Fear the Walking Dead - Not Fade Away

From the previous episode to this one, “Fade Not Away”, the military has fenced in the neighborhood of the series’ first season principles, remaining elusive and not allowing anybody out. And supplies are limited and seemingly stockpiled. Moyers, the superior National Guardsman in charge, is a dick, not particularly tolerant of questions (or all that concerned about how others feel about being caged in), short with Travis who has been shoehorned in as a type of neighborhood mayor (taxed with asking Moyers about what happens to people, why there are limits on supplies and such, and trying to keep everyone in line), and disregards what members of the community might feel about their overall situation. Liza has sort of become a nurse for the neighborhood, despite not being certified, serving those that are sick, using whatever resources are available despite a shortage in much-needed supplies not provided. Soon the National Guard provides a certified doctor, Dr. Exner (Sandrine Holt), to patrol the houses, realizing that without Liza the toll of death perhaps could have been much worse. Exner needs assistance at their hospital, recruiting a reluctant Liza, as the officers “confiscate” Daniel Salazar’s wife (with the bum ankle in need of surgery) and Madison’s recovering addict son, Nick. What Moyers makes clear early on, nudging Travis into conversing with a neighbor he barely knows who appears to be deteriorating mentally to their apocalyptic situation, is that their tolerance for anyone non-compliable or viewed as a possible nuisance is nil. When Liza mentions that Nick is a “former” addict, not long after this, he’s scooped up against his will as Madison tries (and fails) to stop the military from doing so. She looks right into Travis’ face and blames his ex for her taken son. Prior to the night “invasion” and seizure of these “patients”, Madison had cut a small slit in the fence and investigated outside of their “enclosure”, realizing that their captors, in the disguise of a protective force, were more than likely responsible for not just killing infected humans but actual healthy folks as well, bodies littering the streets in scattered numbers provide enough to be quite concerned.

I can see why the series couldn’t maintain a higher rating. The pacing and real lack of energy is glaring. There is just no hurry into confronting the dangers behind the façade of a military unit carrying an appearance of protection and help, instead showing Nick lounging in the pool, Moyers clubbing golf balls down a street, Travis’ son opening the episode with one of those monologues about their situation’s developments since we last saw them, Shawn Hatosy’s National Guardsman all flirty and kissy-face with Daniel Salazar’s daughter (she wants supplies for her mother but he’s all excuses), Travis going for a jog, Travis trying to convince someone he doesn’t know well to behave himself or else, Travis and Madison having domestic squabbles, Nick assuring his mom he’s okay even as she hopes he’ll gradually wean off his addiction instead of the cold turkey approach, Alicia still holding onto the false hope that her boyfriend is still alive while reading a letter she wrote to him and reinforcing a tattoo he drew on her arm with permanent ink, etc. Even Madison’s leisurely stroll outside her fence, where she discovers the bodies, lacks serious oomph because the direction, for some reason, doesn’t quite impact as it should. I don’t know if it is because the acting’s stoic or if there is just a lack of real reaction to what it going on (Madison seems not to react much to anything; you would think if you see a lot of folks that aren’t infected shot dead in streets there would seem to be some recognition of horror). Those in the fenced community sort of take everything in stride, not really exercising much resistance…granted the military and their arsenal is there but besides some minor griping and protest, the community just surrender to their captivity. Daniel’s retelling of a past in El Salvador to Madison as foreshadowing sort of paints a picture of what possibly awaits them if they remain docile and accept whatever the military tells them. The obviousness of something sinister awaiting this community if they stay in their houses, continuing to obey and not upsetting the applecart, is quite apparent and clear. Someone communicating to Chris on Travis and Madison’s roof through a flickering light, indicating that Moyers is lying to them about no one being alive in the city not far from the neighborhood will be damned by them…Chris-to-Travis-to Madison eventually leads to Moyers who makes sure to storm that area as gunfire lights up informs Travis that his telling their National Guardsman was a fatal mistake for that poor soul.

I have to admit: so far this cast is so cold fish to me. I can't find much emotional investment for any of them. Even Daniel's history-might-repeat-itself-so-be-forewarned lesson to Madison can't really generate a lot of real uh-oh...something is just missing in the writing, acting, and development of this overall story arc. Maybe pinning us primarily in this neighborhood, not venturing much outward, spending a bit too much time in these familiar trappings instead of really addressing how the city has fallen--really emphasizing the terror of it all--is a problem, too.
2/5