FEAR The Walking Dead - Season 5 discussion...

[MinionZombie]

This thread is to discuss all of Season 5 of Fear The Walking Dead - bear in mind that there will be spoilers current to the latest episode that has been broadcast as the conversation continues.

5x01 "Here to Help" (aired June 2nd 2019)

Directed by: Michael E. Satrazemis
Written by: Ian Goldberg & Andrew Chambliss


In “Fear the Walking Dead” Season 5, the group’s mission is clear: locate survivors and help make what’s left of the world a slightly better place. With dogged determination, Morgan Jones (Lennie James) leads the group with a philosophy rooted in benevolence, community and hope. Each character believes that helping others will allow them to make up for the wrongs of their pasts. But trust won't be easily earned. Their mission of helping others will be put to the ultimate test when our group finds themselves in unchartered territory, one which will force them to face not just their pasts but also their fears. It is only through facing those fears that the group will discover an entirely new way to live, one that will leave them forever changed.

https://dailydead.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/FTWD-501-104.jpg

[Moon Knight]

Pretty cool opening, didn’t expect our people to be flying a plane. Course it crashes lol.

[MinionZombie]

The bit where Al - of course - defies common sense and a supposed agreement with Morgan to go traipsing back to the crash site in the middle of the night (and a rain storm) to investigate the zombie wearing that weird body armour stuff (and the helmet that seems as if you can't see out of it?) wound me up something rotten, I gotta say. I was even like "don't open that in the rain, get inside your dry vehicle and have a look there!!!" ... I know why it was blocked that way for practical reasons, but it's one of those things that grates me, lol.

The plane crash bit was pretty cool, and there was some nice walker moments ... Alicia's 'broken gun barrel' weapon is crap though, get rid of it FFS. It worked for the one episode when it was introduced, but why on earth would anyone opt for that as their day-to-day weapon?

Don't care for those new kids ... kids are usually so annoying when amidst adults in TV and movies. It's surprisingly rare to find well written/not annoying kid characters, something which has been the case for decades. Every now and then you find gold (The Monster Squad, Stranger Things), but it's a rarity.

I imagine this season will be sixteen episodes long? No ruddy need for that at all.

[Moon Knight]

Man, FTWD does have great cinematography, acting, make-up, and score, but the logic seems to disappear. The kind's gun jamming had me like, c'mon, man, really, this all you got, writers? And of course Al making stupid decisions to further move the plot is a mainstay on this show.

I hate kids involved in anything too. Such a pet peeve of mine. With that said, this bunch hasn't grated my nerves. Yet.

I agree 100% on Alicia's weapon. It's almost laughable.

I like Matt Frewer who plays Logan, cool to see him invloved in the TWD universe.

The body armor and the connection to Jadis definitely has ties to the Rick movies. I just hope it isn't the boring Commonwealth.

[shootemindehead]

Stupid characters doing stupid things again. :rolleyes:


Alicia's 'broken gun barrel' weapon is crap though, get rid of it FFS.

Not only that, but it doesn't penetrate the brain numerous occasions. Really sick of both TWD and FTWD's propensity for this. A number of times, characters have stuck tiny knives and whatnot into parts of zombie's heads that wouldn't have the capacity to damage the brain.

I mean, really, that kind of thing is very easy to get right.

Even worse than her gun barrel nonsense was her wielding a propeller blade after the plane crashed. That was just ridiculous. Do the writers not know how heavy one of those blades would be? :lol:

[Moon Knight]

Stupid characters doing stupid things again. :rolleyes:



Not only that, but it doesn't penetrate the brain numerous occasions. Really sick of both TWD and FTWD's propensity for this. A number of times, characters have stuck tiny knives and whatnot into parts of zombie's heads that wouldn't have the capacity to damage the brain.

I mean, really, that kind of thing is very easy to get right.

Even worse than her gun barrel nonsense was her wielding a propeller blade after the plane crashed. That was just ridiculous. Do the writers not know how heavy one of those blades would be? :lol:

Trying too hard to be cool.

[shootemindehead]

Trying too hard to be cool.

There's a fine line between looking cool and looking stupid.

[Moon Knight]

There's a fine line between looking cool and looking stupid.

Most def.

[Zombie Snack]

This show has a great look to it, I just wish the writers were not so meh.

[MinionZombie]

5x02 "The Hurt That Will Happen" (aired June 9th 2019)

Directed by: Jessica Lowrey
Written by: Alex Delyle

FYI, viewing figures for 5x01 were 1.97m ... season four premiered to 4.09m, no doubt helped by the cross-over and the reboot factor. Season 4 ended on 2.13m.

[Moon Knight]

Looks like my man Strand is done.

[MinionZombie]

Again, some iffy bits in this one - Luciana dopily waltzing outside "Hello? Is anyone there?", and then trying to shoot several zombies while severely wounded ... just far too silly for a hardened survivor to be carrying on like that.

I really enjoyed the stuff with the lady who is dealing with trying to solve the nuclear plant issue and tracking down contaminated walkers. That was a really interesting aspect (and now Morgan is without that ruddy stick, haha ... if only Alicia's stupid gun barrel weapon could have been contaminated!), and it's nice to see a non-civilian story get touched upon there, something kind of related to trying to manage certain situations in the wake of a ZA.


