Fear the Walking Dead Review: Monster (Season 2 Episode 1)

Fear the Walking Dead returns for it’s full length second season this week with “Monster” and, while it’s looking like this season is going to be more interesting than the last, it’s still hard to actually care about what happens to these people.

First of all, let’s open this up with a shout out to the fact that the episode opens with a few zombie kills — which was something that was, understandably, lacking in the series’ first season. Special recognition goes to Nick for shredding a walker’s face with the boat motor. Quick thinking, Nick. I like your style.

However, as mentioned before, the show still struggles with the same inability to make fans care about these characters — even Nick, who was a stand out last season, seems toned down. They’re bland, they’re boring. Granted, it is only the first episode of the season, so, there is a very, very high chance that this will change, but, as it stands: God these people are boring.

Never-the-less, our heroes seem to be facing the time old debate that The Walking Dead crew wars with themselves over time and time again: being compassionate versus being cutthroat. On shows like these, we’re so used to writing off naivety and soft-hearted characters as being weak, being the ones who don’t have what it takes to make it. We look at people like Strand and we think, “Yup. That’s the guy you wanna stick with.”

But you can’t trust a man like Strand. Because that man will leave you to die if that’s what it takes to ensure his survival.

So, we look at someone like Alicia, and we roll our eyes are her for chatting with the boy on the radio. We’ve been conditioned by The Walking Dead to be skeptical of anyone and everyone, but she hasn’t lost her faith in humanity yet, and she hasn’t lost the need to feel close to someone, to feel some semblance of normalcy. Once you get past the knee-jerk reaction of groaning at her lack of tact, it’s actually a cute little plotline.

You have to feel bad for the poor girl, really. As she says: it was all over before she even knew what was happening.

That being said, cute though it may be, there is something majorly suspicious about the fact that the guy calls himself Jack and he is on a sinking boat (Titanic reference, anyone…?). Given that someone out there is going around blowing people out of the water (which is very cool, by the way — definitely the most exciting development on the show to date), we have to wonder about this Jack character and what he’s hiding…

Here’s hoping it’s something super duper interesting. This show needs that.

What did you think of the season premier? Let me know in the comments below!

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