S02.E01: Monster

[SimoneS]

Man, it's got to be tough for Cliff Curtis (or maybe a blessing), at least based on the comments here (and last season). I don't think his character is going to be this series' Rick. Even though he is the "lead" actor, Strand has come along at the tail end of last season and just stolen his thunder.

 

But was Cliff ever "the" lead? From the beginning, TWD revolved around Rick and his perspective. FTWD started off with Nick and then focused on Travis and Madison equally. This show feels more like an ensemble than TWD. I guess, we will see as the season progresses.

[biakbiak]

What I was getting at, is all of their American accents are so good, (I know Maggie on TWD gets some flack for her Southern accent though)  that I had no idea that they were non-native US speakers. I have to hear someone speak for longer than a quick soundbite to hear it more clearly. I lived overseas and usually can usually hear the difference between British and Australian and New Zealand for sure.

I find them all so painfully obviously not doing good American accents.

[nodorothyparker]

This is making me realize that I'm pretty much over the the entire premise of characters who don't realize they're in the ZA and don't know anything about how any of it works, thus giving them free rein to run around acting like dumbasses.  It sort of worked when the mothership premiered because while Romero and Zombieland, etc., were obviously a thing our culture wasn't as thoroughly saturated in all things zombie as it is now.  The idea of trying to follow survivors beyond the initial outbreak and breakdown of society was still something of a novelty.  Now we've watched too many seasons of the better show, making this one already feel tired and the only way to even really make sense of characters like Strand and Daniel is if they're actually in on it and just waiting for the rest of the dumbass herd to thin themselves.   Strand has pegged Nick as survivor material probably because of his resourceful junkie cred but the rest he seems fine with the idea of dropping off somewhere if the opportunity presents itself.  You can't really blame him.

Edited April 11, 2016 by nodorothyparker

[Jel]

As much as I hate watching the stupidity of the kids I try to remind myself that these characters are operating in a world that hasn't been fully indoctrinated by canonized zombie survival techniques.  At this point you'd think the writers would have to introduce a more meta perspective because shows and videogames based on this phenomenon are so pervasive... but for the moment we have to assume that these people know nothing about head shots, double taps, or the basic rules of reanimation. This being said, Nick and Chris are terrible characters... Ofelia is completely boring and Alicia is only mildly interesting.  When both Nick and Chris swam to the boat, I thought "oh good... they are going to clean house and introduce two or three new pirates to replace the dead wood."  Sadly, that doesn't look to be the case but one can still hope.

This is an excellent point.  People don't just go from a regular life to full on Rick Grimes in one week. I'll take some tiiiiiime. 

 

I hated the way Travis just killed Chris's mom-- really hated that. Chris should have been told she was bitten and had a chance to say goodbye to her. I feel for this kid: the world has just ended, he has generalized teenaged angst anyway, horrific things are happening daily, you think you escaped only to find your dad has just shot your mom. I'd be pissed at the world,too.  Chris's reaction was the most realistic one I have seen on a tv show.

 

I agree that these people are a bunch of ingrates. World class ingrates.

 

Loving Strand -- can't wait to see what his agenda is. 

[JackONeill]

But was Cliff ever "the" lead? From the beginning, TWD revolved around Rick and his perspective. FTWD started off with Nick and then focused on Travis and Madison equally. This show feels more like an ensemble than TWD. I guess, we will see as the season progresses.

I go by the fact that he has lead billing. Also, and not to stir a feminist rumble, but I noticed that he was the first to guest on TTD. Next week, the actress who plays Madison is in TTD. (And forgive me, I still haven't gotten back into the groove on this show, so the actor's names, and sometimes even the character's names, don't always come to me.). And, yes, I know that could have just been scheduling issues.

[Jel]

I find them all so painfully obviously not doing good American accents.

I agree, especially Maggie. It's like she doesn't understand that even though it's Southern, there are lots of different accents in the South -- and hers is some weird combination that doesn't sound authentic. 

 

Travis's I haven't noticed to be bad yet; Alicia's seems fine to my ears.

[LeapDayBaby]

And I know it's a shallow dating pool at the end of the world, but I think Alicia just swiped right on the S.S.Negan.

 

If nothing else, I'm sticking with FTWD for comments like this in the forum. I'm still laughing. Brilliant. 

