Fear the Walking Dead, Episode 3

this episode of Fear the Walking Dead showed a lot more zombie action and whole lot more hysteria and partying from the general population at large. We open with Travis, Chris, and Liza stuck at the barber shop with the Salazar’s. There is a riot/street party for some going on outside the door. They have safety as long as the rioters don’t get inside. As luck would have it, the rioters break in next door, setting the building on fire. Daniel resents Travis and his family for even being in the shop with them. So when it comes time to leave, Daniel states they run in separate directions. So why is it when everyone bolts from the place, Daniel and family follow Travis? Yes, there is rioting everywhere, protesters, partiers, and those trying to escape the whole madness scene. Cops are shooting rioters and even some infected. As they make a break for it Griselda gets hurt trying to escape the scaffolding hit with a firehose. Travis and family go back to help her get out.  Yes they make it to the truck which is untouched. But really who in their right mind would trash an old junker like that in the first place? I like it and would drive that pickup everywhere but in the land of L.A. where everything is pricey and shiny new. So of course the only cars that get trashed are cop cars and expensive cars. Notice other cars that are less valuable on the street are also left alone with no damage.  They head for a hospital only to see that it is in total and utter chaos with crashed ambulances, people running everywhere, walkers being shot by police. It looked as if even a Dr. got bit and had to be put down. Scratch going to any other hospital it will all be just the same. As they drive to Madison’s house they see the city wide blackout that is affecting the entire county.

O.k. lets flip over to Madison and kidlets. Yes they are getting on each others nerves and it doesn’t help that Nick is going through withdrawals and everyone is having a bit of deja vu with the waiting for dad to get home who died in some sort of accident. I realize that many wouldn’t think of playing monopoly during a situation like that but remember they don’t really know just how bad it is yet and just an fyi, when we had an ice storm here in 2007, which knocked out our power for 10 days, we played board games and the like to pass the time while there were tree branches exploding outside because it started as a freezing rain. yeah, it was lovely.

O.k back to the story, Madison is just trying to regain some sense of normalcy in a world falling apart around them. Yeah, she has seen some nasty stuff and so has Nick. But as of yet, Alicia hasn’t and she would like to keep it that way if possible. Now tell me, if you could spare one child from the horrors of what is going on, wouldn’t you at least give it a try? Anyway. Just as they are settling in they hear more noises from outside and it sounds like someone is in their yard. Looking out the windows they see their neighbor, Pete, in their front yard! Meanwhile a scratching noise comes from the back door. Nick pulls back the curtain and, it’s a dog covered in someone else’s blood. Now, I totally agree in this portion of other ranters I have read where they ask why the heck didn’t Nick shut the stupid door? But remember they aren’t aware of zombies or any of their kind, so they leave it open. Hey, bright idea, lets go get a gun out of next door neighbor Susan and Patrick’s house that Nick tried to steal once. Nice kid by the way. Susan helps to raise and feed you and you repay her by trying to steal stuff from her. They jump the fence, and yes, leave the back door still standing wide open. Well you know, the dog might have to go to the bathroom by this time and they wouldn’t want a mess on the floor. So they go next door, break in and get said gun and shells. In the mean time, Alicia sees walker Pete walk in and grab a doggie treat while there. She yells for mom who comes just in time to see Travis pull into the drive. Crap! now they gotta go save Travis from walker Pete!

Travis goes in, sees someone bent over and hears them munching on something. Lights come on and it’s Pete having a doggie snack. So what does Travis do? He tries to talk to him. Yes at this point I was thinking on TWD he would be dog chow by now. But you have to have a moral compass for a show and I guess Travis drew the short straw. Hey, don’t forget we loved Hershel, Dale, T-Dog, and Tyreese just to name a few. Anyway back to the show. Madison seems to have trouble taking the shot but Daniel doesn’t so he finishes off Pete. Daniel thinks Travis is weak because he can’t do what he feels needs to be done. Sound familiar? Carol anyone? Burn the body Daniel says but Travis just can’t. The next day everyone is getting ready to leave and Daniel’s “cousin” is coming to get them, even though as Ofelia put it, he told her that all their family was all dead and buried back in El Salvador. Travis loads the truck up with his son Chris and his ex wife Liza while the Clarks all pile into Madison’s car. An oversight? I think not. Anyway just as they go around the corner Madison spots Patrick coming home to see his wife Susan. You remember Susan, she is the walker that tried to have a late night snack on Alicia’s leg but Chris pulled her over the fence saving her. For his troubles she elbows him in the nose. Nice huh. Anyway Madison is trying to yell at Patrick to warn him but the blasted choppers flying overhead drown her out. So she drive there hopefully to stop him. Guess what? Just as Patrick leans in to kiss his now zombie wife a nice clean headshot provided by the military saves the day.

Now the military is here to save the day and things will get back to normal. Or will they? Lets think a minute about some of Travis’s choices. If he had burned the body instead of burying it the military would have noticed the barbecue going on and hauled their butts in to wherever they took Mr. Patrick as well. If he had let Madison bash in Susan’s skull with a ball peen hammer then she would have been covered in the infected’s blood instead of Mr. Patrick. So there you go, Travis is not such a bad guy after all now is he. Daniel thinks he is weak, the audience is ready to lynch him or at least feed him to the walkers, when if you think about it he has done the right choices considering what came next. Madison tried to protect Alicia from the truth of what was happening to her boyfriend Matt and the world around her. At least she tried.

The show ends with military crawling everywhere hauling out bodies in body bags and throwing them into dump trucks. Travis says they are all one big family, possibly saving the Salazars once again from what ever the military has cooked up for those who aren’t in their rightful homes. Travis thinks they are now safe. Daniel thinks it is too late. No one is safe any more.

What are your thoughts and predictions?

he Cast:

Madison Clark — Kim Dickens
Travis Manawa — Cliff Curtis
Nick Clark — Frank Dillane
Alicia Clark — Alycia Debnam-Carey

Liza Ortiz — Elizabeth Rodriguez
Chris Manawa — Lorenzo James Henrie

Daniel Salazar– Ruben Blades
Griselda Salazar — Patricia Reyes Spindola
Ofelia Salazar — Mercedes Mason

Recurring Cast:

Dr. Bethany Exner — Sandrine Holt

Matt — Maestro Harrell

Strand — Colman Domingo

Reynolds — Shawn Hatosy

Tobias — Lincoln A. Castellanos

Jazz — Megan Danso

Art Costa — Scott Lawrence

Fear the Walking Dead airs on AMC in the US at 8 p.m. CDT

[Image courtesy of AMC]