Fear the Walking Dead Review: So Close, Yet So Far (Season 1 Episode 2)

Can we all just agree that Fear the Walking Dead really hit it’s stride this week with “So Close, Yet So Far”? Because that’s exactly what happened.

The follow up to the show’s “Pilot” is exactly what we’ve all been waiting for, what we’re here for — why we all signed up for this spinoff in the first place (aside from the obvious fact that none of us can get enough zombie apocalypse goodness).

In a beautiful execution of a textbook apocalypse, “So Close, Yet So Far” brings just a taste of the chaos to come and has it’s viewers on the edge of the seat in anticipation and anxiety. As we watch Nick go through withdrawals, see more and more characters succumb to the infection, those of us who know what the hell is going on are sitting here, glued to our screens, shouting frustratedly at the characters’ reluctance to give in to the chaos — to simply go raid the damn drug store to get Nick what he needs to get through this, dang it!

We know what needs to be done, we know what can be done, and it’s so frustrating in the best possible way to watch these new characters try to figure this out for themselves.

Where is Rick Grimes when you need him?! Surely he didn’t take this long to get with the post-apocalyptic times…

The main thing I am happy to report is that the characters really start to come to life in the series’ second episode. Where Nick was a shining light amidst a sea of dull, flat characters in the pilot, this episode feels like a much more even playing field. Their respective plot lines are becoming much more interesting (although, throwing in an apocalypse tends to help with that) and their personalities are starting to come out now that they aren’t being overshadowed by the dull, drab shroud of realism.

Where the series pilot was a lesson in slow burn, “So Close, Yet So Far” is all bottled up tension, anticipation and excitement. At this point, our beloved heroes are beginning to figure out what’s happening (except Alicia. Someone should really fill her in), and we certainly know what’s to come — we can see the massacre on the horizon.

The tension, at this point, is palpable.

What is making Fear the Walking Dead”s slow burn so thrilling is the fact that zombies aren’t a common enemy in this series. With The Walking Dead, you know they’re going to come across hoards of walkers in a single episode.

With Fear, the appearance of a zombie and a zombie attack is something to look forward to, something exciting — because it doesn’t happen constantly. We aren’t surrounded by the undead just yet, so, we’re always eagerly awaiting every single glimpse we get, every attack, every turn. With The Walking Dead, we’ve all gotten pretty comfortable with the existence of zombies — Fear the Walking Dead has come along and made them scary and exciting again.

From this point on, we can hopefully look forward to the steady decline of civilization and one can only assume that things are going to get harder for the Clark family, what with Nick going through withdrawals, Alicia trying to run off at every chance she gets, and Travis being separated from the group altogether, trapped right in the thick of the rioting.

The real question is: will walkers tear Los Angeles apart, or will the people rioting in the streets beat them to it?

It’s anyone’s game, really. But the one thing we do know from years of following The Walking Dead is that people can be monsters, too.

It’s all downhill from here, folks.

In a good way.

What did you think of Fear the Walking Dead”s second episode? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

 

Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.