Fear the Walking Dead Episode #103: "The Dog"

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inferiorego

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Edited By inferiorego  Staff
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In this week's episode, Nick, Madison, and Alicia are stuck in the house and are waiting around for Travis to get back, but Travis and Chris are stuck in the barber shop while riots continue outside. A fire is started in the place next door and everyone in the shop must leave, before the barber shop catches on fire. As soon as the door opens, rioters come inside and bust the place up. The streets are chaotic and along with the riots, there are a few zombies biting people, which goes mostly unnoticed. The escape, but not after someone gets hurt.

Back at home, Nick, Madison, and Alicia are playing Monopoly, and Madison hears some noises. In the last episode, she saw her neighbor get attacked, so she's trying to keep the family together.

Travis and company try to make their way to the hospital, but there's a heavy police presence there. They witness the hospital catching on fire and the police firing on some walkers. Travis has to take the barber and his family to their house because there's no where else to go. The lights start going out in LA as they drive away.

The lights are out at home, where Travis and Madison avoid telling Alicia what's going on. They find their dog, living, covered in blood and a walker is outside the house. They get to their neighbor's house, Susan and Patrick, which has power, but no one seems to be home. Travis knows they have a gun and grabs it. Alicia wanders off on her own and sees the walker go into their house. Travis comes back and finds the walker eating their dog. Alicia has to run back for the shells, but Daniel kills it off. Alicia is being hunted by the neighbor, who is a walker now and Chris helps save her. They all try to understand what is going on with their neighbor, Susan. Nick says she's dead.

Madison wants to head to the desert right away, but Travis says they need to leave in the morning, especially with Daniel's cousin coming to pick them up. Plus, traveling in the dark might be too dangerous.

Daniel talks to his family and reveals that he doesn't have a cousin coming to pick them up. They're going to take it day by day but his daughter wants them to go with everyone to the desert. Madison talks to Liza and tells her that if she ever turns, Liza needs to kill her and not to have Daniel do it.

The next day, Madison stands in front of Susan, who is caught behind a fence, and Madison is holding a hammer. Travis walks up and talks to her. Travis doesn't want her to kill Susan because there may be a chance that she can be helped. Madison walks away.

Daniel, his wife, and daughter stay behind while everyone else takes off, heading for the desert. While leaving, Patrick shows up at his house, and Madison runs in to save him. He gives Susan a hug and as it happens, the military comes in a shoots her in the head and pulls Madison back. The military tells them to stay inside and Patrick was taken away because he was covered in the walker's blood. The military has control of the block and Travis thinks it's going to get better.

No Caption Provided

The opening scene with Travis and company leaving the barber shop is a perfect example of what this show will eventually be about. We're getting the early stages of a complete societal breakdown. Now, the breakdown isn't because of the zombies. It's because of a protest going wrong, but it gives viewers a glimpse into how insane something like this is and there will be more of this to come. The opening delivers some thrilling moments.

While everyone watching the show is ten steps ahead of the characters here, the way the characters are dealing with the walkers they run into seems pretty rational and normal. There's a lot of wanting to help them because they're "sick," but ultimately, some get put down because their attacks are unrelenting. However, not all these characters have a reaction that everyone could consider normal.

Daniel seems too knowledgeable about what's going on, much like Tobias in the first two episodes. It's actually pretty annoying, but hopefully, there's something much more to that. Did something like this happen in El Salvador when he was younger. There's obviously a lot more to this character as this episode really built him up, but he just seemed to know too much about what's going on. On top of that, there's the story with Nick coming off of drugs which falls flat as it feels shoehorned into a few scenes and is probably the least interesting thing about the show. In concept, it seems like a great idea, but just doesn't work.

Looks like we're never going to get to the desert, but that's completely ok because the military element, which made their way in the end of this episode, seems like it's going to be a really great story for the next episode. More importantly, it's going to give the characters a sense of safety, so they're going to think that everything is over and it was all a fluke. Obviously, that is not the case, and everyone is just being lulled into a false sense of security.

Fear the Walking Dead is a different beast from the show it spun-off of. It moves different and feels different and that's what make it a great show and not just the run-of-the-mill spin-off. There's still a few bumps in the road here and there and everything is still being set-up, but overall, this was the strongest episode yet and one that actually delivered a lot of scares.

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the_stegman

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#1 the_stegman  Moderator

The show has finally become watchable still wouldn't give this episode a 5, but it's heading in the right direction.

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lordraiden

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I've enjoyed the first two episodes. Far from perfect, but entertaining. Looking forward to the next episode.

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MadeinBangladesh

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Love seeing the world get worse and worse

~MiB

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lordraiden

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Love seeing the world get worse and worse

~MiB

I think everyone's waiting for the big meltdown and chaos running rampant, leading into that first episode of the Walking Dead where the army are shooting people in hospitals trying to contain the virus!

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#5  Edited By ForeverMan

Meh. I guess most people just want zombies, because this show has been grating on my nerves ever more progressively. Its not the pacing that's bothering me at all, but some of the writing.