Looks like my man Strand is done.

How so?

[Moon Knight]

Again, some iffy bits in this one - Luciana dopily waltzing outside "Hello? Is anyone there?", and then trying to shoot several zombies while severely wounded ... just far too silly for a hardened survivor to be carrying on like that.

I really enjoyed the stuff with the lady who is dealing with trying to solve the nuclear plant issue and tracking down contaminated walkers. That was a really interesting aspect (and now Morgan is without that ruddy stick, haha ... if only Alicia's stupid gun barrel weapon could have been contaminated!), and it's nice to see a non-civilian story get touched upon there, something kind of related to trying to manage certain situations in the wake of a ZA.



How so?

I'm assuming Strand got contaminated while taking out those walkers outside of Daniel's place out of anger. Clearly they displayed blood splattering all over him on purpose. Give it time. Hopefully not.

Between Alicia and Luciana I was shaking my head.

Not bad. Not great, but I'm intrigued.

[MinionZombie]

I'm assuming Strand got contaminated while taking out those walkers outside of Daniel's place out of anger. Clearly they displayed blood splattering all over him on purpose. Give it time. Hopefully not.

Between Alicia and Luciana I was shaking my head.

1) Hmmm ... I didn't notice that ... but he needs a plane, so isn't he far enough away?

2) Oh yeah, that was something I forgot - friggin' Alicia and her pissy ways in this episode, all that posturing bullshit and ignoring NUCLEAR RADIATION CONTAMINATED ZOMBIES as a proper threat ... and perhaps if you had a real weapon, not a broken gun barrel (seriously, get rid of that ridiculous fucking thing!!!), you might have been able to pop them off from a distance! I get that she's all bummed out after certain events, but christ, it's not as if she's the only one hurting, and to be so wilfully stupid and/or beligerant in these sort of scenarios just makes me want her to be killed off the show. I never really connected with her character from the get-go. Grrrr ... bah! :p

[Moon Knight]

Strand was farther away but this is the FTWD writing team we talking about here lol.

[JDP]

Again, some iffy bits in this one - Luciana dopily waltzing outside "Hello? Is anyone there?", and then trying to shoot several zombies while severely wounded ... just far too silly for a hardened survivor to be carrying on like that.

I think the point they are trying to make there is that she is not acting like her usual self due to the "drugs" she has been taking due to the injury.


I really enjoyed the stuff with the lady who is dealing with trying to solve the nuclear plant issue and tracking down contaminated walkers.

Though it looks like a cool and interesting element, the way the contaminated zombies got out of the "restricted" areas would make the scenario a pretty much impossible to handle matter, specially when there is only a few people around trying to take care of it. There is no telling who or what those contaminated zombies might have come in contact with and contaminated. So, going around trying to "clean" the mess seems like an exercise in futility. Even if you killed and disposed of all the zombies marked as contaminated, you would never be sure that you got rid of the contamination itself. For example, what if one of these contaminated zombies bit or scratched a person or an animal who survived long enough to move miles away from the area where it happened, thus spreading possible sources of more contamination farther away? This type of doubts would be never-ending, as there is virtually countless things that could have happened when those contaminated zombies were allowed to walk around free.


That was a really interesting aspect (and now Morgan is without that ruddy stick, haha ... if only Alicia's stupid gun barrel weapon could have been contaminated!),

Probably not, as metals are not porous. The reason why she told Morgan that he could not have his stick back is because the pores of the wood could have absorbed some of the contaminated blood, thus making it impossible to truly clean up. Still, if I was Morgan I would demand that after cleaning the surface of the stick it should be put through one of those radioactivity counters that she carries in order to test whether the stick was contaminated or not. There is a chance that it did not absorb any significant quantity of the zombie's blood and therefore it can still be salvaged.

[MinionZombie]

Though it looks like a cool and interesting element, the way the contaminated zombies got out of the "restricted" areas would make the scenario a pretty much impossible to handle matter, specially when there is only a few people around trying to take care of it. There is no telling who or what those contaminated zombies might have come in contact with and contaminated. So, going around trying to "clean" the mess seems like an exercise in futility. Even if you killed and disposed of all the zombies marked as contaminated, you would never be sure that you got rid of the contamination itself. For example, what if one of these contaminated zombies bit or scratched a person or an animal who survived long enough to move miles away from the area where it happened, thus spreading possible sources of more contamination farther away? This type of doubts would be never-ending, as there is virtually countless things that could have happened when those contaminated zombies were allowed to walk around free.

Probably not, as metals are not porous.

1) Not an excuse to do nothing, though. We saw some of their methodology - laying down traps to entice walkers and keep their attention (assuming there's no other distractions), the fences (I recall her alluding to them being all around the area to keep them penned-in), and so on, but if you can at least get rid of the contaminated walkers then you cut down on possible instances of contamination. Sure, you might not catch everything, but who's to know ... what you'd definitely know is that leaving radioactive zombies to roam about is a bad idea. Therefore it's not futile, there is a purpose and a result, just not a result with 100% achivement. It lowers the risk greatly. The radioactive signs alone clearly help keep people away, the only reason our heroes got mixed up in it is because their plane crashed in that area (d'oh! What are the odds, eh? :lol: )

2) I was being facetious ... 'cos I hate that friggin' gun barrel weapon.

