S01.E01: Pilot

[queenanne]

I agree/think we are supposed to be thinking "it is flu", nu?  For example, I found myself very nervous that Travis wash his hands after he touched the bloody spoor, and very nervous that "Fear the Walking Inbred" might suck on her brother's ... spoon, after she fed him. (Even though I know "We're all [ultimately] infected!", I can't help myself postulating and hoping for a time where some won't be.)  Was very curious about how Self-Defense Kid knew what was going down; I mean, I got that he was supposed to be the nerdy outcast putting two and two together with his whatever-the-modern-equivalent-of-Usenet worldwide buddies are, because only a doomsdayer/survivalist could saddle up and head right for "every construct of Life As We Know It is obsolete", based upon the clearly nonexistent news reports and scattered evidence.  It rubbed me severely the wrong way that there were no news reports until the nightstick brigade.   The U.S. got like two cases of Ebola, and everybody in the world knew, surely before we'd gotten to a dozen infected sufferers actually showing symptoms and not being reported.  Also, as for the "rough school" I'm not surprised to see metal detectors in L.A. County, as I know somebody in Westchester County (not even NYC), whose high school had a metal detector.  

 

In short, I fear what I feared when I heard about the conceptualization of the show; namely "shameless cash grab".  "Better Call Saul", maybe you like it or not, but you can't deny it's got a unique treatment and point of view.  Trying to imagine Fear being nominated for equal Emmys, I about have to restrain my laughter.

Edited August 25, 2015 by queenanne

[ParadoxLost]

 It rubbed me severely the wrong way that there were no news reports until the nightstick brigade.  

 

I blame this on the show's insistence that all this happens in a universe where no one ever conceived of the idea of zombies.  Because no horror writer ever read a story about CPR, religion, cryonics, or survival by cabalism and thought 'hey, what if the dead rose and they were hungry.'   News reports are going to speculate.  People are going to speculate.  But they aren't allowed to speculate about zombies, so they avoid the media reports.  They also avoid the media reports because the cause is also off-limits based on the rules the showrunners created for the show.  The stuff they don't want the audience distracted  by because its not the theme/story they are trying to convey is harder to ignore the closer they are to the origin.

[Cthulhudrew]

Way too slow for my tastes, but the part the bugged the most was the brother/sister flirty vibe when she was feeding him jello in the hospital.  A little too creepy for my tastes.  They acted like boyfriend/girlfriend (or exes), not brother/sister.  Yuck.

 

Yes. I noticed that, too. Brothers and sisters aren't all touchy feely like that, especially brothers and sisters who are irritated with one another. It was really creepy.

 

And to everyone else who pointed out the silly fakeout with the principal- I had forgotten how bad that was. I remember there were a lot of those silly moments like that, but couldn't recall specifics. I'm just surprised there were no cats jumping out of closets.

 

Oh, and how badly did they drag out that Cal/Nick diner scene? It was obvious from the second minute when Cal showed up all gangsta style and asked Nick about what he said that he was going to take him somewhere and kill him. But they kept going, and going, and going... it was like an SNL skit. They didn't know when to end it.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Cthulhudrew

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

... and very nervous that "Fear the Walking Inbred" might suck on her brother's ... spoon, after she fed him.

 

I feel like we were almost supposed to see the thought bubble above her head, as she stared at 'brother', and it was composed of something like; "I so want to 'jiggle your jello' right now!", that or "I sure hope they dosed this jello with Viagra!".  Wouldn't have been out-of-character of that scene if they showed her licking the spoon off while looking at him.  That whole scene reminded me a little too much of that late 90's Ryan Phillippe/Sarah Michelle Gellar movie, Cruel Intentions - only Nick/Alicia are actually related by blood and DNA.  *shudders*

 

 

Yes. I noticed that, too. Brothers and sisters aren't all touchy feely like that, especially brothers and sisters who are irritated with one another. It was really creepy.

 

And to everyone else who pointed out the silly fakeout with the principal- I had forgotten how bad that was. I remember there were a lot of those silly moments like that, but couldn't recall specifics. I'm just surprised there were no cats jumping out of closets.

 

Oh, and how badly did they drag out that Cal/Nick diner scene? It was obvious from the second minute when Cal showed up all gangsta style and asked Nick about what he said that he was going to take him somewhere and kill him. But they kept going, and going, and going... it was like an SNL skit. They didn't know when to end it.

 

Ditto to all 3 points.  I remember being so pissed when they revealed the Principal was just "engrossed in teacher evaluations", and not dead/reanimated.  Between that and the druggy, instead of a walker, behind the door when Travis was in the church the first time I felt like this was just one long promo for Punk'd.

[Jordan27]

I'm irrationally annoyed that this beat all the other Walking Dead premieres. Oh never mind. I can't read. Just Series Premiere.  Carry on. I'll go find something else to feel irrationally annoyed about

Don't be.  This fed off of WD.  If WD hadn't been a success, this would have never happened.  Plus, WD drew an average of 19 million fans per show last season.  It was the number three rated show and number two rated scripted show.  Football was second overall.

 

Let's see if FWD can get those numbers.

[Saje]

I really don't see it as a competition. This show gets what - six episodes? Then what? 

