S04.E01: What's Your Story?

[Texasmom1970]

Perfect episode until Alicia and her annoying, bad acting ass showed up!

[heisenberg]

20 hours ago, slf said:

Morgan is permanently stuck in 'mopey and withdrawn and on the verge of a nervous breakdown' and that's honestly less interesting than they think it is. I want people who are willing to do what it takes, within reason, to survive without going psycho. I don't think every single survivor would end up with depression, anxiety, or some other disorder; humans have survived all kinds of unimaginable horrors - with no electricity or other modern conveniences - and apparently did not just sit down and mumble to themselves or go off and become loners.

Well...  Althea and Alicia could perform a "Lolipop" on Morgan so he can keep smiling for the rest of the season... 8-)

[heisenberg]

17 hours ago, Daltrey said:

In all honesty, I enjoyed the hell out of every minute of this until the last two or three when the regulars showed up. It was so blatantly obvious that Alicia was a decoy to sucker them in for whoever was going to be with her to jump out and trap them. I think it was ballsy to spend an entire season opening episode introducing the new characters only to have the originals show up at the end appearing to be evil, and I kind of hope they stick with it and have this new group as the protagonists. Even at his worst I've always liked Morgan, because Lenny James, and Garret Dillahunt makes everything better. I also like that Maggie Grace has been given the chance to play against type as the vapid blonde eye candy and already seems more than capable; though I recognized her from somewhere, I missed her name in the credits and had to go to imdb to find out who she was. I was a little shocked; she seemed far more believable than I would've expected. I don't feel like this episode deserves all the hate it's been getting from some of you. Everyone is entitled to there opinion, of course, but I feel like TWD has gotten so bad that it may have coloured people's perception of this episode, somewhat, and that is squarely on the shoulders of the producers and AMC. They never should have aired the finale and the opener, respectively, back to back on the same night. I myself watched them a day apart and it probably made all the difference in the world.

Same for me. It was not perfect but I respect the effort for the fresh start. 

Next week is going to be decisive given the implication of the Griswald family.  Will it be new and exiting or dumb as f**k like it used to be?  This is what I am waiting for.

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

On 4/16/2018 at 6:26 AM, nodorothyparker said:

I wouldn't go so far as to call this great TV by any stretch, but in thinking about it I'm realizing I could be down for a story about the adventures of a slightly less crazy Morgan and his new best friend who will apparently follow him anywhere rather than be alone again.  Again, I know I'm giving Garrett Dillahunt a far amount of leeway to establish this character because he's Garrett Dillahunt, but he was doing nice work in giving us a man who's been by himself for such a long time he apparently no longer has the awareness to realize he's coming across like a lost dog trying to follow the first person to acknowledge him home.  Because it's this franchise he'll probably turn out to not be what he seems later on, but there was something disarmingly affecting about the way he instantly glommed onto Morgan and followed him repeatedly to make sure he was all right.  A little disappointed Morgan's backup group of bloody ghosts didn't make the great cross country walkabout with him, but the level of not okay he seemed to be idling at most of this episode I can deal with.  His "I am so over all of you people and every last bit of your shit" faces at the beginning were fantastic.  I'm also not hating the Althea character despite the contrivance of the giant van/truck/whatever with mounted machine guns that instantly chases off bad guys.  A person actually trying to ask questions about who everybody is or what they might know about anything to make some kind of record in this apocalypse?  That comes perilously close to making all kinds of sense.

I don't even hate the occasional monologue if it's well placed and actually tells us something, which John's opening scene did.  It's the I'm going to keep yammering and yammering and yammering while conveying absolutely nothing we haven't already heard because I'm a character who likes the sound of my own voice that I can't stand.

Unfortunately we had to learn at the very end that both of Madison's awful children implausibly survived that dam explosion, which means Madison surely isn't far behind.  Probably in a coming long flashback episode that tells us what's happened to all of those characters since last season to cover the time skip.  I don't really have any strong feelings about Luciana one way or the other beyond being amused that wherever Junky Nick washed up it was apparently wherever she was despite having 86'd the whole lot of them and taken off on her own walkabout to parts unknown half a season earlier.  It's also amusing they only got to make cameo appearances at the tail end of their own show to be the bad guys to the new people.

Wasn't that a different show, humm... oh yeah featuring Timmy & Lassie 

[Haleth]

I'm thinking once Morgan meets Madison he may turn around and start back toward Virginia. 

