As I mentioned in my Advance Preview of tonight’s episode, the response to Fear The Walking Dead has been a mixed bag ever since it premiered last year. Some love it, while some believe the show isn’t even in the same league as the mothership. Regardless of the opinion that any of us may have about the series, I do have to say that the idea of the Flight 462 webisodes and their integration into the show’s main arc was just brilliant. Even if you sing the praises of The Walking Dead all day long, you can’t really say that the writers of that show have done anything this original and unique. So, for that alone, the series does get some high marks from me, with this episode in particular.

AND THE SURVIVORS OF FLIGHT 462 ARE…. DRUMROLL PLEASE

One of the things that worried me about this episode where the Flight 462 webisodes intersect the main FTWD arc is that they would drag the aftermath of the plane crash out too much for the mere shock value. That is, I was quite nervous they would spend half the episode in the Flight 462 universe having us watch as the plane went down, leaving only the back half devoted to our main characters. Fortunately, I am very glad to report that I was wrong with the crash, who survived, and was likely to survive to the end of the episode all done before the opening credits even rolled.

The opening scene is actually quite haunting. The sun on the ocean, the nice calming waves, all indicators of a seemingly perfect day. Then, you hear the screams in the background, the voices of panic. Nothing nice about this day at all. Finally, Alex (Michelle Ang)  emerges from the depths of the waters, and she’s desperately looking for Jake. She finally finds him floating with his life vest on, but to her dismay, his face has been badly burned. Still feeling obligated to help him, she tows him back to a lifeboat where there are 3 other survivors waiting — a fat hillbilly dude, some rich guy in a suit, and a preppy boy in a polo.

The fat dude is promptly thrown overboard after a zombie bite is revealed on his ankle, and the remaining 2 are very adamant about leaving Jake behind. Obviously just thinking of themselves, they plea with Alex saying that he’s a liability and actually, given his injuries, it might be the best thing. However, Alex won’t budge, and so, the businessman in the suit decides to take matters in his own hands — or at least he tries. He lunges at Jake, and in response, he gets a knife in the gut courtesy of Alex. Is it just me, or is this chic the biggest, most amazing bad-ass on the show? It really makes me wonder what she did for a leaving before all this shit hit. CIA-trained assassin? FBI Agent? Or, perhaps just someone who hates fat assholes in suits.

The last of the 3 other survivors continues to have the same opinion, even after seeing what just happened to the businessman. We don’t really know (yet) what happens to the guy because the scene just fades to the sky and then, the opening credits. But, pay attention, folks, because we’ll see this preppy boy again in the episode, and let’s just say I don ‘t think his little debate with Alex ended well for him.

TRAVIS BECOMES STRAND’S BITCH

After the opening credits, we see Maddie (Kim Dickens) and Travis (Cliff Curtis) having some quality alone time together, which I don’t think they’ve had since the outbreak hit. However, unfortunately, that is cut short when the Abigail suddenly and unexpectedly stops running. Without even being asked, Travis goes to investigate underneath where he finds a walker that has been sucked into the pipes of the Abigail’s filtration system. In order to get everything running again, he has to flush all of that disgusting gunk out. Ewwww. An extremely unpleasant task, but one which Travis takes on willingly, even while Strand (Colman Domingo) is being an asshole and whining like a spoiled brat because his toy stopped working. And, yes, everyone you heard right — Strand refers to Travis as the “help.”  Strand started out as my favorite character — the pragmatic one, the voice of reason, the one character who had even a clue on how to function in this post-apocalyptic world. But, I swear the guy is really starting to stick in my craw. BTW, yes, folks, the walker that is stuck under the boat is the same preppy dude that was in the lifeboat with Alex and Jake. I guess he didn’t win the argument. The guy should have taken a hint that it’s pointless to argue with Alex!

In the meantime, while Travis is bending over and being Strand’s bitch, Madison is appointed as the group’s “spokesperson” by Salazar (Ruben Blades), saying that she’d probably be much more “diplomatic” in any conversations with Strand than he ever could. Probably a true statement and nice move by Salazar.

It’ll be warmer in Mexico — Salazar

Another nice move by Daniel, as he drops a hint to the group that they’re actually heading to Mexico, contrary to the crap Strand is feeding them.  Armed with this new information, Maddie does have a good talk with Strand, where he finally admits they are, in fact, going to Baja, California because he has a house there — one that’s well-stocked, fortified, and has it’s own water-filtration system. Hmmmmm, sounds too good to be true to you? Travis laughs and calls it Strand’s “magic house,” implying he doesn’t believe much of what comes out of the guy’s mouth, and honestly, I don’t trust him either. Something stinks on that boat, and it’s not the walker goo that is pumping through the pipes.

NICK, CHRIS, ALICIA, AND DANIEL — EVER HEAR OF THE BUDDY SYSTEM?

With the Abigail not going anywhere until Travis completes the repairs, Nick (Frank Dillane), Alicia (Alycia Debham-Carey), Chris (Lorenzo Henrie), and Salazar decide to spend the downtime scavenging the beach of a nearby island after they see suitcases strung along the shore. On some level, this makes sense. They need clothes and supplies, and Ophelia (Mercedes Mason) desperately needs some stronger antibiotics since her condition isn’t improving. With Maddie and Travis initially objecting, they all finally decide it’s worth the risk.

