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Back when it was originally announced that they were making a companion series to The Walking Dead, I was skeptical to say the least. I guess you could call me a Walking Dead “snob” because the zombie drama was one of my favorite shows, and I didn’t see any need at all to mess with perfection. However, even with my very loud objections, I decided to cover the show anyways. Quite ironically, after only a couple of episodes, I was hooked, and one of the main reasons was a character by the name of Tobias portrayed by the immensely-talented Lincoln Castellanos. A geek with some seriously-bad acne at the high school where Madison Clark (Kim Dickens) worked, Tobias may have initially come across as young and naive, but we quickly learned that he was nothing but. While everyone else was falling for the government’s bullsh*t hook, line and sinker, Tobias knew better, and his insight and quick thinking ultimately saved Madison’s life in 1.02 “So Close, Yet So Far.”
From that point, the rest is history. In just 2 short episodes, Tobias became one of my favorite characters on television, and Fear The Walking Dead was added to the quickly-growing list of television series I cover on a weekly basis. However, the writers, being the sadistic bastards that they are, introduced this character who quickly became a fan-favorite, and then after only 2 episodes, pulled the rug out with Tobias disappearing altogether and being pretty much MIA since then.
Photo Credit: AMC
But, there is one key thing to note here — the writers left Tobias alive. With the exception of Morales from season 1, every character from The Walking Dead who disappeared alive always made a comeback, and with Tobias being one of the most beloved characters on Fear, this is definitely what the fandom is clamoring and hoping for.
Last weekend at Walker Stalker Con Chicago, I had the pleasure to speak with Lincoln to discuss Tobias’ eventual return but also about Fear The Walking Dead in general. While I still, of course, want Tobias to return to the show (like NOW!), season 2 has been phenomenal regardless with every episode earning a B+ or better rating in my reviews, and Lincoln seemed to agree with my assessment. Check out what he had to say about the first half of the new season:
Now, let’s talk about that fantastic — albeit shocking — mid-season finale. While it was clear that Daniel (Ruben Blades) was very damaged and haunted by his past, I personally didn’t think it would end the way it did. Of course, technically we don’t know if Daniel is really dead because it wasn’t actually shown, and we should all know by now that if there’s no body/walker, assume absolutely **nothing**. But, even still, watching such a strong character as Daniel Salazar spiral like that was just heartbreaking, and I certainly didn’t expect it. Then, there’s Nick. Talking about being cray-cray and totally out there. Going completely Team Celia and leaving his family behind is definitely something I didn’t see coming. That’s my impression, but what did Lincoln think of the mid-season finale?
Then, of course, I HAD to ask about Tobias’ possible return because it wouldn’t really be a Lincoln Castellanos interview if the question didn’t come up. While Lincoln, of course, couldn’t say anything definite, he was able to elaborate on what his vision of Tobias’ return would be if/when that were to happen:
Even though we are going into the 2nd half of season 2 of Fear and still no Tobias, the good news is starting June 26th on Showtime, we will be able to see Lincoln in another series titled Roadies. Created by Oscar winner Cameron Crowe, Roadies offers a backstage look at a tight-knit group of rock band “roadies.” Executive Producers include Winnie Holzman (My So-Called Life) and J.J. Abrams and his producing partner Bryan Burk (Lost). Lincoln has a recurring role as one of the “roadies” and will appear in several of the 10 episodes of the series’ first season. When speaking of the role, Lincoln says , “What I’m proud of, however, is the fact that my character is a far cry from who Tobias is (a gift for any actor looking to diversify and challenge themselves) so people will get a kick out of seeing me play someone completely different. It’s also a Cameron Crowe written/directed (not to mention JJ Abrams produced) show! So to be directed by Cameron (a influential filmmaker if there ever was one) has been a dream come true. And I look forward to people tuning in and seeing this really amazing show. And rest assured, there’s more to come for me this year!” Check out the below trailer for Roadies, which premieres June 26th at 10/9c on Showtime:
So, there you have it, folks. Tune in to Roadies. Come meet Lincoln at one of the Walker Stalker Con’s. And, continue to watch and support Fear The Walking Dead hoping that the next episode will be THE one where we get our beloved Tobias back.
Fear The Walking Dead returns for the second half of season 2 on August 21st at 9/8c on AMC.