[enthropyhater]

OK I need to vent right now. I just watched the first 30 freaking minutes of FTWD premiere and I'm furious. Once again moron Gimple ruins a show I once liked. No sign of Madison or Alicia or ANY of the people I tuned in to see. I DO like Morgan in FTWD but did Jesus, Carol and Rick had to make an appearance hogging camera time and start a stupid idiotic boring ass monologue in the beginning? GTFO of my screen, I quit TWD for a reason, not to ever listen to another god damn monologue ever again. I can't believe they let Gimple co write this show too, for the love of God man, leave my shows alone. I don't want to quit this show too, if next episode is as boring as this one, I will get my zombie entertainment from following the social media and this forum just as I do with TWD.  Now that I got that off my chest, I'll read the comments to see what you all think.

[enthropyhater]

On 4/16/2018 at 6:48 AM, loki567 said:

I was actually really enjoying Fear last season and that was mainly because it was becoming its own thing, separate from its parent series with much tighter pacing. Imagine my disappointment with the premiere when it literally felt like an episode of TWD, along with the same characters and navel-gazing. I'm hoping things speed up quick or I'm quitting like I did TWD. I've seen enough, "Is this who we are?" monologues to last me the rest of my life. 

I agree so much with this post, I feel exactly the same. I quit TWD and was enjoying fear because they had their own thing and better pace going on. I was actually excited that Morgan was crossing over because I do like the actor very much and now I watch this steaming pile of crap that has Gimple written all over it.

I am so incredibly disappointed, it's the same slow mind numbing pace, the never ending idiotic monologues, meaningless artsy shots of shoes in the rain, close ups etc etc etc for the love of God ENOUGH,  I just do not have it in me to watch another Gimple soap opera, that man should be banned from the writer's room forever. I'm giving it one more episode( i didn't finish this one), if it's the same TWD 2.0 I'm quitting and will get my zombie fix from reading the forums and watching Z Nation(Which I considered to be a much inferior show before, now I don't know).

[Anela]

On 4/16/2018 at 2:32 PM, walkingdeadhead34 said:

Does the Whats your story Garret Dillangoff John character remind anyone else of Nobody from my name is nobody my personal fave spaghetti western and I do likes spaghetti but Primus sucks. 

I only know My Name is Trinity - my favourite spaghetti western as a kid. I didn't know what that meant at the time, and later found out they were Italian. Oh, I googled: it's the same thing! I loved that, and the sequel. 

I've only just started watching this episode of FTWD. I like Garrett Dillahunt, and Morgan. 

[Nashville]

On 4/16/2018 at 7:29 PM, oakville said:

Althea's Swat team vehicle reminds me of the tank in the movie Damnation Alley.

http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/reviews/2011/10/17/damnation-alley/

Glad someone else besides me knew that movie, and had the same impression.  :)

 

Quote

The "fast forward " of the time between FTWD being early in the ZA & the Walking Dead which is set 5 + years into the ZA is fascinating.

Actually... the previous FTWD season finale left off only about 2+ months into the ZA (that dam explosion was on Day 64 ZA), and the mothership is less than two years in.

———————-

Although I get the new guy’s name is John Dorie, I already know I won’t remember that - too ordinary and too weird at the same time - so I hope y’all forgive me if I occasionally refer to him as Roland*.

 

* Stephen King fans will get the reference.

Edited April 19, 2018 by Nashville
Can’t have too many “dam explosion” references! ;)

[oakville]

10 hours ago, enthropyhater said:

OK I need to vent right now. I just watched the first 30 freaking minutes of FTWD premiere and I'm furious. Once again moron Gimple ruins a show I once liked. No sign of Madison or Alicia or ANY of the people I tuned in to see. I DO like Morgan in FTWD but did Jesus, Carol and Rick had to make an appearance hogging camera time and start a stupid idiotic boring ass monologue in the beginning? GTFO of my screen, I quit TWD for a reason, not to ever listen to another god damn monologue ever again. I can't believe they let Gimple co write this show too, for the love of God man, leave my shows alone. I don't want to quit this show too, if next episode is as boring as this one, I will get my zombie entertainment from following the social media and this forum just as I do with TWD.  Now that I got that off my chest, I'll read the comments to see what you all think.

They had to give a reason for Morgan leaving TWD. I am looking forward to FWTD. I liked all the new actors in their previous roles so I will cut them some slack. Alicia looked like a homeless person.

On 4/17/2018 at 11:02 PM, Texasmom1970 said:

Perfect episode until Alicia and her annoying, bad acting ass showed up!

In the new timeline of ZA, it is possible that Alicia would become a homeless looking teenager. However, the trailers show her looking normal with Huffman. It's confusing.

[Nashville]

On 4/16/2018 at 1:04 PM, Ed McCauley said:

I am not familiar with the actor playing the cowboy (John Dorie), but I spent much of the first 15 minutes trying to figure out if it was Jeffrey Combs! That would have been all kinds of awesome.