[easypeasy]

A whole lot of angsty staring off into the distance, and complete dumbassery from everyone except Strand. 

 

Fear the Walking Dead is back y'all!

 

 

What does it say that I'm watching to see which of the characters I hate will die first?

 

 

And then Travis and Maddie just ruefully laugh it off in Brady Bunch fashion.  Gosh, Chris didn't take it so great....THAT YOU SHOT HIS MOTHER IN THE FACE.  Hey, who wants some eel?!

 

 

Negan is on the wrong coast! Send him out west posthaste!

 

 

I hope the radio guy leads them to a west coast Terminus.

Lmao. I'm shamelessly just here for the comments. Thankfully, I don't remember who any of these people are, and this got too ludicrous for me to even hate watch. 

[DropTheSoap]

Why does this show want us to hate all the kids?

Why limit yourself? I hate most of the adults, too.

[ZoloftBlob]

Clearly there is something wrong with me.  I have never hit either of my parents.  Guess I'll have to plan a trip so I can pop Mom in the face.  Seems like the show thinks hitting your parents is an integral part of growing up.

 

This might be generational. I am Maddy's age and I had one parent - my mother - who disciplined with open palmed face slaps until she got slapped back.

[DropTheSoap]

I'm probably about Maddy's age, too. Never would have occurred to me to hit a parent.

I'm wondering how the view numbers on this show are going to hold up once GoT starts up.

This show shows why helicopter parents and their spawn fare badly in the ZA.

[tiredofwork]

I suppose, I am looking for something in this show that I thought was going to be in The Walking Dead and most other Zombie genre movies, etc..,   It is clear, I don't think I am going to find it anytime soon with this show and the writing and production.  

 

I was only able to stomach 3 episodes last year.  Now mind you, I am the type that will latch onto a loser show just because I hold out hope that they are building towards getting better.  I mean I watched all but the last season of the frikkin "Under The Dome" series, so I know torture.

 

I don't know what the showrunners and producers are moving toward here.  Perhaps I will never be the demographic that will appreciate their vision, I just don't care that every week this dull as family has family problems!!  I just don't care.  I want to see survival and struggle due to a zombie apocalypse, not family struggle ala "Parenthood".

 

So, I have NO idea how they ended up on this boat.  My first thought is, why not a sail boat? How the hell does this boat have enough fuel to just wander the ocean?  At least I could buy it if there was an alternative propulsion source which is the wind. 

 

Finally, I saw those 1 minute segments of that alternate FWD with the people on the plane.  Those little segments to me where much more intriguing than any of the few episodes I have seen of FWD.  I would like to see the Asian lady somehow incorporated in the cast of FWD.  She seems to be a straight out survivor.

[riverheightsnancy]

I find them all so painfully obviously not doing good American accents.

I think that I need to get my hearing checked then. I thought that they all were born in US and was surprised that many in both casts are not!  ;)

[xaxat]

I want an episode where they find themselves on Zombie Gilligan's Island.

Edited April 11, 2016 by xaxat

[wait.what]

When Nick told Strand not to call him Nicholas and Strand replied that's what your father named you. I was waiting for Strand to say, "well I'm your daddy now."

Haha

[JackONeill]

another concern: maybe they got a deal, but they have to be spending some money on the whole "water" aspect of this show, what with building the boat and other sets, and renting the Titanic pool and filming in Mexico (yes, just over the border.) true some of these expenses (set building) are part of any show, but the aspects that specifically are for "water" have to eat into their budget. Does that mean they won't have enough money to do adequate "herds of walkers?" That was a criticism last year, that there weren't a lot of Walkers even though they were in LA.

and I don't care what anyone says, after the initial titillation of seeing everyone at sea, it will become OLD. Hell, I got tired of seeing the same pine trees everywhere CDB walked in the flagship.

[nitrofishblue]

I was hoping that the writing would improve with the start of the new season. The writers should have read what was said about the first season and tried to improve. Sadly that has happened. Those kids are worse now than in the beginning. Don't say much for their future. You can't fix stupid.

[MissScarlett]

This is an excellent point.  People don't just go from a regular life to full on Rick Grimes in one week. I'll take some tiiiiiime. 

 

I hated the way Travis just killed Chris's mom-- really hated that. Chris should have been told she was bitten and had a chance to say goodbye to her. I feel for this kid: the world has just ended, he has generalized teenaged angst anyway, horrific things are happening daily, you think you escaped only to find your dad has just shot your mom. I'd be pissed at the world,too.  Chris's reaction was the most realistic one I have seen on a tv show.