[Moon Knight]

I still don't understand why they were flying a plane and why did they fly a plane without a trained pilot. Did I miss something?

That's like me volunteering to fly a plane :lol:

[MinionZombie]

I still don't understand why they were flying a plane

I assume there was a fair distance from where they were to where they were heading, which ended up just being a trap so Max Headroom could get his stuff back.

Also, so they could have a plane crash to open the season. :p

[Moon Knight]

Ridiculous. :rolleyes:

:annoyed:

[MinionZombie]

5x03 "Humbug's Gulch" (aired June 16th 2019)

Directed by: Colman Domingo
Written by: Ashley Cardiff

Last week's live viewing figure was 1.69m.

- - - Updated - - -

The 'bullet split' thing was beyond fucking stupid - fun, sure, but it's just not a tonal match for FearTWD ... too much of a flight of fancy for this franchise, if that makes sense?

Anyway - I really did quite enjoy all the John and Dwight stuff, and that old western tourist town was a pretty cool location - I loved all the wild west stuff, and it was a nice chance to get John Dorie doing his cowboy thing with his six shooters, which I've loved since he was added to the show in 4x01. Naomi being all a bit horned up by all those various trick shot nicknames that John could pull off was quite funny. The big showdown with those walkers in the centre of the western town was pretty cool, too.

Notice how when Dwight said "walkers" John did a double-take. I thought that was a nice little subtlety thrown in there, and it's really nice to have Dwight back on our screens again as he's been a good character in TWD and it's neat to see what he's now going to get up to post-TWD. I wonder if we'll ever stumble across Sherry.

Not sure about these kids and their reveal though...

[Moon Knight]

Damn I missed Dwight.

[MinionZombie]

5x04 "Skidmark" (aired June 23rd 2019)

Directed by: Tara Nicole Weyr
Written by: Samir Mehta

Last week's live viewing figure was 1.76m.

[Neil]

I really must get around to start watching this season...

[MinionZombie]

I enjoyed having some more time with Salazar and his scavenging lifestyle in the ZA.

Also, the plane propellers wiping out that mini herd of walkers was jolly good fun and nicely shot.

[Moon Knight]

I enjoyed having some more time with Salazar and his scavenging lifestyle in the ZA.

Also, the plane propellers wiping out that mini herd of walkers was jolly good fun and nicely shot.

Most def.

Salazar is always fun to watch.

[MinionZombie]

5x05 "The End of Everything" (aired June 30th 2019)

Directed by: Michael E. Satrazemis
Written by: Andrew Chambliss & Ian Goldberg

Last week's live viewing figure was 1.66m.

[shootemindehead]

So, this show is getting better?

I really enjoyed the one with Dwight, John and whatevershescalled.

But then it bitchslaps me with that stupid bullet scene. So, so stupid.

I don't think I've ever watched a show before that ropes me in and then lets the rope go so much.

[MinionZombie]

Yeah, it's a bit of a rollercoaster where sometimes it can be really good and then do a sudden lurch and be pretty naff.

This latest episode was ... kinda meh, to be honest. It's back to that old problem of splitting people up and having someone disappear for several episodes only to come back and dominate another episode, so the pacing and structure is all off and feels disjointed. Thankfully TWD got shot of that for the most part in season 9, but Fear is yet to get the memo.

I'm not keen on Al all that much. This "I'm a journalist, I must get my story" thing feels kinda pointless in a survival scenario and her justification doesn't seem that strong (you're just leaning into the thing that meant you weren't there for your brother, and that doesn't really make any kind of sense to do). She's become a bit of an irritating character as a result, unfortunately. :(

I reckon this is all a part of setting up something larger that will span across TWD, Fear, and the Rick Grimes movies. At the moment they're being a bit coy, but comics readers will know where this is heading towards. Hopefully with the same kind of finesse and improvements that we've seen with The Whisperers (comic vs show).

[Moon Knight]

What did we really learn from this helicopter group that we didn't know before that really warranted a damn bottle episode? I hate bottle episodes.

Snoozfest.

This season sucks so far. Too many kids involved now too.

[shootemindehead]

Yeah, it's a bit of a rollercoaster where sometimes it can be really good and then do a sudden lurch and be pretty naff.

Agreed. But sure you know my opinions on the show, as whole, already.


I'm not keen on Al all that much. This "I'm a journalist, I must get my story" thing feels kinda pointless in a survival scenario and her justification doesn't seem that strong (you're just leaning into the thing that meant you weren't there for your brother, and that doesn't really make any kind of sense to do). She's become a bit of an irritating character as a result, unfortunately. :(

Yeh, that nonsense isn't working for me either. The recording of people's stories was fine. But the silly lengths that she goes to get "her story" is ridiculous. It lets her character down and the show as well. People doing stupid things is never a good way to progress a plot.