Frankly, I’d have recognized Dillahunt earlier if someone had just said, “Hey!  It’s Deputy Dawson from Maximum Bob!”  :>

 

16 hours ago, enthropyhater said:

I'm giving it one more episode( i didn't finish this one), if it's the same TWD 2.0 I'm quitting and will get my zombie fix from reading the forums and watching Z Nation(Which I considered to be a much inferior show before, now I don't know).

I do.  It’s not.  Not any more, anyway.

[Juliegirlj]

Surprisingly I actually liked the episode, which is a big deal considering I have not liked  FTWD nor TWD for a long time. 

Cautious optimism for now.....

[Nashville]

1 hour ago, Juliegirlj said:

Surprisingly I actually liked the episode, which is a big deal considering I have not liked  FTWD nor TWD for a long time. 

Cautious optimism for now.....

The fact the total Clark exposure on the episode was limited to 2/3 of them for the last two minutes might have something to do with that.  ;)

[Daltrey]

On ‎2018‎-‎04‎-‎19 at 2:37 AM, Nashville said:

I hope y’all forgive me if I occasionally refer to him as Roland*.

 

* Stephen King fans will get the reference

Oh man, that's what I thought as soon as I saw him! Garret Dillahunt would make a perfect Roland, I don't know why I never thought of it before. I hope to god they cast him if the series gets the green light.

[SharonH58]

I gave up FTWD after season 1 as I hated everyone.  But i gave this episode a try since Morgan was joining.  I hate what WD did to his character.  I enjoyed John Dory and Al. Not so much looking at Morgan's shoes.  WD thinks it's filming is artsy and it isn't.  I hope I can stand the regular FTWD people.

[rmontro]

On 4/15/2018 at 11:28 PM, Pixiebomb said:

I liked this episode.  Mainly because it had none of the Fear cast in it. Up until the last scene, then I didn't like it. 

That was pretty much my reaction.  I was thinking wow this hasn't been a bad episode of Fear the Walking Dead.  Then at the end those same old yahoos show up and I'm thinking well this has gone to crap quickly.  The three new characters are all more likeable than any of the old Fear characters.  That's always been the problem with this show for me.

[seacliffsal]

I have to agree with Morgan.  He's just trying to get a little "me" time after an allegedly so-called 'all out war' and all the neighbors just keep dropping by and interrupting his "me" time.  So, it's time to find a new neighborhood.  Pesky neighbors are obviously not a casualty of a zombie apocalypse...

Anyway, haven't watched this show since the first season but thought I would try this season premiere episode and I liked it.  Totally shocked myself!  So, I'll stay around for a while.

[BasilSeal]

Quote

These are all affectations, things writers use as short-hand to tell us about the characters. Problem is they are trite and implausible. 

You have a point, but if we're looking for implausible things in this show, then the walking dead people thing would be pretty high up the list, probably above the 'who cuts tank girl's hair?' question 

Flippancy aside, you raise an important point for me, i enjoyed the episode and thought it was a strong opener, obviously we're having a split timeline narrative here, but i'm ok with that as i don't mind Madison and the rest of the Griswalds, and this will hopefully allow for the franchises first convincing big bad, the proctors, to develop further. (maybe the numbered flags are something to do with them?)

My one reservation centers on the above observation though, up til now i've preferred this show to the original, not being tied to the comic book narrative has allowed for a more naturalistic depiction of events, in as far as something involving zombies can be naturalistic, but as one observer commented, TWD is about super heroes, fTWD is about people.

In this episode, from the outset we have two stylised characters, who essentially have their own superhero costumes, who could have stepped straight from the pages of a comic book. i'm just hoping this doesn't signify this series copying some of the risible narrative tropes and themes of the original.

[ByTor]

On 4/16/2018 at 9:02 PM, maystone said:

I always liked Madison, so I'm looking forward to seeing her again, too. And of course Strand! Alicia: yeah, OK. Lucianna(?): meh. Nick: I can't wait to see him getting whacked around by Morgan. Hopefully this will be a running bit throughout the season.

You like Madison & don't like Nick?  Wow, I didn't think anybody shared this opinion with me!

On 4/16/2018 at 5:46 PM, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

I can't get over how Morgan couldn't handle two walkers after everything he just went through just hours before.

Didn't you know?  When you're surrounded by 1,000 walkers, you can easily breeze right through them, stabbing a few in the head while the others patiently stand & watch and politely take their turn to try to eat you.  It is when you encounter 2-3 walkers that you are toast. :)

[TV Anonymous]

So who was the walker that Morgan chased, killed and buried?