 

I agree that these people are a bunch of ingrates. World class ingrates.

 

Loving Strand -- can't wait to see what his agenda is. 

 

ITA on all accounts! Regarding Liza's death, I felt like the writers handled this so poorly. I can understand that she was doing what she felt she had to do and probably didn't want Chris involved because she knew she wouldn't be able to go through with it if she saw him one last time BUT..

 

1) Why tell Maddie not to let Travis do it or it would break him and then have Travis do it anyway?

2) Instead of involving others, why not just take care of it herself?

 

The more I think about this group the more I believe that Nick will end up being the leader. There is something about his character that is so redeemable and appealing to me. Also, I was happy that they didn't focus on the junkie / addict / drug withdrawal angle in this episode. It was mentioned but not the focus. I would hate to see Nick being written into a corner because they don't know what else to do with him. Really, the same can be said for all of these characters. Right now, they are bordering on being one-note.

 

Someone upthread mentioned the bond between Strand and Nick being strange. I think it makes sense in an odd way. Strand sees some of himself in Nick, I think. He understands the struggle because maybe he had that same struggle and overcame it? He sees Nick as a survivor as he himself is also a survivor (of what, we don't yet know). I am hoping that Strand turns out to be a mad scientist. That would be awesome!

 

As for the conversation between Maddie and Chris, man I must have zoned out because I thought Maddie said that her dad died when she was young. I didn't realize that she punched him. Shows how much I give a crap about Maddie and Chris. So that means, Maddie must have been a troubled-teen / addict too then, I bet.

another concern: maybe they got a deal, but they have to be spending some money on the whole "water" aspect of this show, what with building the boat and other sets, and renting the Titanic pool and filming in Mexico (yes, just over the border.) true some of these expenses (set building) are part of any show, but the aspects that specifically are for "water" have to eat into their budget. Does that mean they won't have enough money to do adequate "herds of walkers?" That was a criticism last year, that there weren't a lot of Walkers even though they were in LA.

and I don't care what anyone says, after the initial titillation of seeing everyone at sea, it will become OLD. Hell, I got tired of seeing the same pine trees everywhere CDB walked in the flagship.

 

I agree with you! There are really only so many plots you can have out on the sea, since you are really secluded for the most part.

 

Strand mentioned that he had a specific destination in mind, so I don't think they will be out there forever. Hopefully.

[Giselle]

Alicia needs to be kicked in the teeth and dumped overboard.

[Anela]

And then Travis and Maddie just ruefully laugh it off in Brady Bunch fashion.  Gosh, Chris didn't take it so great....THAT YOU SHOT HIS MOTHER IN THE FACE.  Hey, who wants some eel?!

Yes, this. What the hell? Poor kid.

 

I liked his mother more than the other characters. 

 

That's what bugs me the most. On Talking Dead, they showed this comment from the woman who plays Ofelia. Something like her character's in a bad place because everything has gone wrong and there's not a silver lining in the sky. And I was thinking, seriously? Does no one appreciate the fact they are alive at all thanks to Strand and his boat?? Bunch of ingrates.

I actually understand that. Her character just lost her mother, as well, and they've just seen their city bombed to hell. It's not like zombies can't cross borders, so they'll be fine wherever they're going.

 

That said, I'm afraid I really was rooting for the zombies, last night. When Nick was stupid enough to swim into the shipwreck, I wanted the zombie to eat him. 

[RustbeltWriter]

The producer guy on TTD says the fire we saw on shore was the military bombing of LA. Stop telling us about all the more interesting things you aren't going to show us. It wasn't endearing last season either.

 

This, a thousand times. I looked over at the wife while the bombing was going on and said, "That looks really interesting. Wouldn't it be awesome to see how the  government made that decision and the angst it caused as it was being carried out?"

[Giselle]

Why does this show want us to hate all the kids?

 

 

Not all, I'm still hoping Tobias will show up at some point.

 

Strand stays.

[Blinkoshuman]

This is pretty terrible.  I was fully hooked and invested in the story by the middle of season 1 of TWD.  I can't stick with this.  I can't figure out why it's so bad compared to TWD.  Ultimately, it's a lot of the same people on the creative side.  I was actually kinda intrigued by a story of the beginnings of the ZA.  This is not what I wanted.