I think my fave characters, at the moment, in FTWD are John and Jenna Elfman, who has come on leaps and bounds since her introduction. She was an awful character in S4. Couldn't stand her and it's good to see Dwight on board too. There was a bit of an issue with getting rid of Kim Dickens as she was pretty much the anchor for the entire series, but I think they've overcome that. Far better than TWD has, which is now just a mush of meh characters at the moment, since Rick took a chopper flight.

Still though, I'm constantly in two minds about the show and I can't see that changing.

[MinionZombie]

We learned a smidge about the chopper people (e.g. some of their security protocols, that it's something big) but not much in the grand scheme of things, which added to the lack of oomph this episode had, unfortunately.


I think my fave characters, at the moment, in FTWD are John and Jenna Elfman, who has come on leaps and bounds since her introduction. She was an awful character in S4. Couldn't stand her and it's good to see Dwight on board too. There was a bit of an issue with getting rid of Kim Dickens as she was pretty much the anchor for the entire series, but I think they've overcome that. Far better than TWD has, which is now just a mush of meh characters at the moment, since Rick took a chopper flight.

John and Naomi (Elfman's character) are indeed two highlights in the cast, especially John who I warmed to immediately in 4x01, and to have Dwight on board is great (although he's been absent the last couple of weeks our time because of this way of structuring everything). Season 4 did have a bit of a feel of abandonment and having to weather that storm with actors packing it in after some ropey seasons, and while the show still needs an awful lot of work to bring it up to standard, it is getting some stuff right and moving in some correct directions ... not that an episode like this one would have anyone believe that, mind you.

Although I'd argue that TWD has weathered the vanishing of Rick quite well, far better than I'd ever thought it would. It certainly has skewed to more of an ensemble show in general now, whereas before it was an ensemble show with a lead. TWD has also managed to refocus on a sense of 'community' and people working together, which had been lost for quite a while to the show's detriment, so it's nice to have that back.

[MinionZombie]

5x06 "The Little Prince" (aired July 7th 2019)

Directed by: Sharat Raju
Written by: Mallory Westfall

Last week's live viewing figure was 1.71m.

...

So this week's episode was kinda meh. I liked bits of it here and there (i.e. Dwight & John), but there were so many bits where dialogue was written and/or performed to sound profound, and it was irritating the crap out of me.

The gaggle of kids are annoying, too.

I did like the beer bottle hot air balloon though.

[Moon Knight]

They should just let the kids run off. I can’t stand these characters that just has to leave groups. Carol, June, ect. Ughhhh stop it already.

[Zombie Snack]

A bunch of random survivors with the knowledge and skill to rebuild a majorly crashed airplane. In the apocalypse nonetheless

[MinionZombie]

A bunch of random survivors with the knowledge and skill to rebuild a majorly crashed airplane. In the apocalypse nonetheless

Yeah ... it's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?

Speaking of stretches - I'm not a fan of tying the walkers together with their entrails. Sure, it looks cool, but it's rotting meat and not even big thick chunky bits, it's a wibbly wobbly flesh tube.

[Moon Knight]

Yeah ... it's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?

Speaking of stretches - I'm not a fan of tying the walkers together with their entrails. Sure, it looks cool, but it's rotting meat and not even big thick chunky bits, it's a wibbly wobbly flesh tube.

Kids doing it nonetheless. Hate it.

[MinionZombie]

5x07 "Still Standing" (aired July 14th 2019)

Directed by: Marta Cunningham
Written by: Richard Naing

Last week's live viewing figure was 1.49m.

[Moon Knight]

I really hope they end the series this season and move over the best characters. Not as bad as last week and next week looks promising but a first half with Alicia and Morgan babysitting doesn't really scream exciting.

With a third show coming I can't see them doing all three at once. Fingers crossed.

[MinionZombie]

Another slip in the ratings - 5x07's live figure was 1.39m

This episode was very frustrating at times - there's Strand dragging a propeller like it'd actually weigh, but in 5x01 (and in another scene) we saw Alicia flinging a propeller blade around like it was a baseball bat ... :rockbrow: ... ... then there's that gang of kids, who just irritate me, especially their wilfully stupid leader. You know there's a nuclear reactor in the area, you know there are irradiated zombies about, you even know the reactor is about to go into meltdown, but nope, this shonky tree house (which doesn't even have an escape ladder!) will be the ideal place to stick around. FFS!

Similarly - we've got 12-24 hours to get outta dodge with a not-quite-ready plane needing to be fixed ... ... so let's chill out by the fuel tanks and have a chat about relationships. Are you friggin' kidding me?! At least have them loading the tanks during that, or have them talking about it whilst driving, not sitting around gabbing while the clock ticks!

There were a couple of cool walkers in it though, and there was one which Alicia sees a couple of times (which is how she knows she has gone in circle), which kinda looked like a reference to the deadite hag from the death pit in Army of Darkness. I wonder if that was the case.

I have enjoyed this subplot about the nuclear reactor, although I would have liked far more of it, to be honest. The kids are really annoying, as are the various lines which feel like they are being forced to feel weighty and important, even profound ... that was really grating on me while watching this too. :(

Did Alicia get the blood in her mouth? Either way I guess they're killing her off now - so we'll be down to just one character from season one remaining! Kinda says it all, doesn't it? :| The air of 'jumping ship' in the last couple of seasons has been hanging around this show.


