Any fan of both The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead probably yells at the television whenever Fear the Walking Dead comes on. We all know what’s happening and we just want everyone to be okay or at least turn into bad-asses like Rick and Company. But it’s clear that it’s going to take a long time for Madison, Travis and their blended families to get there. And that’s fine with me.
In this episode, “Not Fade Away,” Madison and Chris really start to question what’s going on outside their now fenced-in neighborhood. The military and government are keeping information at a minimum as they try to keep order in towns that aren’t infected. And two families are split up as the government sends in medical help to the area.
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What’s Beyond Those Walls?
It’s a question that’s often asked on The Walking Dead: what’s beyond those walls? And we get a glimpse of that in the early stages of Fear the Walking Dead. It’s been nine days since the military moved in and fenced off the neighborhood where Madison and Travis live. Some try to go about their days as if things are normal, but soon everyone gets antsy.
Chris heads to the roof and keeps a video diary of the events. As he’s panning the area outside the city, where the government has claimed that everyone is dead, he sees a home in the distance flashing a light in the window, possibly for help. Travis doesn’t believe him, but Madison starts to wonder. She brings her concerns to Travis too, but he doesn’t want to hear it. She questions what the government’s real intentions are, why the phones aren’t on, etc. Basically, all those questions conspiracy theorists ask.
She decides to venture out on her own, cutting a hole in the fence. This, of course, bothers me because we all know you should never go outside the walls in the zombie apocalypse. What she finds is what you’d expect: memorials, missing person ads, abandoned homes and dead bodies everywhere. What concerns her, though, is that some of the bodies were shot but not sick.
When she returns, she has a heart to heart with Daniel, who’s wife, Griselda, is not getting any better. Daniel is, perhaps, the only one who realizes what’s happening. He warns Madison that when “it happens,” it will happen quickly and she needs to be prepared. He also tells her to protect her son and keep him close.
Is Help Really on the Way?
As everyone keeps wondering what the hell is going on, the government sends in rations and supplies for people. Soldiers are required to perform mandatory health screenings on everyone within the fenced-in areas. Lt. Moyers, who looks to Travis as the “mayor,” informs the town that it is one of 12 safe zones in the area, so everyone needs to sit tight and ride it out. Many question when medical supplies will arrive to help those who are sick and in need, though. Moyers and the soldiers promise that it’s on the way.
Moyers recruits Travis to talk to a freaked-out neighbor, Doug. But despite Travis’ pep talk, Doug tries to flee. Soldiers find him crying by a fence and take him to a government facility for help.
Meanwhile, Ofelia, Daniel’s daughter, is hooking up with a soldier to try to get meds for her mother. Within a day, though, a government doctor, Dr. Exner, comes into town and examines the ill, including Griselda. Exner informs Liza, who has been helping care for the sick people, that there is a facility about 15 minutes from the town that’s safe and they can help those who are sick. Liza foolishly tells Exner about Nick and his addiction.
Later on, as Daniel prepares to leave with his wife as she gets help at this facility, soldiers inform him that he can’t go. They say another name is on the list to go: Nick. All families flip out as Nick tries to flee. He can’t outrun the armed guards and he’s escorted into a military vehicle. As Exner gets into the truck, she asks Liza to come with her to help at the facility. She hesitates and then jumps in. Perhaps she really wants to help people or perhaps she feels really, really guilty about giving up Nick’s addiction and splitting up their families. Either way, all three families are split up now, and no one knows where they are going.
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The Light Goes Dark
After Nick is carted away, Madison blames Liza and storms out on Travis. Alicia goes to hide and re-read her neighbor Susan’s suicide note she found earlier in the week. And Travis heads to the roof to find out if what Chris saw was true. Earlier in the day, he told Moyers about the light, but Moyers assured him that everyone outside the fence was dead. As Travis squints to see the light in the distance, he suddenly sees gunfire inside the home and then it goes dark.
Now’s the Time to Run
We all know this is the time that all families need to just pack up their stuff and try to escape. Sitting tight inside a fenced-in area doesn’t do any good for the folks on The Walking Dead, but again, these are things Madison and Travis will have to learn on their own. I like that Madison and Chris are questioning everything. However, I wish they’d do more to prepare for what’s ahead. The only person so far who seems to know what’s coming is Daniel. Well, him and Tobias, but that kid is probably locked away in his bunker by now.
I’m curious to see what’s going to happen now that the families are split up. Will they truly try to leave to find their loved ones at this mysterious medical facility? Will the government try to stop them? Will Madison forgive Travis for bringing his ex into her home now that Liza has ratted out Nick? So many questions and just two episodes left!
Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9pm on AMC.
(Image courtesy of AMC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