 

 

This, a thousand times. I looked over at the wife while the bombing was going on and said, "That looks really interesting. Wouldn't it be awesome to see how the  government made that decision and the angst it caused as it was being carried out?"

THAT is what I wanted.

 

 

I agree the the only character I'm remotely interested in is Strand.   Zombie being killed by an outboard motor was kinda cool.

 

Might save these next few episodes to watch later on if the buzz gets more positive.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Blinkoshuman

[Giselle]

I'm just gonna go ahead and say it. My people don't tend to fare well when we go rescuing white folks. They are already messing with Strand's simple boat rules. Madison wants to pick up strays, angsty teen is giving up the boats coordinates. I don't have a lot of hope for my man Strand.

 

I have that sinking feeling that Travis and Co will screw Strand over despite the protestations of Nick. What pisses me off is that here is this guy that is taking you on his boat to escape and you are giving him lip. Oh no frigging way. He has done nothing to you except save your, ass and kept your pet junky from getting a bolt to the head, and you are going to mess with him. They all need to go. 

 

Alicia needs an agonizing death and...

 

Strand stays.

[RustbeltWriter]

It seems like Strand might know a little more about what is going on than he is letting on. He had the boat ready to go and seemed to be confident in leaving his cell. Now he has a halfway decent plan to get out of immediate danger and to someplace safe. It would be awesome if we get a little more of the origin of things from him.

 

I'm liking Daniel. He's obviously a survivor and willing to do whatever he needs to in order to keep on surviving. I also like that he talks straight to Chris. Also, he was the only one smart enough to catch dinner, arm himself and keep watch.

Edited April 11, 2016 by RustbeltWriter

[Giselle]

Strand is really all about himself but then again, I think that is and has always been his mo. He is using these people until he can trade up. His character is really interesting so far.

 

 

I have no problem with the thought that Strand is all about himself (and whatever or whom ever he is trying to reach) I think ultimately we are all about ourselves and it is something that at times keeps us safe or at times something we have to overcome . Strand "obligated"  Nick to help him escape but he didn't have to take those people to his house, it was a mutual good option for Strand had a way of getting to Abigail and the group had a safe place for  them a chance to get their bearings for the briefest of moments before it all hit the fan again. I do believe he could have survived on his boat alone for quite some time if the group had chosen to go East without him.

 

Travis and Co. will always be about their core group that is why they think they can throw orders around and jeopardize a boat that isn't theirs.

 

Strand stays.

It seems like Strand might know a little more about what is going on than he is letting on. He had the boat ready to go and seemed to be confident in leaving his cell. Now he has a halfway decent plan to get out of immediate danger and to someplace safe. It would be awesome if we get a little more of the origin of things from him.

 

I'm liking Daniel. He's obviously a survivor and willing to do whatever he needs to in order to keep on surviving. I also like that he talks straight to Chris. Also, he was the only one smart enough to catch dinner, arm himself and keep watch.

 

Agreed.

[Jel]

ITA on all accounts! Regarding Liza's death, I felt like the writers handled this so poorly. I can understand that she was doing what she felt she had to do and probably didn't want Chris involved because she knew she wouldn't be able to go through with it if she saw him one last time BUT..

 

1) Why tell Maddie not to let Travis do it or it would break him and then have Travis do it anyway?

2) Instead of involving others, why not just take care of it herself?

 

The more I think about this group the more I believe that Nick will end up being the leader. There is something about his character that is so redeemable and appealing to me. Also, I was happy that they didn't focus on the junkie / addict / drug withdrawal angle in this episode. It was mentioned but not the focus. I would hate to see Nick being written into a corner because they don't know what else to do with him. Really, the same can be said for all of these characters. Right now, they are bordering on being one-note.

 

Someone upthread mentioned the bond between Strand and Nick being strange. I think it makes sense in an odd way. Strand sees some of himself in Nick, I think. He understands the struggle because maybe he had that same struggle and overcame it? He sees Nick as a survivor as he himself is also a survivor (of what, we don't yet know). I am hoping that Strand turns out to be a mad scientist. That would be awesome!