[DrNowsWeightScale]

On 4/17/2018 at 4:12 PM, slf said:

Morgan is permanently stuck in 'mopey and withdrawn and on the verge of a nervous breakdown' and that's honestly less interesting than they think it is. I want people who are willing to do what it takes, within reason, to survive without going psycho. I don't think every single survivor would end up with depression, anxiety, or some other disorder; humans have survived all kinds of unimaginable horrors - with no electricity or other modern conveniences - and apparently did not just sit down and mumble to themselves or go off and become loners.

This is one of the issues I've had with Walking Dead shows - this seems to be more true of the original TWD than Fear The Walking Dead.

My new favorite character is John Dorie. As I've said on two other threads in this forum, I really like the Dorie character just the way he is - he comes cross as being a little sad or lonely, but otherwise a decent guy, he's altruistic, and in some ways, optimistic.

Such a nice change of pace from all the cynicism and negativity of the other characters.

If the show writers deviate from that to give John Dorie story arcs - (like we've seen with Rick Grimes, Carol, and Morgan numerous times) - that have Dorie struggle with PTSD, guilt over killing, isolating himself, or becoming cavalier about taking human life, I will be frustrated and disappointed.

Do all characters on these shows all have to be depressed, or be cynical, or going through P.T.S.D. all at the same time? It makes for some boring and repetitive viewing. 

And does nobody in the zombie apocalypse ever laugh, smile, or tell a joke?

I can see how living in the ZA would be stressful and terrifying, but we're supposed to believe that there is never any levity at all by anyone? Sometimes people use humor even in stressful situations to cope, but we don't really see that on either FTWD or TWD.

On 5/20/2018 at 7:50 AM, BasilSeal said:

In this episode, from the outset we have two stylised characters, who essentially have their own superhero costumes, who could have stepped straight from the pages of a comic book. i'm just hoping this doesn't signify this series copying some of the risible narrative tropes and themes of the original.

Was one of the characters you refer to here the John Dorie character?

They established on another episode why Dorie dresses as a cowboy, has matching pistols, and is so fast and accurate with a weapon. Once you learn his backstory, it does not come off as contrived or hard-to-believe. 

Edited July 1, 2018 by DrNowsWeightScale

[NaughtyKitty]

The walker that Morgan buried was the man in the car he tried to help at the beginning of the episode

[OoohMaggie]

On 01/07/2018 at 11:03 PM, DrNowsWeightScale said:

And does nobody in the zombie apocalypse ever laugh, smile, or tell a joke?

I’ve been banging on about this for years, the worse the situation the more prolific should the humour be, when was the last time we saw people rolling around on the floor with laughter? and doesn’t anybody want to have sex in a ZA? It’s like watching Little House On The Prairie Lol

[WalkerTalker]

Maggie and Glenn before Glenn's untimely demise. 

[ByTor]

Nick & Luciana did, correct?

Edited July 11, 2018 by ByTor

[raven]

4 hours ago, ByTor said:

Nick & Luciana did, correct?

Yep and so did Madison and Travis as well as Alicia with Troy's brother.  I'm not sure if Strand and Thomas did when they were reunited.

[BasilSeal]

On 7/1/2018 at 11:03 PM, DrNowsWeightScale said:

Was one of the characters you refer to here the John Dorie character?

They established on another episode why Dorie dresses as a cowboy, has matching pistols, and is so fast and accurate with a weapon. Once you learn his backstory, it does not come off as contrived or hard-to-believe. 

Yes, but as you say they do come up with a fairly reasonable explanation as to why Dorie is dressed like he is. We didn't know this at the time i worte the above quote though. In fairness even with the explanation his mode of dress is fairly distinctive and unusual, and could be construed as a stylised comic book caricature, for me some of the problems inherent in the other show stem from the stylised characters who are dressed like they have stepped out of the pages of a comic, Abraham, for example. The walking dead people aside, these shows are intended to be naturalistic, and the comic book type characters are incongruous.

Nevertheless, they do appear to dodge this trope in FearTWD, and i agree totally with you that Dorie is an interesting and well developed character.

This season up to the MSF has been flawed for reasons i've given in other posts, there was some stuff that didn't make sense and some reliance on the 'people doing really stupid and counter intuitive things for no good reason' trope that plagues the original show, but overall they managed to sidestep some of the worst flaws that have seen the original show hemorrhage viewers over the last couple of seasons. Fear still has a much more positive vision of humanity, and not being handicapped by being tied to the comic book narrative or the two dimensional caricatures  that inhabit this narrative has been a major advantage. Overall I'd say this is the better show.