader Kai Anderson (Evan Peters), who exploits the nation's fear in the wake of Trump's victory to unleash his own twisted social experiment – as well as a gang of evil clowns. Twisty from Freak Show makes a return appearance this season, as

expect him to be a model parent. When the Necronomicon turns up on an antiques TV show and evil is inevitably unleashed again, it's back to bloody business as usual for Ash, Kelly and Pablo, with a little help from an ancient order known as the Knights of Sumeria. Packed with wall-to-wall gore and guffaws, this is a fitting farewell. Long live the king, baby! AC

do regulars Sarah Paulson, Cheyenne Jackson, Emma Roberts and Mare Winningham, while Billie Lourd joins the cast as Kai's sister. In tapping into the political paranoia surrounding a Trump presidency, showrunners Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk may have delivered the most American horror story of them all. SH (See page 24)

WENTWORTH: SEASON 6

RIVERDALE: SEASON 2

SOUTH PARK: SEASON 21

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (2018)

Release Date: 03/10/18 Format:

Release Date: 17/10/18 Format:

Release Date: 31/10/18 Format:

Release Date: 03/10/18 Format:

Fans of this Aussie cult series should fasten their seatbelts for a wild ride. Following the escape of Franky Doyle (Nicola da Silva) and Joan Ferguson (Pamela Rabe) at the end of S5, the entire prison goes into lockdown as chaos reigns. As Franky races against the clock to prove her innocence, the Wentworth hierarchy is in crisis, with the careers of Sonia (Sigrid Thornton) and Vera (Kate Atkinson) hanging in the balance. This rowdy prison drama continues to attract great local talent, with Susie Porter joining the cast this season as heavy hitter Marie Winter – a crime boss with connections to sex trafficking and prostitution, adding further volatility to an already disorderly institution. AC

Where season one of this teen drama series (based on the Archie comics) was a light- hearted introduction to the titular town and its residents – bringing Archie, Jughead and the gang to the forefront as they unite to discover the truth behind a schoolfriend's death – season two takes a look at the mysterious Black Hood, who shot Archie’s father. S2 is a much more glorious trashfire of a season than the first – but if you happen to like that brand of TV, you’re in for a treat. Gang wars, teenage romance, drugs, embezzlement, and masked criminals – everything you’ve ever wanted in an Archie comic adaptation, and then some. AK

Keeping an animated show fresh for more than 20 years is a tough ask – for proof, see The Simpsons . Yet South Park has generally managed to keep quality high, regardless of whether it sends your moral outrage alarm bleeping its nut off or not. There’s no stopping Trey and Matt, as topics covered in these 10 episodes include relationship issues, fake news, Alexa addiction, witches, racial relationships, sexism and drugs (which are bad, m’kay?). Plus, of course, there’s the rather orange President Garrison to contend with. Can an animated series stay sharp and relevant for 21 years? South Park did it. AF

The classic Australian novel, adapted by Peter Weir in 1975, has now been reimagined as a suspenseful mini-series which throws you into the mysterious disappearance of four young women in country Victoria. At the dawn of the 20th century, three pupils and a teacher from the prestigious Appleyard College vanish during an outing to the haunting Hanging Rock. When only one girl returns with no memory of the incident, everyone is a suspect, and no one is safe. Starring Natalie Dormer ( Game of Thrones ) and Samara Weaving ( The Baybysitter ), this is an accomplished update that's not to be missed. SB

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OCTOBER 2018

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