 

As for the conversation between Maddie and Chris, man I must have zoned out because I thought Maddie said that her dad died when she was young. I didn't realize that she punched him. Shows how much I give a crap about Maddie and Chris. So that means, Maddie must have been a troubled-teen / addict too then, I bet.

 

I agree with you! There are really only so many plots you can have out on the sea, since you are really secluded for the most part.

 

Strand mentioned that he had a specific destination in mind, so I don't think they will be out there forever. Hopefully.

She was an interesting character, but a selfish one: She put her own need to help other people above her minor child's needs to have his mom with him at that time, and her inability to kill herself if she saw her son (which, come on, you're dead in three days max anyway) forever deprived him the opportunity to say a sad, but very important psychologically and emotionally, goodbye to his mother.  And, as you point out, she bloody allows Travis to do it, further messing with her kid. Mother fail.  The "I have to kill the person I love before they turn" thing seems to be a recurring theme in TWD as well, so okay, I can accept Travis's need to be the one, but frankly, it's getting near sanctimonious now.

 

I could totally see Nick ending us as the group leader, too.  I also find him a likable character, flawed, but definitely likable. But for the love of all things holy, do something about the hair. I can't figure out how it manages to be a combination of dry, frizzy and tangled and super greasy at the same time. It's that the actor's real hair or is it a wig. It's so distracting. Daniel, please, help a viewer out.

 

Totally agree with the Strand seeing some part of himself in Nick -- would not be surprised if he had a real rags to riches back story.

 

As for Maddie, I expect to discover she had a very unhappy childhood, and either she was an addict herself, or one or both of her parents were.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

I go by the fact that he has lead billing. Also, and not to stir a feminist rumble, but I noticed that he was the first to guest on TTD. Next week, the actress who plays Madison is in TTD. (And forgive me, I still haven't gotten back into the groove on this show, so the actor's names, and sometimes even the character's names, don't always come to me.). And, yes, I know that could have just been scheduling issues.

Actually Cliff and Kim both made their first appearances on TD together.

That aired after last season's finale.

[Ocean Chick]

Still hate Maddy.  Still hate Alicia - she's waaaaaaaay too dumb to live.  SInce they killed Liza, the only character I really loved, the only 2 I have a real stake in are Strand and Daniel.  Nick and Chris are just okay at this point, and Travis is somewhere between okay and kill him now.  Ofelia is so background that I forgot her name most of the time.

 

And where in the world are they yatching that the ocean water is so clear?  It's like pool clear.  I've swum of the coast of California and Mexico and never seen water so clean and clear in my life.  Maybe because they're so far off the coast?  I've not done any deep sea swimming, so maybe?  But I'd be awful wary of sharks and other critters out there who might want a nibble.  To say nothing of swimming walkers (floaters?) who also might want a nibble. 

 

Strand's boat is beautiful though, isn't it?

[DonitsYum]

Lord, I had forgotten just how idiotic these people are.

I'm fantasizing that the front of the yacht detaches from the back end and Strand pulls away in a little Goldfinger mini-yacht. Back end sinks. This show restarts with Strand only, with 45 min of him passing people in the water yelling "NOPE!!" I'd actually watch that.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

All Aboard For Strand, Fear The Walking Dead's Ruthless Captain
It's his way or the seaway.

[Giselle]

I would be kissing Strand's ass 24/7. Thanking him up and down for his hospitality. Fetching him whatever he wants...drinks, women, cigars, dolphins! But these people....nah they're ungrateful bastards.

 

Agreed. Yes Sir, No Sir, No excuse Sir, Sir would you like another, and may I say Sir, Thank you for saving my ass.

 

Strand stays.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Giselle

[nodorothyparker]

I'm fantasizing that the front of the yacht detaches from the back end and Strand pulls away in a little Goldfinger mini-yacht. Back end sinks. This show restarts with Strand only, with 45 min of him passing people in the water yelling "NOPE!!" I'd actually watch that.

 

Hee!  I'd watch that too.

 

One of the only truly enjoyable moments of this entire episode was Strand laying his three rules smackdown on the assembled idiots.  Because apparently in all their wanting to let the entire world know where they are and invite them all on board, they needed reminding that "It's my boat.  It's my boat.  And in case you forgot, it's my goddamn boat."