 

I'd be okay with them doing this every hiatus. Giving us six new episodes of different people, families or groups, friends, coworkers, whatever. Seeing how they cope, seeing who they are.

 

Is that even the plan? Or did they just make six of these and that's it? I do really want to know what started this virus. Does anyone know what the deal is, moving forward?

[Constantinople]

Lastly, none of the main four characters look they are ready to survive the ZA.  Rick and Shane were cops and Darrell could use a bow.  These four look like early roadkill.

Trying very hard not to make a crack about how a high school teacher and guidance counselor would have decades of experience dealing with brain dead zombies, whether they be bureaucrats, students, parents, etc.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Constantinople

[catrox14]

Don't be.  This fed off of WD.  If WD hadn't been a success, this would have never happened.  Plus, WD drew an average of 19 million fans per show last season.  It was the number three rated show and number two rated scripted show.  Football was second overall.

 

Let's see if FWD can get those numbers.

 

Right. That's why I said NEVER MIND.  Like essentially my post was a moo post because I COULDN'T READ. 

I don't want to know what started the virus because IMO no answer will be satisfying because then it will turn into a race for a cure or if it doesn't then IMO, I'll be all like surely you can find a cure.  That's not what I am interested in particularly.

[SometimesBites]

That line peeved me.  Not that she said it, but the writing and direction made it so she totally contradicted herself.  When Travis first 'scouted out' the church, he fell in the blood puddle and then afterwards, told her "something really bad happened there", and her non-caring reply was basically "yeah, shit happens in places like that".  And then they walk in, she sees the drying puddle and is all "OMG!!  Something really horrible happened here!  *huge angsty-concern face*". 

 

Ugh.   Totally took me out of the story for a couple minutes.

Ditto. Let's see: Nick is hit by the car outside the church and somehow no one goes inside the church to see if any of his insane story is worth investigating. Then he tells his stepdad about it, and of course stepdad goes to the church...alone...with a flashlight. He sees the blood/guts smear, doesn't call the cops, tells mom something terrible happened, and she downplays it. Then they go together and she sees the blood and guts smear, tells stepdad something terrible happened and he downplays it, and still no one is calling the cops. My adult son finally looked at me with his mouth hanging open and said, "Excuse me...911??" :)

 

Agree that the general reaction to Cal's reanimation was a tad underwhelming. Um, show? These people haven't seen zombies before, remember? A little throwback to Rick Grime's post hospital confusion--including slapping his own face and asking "Is this real?" and his horror when he saw the draggy 1/2 zombie lady would have been more believable for our new intrepid heroes.

 

Also: is every single thing in LA completely decrepit and scruffy and half rotted? I've been to LA, and I'm not buying that it's ALL like that--the school, their house, the hospital (good lord, the water stains all over the acoustic-tile ceiling were just a little much). Even stepdad's old pickup truck (a schoolteacher in LA drives a 70s era pickup...hmm) has a partially smashed windshield? And that was before Nick ran over Cal. Not buying it.

 

Despite all my peeves, though, I'm willing. As my son said when the credits rolled: "It'll get better. It will." Maybe. If we don't have future exposition overload, it could work.

[SometimesBites]

I'm getting major Tim Riggins vibes from druggie Nick, so suffice it to say, I'm hooked.  

 

I was too distracted by Alycia Debnam Carey's shiny, shiny hair to notice her character, but hopefully she has more to do in the next episode.

 

The accents were on point.  75% of the main cast aren't American and no one slipped.  Well done, team.

Maybe it was because of the LA aquaduct scenes, but I picked up a strong Johnny-Depp-meets-Edward-Furlong juju. Plus, after Nick escaped the hospital he was walking a lot like Buster Keaton/Charlie Chaplin, so even more Johnny Depp. Sister Alicia's hair had me thinking about Jessa Duggar--to much Duggar news lately. :)

Also, anyone else notice that the doctor on call when the old man coded looked an awfully lot like the doctor at Grady Memorial?

Not until you mentioned it, but yes!

Also, anyone else notice that the doctor on call when the old man coded looked an awfully lot like the doctor at Grady Memorial?

Not until you mentioned it, but yes!

Also, anyone else notice that the doctor on call when the old man coded looked an awfully lot like the doctor at Grady Memorial?

Not until you mentioned it, but yes!

Edited August 25, 2015 by SometimesBites

[GaT]

Finally got around to watching this, & it was OK I guess. I thought it was on the boring side, but that might have just been because of them setting everything up. I think that the biggest problem for me was that I don't really like any of the main characters. I'll watch another episode or two, but since I'm already getting bored with TWD, a couple more episodes is all I willing to give it if it doesn't improve.

[txhorns79]

Ditto. Let's see: Nick is hit by the car outside the church and somehow no one goes inside the church to see if any of his insane story is worth investigating.

 

In fairness, you have someone who was just hit by a car, who appears to be on drugs raving about seeing someone eat someone else in an abandoned church.  I can see why the police might not take that seriously.

[NurseGiGi]

Well, one thing I'm very thankful for - at least Travis is not a history professor ala Tom Mason.  

