Fear the Walking Dead Review: Is Anybody Out There? (Season 5 Episode 8)
Fear the Walking Dead has really taken viewers on a journey during the first half of the season.
On Fear the Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 8, “Is Anybody Out There?,” there are life and death circumstances, exciting, satisfying moments, and pieces that challenge the primary philosophy of the main characters.
It’s hard to say why sometimes that Fear the Walking Dead is such a satisfying and exciting show, but “Is Anybody Out There?” showcases that element really well.
Just a theory, but Fear the Walking Dead is a strong show because they aren’t plot driven, they’re character driven. They’ve spent the first half of Season 5 building new characters, developing old ones, and using that development and change to create higher stakes.
Because of the universe they’re set within, Fear the Walking Dead’s stakes are always high. Literally at any time, a main character could get bit, or hit with radioactive blood, or killed by a drifter. Yet, the important part isn’t “what’s going to happen” but rather “do I care about this character?”
The positive outlook taken by many characters on the show seems unorthodox, but it is working. The likes of Daniel Salazar, Strand, or Dwight would never have been changed for the better by Rick Grimes or Michonne.
Instead, you can see and feel positive change in the characters simply because they’re surrounded by people who view life as worth living, even in the apocalypse.
The point of The Walking Dead has always been shock value or plot. But Fear the Walking Dead has created something far more substantive in terms of character, which makes it interesting.
“Is Anybody Out There?” seems to deliberately differentiate between the flagship show and Fear the Walking Dead by turning the “big bad” or “villain” plot on its head.
Instead of battling with Logan, someone who has deliberately lied, misled, and nearly killed them, the Fear the Walking Dead cast instead must choose to help Logan.
But another way Fear the Walking Dead differentiates itself is by deliberately not killing off any main characters (or any characters at all) on the midseason finale.
The “who’s going to die?” question is replaced with the notion that positive change can affect a fallen world. Which really seems to be the point of Fear the Walking Dead as of late. People underestimate the power or selfless service in today’s world.
Ultimately, Season 5A of Fear the Walking Dead is a positive, exciting, in-depth character study. It’s well worth revisiting if you have gone away.
A few stray thoughts:
- Very glad that Alicia isn’t dead and that the last living Clark family member lives to fight another day.
- I’ve ached for Daniel Salazar to join the rest of the group and it seems my dreams are finally coming true.
- Wendell had me worried there for a bit, too, but I was honestly more worried he was going to get run over with the plane.
- References to Madison Clark by Alicia and Strand remind me of what this show used to be. Though Madison is gone, her philosophy echoes through what the show has become, and I’m here for it.
What did you think of this episode of Fear the Walking Dead? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.
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Nick Hogan
Nick Hogan is an experienced podcaster and writer (particularly on media topics), who loves discussion and analysis of TV and is always looking for new shows to watch. He is also a parent who loves buffalo wings, blowing raspberries, and his beloved Cincinnati Reds.