It's been quite the season for Fear the Walking Dead, since week in and week out, the show has found a way to keep the story moving and keep our nerves slightly frayed and as I settled in to watch this week's particular tale, 'Brother's Keeper', I found myself wondering something important...is it possible for the show to continue its break neck pace? After all, at some point the audience deserves a break, and there's no possible way that the characters can continue to go through such hell, but as it turns out, the powers that be are looking to challenge the viewers and the world they've created because this episode offered no respite from the tension, in fact...it ramped it up a notch. 

It accomplished that, by bringing the living dead to the forefront once again, introducing a mega herd to the people of Broke Jaw Ranch and while their isolated location should have provided them with the proper shelter from such threats, one must always remember that man is the biggest threat on this show and in this case, Troy Otto is what brought the herd to his former home and well, credit goes where credit is due, this was quite the impressive sequence of events. Seeing the herd, leaving a dust storm in its wake thanks to the sheer number of reanimated corpses roaming the desert was an incredibly chilling sight to say the least and well, the show was just getting started when it came to unsettling visuals. 

Because the living dead, eventually made their way to the ranch after all and they were a true force to be reckoned with. There were so many walkers amassing at the entrance of the camp, that they smashed their own kind to bits and eventually shoved aside the RV wall that Crazy Dog and the ranchers erected to keep the dead out and that's when the episode went into wholesale horror mode, bringing the guts and bringing the scares because it was another delicate game of who lives and who dies and holy cow, this was quite an intense sequence, one that saw a fair chunk of Broke Jaw's inhabitants fall to the walking dead before finally making it to shelter.

But truly, the centerpiece story of the night revolved around the brothers Otto because the return of Troy led to a long awaited confrontation between Jake and his baby brother, but only after Troy finally snapped like we've all been expecting him to do, and as it turns out, Troy's breaking point arrived by way of pure solitude. He struggled mightily in the desert, not because he was forced to survive because those skills have been engrained in him thanks to his father, but because he was finally forced to think about the things he's done, and the truth about his father for that matter as well, and while it seemed as though he was headed for a quiet and self inflicted end, seeing the mega herd roaming the desert somehow inspired him in dangerous fashion.

He saw the mega herd as a kind of Biblical reckoning and while part of me was hoping that he would somehow rise above this threat and play the hero for a change, that was simply not the case. He led the dead to Broke Jaw Ranch like some kind of deranged pied piper and unfortunately Jake's attempt to put an end to Troy's madness by putting his younger brother out of his misery, completely and utterly backfired when Nick stepped in to save Troy, and Nick's act of kindness, led to a walker taking a bite of out Jake and eventually, death and reanimation, before Troy mercifully ended his brother's second life, giving him pause and a moment to reflect upon the cost of his stupidity since Jake is dead, and Broke Jaw Ranch lies in ruin...

So if anything, this particular episode gets serious props for completely changing gears storytelling wise. There was no commentary to be found here, no deeper meaning or character development for that matter. There was simply terror to be found everywhere, courtesy of the mega herd along with a touch of resolution for an unresolved plot thread when it came to Troy's fate after being exiled and really, when all is said and done, this was a damn good episode. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and while the intensity hasn't let up, it was kind of cool to see the show go all out and unleash pure terror on the audience and the characters and it should be interesting to see where the story goes next since those that survived are holed up in the pantry with no hope of escape at the moment, and one has to wonder what Madison, Walker and Strand will find when they finally to return to what's left of Broke Jaw Ranch. Until next time. 

There can always be something in a town’s past that nobody wants to talk about. It could be a very bad resident that lived there, or a famous person that rolled through on one fine day that turned their quiet community into a tourist attraction. While trying to keep things quiet, many things surrounding the incident can be removed so nobody is able to find evidence of it, even when they are trying hard to find the secret. As years go by and many people forget that something ever happened, there are still people out there that will dig through the old newspaper pages to find some sort of clue to the mysteries and even be able to find the place where things long forgotten had taken place. It is important to respect those small communities’ wishes when it comes to unburying the past, as it can harm them and you if you get too close to the truth.
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Arriving at the infamous Olson Farmstead house, paranormal investigators Wade, Eric, Carla and Chad are greeted by the town’s Sheriff who has a story to tell. Only reading about the gruesome Olson murders in a magazine article, the crew needs to know more about what happened in the house before trying to prove that it is haunted or not. Listening to the Sheriff recount what was found in each room in the house, the group seems to be able to keep it together, but when they listen to what was written in the pages in the Olson diary, they start to understand how messed up these famers were. Eating people they kidnapped and making special dishes out of their innards, there must have been something very wrong with them, but the group has no idea.