 

This pilot definitely didn't grab me the way TWD pilot did but I'll stick with it a couple episodes and at least give it a chance.  I really miss Bear McCreary's music, though, and think the show would greatly benefit from his expertise.  

 

I'm wondering if Reuben Blades is going to be FTWD's Herschel.

 

And I really hate the title of this show.

[Helena Dax]

I blame this on the show's insistence that all this happens in a universe where no one ever conceived of the idea of zombies.  Because no horror writer ever read a story about CPR, religion, cryonics, or survival by cabalism and thought 'hey, what if the dead rose and they were hungry.'   News reports are going to speculate.  People are going to speculate.  But they aren't allowed to speculate about zombies, so they avoid the media reports.  They also avoid the media reports because the cause is also off-limits based on the rules the showrunners created for the show.  The stuff they don't want the audience distracted  by because its not the theme/story they are trying to convey is harder to ignore the closer they are to the origin.

 

I don't think that's the reason the show is avoiding media reports and especulations. People could still be talking about living dead, cannibalism, ghouls... I guess Kirkman just wanted to write a story where the idea of a ZA never crossed the characters' mind until it happened. 

[Kellyee]

It was slow to get started, but I actually really liked the last 30 minutes. I'm curious to see where it goes. I'm not so into the family aspect, so I hope they kill a few of them off and add other people.

[kieyra]

I am enjoying the different venue; the seeder sides of L.A. should make for some interesting locales.  I'm willing to get to know the characters, just as I have with other new shows.  It's just so nice to have something else to look forward to on Sunday nights.  :-)

Sadly they switched to shooting in Vancouver right after the pilot. And according to Alan Sepinwall the production values look even cheaper after that.

[Misty79]

I liked everything bar Nick. I'm not a big fan of junkie characters. Also the actor mumbled a lot of his lines, I had real difficulty working out what he was saying half the time. 

 

There was a Last of Us feel to the traffic scene, which I appreciated. I liked the step-dad more than I expected to at first blush. Alycia Debnam-Carey was awesome as always.  

[CletusMusashi]

I'm hoping he steals a different horrendously ugly outfit every episode. Next week - green plaid golf pants!

I'm hoping he's like Shaggy and Scooby, and starts confusing the monsters by suddenly pretending to be a barber or waiter. I suppose his sister could be Daphne, and of course Tobias would be Velma...

Edited August 25, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[Bad Example]

I feel like we were almost supposed to see the thought bubble above her head, as she stared at 'brother', and it was composed of something like; "I so want to 'jiggle your jello' right now!", that or "I sure hope they dosed this jello with Viagra!".  Wouldn't have been out-of-character of that scene if they showed her licking the spoon off while looking at him.  That whole scene reminded me a little too much of that late 90's Ryan Phillippe/Sarah Michelle Gellar movie, Cruel Intentions - only Nick/Alicia are actually related by blood and DNA.  *shudders*

 

 

 

The fact that they don't look DNA-related at all DOES NOT HELP.  My first thought during that scene was definitely to think again about how they're related, because I immediately went to, "wait... are they *step* siblings so this is slightly less weird?"

 

somehow no one goes inside the church to see if any of his insane story is worth investigating....

 

 

 

I'm giving a pass on this.  I think we've seen that the authorities already know something is going on, and they've got their hands full.  A shooting gallery is going to be a lot lower priority than just about anywhere else.

 

Then they go together and she sees the blood and guts smear, tells stepdad something terrible happened and he downplays it, and still no one is calling the cops. My adult son finally looked at me with his mouth hanging open and said, "Excuse me...911??" :)

 

 

This?  NO PASS.  Because... right?

 

 

A little throwback to Rick Grime's post hospital confusion--including slapping his own face and asking "Is this real?" and his horror when he saw the draggy 1/2 zombie lady would have been more believable for our new intrepid heroes.

 

 

I am not the least bit bothered by their reaction.  For Rick, everything was turned upside down and there was so much craziness that it would be hard to believe that this changed world was for real.  

For these guys, there's the one weird event... and yes, it's weird, but I know that while I might be thinking "how is this guy not dead?" I would also be rationalizing it.  My first thought would be to go to the most logical, plausible place and to think that the guy was simply not feeling any pain and must be on something really strong.  I'd think that maybe he's somehow not as badly hurt as he appears.  I'd think oh, he'll go down any time now.   

 

Also: is every single thing in LA completely decrepit and scruffy and half rotted? I've been to LA, and I'm not buying that it's ALL like that--the school, their house, the hospital (good lord, the water stains all over the acoustic-tile ceiling were just a little much). Even stepdad's old pickup truck (a schoolteacher in LA drives a 70s era pickup...hmm) has a partially smashed windshield? And that was before Nick ran over Cal. Not buying it.

 

 

 

Eh... so much of LA is a pit and so many people live really modestly that this seemed realistic to me.  

[Kellyee]

 

Also: is every single thing in LA completely decrepit and scruffy and half rotted? I've been to LA, and I'm not buying that it's ALL like that--the school, their house, the hospital (good lord, the water stains all over the acoustic-tile ceiling were just a little much). Even stepdad's old pickup truck (a schoolteacher in LA drives a 70s era pickup...hmm) has a partially smashed windshield? And that was before Nick ran over Cal. Not buying it.

