Fear the Walking Dead: People Like Us

First Aired August 12th, 2018

Morgan (played by Lennie James) decides to go back to Alexandria and asks Althea (played by Maggie Grace) to drive him back. He spends the day asking the others if they want to join as they’ve all scattered but they all decline his invitation.

John (played by Garrett Dillahunt) has hopes of taking June (played by Jenna Elfman) and Charlie (played by Alexa Nisenson) back to his cabin to carve out a life. Strand (played by Colman Domingo) and Luciana (played by Danay Garcia) are holed up in a mansion, still mourning the deaths of Madison (played by Kim Dickens) and Nick (played by Frank Dillane). He spends his days drinking while she listens to records and neither believes the outside world has anything for them anymore. Alicia (played by Alycia Debnam-Carey) has gone off on her own searching for someone leaving messages on walkers in order to help them.

Morgan warns her it’s dangerous but when she figures out whoever it is may be at an overrun lumber mill, Morgan goes to investigate with Alicia. Strand saves Luciana from a walker that sneaks into the house but lost in her grieving doesn’t notice until he turns off the music. Althea saves Charlie from a walker and learns from John she hasn’t spoken a word in weeks. John wants to see why walkers continue washing up the river near their camp, but since he’s still healing Althea and June go check things out.

The uncertainty of the group dynamic almost echoes the feeling of uncertainty for how the narrative of the second half of the season will play out. Madison and Nick were two of the best if not the best characters in the series and it’s unclear how things can progress without them. This is most clear with Luciana; outside of being Nick’s girlfriend she doesn’t have a role in the narrative and is just there.

Althea still has her interviews, John and Laura’s relationship has room to develop; there’s clear story potential for everyone but Luciana. As for Morgan he clearly wants to leave but just like when he was adamant to be alone it won’t be that easy. Maybe by the end of the season he’ll go back to Alexandria but not before he helps these people put the pieces of their lives together. The idea of merging characters from this series with The Walking Dead sounds good on paper but the original series is overstuffed with characters and there wouldn’t be any place for these people there.

Althea and June find a box of supplies on the road with a note saying to take what they need and Althea thinks there’s potential for a story. While walking to the lumber mill Morgan tries to convince Alicia that she needs to be with people and not run away like he did before learning that. John creates a makeshift Scrabble board in an attempt to get her out of her shell but when John steps away she packs her stuff and leaves. John goes to Strand for help and although reluctant because Charlie killed Nick (and he’s drunk) Strand goes with him.

Morgan and Alicia get to lumber mill and find someone trapped in a room by walkers and kill them using tools in the yard. Unfortunately the man in the room died days before and turned leaving Alicia distraught, believing her mother would have been able to save him. Morgan realizes this was Alicia’s way of honoring Madison but tells her she can still be there for Strand and Luciana, Alicia counters that Morgan can be there for them as well instead of leaving. June gives Althea an off camera interview and is worried that John fell in love with ‘Laura’ and not who she really is.

Only Althea would see that box as a story instead of an ominous trap, and she must be warming up to everyone if she’s giving off the record interviews. June struggling to let John know the real her is a great example of the story potential between those two. New antagonists would help give everyone a common enemy and a way to rally around each other. If Charlie is going to stick around that’s the only thing that would help her be accepted by someone like Alicia, Strand or Luciana. It seems like she’s still suffering from guilt over killing Nick which is why she stopped talking.

Alicia’s way of mourning and honoring her mother are a great way of keeping Madison’s memory and spirit around and easily the most compelling story of the episode. Morgan is clearly attached to her and wants to help and it’s clear his resolve to leave is being weakened by wanting to protect her. If anything Morgan will groom Alicia to be the new moral center/leader before he heads back to Alexandria, because his return to Alexandria seems inevitable.

June realizes the dead washing up is from a severe storm coming and they rush to get back to John. While the others are caught in the rain Luciana finds Charlie hiding in the mansion and chases her out into the storm, but goes after her after finding a book Charlie left her. Althea and June are forced off the road by the winds and watch as the force blows walkers around the car. What Luciana will do to if she catches Charlie is unclear, she probably doesn’t even know herself. Even without weather apps it seems odd that nobody would have noticed a storm of that size coming until the last minute. But watching everyone fight walkers and possibly each other in a hurricane should be fun.

Quotes/Thoughts

“There’s nothing for me where you’re going, there’s nothing for me anywhere.”

A storm with flying walkers seems much more dangerous than one with flying sharks.

“Yesterday’s yesterday but today’s today. And God knows if there’ll be a tomorrow.”

I’m still wary about how the rest of the season will turn out but it’s still early.

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