With a third show coming I can't see them doing all three at once. Fingers crossed.

Aye, fingers crossed!

While I've still got to catch up on the TWD comics, apparently they came to a surprise conclusion recently (no spoilers, please!). So with that in mind, perhaps Fear and the main show will be wrapping up, and with those three movies on the horizon I think we might possibly be moving into an endgame here with it all getting tied together. It needs to happen. I love TWD, but it does need to be wrapped up, even though Angela Kang has done a fantastic job of pulling it back up (hopefully it'll conclude in good form, then!). FearTWD certainly needs to be wrapped up, and the new show can come after all that (and hopefully it'll tell a very different ZA story, not just the same old civilian stories we've seen plenty of across two long-running shows).

[Moon Knight]

Don’t think the main show is coming to an end anytime soon, even with the comic coming to a surprise halt.

[MinionZombie]

Don’t think the main show is coming to an end anytime soon, even with the comic coming to a surprise halt.

Maybe the main show could end, but then some newer characters from it could segue into the latest spin-off?

[Moon Knight]

Maybe the main show could end, but then some newer characters from it could segue into the latest spin-off?

I personally don't think so, that's a big risk. More than half the current audience wouldn't come back.

The main series would continue with Daryl. Norman is in till the end.

[MinionZombie]

5x08 "Is Anybody Out There?" (aired July 21st 2019)

Directed by: Michael E. Satrazemis
Written by: Michael Alaimo

Last week's episode had a live viewing figure of 1.39m.

[MinionZombie]

So I presume we'll be getting into radiation sickness in the back-half of the season.

A decent episode. Getting the plane in the air and then landed again in the dark was pretty well shot and put together, had some solid tension to it, and the setup of fuel being a resource that has now become precious (with the leftover fuel becoming unstable) will be interesting to see explored in more depth (I assume it'll be a small refinery or something).

[JDP]

...and the setup of fuel being a resource that has now become precious (with the leftover fuel becoming unstable) will be interesting to see explored in more depth (I assume it'll be a small refinery or something).

Wouldn't it be funny if the people manning this refinery were all Australians wearing white/beige clothes and football/hockey gear?

[Moon Knight]

If you really think about, this first half of the season was really a waste of time. Sure we got some old and new characters joining the group, but.... we're pretty much right where we started the season.

Also, not really sure about the next half focusing on found footage as a story narrative.

I'm sure everyone will split off again.

[MinionZombie]

If you really think about, this first half of the season was really a waste of time. Sure we got some old and new characters joining the group, but.... we're pretty much right where we started the season.

Also, not really sure about the next half focusing on found footage as a story narrative.

I'm sure everyone will split off again.

1) Mmmm ... on the one hand it was nice to not have a naff villain crammed into proceedings (like we had in 4b), but on the other hand it was a set of episodes in need of something a bit more concrete for it all to flow behind.

2) Found footage focus? Oh dear.

3) Despite some strong elements here and there, it has often felt like a show on life support just scratching by. :( It's clear as day, too, that Fear cannot sustain 16 episodes in a season. 10 would be plenty per season of Fear. And, as I've said, TWD would do nicely at 12 (six and six) episodes per season.

[Zombie Snack]

If you really think about, this first half of the season was really a waste of time. Sure we got some old and new characters joining the group, but.... we're pretty much right where we started the season.

Also, not really sure about the next half focusing on found footage as a story narrative.

I'm sure everyone will split off again.

Agree with this 100%

[MinionZombie]

3x-Hw4hV4rA

Mid-Season trailer.

I really hope they don't overdo this 'found footage' thing, especially as Al's tapes and camera have been kept at a bit of a distance since their introduction.

Looks like there'll be a walker-infested mall, too - so should be good for some Dawn-inspired shots there. :)

[Moon Knight]

Damn, that thumbnail is cool af. Gives me classic Dawn vibes.

[MinionZombie]

5x09 "Channel 4" (aired August 11th 2019)

Directed by: Dan Liu
Written by: David Johnson

The mid-season finale had a live viewing figure of 1.6m

[Zombie Snack]

Still coming up with new ways to kill zombies

[MinionZombie]

I was pleasantly surprised by this episode. I quite enjoyed it and, even for played-out schtick like the "found footage" style, it worked alright here.

Annoying characters kept to a minimum, the landmine house was a really cool sequence and set-up, although the timeline was a little tricky ... is it that they got to the oil field and have been using that fuel to tour about doing their good deeds, meanwhile the guy in the cap (one of the C&L guys) is just now catching up after a 200 mile walk (really, he couldn't find a single piece of transport in all that distance ... not even a bicycle?), and so now everything proceeds forth in 'present' time?

Good to see Salazar as part of the group, too. Ruben Blades brings a considerable touch of class with his performance. :thumbsup:

[Moon Knight]

I was ready to tune out before the midway point until they got to that old farmhouse with the landmines. I really liked this one. I was worried the rest of the season would be in the found footage style but quite enjoyed how they wrapped all that up by the end. I legit thought that new character at the end was Heath haha.

