Fear the Walking Dead Season Finale Review: End of the Line (Season 5 Episode 16)
Fear the Walking Dead might need shorter seasons. Too many episodes drag in the middle to have such a cliffhanger ending, which creates a feeling of ambivalence.
Fear the Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 16, “End of the Line,” feels like more of an attempt to shake things up than anything else, and it doesn’t really work. At least, not the way it’s intended.
“End of the Line” doesn’t work the way it should because none of it is necessary. When Dwight returns with the horses to Humbug’s Gulch, that should be the end of the story. Morgan, at that point, should call off Virginia before she gets too close.
But of course that doesn’t happen. It makes too much sense.
Instead, a half-hearted attempt to scare her away results in disaster, and Dwight is the only one saying “hey, she’s too much like Negan, we shouldn’t do this!”
I could’ve guessed she’d bring Luciana with her, as insurance (and because all regular characters have to fit into the finale somehow), but the heroes of this story were wildly unprepared for that.
So Fear the Walking Dead, which has really done a great job building its characters all season long, really falls flat with “End of the Line.”
It’s easy to see the allegory present in Fear the Walking Dead Season 5, and some of the longer running stories still pay off nicely.
John and June’s wedding, Morgan and Grace revealing their feelings, and Dwight’s catharsis all make for compelling stories. Each payoff tugs at the heartstrings and increases the stakes just a little each time.
That’s essentially the point. Finding little moments in a beaten and broken world applies all-too-well to our current state of the universe. It’s obvious that the showrunners are trying to communicate that even with the world’s relentlessness, you can find moments of peace, love, and happiness.
Unfortunately, in this particular case, the world wins out. Virginia successfully splits up the group (even takes away Skidmark!) and leaves Morgan for dead. Sure, it gets the point across but after 16 episodes (in only three of which we’ve seen Virginia), the cliffhanger ending brings almost no satisfaction to a 16 episode season, and frankly it’s too much to ask.
The new Mrs. June Dorie and Morgan having romantic feelings really aren’t enough to offset the group being split up by Virginia, but especially because it all could’ve been avoided.
A few stray thoughts:
- Strand’s backpedaling didn’t really happen, appeared to just to put Daniel back at odds with him in Season 6, didn’t it? That’s frustrating.
- Daniel, Grace, and Charlie performing their music at the wedding is a lovely moment.
- Rabbi Jacob has jokes. He’s the best.
- Regarding Morgan’s cliffhanger – remember when the showrunners outright said “Madison is dead?” Because I do. I wouldn’t bet against Lennie James’ return.
- I hope Dwight finds Sherry in Season 6.
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 will return to AMC in 2020.
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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.