 

I thought it was pretty realistic. LA is extremely expensive, and people outside of LA only see the wealthy sections of it. A school teacher would have a hard time affording a house and a new car in LA. Not to mention the state has been basically bankrupt, so its not hard to imagine the school is a little shabby. The entire city is not like Beverly Hills 90210.

 

I'm annoyed that they shot the rest of the season in Canada. What a waste of a good location.

[HalcyonDays]

Sadly they switched to shooting in Vancouver right after the pilot. And according to Alan Sepinwall the production values look even cheaper after that.

 

Oh, I didn't know that!! Well, I'll tell ya - parts of downtown Vancouver are pretty grungy, so that might fit right in with LA. The major thing that missing?? Is the massive looming freeways of LA. Vancouver has NO major highways at all. The Trans Canada highway, yes, but in BC it's more like a four lane country road, so any scene of a mass car exodus will be shot in LA. Also, that scene where Nick shot Cal, in the viaduct (is that what they are called?). Vancouver doesn't have those either. It does have the grungy looking houses worth over a million though...

 

I'm annoyed that they shot the rest of the season in Canada. What a waste of a good location.

 

Hey!! Vancouver is awesome. The scale between LA and Vancouver will be missing though. Big difference in size. And remember, the X-Files filmed there for four years, and is filming their season 10 now, so if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for FTWD. *grin*

[kieyra]

Oh, I didn't know that!! Well, I'll tell ya - parts of downtown Vancouver are pretty grungy, so that might fit right in with LA. The major thing that missing?? Is the massive looming freeways of LA. Vancouver has NO major highways at all. The Trans Canada highway, yes, but in BC it's more like a four lane country road, so any scene of a mass car exodus will be shot in LA. Also, that scene where Nick shot Cal, in the viaduct (is that what they are called?). Vancouver doesn't have those either. It does have the grungy looking houses worth over a million though...

 

 

Hey!! Vancouver is awesome. The scale between LA and Vancouver will be missing though. Big difference in size. And remember, the X-Files filmed there for four years, and is filming their season 10 now, so if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for FTWD. *grin*

 

I guess Sepinwall's seen later episodes and (very mild spoilers I guess)

the 'mob' scenes shot in Vancouver are apparently really laughable.

[Dobian]

I'm going to watch tonight and have avoided reading spoilers, but I will say at the start that I have been to L.A. countless times, and I don't expect zombie L.A. to be that much different, lol.  I will be disappointed if they don't have a very special Disneyland episode sometime this season.  Zombies of the Caribbean!

[walnutqueen]

Yes, the next five episodes are filmed in Vancouver, BUT :

 

Fear the Walking Dead shot its premiere in east L.A. and then five episodes in Vancouver-as-L.A. from May 10th to around June 19th after which it returned to L.A. to shoot exteriors.

 

Showrunner Dave Erickson told Entertainment Weekly that it was important that Fear the Walking Dead feel like an Los Angeles show — “It’s the side of LA that we establish in the pilot, and it’s the place where our heroes live, and it was a dynamic sense and a vibrancy to what is for us mostly east Los Angeles, and it’s layered, and it’s diverse. We were able to find places in Vancouver that worked beautifully, but when it came down to sort of the ground zero of our family, it was important that we went back to where we started essentially and came back to Los Angeles. ”

 

 

(souce: yvrshoots.com)

[that one guy]

I've never seen a more lackadaisical or nonsensical set of responses to hysteria-level events in my life, as put on display by Madison in this episode.  

-  "No duh; who cares?" response to Nick's first visit to the church

-  "You killed Cal??  Wow.[/deadpan]  Show us the body, we wanna see!"

-  The nonchalant standing and staring while watching Nick turn 'Cal' into roadkill, and even more so when watching 'Cal' get back up again.  Her and Travis both come off there as 'geez, Cal sure is having a bad day!  poor guy.  he's just gotta shake it off and move on'.

-  And worst of all, when they're standing on the ramp, at the mouth of the tunnel, and their staring at 'Cal' as he turns his head - signifying he's still not *dead*  - they show a long shot of them standing there, and she's looking around like she's thinking 'wow, what a lovely day today!'.

 

 

Exactly - the thing is, a lot actually happened in this pilot. The reason people are saying it's boring is probably because most of the main cast just seems not to react to the stuff that's going on. The school's closed because of fears of violence, the main character's junkie son just shot his drug dealer (whom they thought was the nice neighbor kid) and then had to run him over with the truck a few times because he wouldn't stay dead. In TWD this stuff might be another day in the salt mines, but set in contemporary society it should be pretty freaky. But here she's just mildly annoyed by all his junkie antics. 

 

Maybe the last time he "got like this" he staked that one girl through the heart and she exploded into dust and she's still trying to get Junkie Vampire Ho out of the living room couch? Because these are Sunnydale levels of nonchalance.

All they need is to break out into song for "Zombie" the musical.

Evil Dead: The Musical actually has some very catchy tunes. 