Edited April 11, 2016 by nodorothyparker

[diebartdie]

Who are these "kids" yall keep referring to? Nick is an adult, he was living on the streets, not making anything of his life but clearly an adult. Alicia is a senior in high school so old enough to vote so adult. Chris is the same age. Yes they are young but they are not children so let's stop calling them that. What all of them are, including Saint Strand, is idiotic morons. Travis bring s corpse? FOOL! Chris then kisses that corpse?? FOOL do you want ebola?!?!?!? (I know she didnt have ebola but that's how that shit spreads! Dont be kissing unpreserved corpses!!!) Chris and Nick dive fully clothed into the deep ocean?!? What the fuck dudes, at least take off your damn shoes ya fools. Who serves an unskinned, apparently uncooked eel for dinner and who looks at that and thinks YUM?!?!? Why are all these people so fucking stupid??? If Strand is all that torqued out by people not obeying his every word, even the words he has not yet spoken to them, he should have never allowed all those folks on his boat. I think, no matter what story he spins, I think the real reason Stand wanted Nick on that boat is Strand is sexually attracted to him. Also.....I mean I know human can be really really horrible critters but it is so much more likely in the face of such an extreme event that people will pull together and help one another, not immediately turn into ruthless marauders. Humans seems to be 75% loving but in F/TWD world it's like 10% loving, I just dont buy it. I had such high hopes for this show, I'll give it this season but if it ends in more hopelessness and murder, Im done. TWD has enough of that to overfill my misery tv quota many times over.

 

ANYWAY I liked all the waterlogged zombies, I thought that was cool, I liked how that one zombie lost interest in Nick and turned toward sound. It was interesting because it was novel in that zombies usually dont lose interest in the meal in hand.

[Giselle]

It's obvious that there is a lot more to Strand and his story than what we have learned so far (which is really nothing, other than the fact that he had a boat and was ready to set sail).  I hope he sticks around long enough on the show for us to find out. 

 

Like Hozier was saying on Talking Dead, I can't say that I trust Strand -- there seems to be an almost sinister kind of undercurrent to Strand.  I start to wonder, well why DID he save this group of nitwits?  What are his plans for them?  Maybe he has something in mind for them that they won't be happy with.  I can't tell if he is actually evil and just tolerating the fools on his boat because he has a plan to do something awful to them, or if he is really a decent, upstanding guy who is exasperated with and barely tolerating the fools on his boat.  

 

Something is not quite right with Strand, but he is the most interesting one on the show.

 

I liked what he said in an interview about his character something about  Victor is complex, good or bad there is a fine line, you can see him as Jesus or the devil just as long as you see him.

 

We all are Shane and Strand to a degree it is hypocritical to think we are not.

 

Strand stays.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Giselle

[Boofish]

I had to rewind a few times to make sure I wasn't missing anything. The premiere would have been better spent showing how that area got overrun. Last season ended with it being pretty tranquil, eating popsicles and whatnot.

 

And by all means, force your dad to use his strength to carry a dead body to safety instead of water and supplies. I'm not 10 minutes in and I'm already annoyed at everyone except Daniel, Strand, the water, the zombies, the boat and Liza 

[SoSueMe]

I wonder if any of the show makers ever read the interwebs and get a clue as to how people are really feeling about this show. Ratings don't necessarily mean quality.

[JackONeill]

I don't know if anyone else remembers, but on the original Star Trek, they had what were called "ship episodes" to contrast with planet episodes. The ship episodes, since most or all of the action took place on already established sets, were cheaper to film, so the studio kept asking for more ship episodes. Memory is that with few exceptions, the ship episodes weren't as well-liked as the planet episodes by the audience. They were too stuffy and restrained. (Sure, there were some that played well because of that closeness. Think of the proverbial cat and mouse, ship after ship, both trying to be silent to avoid being detected, etc) but you can only do that a few times. Then, at least in my experience, it gets boring. And claustrophobic. Someone earlier mention the show, The Last Ship. They have the same issue. It'll be interesting to see how TPTB deal with this potential issue.

Do you think Strand is a latter day Thurston Howell III? I always wondered where he got his money?

[Sighed I]

Unpopular opinion probably, but I'll give Chris a little love.  I feel the same way I did last season. Everyone around him is so incredibly selfish.  Maybe he can join up with the pirates and get a new start.  Everyone but Travis acted like burying Liza was some big imposition out of their day of doing absolutely nothing. 