Coming back to the house after sunset, Eric starts to ask questions directed toward the various deceased spirits who may still be hanging on to the house as their resting place. Walking around the exterior of the house, the group stumbles upon a human skull that may have been unearthed just for them. Thinking it is someone playing a prank on them, the group enters the house and goes through room by room looking for some sort of paranormal activity, but using a body cam, they are not able to detect what is in store for them. After seeing a shadow that looks like a strange animal run past the doorway, Wade gives it a chase, but not being able see what it was, the group decides to call it a night.

While packing up their car, Wade sees a light in an upstairs window and runs back into the house alone.  While everybody else seems to think that this is another prank, Eric decides that the crew should give the old house one more chance. Getting the gear back into the house, the group hears a strange whisper in the room and footsteps downstairs. Running to see who or what it could have been, the group is pulled outside to see if there is someone messing with them. Seeing that they have left Wade alone in the house by himself, the group heads back in to see that he is far from himself. Telling the group what it wants, the spirit will not let Wade or his group go, which leads to a night of terror for everyone involved.

I have been on a haunted house movie kick for a while, trying to find one that will blow me away. While this one left me wanting more, I will say that when the house decided to come to life, there is little left to the imagination about what happened. I could have used a little more activity while the investigation was taking place, a rogue shadow or something other than a camera flutter, but, it built up the anticipation for the finale. With things that go bump in the night, a possessed friend, slamming doors, unexplained sounds and a story about the old owners that will make your skin crawl, it’s not a bad little ghost flick and I will admit, the ending was something that I would never want to happen to any ghost hunters. Stay Scared.

Finding the balance between pure horror and quality exposition is an art form really, and it's something that Fear the Walking Dead is beginning to master in its third season. Because week in and week out, it keeps finding a way to tell its harrowing story all while keeping us on the edge of our seats. But despite the intensity this show has been placing before us for some time now, let's be honest...the sheer horror that comes with the living dead has been missing for a short while. 

The story has focused and focused hard on Madison's quest to make peace at Broke Jaw Ranch, which is why last night's episode, 'La Serpiente', was such an unexpected surprise. Because not only did it examine our more primal human instincts, specifically survival and what people will sometimes do to get exactly what they want in life, along with the return of a 'classic' Walking Dead-universe ​theme, it also took the time to bring back that sense of pure horror by bringing the walking dead back to the forefront and quite frankly, their return made the first half of this episode completely and utterly terrifying. 

All of that was accomplished with an extended look at Madison, Walker and Strand's journey to the Dam, where we were quickly reacquainted with the horrors of a world gone by since the living dead were everywhere, and while that's nothing new, what made this particular sequence so incredibly intense and terrifying, was the sheer fact that in order to get to the Dam, this small group had to climb into the sewers and find their path through the darkness and that's when things truly got interesting because wouldn't you know it? The dead were down there too.  

Their discovery of walkers in the sewers made for one intense chase scene, where the trio had to crawl through cringeworthy liquids to escape the ravenous corpses and well, I'm not normally someone who has trouble with tight and confined spaces, but when they came to a dead end thanks to a bloated and agitated walker blocking their path to the Dam, I wanted out of these tunnels as badly as Madison did and the sense of urgency that came with getting the waterlogged walker out of the way since there was a fair chance the dead were right behind them, left me taking a few deep breaths when the show went to commercial break. 

However, once that sequence came to an end, it was time to return to the quality storytelling we've come to know and love in season three and upon arriving at the Dam, what should have been a simple set of negotiations for the ranch to obtain the water they need...turned out to be quite the opposite since Lola was quick to refuse any and all aid to Broke Jaw Ranch, creating further tension between Walker and Madison and once again resurrecting that age old, but quality thematic concept we find in this universe, in that...people simply cannot escape the past when it comes to the end of the world.

Because Lola's decision to hold aid back to Madison was not based upon supply or demand, but loyalty to her people. She truly believed that the people of Tijuana should have one another's backs and outsiders should go their own way, and that by sticking to her guns in such a manner, and continuing to provide water to those in need; that the people of this town would finally come to realize that Lola is their hero and come together at last. However, this is something that Daniel fully realizes is a pipe dream and that with the world gone, such hope is no longer possible, all that matters now is surviving to see another day...at any cost necessary. 