[SoSueMe]

The restaurant/diner where Nick met with Cal reminded me of the restaurant in Better Call Saul. (also an AMC show, lol)

Edited August 25, 2015 by SoSueMe

[Yolapukka]

 

I'm annoyed that they shot the rest of the season in Canada. What a waste of a good location.

 

 

I think when you pointedly set it in a particular city, that city is as much a character as the actual actors, so, unless they are going to still shoot parts in LA, they are making themselves ridiculous. That said, if this show has a longer run than a couple of seasons it would also look odd if it continued to be smoggy in the absence of heavy traffic and human industry. Though I suppose fires and spillage could be an ongoing problem. (One of the details I particularly appreciated about the book Girlfriend In A Coma was humanity disappears and pollution gets worse as all the abandoned structures break down.)

 

I'm inclined to think the unsettling vibe when Alicia spoon-feeds Nick was a less a deliberate acting choice by the actors and more a combination of editing and direction that made a fairly mundane moment of affection between siblings look creepy. Why did they have that lingering closeup of her leaning towards him? I'm wondering if the overall effect was accidental or another bait and switch, like the shot of principal from the back. It's not appropriate as a visual practical joke and rather horrible if the show actually goes there with the siblings having unhealthy boundaries (or worse) with each other. It was one of the few moments where her character wasn't pouty, sullen and sour so I wish the blocking hadn't been so .... off. 

 

For me, Nick in the sweater wasn't distracting, beyond the moment where I went, "Oh, he's put on his girlfriend's sweater, it was the fact he was wandering around a FILTHY DRUG SQUAT in bare feet. What the hell?

 

To those who've posted that the walkers at the church were probably removed by authorities after Nick's account to police, excellent theory.

 

ETA

 

The restaurant/diner where Nick met with Cal reminded me of restaurant in Better Call Saul. (also an AMC show, lol)

It looked  a lot like the restaurant in Pulp Fiction too.

Edited August 25, 2015 by yuggapukka

[GreyBunny]

Okay, I haven't read back all the way but was anyone else annoyed by Madi constantly calling Travis "Babe"?

Yes!  I already don't like her and this made her sound even more trashy.  Like she's a Dance Moms reject or something. 

[Kellyee]

 

I'm inclined to think the unsettling vibe when Alicia spoon-feeds Nick was a less a deliberate acting choice by the actors and more a combination of editing and direction that made a fairly mundane moment of affection between siblings look creepy.

Hopefully we don't end up with a Flowers in the Attic scenario.

 

If I remember correctly, the first season of the original Walking Dead had Rick in a coma in the hospital for about 5 weeks. During that 5 weeks, the whole world fell apart and the population died off/disappeared. I am curious as to whether Fear the Walking Dead will stick to the same 5 week timeline where everything falls apart. I also hope they finally clarify if people originally turned Zombie after they got sick with some kind of virus/flu, or if it only happens after people just randomly die.

[walnutqueen]

Hopefully we don't end up with a Flowers in the Attic scenario.

 

If I remember correctly, the first season of the original Walking Dead had Rick in a coma in the hospital for about 5 weeks. During that 5 weeks, the whole world fell apart and the population died off/disappeared. I am curious as to whether Fear the Walking Dead will stick to the same 5 week timeline where everything falls apart. I also hope they finally clarify if people originally turned Zombie after they got sick with some kind of virus/flu, or if it only happens after people just randomly die.

 

I'd imagine that the "apocalypse" part hits different communities in various ways.  The whole world falls apart in disparate pockets of humanity, and not necessarily convergent with all areas.  Urban L.A. should/could go a lot faster than semi-rural Georgia, for example.  It should be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

[SoSueMe]

Yeah the way she leaned in to raise the bed, the way the camera lingered a second too long on her arm and the way he squirmed and giggled were ALL wrong.

Yeah, like so many others I found that icky and puzzling (Like maybe I had missed the fact that they were potential STEP siblings. But no they are full sibs, ick)

[eejm]

I think when you pointedly set it in a particular city, that city is as much a character as the actual actors, so, unless they are going to still shoot parts in LA, they are making themselves ridiculous. That said, if this show has a longer run than a couple of seasons it would also look odd if it continued to be smoggy in the absence of heavy traffic and human industry. Though I suppose fires and spillage could be an ongoing problem. (One of the details I particularly appreciated about the book Girlfriend In A Coma was humanity disappears and pollution gets worse as all the abandoned structures break down.)

 

I'm inclined to think the unsettling vibe when Alicia spoon-feeds Nick was a less a deliberate acting choice by the actors and more a combination of editing and direction that made a fairly mundane moment of affection between siblings look creepy. Why did they have that lingering closeup of her leaning towards him? I'm wondering if the overall effect was accidental or another bait and switch, like the shot of principal from the back. It's not appropriate as a visual practical joke and rather horrible if the show actually goes there with the siblings having unhealthy boundaries (or worse) with each other. It was one of the few moments where her character wasn't pouty, sullen and sour so I wish the blocking hadn't been so .... off. 

 

For me, Nick in the sweater wasn't distracting, beyond the moment where I went, "Oh, he's put on his girlfriend's sweater, it was the fact he was wandering around a FILTHY DRUG SQUAT in bare feet. What the hell?