Too much of the tension relies on the horror cliche of people acting weirdly foolish and illogical. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with the turn that the end of the episode takes though.

But I hope they manage to advance the action in ways other than having people wander off inexplicably, leave doors open, stand there trying to talk to approaching zombies, keep important info to themselves because they're "shaken" / for no apparent reason etc...

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the_stegman

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#6 the_stegman  Moderator

Meh. I guess most people just want zombies, because this show has been grating on my nerves ever more progressively. Its not the pacing that's bothering me at all, but some of the writing.

Too much of the tension relies on the horror cliche of people acting weirdly foolish and illogical. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with the turn that the end of the episode takes though.

But I hope they manage to advance the action in ways other than having people wander off inexplicably, leave doors open, stand there trying to talk to approaching zombies, keep important info to themselves because they're "shaken" / for no apparent reason etc...

Seriously, why the hell would you leave your door open when you KNOW things human or not, are out to get you?? Then you get surprised when someone is in your house?? Come on. I try to suspend disbelief, but the people in this show act ridiculously stupid. The daughter for instance, why would you split up from the group and go back in the house?? Then investigate a strange noise?? It's like every horror trope smashed together.

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Mr. Kamikaze

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@the_stegman: Well in the daughters defense she didn't know anything about what was happening. Her mother and brother were intentionally not telling her. I imagine she just kinda put it together on her own that something was wrong, but who instantly goes to "people are getting sick and eating other people"?

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Crimz

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#8  Edited By Crimz

It's getting interesting now. I wonder how long it takes for the main guy, to grow a pair. He is going to get them killed with his stupid, misplaced kindness. The wife needs to call the shots, she knows what has to be done.

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MAZAHS117

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Didn't think I'd be interested in this show, but these first few EP's (especially last night) have been very good.

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inferiorego

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#10 inferiorego  Staff

@foreverman said:

Meh. I guess most people just want zombies, because this show has been grating on my nerves ever more progressively. Its not the pacing that's bothering me at all, but some of the writing.

Too much of the tension relies on the horror cliche of people acting weirdly foolish and illogical. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with the turn that the end of the episode takes though.

But I hope they manage to advance the action in ways other than having people wander off inexplicably, leave doors open, stand there trying to talk to approaching zombies, keep important info to themselves because they're "shaken" / for no apparent reason etc...

Seriously, why the hell would you leave your door open when you KNOW things human or not, are out to get you?? Then you get surprised when someone is in your house?? Come on. I try to suspend disbelief, but the people in this show act ridiculously stupid. The daughter for instance, why would you split up from the group and go back in the house?? Then investigate a strange noise?? It's like every horror trope smashed together.

I leave my door open when I stop by my neighbor's all the time. They also don't know these things are out to get them. All they know is that there's a few cases of people with this sickness. The reason you think they're acting stupid is, again, because you have a lot more knowledge about the situation.

As for Alicia, it's pretty obvious she doesn't listen well, like all teenagers, and she has even less information than Travis, Nick, and Madison, since she, at that point, still hadn't seen a walker. That guy was the first one she saw and that happened after she ran back to the house to grab the shells. She's not bright, but in no way is this character induced stupidity.

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#11  Edited By ForeverMan

@inferiorego said:
@the_stegman said:
@foreverman said:

Meh. I guess most people just want zombies, because this show has been grating on my nerves ever more progressively. Its not the pacing that's bothering me at all, but some of the writing.

Too much of the tension relies on the horror cliche of people acting weirdly foolish and illogical. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with the turn that the end of the episode takes though.

But I hope they manage to advance the action in ways other than having people wander off inexplicably, leave doors open, stand there trying to talk to approaching zombies, keep important info to themselves because they're "shaken" / for no apparent reason etc...

Seriously, why the hell would you leave your door open when you KNOW things human or not, are out to get you?? Then you get surprised when someone is in your house?? Come on. I try to suspend disbelief, but the people in this show act ridiculously stupid. The daughter for instance, why would you split up from the group and go back in the house?? Then investigate a strange noise?? It's like every horror trope smashed together.

I leave my door open when I stop by my neighbor's all the time. They also don't know these things are out to get them. All they know is that there's a few cases of people with this sickness. The reason you think they're acting stupid is, again, because you have a lot more knowledge about the situation.

As for Alicia, it's pretty obvious she doesn't listen well, like all teenagers, and she has even less information than Travis, Nick, and Madison, since she, at that point, still hadn't seen a walker. That guy was the first one she saw and that happened after she ran back to the house to grab the shells. She's not bright, but in no way is this character induced stupidity.

It's serious enough that both Madison and her son have brutally killed "people" in the last 24 hours. Serious enough that they're blowing town as soon as Travis gets back. They saw their neighbour attack his wife, they saw him heading toward their house, they know he's lurking somewhere and need a weapon to defend themselves. But when they leave to get it, they just leave the door wide open? Nope, that makes sense on no real level.