I dig Logan too.

MZ- right on about Ruben Blades.

[MinionZombie]

Live viewing figure for the episode was 1.40m.


I was ready to tune out before the midway point until they got to that old farmhouse with the landmines. I really liked this one. I was worried the rest of the season would be in the found footage style but quite enjoyed how they wrapped all that up by the end. I legit thought that new character at the end was Heath haha.

:lol::lol::lol:

I thought the same. I saw him and for a few moments I thought "have they re-cast Heath?" - 'cos we still don't know wtf happened to Heath! :eek:

If they do do more of the 'found footage' type thing, hopefully they don't over-do it. I really couldn't be doing with a whole back-half dominated by the style.

[Moon Knight]

I think that particular style was used simply because they were making that tape. One and done. Hopefully.

I totally thought Heath was recast haha then I remembered they said Jadis took him. I think.

[MinionZombie]

5x10 "210 Words Per Minute" (aired August 18th 2019)

Directed by: Ron Underwood
Written by: Ian Goldberg & Andrew Chambliss

Two particular things of note here - Ron Underwood is the director of "Tremors", and this episode features a visit to a shopping mall. :)

- - - Updated - - -

I did enjoy the episode, but for an episode set in a friggin' mall I was disappointed with how few Dawn of the Dead references there were. I know you wouldn't want to go overboard, but damn dude ... not an awful lot.

Still, though, there were some quite good bits in and around the mall ... although having Grace go after the red shirt zombie and, of course, screw up the plan to sneak into the Urgent Care place was just idiotic wilful stupidity. Rather frustrating.

About time Dwight got a shave and haircut. :lol:

[Zombie Snack]

Agreed I thought there would have been more homage paid to Dawn. Overall it was a descent episode but still disapointing at the same time. I feel like a Morgan Grace romance is brewing.

[JDP]

A true homage to Dawn would have been something like having some zombie bikers roaming around the mall, or a lonely grave in the middle of a section of the mall's inner gardens, or a 1977-78 Volkswagen Scirocco parked somewhere inside the mall. They could have easily put any of a whole bunch of easily identifiable references.

[MinionZombie]

5x11 "You're Still Here" (aired August 25th 2019)

Directed by: K.C. Colwell
Written by: Mallory Westfall & Alex Delyle

Last week's episode got a LIVE viewing figure of 1.37m.

[Zombie Snack]

Personally I didn't care much for this episode, I felt the acting was sub par and the writing for this episode was terrible.

[MinionZombie]

In the immortal words of Neil, this episode was unfortunately a case of: "Oh dear". :(

[Moon Knight]

Saw the last two episodes and nothing really great stood out. Don’t tease Madison if your intentions aren’t to bring her back. Can’t believe they did that. And since when and why did Alicia stop killing Walkers? Wtf.

Is Morgan really dying? That can’t be the swerve can it? Oh boy.

[MinionZombie]

5x12 "Ner Tamid" (aired September 1st 2019)

Directed by: Michael E. Satrazemis
Written by: Andrew Chambliss & Ian Goldberg

Last week's episode got LIVE viewing figures of 1.44m.

[Moon Knight]

Bottle episodes are strong on this show. Is this season almost over yet? Zero tension whatsoever.

[MinionZombie]

I enjoyed the ladder sequence, and I also liked the team up of Dwight and Sarah, although it felt like they were plumbing for emotional depths that haven't been earned yet.

Indeed, that's kinda the problem. We've fallen back into that 'split everyone up' thing again, so you can go 2 or 3 weeks without seeing someone (even longer for other characters), and it all feels a bit disjointed. Mind you, it can benefit when there's a character you don't like, so there is that. :lol:

The whole thing with Charlie trying to find somewhere for them to stay didn't really feel set-up prior to this, so you're just chucked in, and one thing I'm particular sick of with FearTWD is this airy fairy 'what does it mean?' questing - like that utter tosh with the painted trees and Alicia. It's just irritating and wanky, and you have characters abandoning sense and reason for the pursuit of some ethereal goal (if you could even call it a goal), that doesn't really lead anywhere. It feels like they're trying to force epiphanies onto the characters and it just makes me cringe.

Also: Al and her fucking tapes. For a group so intent on maintaining radio secrecy, they're flying about with cameras taping everything! :rolleyes:

[Zombie Snack]

Mama always said "If you don't have anything good to say, then say nothing at all"...so with that I say................

[Moon Knight]

Some good sequences and walkers in this one but I agree with everything you stated, MZ.

Love how Al shows in the Swat van but the actress was never on screen. Bottle episode LOL.

[MinionZombie]

5x13 "Leave What You Don't" (aired September 8th 2019)

Directed by: Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Written by: Ashley Cardiff & Nick Bernardone

Last week's episode got a LIVE viewing figure of 1.14m.

[Zombie Snack]

This episode was a bit better I would say. Some descent action and it somewhat moved the story line forwards. Still not great but a modest improvement.

[MinionZombie]

Yeah, a decent episode ... those kids still irritate me, mind. Some good zombie gore effects going on with them falling and going splat, and Sarah got some good stuff to chew into this episode, which was nice.