 

To those who've posted that the walkers at the church were probably removed up by authorities after Nick's account to police, excellent theory.

 

ETA

It looked  a lot like the restaurant in Pulp Fiction too.

 

Yes!  I said that to Mr. eejm.  It looked like the exact same restaurant.  Hardly anything had changed.

[BigBlueMastiff]

I think the Nick/Cal diner scene is either Johnie's: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnie's_Coffee_Shop
or Norm's: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norms_Restaurants

[ChipBach]

Lots of interest in filming locations for the pilot episode.  ;-)

 

A little late to the party, however, I really liked the pilot.  My two 15 year olds both love TWD and they felt this show is far "creepier" and suspenseful.  I agree.  Seems more relatable contrasting the ZA with "normal life" (even normal life of a junkie).  

 

In TWD it seemed the creatures were fairly persistent once they smelled food.  It seems a little incongruent that the dead girlfriend junkie and the junkiettes would simply disappear from the church without making the 11:00 news.  Too many iPhones out there for them to somehow go underground.  Maybe this has yet to be explained.

 

I wonder if pimple kid (Tobias?) is this series version of Eugene, although Eugene would have been smart enough not to try to pass a knife through a metal detector...  

[seacliffsal]

So, I didn't watch this Sunday night as I thought I would be too wound up to get to sleep (I get up early on workdays). When I caught it yesterday I realized that I should have watched it on Sunday as it would have put me right to sleep.....Boring. I didn't expect a lot to happen for the first 30 minutes. Then when it hit the hour mark I was like 'that's okay as this is a 90 minute episode and NOW the action will begin.' Wow, was I wrong.

Did not care for most of the characters. As an educator I just couldn't with the mom's actions and usage of words when talking with the student. Trying too hard to be 'cool.' The dad totally prioritized Nick over his own son and seems way more into his relationship with the mom than she is with him. Both the dad's son and the mom's daughter realize just how much attention is given to the drug addict son and not to them.

I think it would have been more interesting if there were more indicators along the way. I was waiting for the news reports that had been featured in the commercials to show that something was happening but people didn't really realize what. I will give this series another chance, but I was completely unimpressed with the premiere. Hopefully it doesn't hurt or lower the ratings of the show that must not be named.

[econ07]

OK, I'm in the minority in that I liked this A LOT.  First of all, we never got to see the build up in TWD ... Rick woke up and everything had already gone to hell.  I'm looking forward to seeing the progression of a few walkers, to 10%, to 25%, to a majority, etc., etc.  At what point does each individual realize that nothing will be the same and get out of dodge vs. sticking around and hoping to "ride it out."  There's a lot of good story-telling there.  Once they get to the point of TWD level of zombies that Rick saw, then the two shows will have to work very hard to differentiate themselves from each other.

 

I also like that we see the ramp-up coming mostly from the dead, meaning that the disease has been spreading for a while.  I was wondering how walkers would ever take over given how slow they are, but the fact that everyone who dies wakes up a walker finally hit home.  Society has to develop a whole new culture (sleeping in individual rooms with locks, etc) to control the epidemic.

[ChipBach]

Did not care for most of the characters. As an educator I just couldn't with the mom's actions and usage of words when talking with the student. Trying too hard to be 'cool.' The dad totally prioritized Nick over his own son and seems way more into his relationship with the mom than she is with him. Both the dad's son and the mom's daughter realize just how much attention is given to the drug addict son and not to them.

I will say, I loved that school "Guidance Counselor" is divorced and has drug addict for a kid (along with a very unhappy gifted daughter).   I also found it interesting that she was cracking on the police who were questioning him on statements he made relative to a mass murder.  Why should I take guidance advice from someone that can't put her own shit together...

[Bad Example]

To those who've posted that the walkers at the church were probably removed by authorities after Nick's account to police, excellent theory.

 

 

 

I thought I'd read every post here but I'd missed that theory. I agree.  Excellent.  

 

 

 

I wonder if pimple kid (Tobias?) is this series version of Eugene, although Eugene would have been smart enough not to try to pass a knife through a metal detector...  

 

I disagree.  He'd just stand there saying that what was in his pocket was classified and no, he wasn't going to tell anyone what it is, but he can't show them.  

[oakville]

I saw the pilot today. I enjoyed the slow buildup . I liked the extended introduction to the characters. It makes sense to have the main characters going about their daily business & having to deal with a "flu" crisis. I think it will be interesting to have characters who aren't cops deal with the ZA. Nick is cool a drug user that no one believes. I don't understand where he got the money to buy the cellphone after he escaped from the hospital. Hopefully, he will get a haircut before the ZA begins. He looks like Darryl JR. I think this show has a lot of interesting stories to tell about the fall of LA.  I agree with the posters that think that the authorities are covering up the seriousness of the situation to avoid a panic.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I am giving it a few more episodes to improve - probably at least the first season (being only 6 eps) - but I have a feeling I might just keep watching this show because it'll garner the same reaction to a train wreck; as in wanting to look away, but can't... and cause TWD being in the name.  I am so TWD's bitch (and I only jumped on the bandwagon this past January!).