Now, I know this is just the beginning of the apocalypse, and so, all of these people are still learning how to function and cope. However, it seems to me that regardless of the circumstances, if you’re in a dangerous environment, you never, ever should venture off alone. Of course, that’s exactly what these kiddos do. In particular, Nick and Chris wonder off, and while it is stupid and ultimately lands them both in precarious situations, they both emerge as 2 of the biggest badasses in the episode.

Let’s talk about Chris first. He started out in season 1 as one of the weakest characters — a Momma’s boy with some serious Daddy issues. And, for a while, I thought he’d be the next major character who becomes zombie chow. However, I’m not so sure anymore, especially after last week’s episode with his getting some good survival lessons from Seth. Well, he gets to put those new skills to the test in tonight’s episode, and fortunately for him, he comes through with flying colors.

In perhaps one of the most harrowing scenes in the episode, Chris stumbles on a very large part of the plane’s wreckage, and at first blush, it appears to be abandoned. However, upon taking a closer look, he finds there are not only several walkers inside but also a survivor who is still alive, albeit barely. Picking up a large piece of metal from the wreckage, he promptly takes out all of the walkers, but what to do about the survivor is much more difficult. He tries to lift the guy, but that doesn’t work because he’s too overweight. What’s more, when Chris gets a closer look at the man’s injuries, he sees the guy had been impaled on a pole. The poor soul has no chance of survival, but at the same time, he probably won’t die immediately either. So, the guy begs Chris, “Please, please help me” — and I don’t think he meant for Chris to find a way to get him out of the wreckage. He’s not stupid and knows that wouldn’t be impossible — instead, this was a plea for mercy. I’m not sure if I could have done it, but somehow, young Chris conjures up the courage and bludgeons the guy to death — and then, when he reanimates, he does it again. Damn! This boy is becoming a serious bad-ass, and the funny thing, a much bigger one than his own father.

Now, what about Nick? He’s off looking for antibiotics for Ophelia, but you just know that boy will run into trouble. In his search, he stumbles on a very disgusting scene of a walker in quicksand being devoured by sand crabs. Ewww. Ewww. Ewww! If the show is trying to out-do The Walking Dead in terms of most cringe-worthy walkers, they’re getting pretty close! However, while gawking and not paying attention, Nick loses his balance and falls down the embankment and right on top of the trapped walker. To make matters worse, while Nick is fighting off this walker and all of the crabs, another walker falls down the same embankment and right on top of Nick.

We can’t really see what happens next because the scene fades to black, but the next time we see Nick is perhaps the most shocking moment of the entire episode. Here’s a question — why in the hell did no one wonder where all of the passengers on the plane went? That was a commercial airliner, and so, there should have been a couple hundred passengers. But, the group found only a handful of burnt bodies on the beach, so where’s the rest? Obviously, it’s likely they were killed and are now walkers, and unfortunately for our group, they find this out the hard way. Doh!

Well, we finally see Alex again, and behind her she’s pulling a mini-horde, presumably the remaining passengers of Flight 462. Uh oh. Salazar appears to have brought only a single magazine and quickly runs out of bullets. And except for Chris with the big piece of steel he found in the wreckage, no one has any weapons. And, just when it looks like this is the end of the line for our beloved characters, out comes Nick to save the day — covered with walker goo and reeking of death. We don’t know how since it was off-screen, but somehow this drug-addict kid figured out that walker guts can serve as camouflage.

At this point, we still don’t really know why Strand chose to allow Nick and his family to come with him, but maybe he saw something in Nick that no one else could. Something that would prove to be very important and help the group survive, perhaps? If this is any indicator at all, I’d say Strand was right.

OH HELL NO! STRAND YOU DID NOT JUST DO THAT!

A part of me knew what was coming after the group returns to the Abigail with 2 more survivors — Alex and the badly-injured Jake — in their lifeboat. But another part of me was hoping that the sensible, pragmatic part of Strand that I love so much would also have some smidgen of humanity left. But, nope, that turns out to be wishful thinking.

Even with the pleas of everyone in the group, Strand refuses to budge and remains adamant about not bringing anyone else on board. Period. But, wait, did he say “on board”? With the engines starting and their running out of time, Madison comes up with what I think was a brilliant compromise — have the Abigail tow Alex and Jake in their lifeboat. That way, they’re not physically on the boat, and thus, not a threat to anyone. It’s an interesting idea, and upon thinking about it, Strand finally agrees — but, hold on to your knickers, folks, because it’s not over yet.

Strand is next seen pacing back and forth on the bridge of the boat, quite visibly agitated. He’s obviously upset and quite possibly about the decision he just made. Then, without blinking, without saying a word, he goes outside and cuts the rope that is towing Alex and Jake’s lifeboat. WTH? What. The. Hell! As I had mentioned, Strand was initially my favorite character (and still is, to some extent), but even I believe the man has gone too far. What possibly could Alex and Jake have done? They weren’t even on the boat, and Jake is injured to where he can’t stand! I get Strand with his trying to protect himself, his boat, and the other people on it — I do truly get it. But, I also remember the lesson that Rick Grimes learned — you need people. These monsters are growing into exponentially larger numbers by the day, and you can’t survive without being in a large group. And, if Strand had paused for only a moment, he would have also seen what a huge asset a fighter like Alex would have been.

But, not all is lost yet. Hopefully, Madison, Travis, or someone else in the group will grow a set and stand up to the Abigail’s ruthless dictator while there’s still time to turn around and make this awful wrong a right.

Fear The Walking Dead airs on Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

Critic Grade — A

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