Let’s get this out the way quickly: the premiere of “Fear
the Walking Dead” on Sunday isn’t in the same realm as the unforgettable debut of “The
Walking Dead.” Director Frank Darabont defined the visual language and world of
Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel in that incredible episode, and it feels like
the creators of this highly-anticipated spin-off made the wise decision not to
even try and do anything that remarkable. In fact, the first episode of “Fear
the Walking Dead” is likely to be considered a disappointment by the rabid fans
of the AMC hit, given how much time it takes to set up its characters and world
without much in the way of action. The opening of this first season of “Fear”
(and AMC has already commissioned a second season) is clearly about foreshadowing
more than action. But don’t worry, you get to see some of the make-up work that
has defined this now-franchise. It’s not all omens of what’s to come. It’s the
beginning of the end, but it is definitely the end.
What “Fear the Walking Dead” has in common most obviously
with “The Walking Dead” is an emphasis on “family,” whether that’s biological
or otherwise. The family at the center of “Fear” is a blended, modern one.
Madison Clark (Kim Dickens of “Deadwood,” “Gone Girl”) is a cool guidance counselor
at a high school in El Sereno—the kind of caring adult who doesn’t bust the
good kid for bringing a knife to school and lets him off with a warning. She’s
a widow with two children, Nick and Alicia, and a new boyfriend named Travis
(Cliff Curtis), who teaches English at the high school. Travis has an ex-wife
named Liza and a son named Christopher, who resents dad for divorcing mom and
not coming through on his promises.
“Fear the Walking Dead” actually opens with Nick, who we
learn is a serious junkie, waking up in a drug hangover in a church that’s been
turned into a place to get high. He’s looking for someone. He finds bloodied
bodies and the girl he was shooting up with the night before chewing on them.
Something is very, very wrong. Although, as it’s revealed, this is not the
world of “The Walking Dead”…yet. People are going about their business outside
the church, unaware of the Armageddon that awaits them.
Of course, no one believes Nick. It was the drugs, right?
Even mom doubts his story. But Travis starts to think there might be some truth
to it. Before you know it, everyone will realize that Nick was the canary in
the coalmine and they should have listened to him when they still had a chance
to get out of town. Just as on “The Walking Dead,” parts of this makeshift
family are separated and will struggle to get back together as civilization
falls around them. Just as on “The Walking Dead,” I’ve already been surprised
that a character was killed off. It must be tough to get an acting gig on one
of these shows—you know your days are numbered.
The West Coast setting of “Fear the Walking Dead” gives the
show a much different aesthetic than the Georgia setting of the original
series. It’s not just the fact that walkers don’t yet outnumber humans—the rural
look of “TWD” has been replaced by California open spaces and architecture. And
yet the show also feels of a piece visually with “TWD,” which is a good thing.
I particularly liked the foreshadowing in episode one of an increased number of
siren sounds in the distance, although Travis teaching his students Jack London
is a bit on the nose.
Production values are strong and the entire cast is
effective, although they’re not given quite enough to do in episode one. The
second episode (only two were available for press) is notably better as Dickens
and Curtis get in on the panic and are allowed more challenging beats as
actors. I think some people will be put off by the pace of “Fear,” although I’ve
always been amazed at how much wandering in the woods fans of the original
series were willing to put up with, so I could be wrong. Personally, I’m ready
to get to it after two episodes. Let’s connect the dots from this series to the
one we know so well. If the writers stretch out the foreshadowing and planning
for the end too long, even fans will get frustrated. For now, the show is good
enough to make the end of the world into hit television. Will it be great
eventually? Maybe. The potential is there and AMC is sure committed to it. If “Fear
the Walking Dead” is off to a slower start than the series that spawned it,
perhaps we should be patient. After all, AMC has given the show exactly what
these characters have lost: time to breathe.