 

I wonder how many times they tried to re-shoot that Nick/Alicia hospital bed scene but finally said 'screw it' and kept the final take.  "For the last time you two, you are brother & sister, and normal siblings do not ever look like they are a few seconds from jumping each other's bones - especially in a very public place like an open hospital room!  .....  Oh, the hell with it.  We've already re-shot this scene so many takes we've had to replace the clapperboard a couple of times.  *head in hands, siiiigh*  That's a wrap."

[Iguessnot]

She also referred to her own son being a druggie as "in the genes". Since I have no reason to believe her comment was a jab at kid's father, it comes off as a rather negative view for a guidance counselor in a troubled school.

[Raven1707]

This show gets what - six episodes? Then what? 

 

Is that even the plan? Or did they just make six of these and that's it? I do really want to know what started this virus. Does anyone know what the deal is, moving forward?

 

 

"AMC announced today from the Television Critics Association (TCA) Press Tour a 15-episode order for the second season of “Fear the Walking Dead,”  which will air in 2016. One of summer’s most anticipated new series, “Fear the Walking Dead” was greenlit back in March for two seasons."

 

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/07/31/second-15-episode-season-confirmed-for-fear-the-walking-dead/440461/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Tvbythenumbers+%28TVbytheNumbers%29

[lawless]

Ditto. Let's see: Nick is hit by the car outside the church and somehow no one goes inside the church to see if any of his insane story is worth investigating. Then he tells his stepdad about it, and of course stepdad goes to the church...alone...with a flashlight. He sees the blood/guts smear, doesn't call the cops, tells mom something terrible happened, and she downplays it. Then they go together and she sees the blood and guts smear, tells stepdad something terrible happened and he downplays it, and still no one is calling the cops. My adult son finally looked at me with his mouth hanging open and said, "Excuse me...911??" :)

I also thought this sequence was poorly executed for these reasons too. I guess it's possible Travis/stepdad didn't call the cops because he figured they already knew and had probably removed the bodies themselves -- but then it would be strange that there was no police tape marking off the area as a crime scene, which should have been a further tip that something is amiss to Travis, and he made no comment about this oddity when telling Maddy/mom. Alternatively, maybe he was afraid to get Nick more mixed up in criminal activity, especially since he's 18 and a druggie. But overall, he didn't seem to show quite the mystified horror I would expect a scene like that to instill in someone, and he was far too brief in his description of the scene to Maddy later and too willing to go back, especially without any type of self-defense weapon (even a baseball bat). It also took me out of the story too. Her reaction seemed even worse to me. Even not knowing about zombies, I would imagine that seeing that much gore and visceral (and smelling it) would evoke a more frightened horrified response, especially if your kid was missing and this was the last place you knew he had been. Don't even get me started on their bizarre reaction to zombie Calvin. I can see that they might rationalize that his behavior was the effect of powerful drugs, but still. Just the repeated shocks of your son confessing to murdering a childhood friend, the body being missing, and then appearing in that condition and attacking you -- that alone would cause most people to freak out and panic.

I'm giving a pass on this. I think we've seen that the authorities already know something is going on, and they've got their hands full.

I was getting the impression that the authorities do know something strange is going on (and realistically, they would have to), so maybe the cops just removed the bodies without the normal crime scene treatment, because they know there's no one to charge with a crime.

However, if the authorities know that the dead are reanimating and attacking the living, I struggle to imagine how that could be kept a secret. Too many disparate groups of people nationwide would have to know (police and hospital workers, the CDC, the feds, etc...) in order to handle the zombies/bodies, and some among them would spread the news (or even just rumors) to their spouses, boy/girlfriends, best friends, whoever, and it would be more than just an internet rumor that Tobias picked up on. The regular news would pick up the story, if for no other reason than it was an internet phenomena. So far there was the video from the traffic incident, but if this were happening in five other cities, I can't imagine that in our day and age, other people would not have gotten footage on their cell phone cameras, and that it would be everywhere. On the other hand, maybe the news did get out, and the regular media "exposed" it as a fake. Hard to say, I guess we'll learn more next episode.

Anyway, I want to like the show because I love TWD, and because I loved Deadwood and always want to see Deadwood actors succeed, but this Pilot did not deliver the same scares or emotional jolts that TWD pilot did for me. A slow burn is ok, and part of my impatience is that I know what's going on even though the characters do not, and I have to remind myself to be patient because they have no reason to know. I hope that the show will continue to develop the characters so as to make some of their behaviors make a little more sense. For example, it seems like the show is hinting that Maddie is kind of an enabler of Nick, and that might be why both his sister and Travis's son are frustrated and angry -- it's not that the sister doesn't care, but she needs her mom to stop enabling and stop believing Nick will get his act together in order to protect herself from the pain he's causing the family. Travis's son may be superpissed primarily because his dad is getting himself mixed up with enabling Maddie and her druggie son, and he sagely has no patience for junkies.