I don't like this new 'baddie' on the horse, not that I'm really supposed to of course, but that smug arrogance smirk just bugs the hell out of me.

[Moon Knight]

All I saw was yet another villain group like the Saviors. Their leader def has that annoying look; she was irritating in THE BOYS too.

I really did like Logan, though.

And Sara is pretty awesome. Wendell too.

[MinionZombie]

All I saw was yet another villain group like the Saviors. Their leader def has that annoying look; she was irritating in THE BOYS too.

I really did like Logan, though.

And Sara is pretty awesome. Wendell too.

Yeah. I liked that with Logan we actually had a 'villain' go from good guy to bad guy to (briefly) good guy again. Now we've got another snarling, smug-arse villain.

"The Boys"! That's where I recognise that actress from! I was trying to figure it out when I was watching it yesterday. Well that's that mystery solved. *dusts hands* :D

It was a really good episode for Sarah this one (digging into her regret while she learned to act differently), and I do like her duo with Wendell, and I enjoyed the bit of time we got for her to team up with Dwight as well (even if the closeness was a smidge forced too quick an episode or two back).

[Moon Knight]

This episode also had what is probably the worst use of the Wilhelm Scream I’ve ever heard on film haha.

[MinionZombie]

This episode also had what is probably the worst use of the Wilhelm Scream I’ve ever heard on film haha.

haha, oh yeah, noticed that - stuck out like a sore thumb. Just felt too silly for the moment. Perhaps that particular sound effect is now too well known?

[Moon Knight]

haha, oh yeah, noticed that - stuck out like a sore thumb. Just felt too silly for the moment. Perhaps that particular sound effect is now too well known?

Bro, I had to rewind the DVR when I heard that hilarity lmaoooooo!

[MinionZombie]

5x14 "Today and Tomorrow" (aired September 15th 2019)

Directed by: Sydney Freeland
Written by: Richard Naing & David Johnson

Last week's episode saw a LIVE viewing figure of 1.45m.

[Moon Knight]

Even though the actual story is moving at a snail's pace, I kinda enjoyed this episode. Morgan and Daniel as the forefronts and I'm sold. Nice Beta Easter egg.

[MinionZombie]

Even though the actual story is moving at a snail's pace, I kinda enjoyed this episode. Morgan and Daniel as the forefronts and I'm sold. Nice Beta Easter egg.

Yeah. It was a decent episode despite, as you say, the crawling sense of pace. It's really nice to have Salazar looking on a more positive side of life again, bringing a bit of culture to the apocalypse. Actual culture ... not painting fucking trees. :elol:

What was the Beta easter egg?

[Moon Knight]

Yeah. It was a decent episode despite, as you say, the crawling sense of pace. It's really nice to have Salazar looking on a more positive side of life again, bringing a bit of culture to the apocalypse. Actual culture ... not painting fucking trees. :elol:

What was the Beta easter egg?

Now that I think about it, it most likely wasn’t a Easter egg at all, but, one of the record covers that was displayed was an artist that looked a lot like Ryan Hurst. The way it was placed kinda made it seem like it was important.

If you know Beta’s backstory it would make more sense, haha.

Doubt it, though.

[MinionZombie]

Now that I think about it, it most likely wasn’t a Easter egg at all, but, one of the record covers that was displayed was an artist that looked a lot like Ryan Hurst. The way it was placed kinda made it seem like it was important.

If you know Beta’s backstory it would make more sense, haha.

Doubt it, though.

RE: Beta and the comics - IIRC:
They pull off his mask once he's dead, and discover he's someone famous, right? I don't think they ever say who or why they were famous, but just that he was famous.

It'd be cool if that was a little easter egg.

[Moon Knight]

MZ-

Beta was a famous basketball player turned actor.

[Zombie Snack]

More questionable behavior, more filler. Keep moving, nothing new to see here

[MinionZombie]

5x15 "Channel 5" (aired September 22nd 2019)

Directed by: David Barrett
Written by: Michael Alaimo & Samir Mehta

Last week's episode got a LIVE viewing figure of 1.31m.

[MinionZombie]

The bridge sequence was pretty sweet - quite action packed, had a good sense of panic - but FFS, that dude hanging around 'cos he's "gotta get this" on tape. Such a wilfully stupid way to put yourself in danger ... they really couldn't write his death better than that? The guy had a choice to move his ass like any sensible person or chill out on a collapsing bridge and chose the latter. :rolleyes: Just have him pinned and before anyone can get to him - down the bridge goes.

[Moon Knight]

The bridge sequence was pretty sweet - quite action packed, had a good sense of panic - but FFS, that dude hanging around 'cos he's "gotta get this" on tape. Such a wilfully stupid way to put yourself in danger ... they really couldn't write his death better than that? The guy had a choice to move his ass like any sensible person or chill out on a collapsing bridge and chose the latter. :rolleyes: Just have him pinned and before anyone can get to him - down the bridge goes.

While I agree it could have been handled better, the dude on the bridge did what he did to show Virginia that the group managed to cross the bridge; even after the herd attack. Quite silly how he died, though haha. Not much of an emotional impact.