Neither does the general extent of Travis and Madison being in some kind of weird shaken denial, where they don't even want to give effectively cryptic warnings about a situation that's clearly gone well past hitting the fan. And Alicia almost walked off straight into her death 3 times in 2 episodes directly because of it.

I'm not trying to just bash the show, I'm actually enjoying it. But there's no doubt that much of the action thus far has been pushed ahead by people acting weirdly foolish.

I mean when Travis was trying to get his son, who was refusing his calls in ep 2, I'm screaming "text him!!" at my tv. When Madison is in her car and sees her neighbour some home at the end of this episode, I'm screaming "honk your horn!" at my TV.

Too many weird little facepalm moments like that. Not the tight writing I was hoping to get from this show.

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#12 inferiorego  Staff

@inferiorego said:
@the_stegman said:
@foreverman said:

Meh. I guess most people just want zombies, because this show has been grating on my nerves ever more progressively. Its not the pacing that's bothering me at all, but some of the writing.

Too much of the tension relies on the horror cliche of people acting weirdly foolish and illogical. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with the turn that the end of the episode takes though.

But I hope they manage to advance the action in ways other than having people wander off inexplicably, leave doors open, stand there trying to talk to approaching zombies, keep important info to themselves because they're "shaken" / for no apparent reason etc...

Seriously, why the hell would you leave your door open when you KNOW things human or not, are out to get you?? Then you get surprised when someone is in your house?? Come on. I try to suspend disbelief, but the people in this show act ridiculously stupid. The daughter for instance, why would you split up from the group and go back in the house?? Then investigate a strange noise?? It's like every horror trope smashed together.

I leave my door open when I stop by my neighbor's all the time. They also don't know these things are out to get them. All they know is that there's a few cases of people with this sickness. The reason you think they're acting stupid is, again, because you have a lot more knowledge about the situation.

As for Alicia, it's pretty obvious she doesn't listen well, like all teenagers, and she has even less information than Travis, Nick, and Madison, since she, at that point, still hadn't seen a walker. That guy was the first one she saw and that happened after she ran back to the house to grab the shells. She's not bright, but in no way is this character induced stupidity.

It's serious enough that both Madison and her son have brutally killed "people" in the last 24 hours. Serious enough that they're blowing town as soon as Travis gets back. They saw their neighbour attack his wife, they saw him heading toward their house, they know he's lurking somewhere and need a weapon to defend themselves. But when they leave to get it, they just leave the door wide open? Nope, that makes sense on no real level.

Neither does the general extent of Travis and Madison being in some kind of weird shaken denial, where they don't even want to give effectively cryptic warnings about a situation that's clearly gone well past hitting the fan. And Alicia almost walked off straight into her death 3 times in 2 episodes directly because of it.

I'm not trying to just bash the show, I'm actually enjoying it. But there's no doubt that much of the action thus far has been pushed ahead by people acting weirdly foolish.

I mean when Travis was trying to get his son, who was refusing his calls in ep 2, I'm screaming "text him!!" at my tv. When Madison is in her car and sees her neighbour some home at the end of this episode, I'm screaming "honk your horn!" at my TV.

Too many weird little facepalm moments like that. Not the tight writing I was hoping to get from this show.

Alicia hasn't seen any of that though. She saw the attack across the street, but doesn't know as much as Travis, Madison, or Nick. She's completely in the dark about everything, which is actually mentioned a couple times during last night's episode.

As for the door open, in a time of panic, I can still see them leaving the door open, whether they forgot to close it or whatever. Humans fail to remember simple things in time of panic and uncertainty.

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Pelykan

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This is getting better.

As for the characters making 'dumb' decisions you gotta keep in mind that half of them hardly even know what's going on. The only problem I have is with how Salazar is coming to grip with the situation way faster then anyone else without actually having seen all they have.

And I'm curious to see how this is gonna play out with the military, I believe they said somewhere in TWD that the safe zones were some of the worst places to be in.

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@foreverman said:

Meh. I guess most people just want zombies, because this show has been grating on my nerves ever more progressively. Its not the pacing that's bothering me at all, but some of the writing.

Too much of the tension relies on the horror cliche of people acting weirdly foolish and illogical. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with the turn that the end of the episode takes though.

But I hope they manage to advance the action in ways other than having people wander off inexplicably, leave doors open, stand there trying to talk to approaching zombies, keep important info to themselves because they're "shaken" / for no apparent reason etc...

Seriously, why the hell would you leave your door open when you KNOW things human or not, are out to get you?? Then you get surprised when someone is in your house?? Come on. I try to suspend disbelief, but the people in this show act ridiculously stupid. The daughter for instance, why would you split up from the group and go back in the house?? Then investigate a strange noise?? It's like every horror trope smashed together.

The daughter was told to go back and get the shotgun shells and when did she investigate a strange noise?

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Either way this show is boring as Fu*k! I'm stupid cause I'm probably gonna keep watching it.

Mind you I watch a lot of TV shows and hate most of them, so my opinion isn't probably the most valid one.

(-3) stars on 5