 

And then Travis and Maddie just ruefully laugh it off in Brady Bunch fashion.  Gosh, Chris didn't take it so great....THAT YOU SHOT HIS MOTHER IN THE FACE.  Hey, who wants some eel?!

 

As much as I hate watching the stupidity of the kids I try to remind myself that these characters are operating in a world that hasn't been fully indoctrinated by canonized zombie survival techniques.  At this point you'd think the writers would have to introduce a more meta perspective because shows and videogames based on this phenomenon are so pervasive... but for the moment we have to assume that these people know nothing about head shots, double taps, or the basic rules of reanimation.

 

I didn't think the show was as bad as some -  I teach high school, so the two teens acting like idiots isn't a surprise at all.

 

 

Other than crazy jumping in the ocean, I didn't think that the teens were that bad. I think Nick's anger is understandable. He was already angry at Travis, his mother's death just make him more so. I don't know why they didn't give him scenes with Ofelia. She just lost her mother too. Alicia was lonely and sad so I get why she reached out to the voice on the radio.

 

 

I can see the teenage girl doing what she did

 

You know, I agree with all these observations. The way they are acting, particularly the kids, is (or should be) understandable, at least on paper. I don't want to be annoyed by these characters. I want to root for them despite their flaws like I do on TWD. Even early on in that show plenty of characters had bothersome traits, but somehow it felt more real, like "yeah, this is what happens when you put a bunch of strangers together in a dire situation."

 

I'm really not a critical viewer at heart; I hand wave a lot of stuff on the shows I watch. So why is it so hard for me to cut these people some slack? What's making them so difficult to like?

[Boofish]

The name of this show should be Fear The Living Stupid. 

[Giselle]

We know that Alicia's new pirate boyfriend is most likely speeding his way towards them at 25 knots and Strand can only do 20. I'm guessing they lose the boat and the desalinization system (SCORE!) to Alicia's own PoC Davey Jones sans tentacles and they all become  galley rats sleeping in the hold until Salazar and Strand save their asses. They escape on the Zodiac and are split up but Strand ends up with just Nick in tow. They meet up again with Maddy and Co. but this time Strand goes his own way only later once again having to make the choice to save the idiots from stepping on their own dicks and their inevitable but slow in coming demise. Hopefully Strand and Salazar walk away from the west coast version of CDB and meet up with Tobias and mentor the lad .

 

S.S.T. The Walking Bad Asses

 

and for the record...

 

Strand stays!

 

 

.

[Dobian]

Lmao. I'm shamelessly just here for the comments. Thankfully, I don't remember who any of these people are, and this got too ludicrous for me to even hate watch. 

 

I was about to post the same thing.  I decided yesterday that I wouldn't renew watching this show, and reading the comments here, I made the right choice.  I don't even want to hate watch it, most of the characters are too lame and unlikable to even make fun of.  Just depressing people in a depressing landscape.  No thanks.

 

 

Do you think Strand is a latter day Thurston Howell III? I always wondered where he got his money?

 

That actually might have been a fun show.  Their boat gets lost in a storm during their "three hour tour", they land on a desert isle, and make lots of gadgets out of coconuts while each week you would have a guest star or guest zombie that manages to get off the island at the end of the episode while our plucky castaways remain stranded.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Dobian

[tiredofwork]

ANYWAY I liked all the waterlogged zombies,

 

 

I have never seen "swimming" zombies in any film or television show.  I think I saw one maybe where they walked on the bottom and came up on shore in the shallows.  Where is the buoyancy coming from? Let's suspend disbelief even and say they float, how do they propel other than waves or current?  These things yesterday seemed to be swimming and diving.  Come  on show., really?

[morgankobi]

I can't believe how boring the season premiere was. Can you imagine someone who never saw the show before deciding to give it chance and watch the second season opening? An episode that makes us poor returning-viewers fall asleep isn't a good one to draw new viewers in.

 

Oh, and for good measure: Strand stays!

[Boofish]

 

When Maddy said she remembered the "first" time she hit her father, my first thought was since when is it common for kids to slug their fathers, especially young females. I found that to be written poorly. I guess it's a part of her back story, but frankly I don't care about her.