Overall, the bridge scene was cool but I'm really tired of the gimmicks used on the show. I guess I'm ready for Al and her camera to die already. :lol:

[MinionZombie]

While I agree it could have been handled better, the dude on the bridge did what he did to show Virginia that the group managed to cross the bridge; even after the herd attack. Quite silly how he died, though haha. Not much of an emotional impact.

Overall, the bridge scene was cool but I'm really tired of the gimmicks used on the show. I guess I'm ready for Al and her camera to die already. :lol:

Although he still could have shown they crossed the bridge by, you know, finishing crossing the bridge himself and not chilling out on a collapsing structure!!! :rolleyes: You can safely "get the shot" from the safety of the river bank where you're headed anyway.

This season has a whiff of 'playing for time'. So many conversations, various bits of stuff we don't need (painting bloody trees) ... it smacks of business above creativity. The same number of episodes but, so it seems anyway, a smaller budget having to be stretched further and further, with not enough story material to go around. You get fits and starts of what Fear could be all the time, but then we go right back to silly character choices or lapses in basic survival intelligence (how have they made it this long carrying on like that?) and, most egregiously of all - filler. :(

As you say, too, there was no real emotional impact. We'd only just met him (and have known his sister for an even shorter amount of time!), so his loss doesn't really carry any emotional heft for the audience. I don't even know what his name was!

[Moon Knight]

Haha I can’t argue with that! Pretty spot on.

[Zombie Snack]

if Fear had better writers it could be so much better show. I believe the cast are plenty good enough actors..It's the writers/showrunner that hold it back

[Moon Knight]

Just wait till the season finale. Pitchforks.

[MinionZombie]

5x16 "End of the Line" (aired September 29th 2019)

Directed by: Michael E. Satrazemis
Written by: Ian Goldberg & Andrew Chambliss

Last week's episode got a LIVE viewing figure of 1.34m.

[JDP]

Why didn't Virginia just pick up her gun again and shoot Morgan? It did not land too far from where she fell after Morgan hit her on the face. And since now Morgan is wounded and cannot stand up, he could have done nothing to try to stop her from picking up her gun.

[MinionZombie]

Why didn't Virginia just pick up her gun again and shoot Morgan? It did not land too far from where she fell after Morgan hit her on the face. And since now Morgan is wounded and cannot stand up, he could have done nothing to try to stop her from picking up her gun.

Yeah, a lack of scene logic going on there, isn't there?

Just a little something that would have informed us there was only one bullet in her gun would have been useful just to paper over that, but there we go.

I imagine Morgan will be able to get out of that scrape somehow, but hopefully it won't be too silly. I'm not sure they'd kill off his character across two different seasons. That'd just seem very weird and disjointed if they did, and kind of a shite way to go to be honest.

They really need to cut this show down to 12 episodes max - two doses of six and six. I've argued this same thing for TWD as well (and I love that show). It'd just help cut out a lot of the padding that FearTWD has unfortunately struggled through this season. Feels as if it's more a decree from some business executive to continue having 16 ruddy episodes of FearTWD rather than a creative choice. At least the main show manages to do a solid job of filling 16 episodes (mostly, anyway) ... but geez, the amount of playing for time that FearTWD has been doing this season, blimey! It's a bummer, too, because it greatly impacts on the good stuff.

I really can't be doing with this 'painting trees' rubbish, either. That whole plotline really irks me.

[Moon Knight]

I only want two things next season.

Daniel getting Skidmark back.

Morgan getting off this show and reuniting with Rick.

Zero interest going forward.

[JDP]

Yeah, a lack of scene logic going on there, isn't there?

Just a little something that would have informed us there was only one bullet in her gun would have been useful just to paper over that, but there we go.

Just more lazy writing, I guess. As is, the scene doesn't make much sense, as she did not have any need to go farther away to reach for someone else's gun, her own gun was right there, just a few paces from where she fell.


I imagine Morgan will be able to get out of that scrape somehow, but hopefully it won't be too silly. I'm not sure they'd kill off his character across two different seasons. That'd just seem very weird and disjointed if they did, and kind of a shite way to go to be honest.


This also seems a bit contrived. If he has the energy and will to crawl to the entrance of the church, he could have just gone a bit further and actually entered the place and closed the doors. You don't need to be standing up to be able to do so. The small effort required to do this sure beats the hell out of the prospect of being eaten alive by zombies!

[MinionZombie]

This also seems a bit contrived. If he has the energy and will to crawl to the entrance of the church, he could have just gone a bit further and actually entered the place and closed the doors. You don't need to be standing up to be able to do so. The small effort required to do this sure beats the hell out of the prospect of being eaten alive by zombies!

I know! I was like get in the damn church! The door's right there!

It definitely feels like FearTWD needs to do a lot more work to justify various scenes or choices within a scene. If you need something to happen, then make sure you've engineered a scenario that makes what transpires the only possibility, but FearTWD consistently fails to do this. It's all the more daft as just small tweaks are all that's needed most of the time.

[Zombie Snack]

So it appears next season will be 16 episodes of the group trying to reunite, again..sounds new and exciting huh