Fear Falls Flat in We All Fall Down

(Be warned, mateys, there be spoilers ahead.)

So, what did we learn during last night’s Fear the Walking Dead? First, we learned not to shoot walkers on a beach fence because it will only attract more walkers. We learned this moments after Seth told Chris the tide brings the walkers ashore. So, not only will walkers eat anything, but they’re world class swimmers to boot. For me, this makes the option of being a zombie pretty attractive because I can’t swim to save my life.

We learned Madison will stick her nose into anyone’s business for reasons she’ll figure out later. Even before she met her, Madison knew Melissa didn’t turn the light on by accident. After she pried and pried Madison knew it wasn’t mistake. Sure, it turned out to be true, but it demonstrates she’ll stick her nose where it may not belong. She did it last season and continues to do the same thing this season. Odds are, somewhere down the road, her nosey nature will get the gang in some hot water.

Madison looks out into the ocean
“Where can I butt into next? I’ll find it somewhere out there.”

We learned Nick really, really knows his drugs. Or so he thinks. He knew right away the pills George was hiding were poison. How did he know? We’re not really sure. He tells Travis he knows his pharmaceuticals. Apparently, that’s the only reason we need or will get.

Pharmaceuticals, by definition, aren’t poisonous. We may poison our bodies with drugs and get addicted to drugs, but drugs aren’t rat poison. Yes, if you’re allergic to certain things contained within those drugs it could kill you. How could Nick know what allergies ran in the ranger station family? On Nick’s resume, under pharmaceutical rep, we should add mind reader.

We learned Travis doesn’t wear the pants in the family. Okay, so that’s not very PC of me to say, but it’s true. Time and time again he bows under Madison’s will. Yes, he stood strong when Madison wanted to save the people floating in the ocean. It was easy because by the time their argument is over it’s too late to turn around.

Travis and Madison fight  on Abigail
“Okay, I’ll back down…again..this one time.”

However, Travis caves into Madison when a situation which threatened the safety of the group arises. At no time did George say he wanted the group to take his family. Melissa only asked after Madison pried information from her. The idea to take the ranger station kids only came about after Nick took a wild guess that the hidden drugs were poison.

It’s a prosperous story, but that’s what we got in “We All Fall Down.” The real story, the interesting story, in Fear the Walking Dead was glossed over with a quick scene of a map. George explains how the entire west coast was napalmed and burned to the ground. Not only did the west coast get burned to a crisp, but the entire mid west went black. The east coast followed and so did the south. This is the story that was glossed over in season one. The story we were promised in season one, but it never materialized.

Instead, we’re going to get a story about Strand being a smuggler of some kind? A drug runner? Some other criminal type? Either way, we’re being lead to believe Strand is up to no good. Will the story of what Strand has done, will do, or hasn’t done be the framework for season two? It remains to be seen, but season two is already heading into choppy waters.