3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Fear the Walking Dead’:
Oh Fear the Walking Dead, the killer of characters, how I’ll instead remember you as The Walking Dead: Fever Dream… because this has been one of the most nonsensical, inconsistent, painful, wasteful series that I have ever spent so much time watching. There was clearly no long-term game plan here. This was merely a cash grab. There’s nothing cohesive about any of these seasons. There has been zero character development, only character confusion, fit to make a viewer’s head spin. A true failure in every sense of the word.
This was meant to depict the BEGINNING of the zombie apocalypse. A peek that the flagship show couldn’t give us. A treat for fans. But I always thought they left LA too soon. We never got to know these characters, as much as we should have, before everything went south. We never got that peek! The plot was rushed from the jump… leading to yet ANOTHER post-apocalyptic journey with not a modicum of direction.
To criticize the show should not suggest I would criticize the talent. So many wonderful actors have graced this show. And the characters themselves aren’t horrible either! Most of them, at least. They simply weren’t given the writing, and general justice, that they deserved.
I watched the first season when it aired and I thought it was okay, but I didn't have high hopes for future seasons as I didn't really connect with any characters as quick as I did with The Walking Dead. Because of this I stopped watching and fell behind with the episodes and it wasn't until I finished season 9 of TWD (which was amazing and made me fall back in love with my favourite show) and found out Dwight was joining Fear that I decided to binge watch seasons 2, 3 and 4.
I have to say I didn't have high expectations but it surprised me in how much I enjoyed it - especially season 3 - although many new characters were introduced in season 4 who I now love. It's not as good as the original in my opinion but it is still well worth the watch, especially if you love the world of The Walking Dead.
A lot more familiar faces on this show actor wise as I guess they need that which is cool. I like that it's different than TWD even though they deal with the same themes like; Are we on the right side? Are we the bad guys? And how far will you go to avenge or protect someone? Also, how surviving in a dead world changes you, a lot of times for the bad and how do the characters deal with these questions.
All in all I'm excited for season 5 and so happy I have this show to tide me over until season 10 of TWD airs in what feels like a million years lol.
8/10 - Fear TWD.
10/10 - The Walking Dead.
Didn't really like the first season of the "original" TWD, but gave it a chance and now i'm hooked like many others... Same happened to me with FTWD, S1 was slow and painful. Set in the "pre-epidemic" world as we know it and transitioning to the "post-epidemic" world that we know from TWD gets surprisingly boring at some points. I always thought that seeing how the outbreak happened while Rick Grimes was in the coma would be interesting, but the way FTWD brings it simply isn't. I think S1 fails where its main mission was: the outbreak, the development of it, and how people organized to survive through it . Six episodes to introduce new characters, showing the early spreading of the epidemic and escaping the urban area of LA is just too short. I felt the show was in search of its identity, trying desperately to distinguish itself from its already successful 6 seasons old big brother; The Walking Dead. Another problem that creates redundancy is that some of the main characters are facing moral dilemmas or ethical decisions that were already addressed in TWD.
Season 2 being set in the early post-epidemic, makes it better than the previous one for numerous reasons; main characters don't need intro, survivors ganging/making alliances, obviously more survivors (friendly or hostile) to deal with and lots of "fresh walkers". The show seems to gradually find it's place in the TWD universe, making you like FTWD as a whole rather than feeling you are watching a wannabe TWD. As seasons and episodes go by, i think it's only gonna keep getting better, and maybe pave the way to a third show to TWD spectrum... possibilities are endless and many roads remains to explore in this universe. My advice for anyone hesitating or judging by the reviews would be to give it a fair chance and make up your own mind. My ultimate fantasy would be at some point in time (surely after a few seasons and after adjusting the timeline); a crossover between TWD and FTWD.
Review by Nerve33BlockedParent2015-08-31T16:55:30Z
Thoughts based on the first episode.
I like zombie movies, especially the old ones. And what the more recent films of the genre don't pay attention to is the fact that zombies are dumb, they are slow. "Night of the living dead" [minor spoiler ahead] ends with humanity prevailing (in a way), and it's not surprising, decaying slow-moving corpses are a threat that can be dealt with. [end of spoiler] But I guess it doesn't make for a good movie or a long-running series. And film makers would rather have a grittier, tougher, depressing ending, that would make it clear that humanity is doomed and they are willing to toss all logic aside. But I've never felt it, because it doesn't make any sense. It's like a cliche now, and I'm sick of it. [minor spoilers for 28 days/weeks later ahead] 28 days later had an amazing ending. But the sequel had to go and ruin it: "Yeah! Zombies are everywhere, humanity is doomed, look at it! Are you depressed yet, are you?! Isn't this cool and exciting?" No! Quit it. [end of spoilers]
My point is, Fear the Walking Dead shows the start of the epidemic from a social standpoint and it does it well. It seems realistic. I watch it and I think "yeah, that is probably how it would have happened". Not fast with lots of screaming and people running around, but with lots of confused people not knowing what's going on. The government doesn't know how to deal with this problem, no one does.
This show finally dares to answer the question: if zombies are slow and dumb - how are they in power? Even when people see a walker, they don't fully comprehend it, they can't believe their eyes. They have never seen a zombie-movie, there's no such thing as a walker yet. No one knows the true gravity of the situation, they don't know what awaits them, they don't know there is going to be an apocalypse.
And that's why it's interesting for me to watch.
I also continue hoping for a zombie movie sequel taking place after the apocalypse, where survivors would have to deal with the guilt of things they've done, trying to rebuild society, scientists trying to figure out what caused the epidemic (with possible flashback). But I don't think it'll happen, because the majority apparently thinks it's boring. And it's a shame. Oh, well.