This gave me a chuckle. On 30 Rock there was an episode where they did a Bravo type reality show called "Queen of Jordan" In one scene the main character Angie Jordan made a reference to someone knowing it was not true then deadpanned "I know they are not married. I just want them to know I don't give a *@% about their lives" I swear I read your comment in her voice

[diebartdie]

I dont think they wee swimming or diving, I think they were floating (due to internal gasses) and ocean currents were pushing them towards The Abigale, then when one of them got close enough to Nick it started reaching for it which looked like diving because Nick was diving down. That Pacific Ocean is just crystal clear out there, the zombie was fresh enough that its eyes were not yet cloudy so it noticed Nick down below and went for him. Why was Strand just stopped there though?

Edited April 11, 2016 by diebartdie

[rab01]

I was fully hooked and invested in the story by the middle of season 1 of TWD.  I can't stick with this.  I can't figure out why it's so bad compared to TWD.  Ultimately, it's a lot of the same people on the creative side.  I was actually kinda intrigued by a story of the beginnings of the ZA.  This is not what I wanted.

I think the "it's not what I wanted" is a real problem.  As a spin-off from TWD, we come in expecting it to either show how we got to TWD or be in the same vein as TWD and this show is neither.  We have to approach the show on its own terms to have a chance at enjoying it.

 

Fundamentally, most of the characters on TWD are supposed to be extraordinary people. There are Strands and Salazars all around. Most of the FtWD people are supposed to be ordinary. I can imagine having Madison and Travis as neighbors pretty easily and sharing a beer with Travis while he complains about the latest issue he's having with Madison. It is so much harder to make ordinary people interesting to watch so I admire the show for trying to do it.  That said, even if ordinary people can be entertaining, the show needs to make some of them likable -- and soon! 

 

Just as an example, if Travis and Madison weren't already together, can you imagine any online community shipping their relationship? The show needs to give us an idea of why they are together. Not in a "is it plausible" sense (because it's easy to see how a divorcee and a widow working together ended up hooking up) but in a "they're great/interesting together" sense.  I really hope the show can fix their negative chemistry.

[GreyBunny]

Didn't Madison ever teach her daughter about stranger danger and not picking up hitchhikers?  I guess not since she spent her children's childhood enabling her drug addicted son.

 

I tried watching Talking Dead for this ep and I gave up about halfway through and deleted it.  I just didn't care.

 

We know that Alicia's new pirate boyfriend is most likely speeding his way towards them at 25 knots and Strand can only do 20. I'm guessing they lose the boat and the desalinization system (SCORE!) to Alicia's own PoC Davey Jones sans tentacles and they all become  galley rats sleeping in the hold until Salazar and Strand save their asses. They escape on the Zodiac and are split up but Strand ends up with just Nick in tow. They meet up again with Maddy and Co. but this time Strand goes his own way only later once again having to make the choice to save the idiots from stepping on their own dicks and their inevitable but slow in coming demise. Hopefully Strand and Salazar walk away from the west coast version of CDB and meet up with Tobias and mentor the lad .

 

S.S.T. The Walking Bad Asses

 

and for the record...

 

Strand stays!

 

 

.

This would be my dream show. 

 

Rather than the merry band of idiots we have now I would have liked to have seen Tobias, the school principal, Dr. Exner, and Liza strike out on their own, find Strand and maybe Salazar if I'm feeling generous, and they have their ZA adventure.  A much smarter and more likeable group. 

 

Strand stays, 

Edited April 11, 2016 by GreyBunny

[Boofish]

I think the truth lies somewhere in between. From what we saw at the hospital/detention center, I'm sure he has a use for them, especially Nick. But I also feel like he kind of likes Nick on some level beyond his living on the edge of a knife approach to survival. I don't get the sense he is sinister so much as calculating, manipulative and self-serving. Not that those are necessarily the most flattering of traits, but they could be useful in keeping him alive. And really, with this group of idjits taking up valuable space on his boat? Man's practically a saint.

 

 

Strand was locked up in that detention center for a reason that was never addressed. It wasn't a safe haven holding cell; it was for people the government/military saw as a potential threat to survival. Strand needed Nick but didn't realize he was getting the "buy 1 idiot get 6 free" deal."

[xaxat]

One of the reasons I am interested in Strand is that I keep having to up my estimates on how wealthy he is. At first I was 50/50 on whether he was rich or just talking a good game with Nick in the detention cell. Then we saw his twenty plus million dollar house. Now the show is on his twenty plus million dollar yacht.

 

You don't typically get that kind of money working for people. You get it by owning a business where people work for you.