I don't particularly enjoy them either, however Nick has the potential to be entertaining at least. There is a clownish quality to him that is new and refreshing to the Walking Dead universe. It's that aspect that reminds me most of Johnny Depp -- he has the same coloring and bony cheekbones, and a touch of the clownishness and cowardice of Johnny Depp in Sleepy Hollow and the Pirates movies. I was both very scared and amused as Nick ran from the Church in his girlfriend's shrug while hitching up his pants to keep them from falling off (a la Jesse from Breaking Bad who tripped over his own pants in the Pilot). Then, the stolen grandpa clothes. Hee! That quality is definitely something the show should keep, if it can. Plus, being a homeless junkie, he may adapt better to living rough when the city falls and the electricity goes than the rest of his family, so there's that.

Edited August 26, 2015 by lawless

[Jodithgrace]

I've never seen TWD (shock, I know!) I thought maybe I'd watch this show, which is essentially a prequel, to see if I wanted to invest the time in catching up with TWD. I have to say that it was..okay. Some things had me muttering at the tv..Travis going to the church alone at night..has he never seen a horror movie? 

Nick was giving me such strong Johnny Depp vibes that it was actually starting to annoy me. Those old man clothes were just exactly what Johnny Depp would insist his character wear..even that ludicrous shrug in the opening scene! 

Everybody's reactions in the final scene were way too calm..from the reaction to "I shot Cal, " to Cal coming after them with unsavory intent. Where's the fear, people? Remember the name of your show!

I too want to see the progression..my favorite part of the book, The Stand was the spread of the virus. Is LA going to completely go to hell in just 6 episodes? I'm in for a bit longer, but I hope these people smarten up fast or get eaten quickly. 

[Jordan27]

Trying very hard not to make a crack about how a high school teacher and guidance counselor would have decades of experience dealing with brain dead zombies, whether they be bureaucrats, students, parents, etc.

True, but they don't get to stab them in the head nor are they trying to eat them.

[Jordan27]

Also: is every single thing in LA completely decrepit and scruffy and half rotted? I've been to LA, and I'm not buying that it's ALL like that--the school, their house, the hospital (good lord, the water stains all over the acoustic-tile ceiling were just a little much). Even stepdad's old pickup truck (a schoolteacher in LA drives a 70s era pickup...hmm) has a partially smashed windshield? And that was before Nick ran over Cal. Not buying it.

 

Just like most major cities, they are good parts and bad parts, poor parts and rich parts and those in between.    This isn't one of the better parts.

I'm surprised that so many of you are surprised that there aren't walkers all over or the hospital isn't raging with them or other assorted excuses.

 

We don't know how it started, how fast it spread, what was the answer of the authorities, how the citizens reacted, etc.  Plus, we don't know how different cities reacted.

 

I think some of that will be answered soon.

[InsertWordHere]

 I don't understand where he got the money to buy the cellphone after he escaped from the hospital.

I believe there was a wallet in the clothing he pilfered from the old man.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I believe there was a wallet in the clothing he pilfered from the old man.

 

I think that was the inference.  They showed him rifling through the wallet and tossing it to the curb like yesterday's trash - must have pulled out any loose cash or credit card(s), which went to the purchase of the phone.

[bunnyblue]

I enjoyed it well enough to stick with it through the entire season. I read several reviews saying that the pilot episode was 'slow burning' and 'slow paced', so I wasn't surprised or annoyed that not much happened. Going by the previews, I expect the shit to hit the fan real soon, so I will forgive them for this not-so-exciting premiere.

 

I was sure I was going to hate junkie Nick, but surprisingly he was one of the best parts. Dude has got instincts that will serve him well when the ZA really kicks into gear. Hopefully his entire arc this season won't be about him detoxing. Although I read that the first season takes place in a short amount of time, so maybe he'll be more useful next season.

 

This show has far too many teenagers for my liking. They need to remedy that soon. I hope FtWD doesn't emulate the mothership by having only the main character's kids survive while every other kid dies. Travis and Madison have 3 kids between them; at least one of their brats better be zombie chow by season's end. Preferably Chris or Alicia. Tobias can stay but I fear he isn't long for the world so I won't get too attached to mini-Eugene.

 

I wonder what the hospital is doing with the dead that are sent 'downstairs'? Are they incinerating the bodies? Locking them in the morgue? At this point would they know about destroying the brain. I'd hate to be the poor worker downstairs with the piling up bodies.

[GaiusB]

I sort of liked it for the same reasons many disliked it. Slowness and the family drama. I am not interested in another show with pointless and plotless wandering in the woods and characters here have a potential to be relatable and real unlike in TWD with all those backward, supposed to be badass characters - The sherrif, his idiotic wannabe cowboy son, the emty vessel with katana, the likeable racist redneck (yea right....), the abused wife turned into rambo,  "a feminist" who get orgasm everytime when guys allow her to carry a gun (Andrea).....

 

Writers are clearly trolling a lot though. They are playing with our expectation of "only one black guy is allowed to live" (and they will kill both of them.....). I have to laugh about typical TWD(AMC) "progressivity" with Alicia and her black boyfriend. He will be dead before they can have sex. Same as with the lesbian couple in TWD. And than that Alicia/Nick scene. Since Alycia Debnam-Carey is mainly known in USA for her role in The 100, i doubt that use of her ability to generate a lot of sexual chemistry was accidental.

Edited August 26, 2015 by GaiusB