As it turns out, Daniel's line of thinking, allows for he and Strand to inadvertently work together once again because they now share a mutual cause, protecting what they hold dear, and by coming to an understanding, we see how far both men are willing to go to get what they want. Because the surprise detonation of a water truck, courtesy of Strand, and a speech from Daniel in regards to how the situation will only escalate, allows for Lola to strike a deal with Broke Jaw Ranch for weapons in exchange for water and just like that...Madison has saved the people of the ranch, restored Walker's faith in her and I think it's safe to assume that despite this episode's happy ending, we all know this exchange will come at a grave cost at some point down the line...

When all is said and done however, this episode gets some serious props for accomplishing plenty over the course of an hour. Because not only did this story do a phenomenal job of terrifying us thanks to that opening sewer sequence, it was also a return to a simpler style of storytelling, which is something I truly appreciated because it's clear that this tale, was to serve as a transitional episode. By wrapping up the water storyline, and reminding us that there are other threats out there in the world, it would seem we are setting the stage for new challenges for both camps in this story and now that this thread has come to its end, I cannot wait to see what waits on the horizon for the people of Broke Jaw Ranch, and the Dam for that matter as well. Until next time. 

Despite being a hardcore fan of Fear the Walking Dead over the past three and half seasons, there is still one chief complaint that I harbor in the back of my mind, in that…to this day I still feel as though the first season of this zombified spinoff truly missed a few key opportunities storytelling wise. Sure, it gave us our first big budget look at the zombie apocalypse but at the same time, it rushed to get to the finish line and missed out on the chance to truly show us the collapse of the modern world, where the worst parts of mankind came to the surface to help bring us to our knees at the slimy hands of walking corpses.
 
I make mention of that, because when I settled in to watch last night’s midseason premiere, that was suddenly on my mind as something incredible unfolded before my eyes. It was clear early on in season three that the series is trying its best to right its wrongs and provide us with a far more intense viewing experience as a whole, but I never expected the series to try and also course correct when it came to that titular first season mistake; but it most certainly did and holy cow was it impressive. Because ‘Minotaur’ and ‘The Diviner’ dug deep on some incredible issues and finally gave us that insightful look as to how and what could cause mankind to divide and lose the fight for survival by way of several thematic concepts.
 
Now the first one that popped up on the series last night, was our inability to let go of the past and much of that came by way of the aftermath of Jeremiah Otto’s death. If you recall, shortly after Madison made a deal with Walker to deliver Otto’s head, the Black Hat tribe moved into Broke Jaw Ranch and we were all left wondering as to whether or not there would be peace at last and it didn’t take long for the series to answer that question in angry fashion. There would seemingly be no peace, simply because neither could side could let go of the garbage they carried in their hearts when it came to yesterday. 
 
Everyone was skeptical of everyone and firmly believed that trouble was brewing and sadly, because of that…trouble came to Broke Jaw in swift and disturbing fashion. Without his father to keep him in check, Troy ran amuck, influencing one of his neighbors to attack Walker’s people with impunity and rather than see a path forward, Troy held steadfast to his father’s dream of war with Black Hat and sucked Nick into an impromptu and bloody battle at the cabin wherein Nick was forced to embrace the past and confess to Troy that Jeremiah Otto died at Nick’s hand instead of his own and that revelation, that his father was not a hero in the slightest, finally allowed for Troy to stand down and eventually be exiled. 

​While one would have expected that to be enough however when it comes to the series atoning for its mistakes, Fear wasn’t quite done yet. In addition to that fascinating storyline, it also brought about the need for honesty in the midst of the crisis since we learned that Broke Jaw is running out of water, a chilling fact that sent Madison and Walker into the wild to find more while everyone back home was forced to ration and by not knowing the truth…people once more turned the issue into a vendetta of sorts as lines were drawn over resources, as if such matters were no big deal and that of course led to more tension in this place and if it wasn’t for Alicia’s admission of the truth…then perhaps we would not have received the powerful ending that dropped into our lap.
 
Because her ‘confession’ led to a hopeful ending, and perhaps the most powerful commentary of the night by bringing up the age old and wholesome notion…that nothing will ever truly be accomplished unless we as a people, work together as one. With the water supply dwindling, it seemed that all-out war was coming to the ranch, revitalizing the ‘holding onto the past’ theme as well since Nick was embracing violence and his darker side once again by taking charge of the small insurrection building within the confines of Broke Jaw. But seeing his sister working with the people of Black Hat to find water so that everyone could survive was enough to allow for him to put down his weapons…and do the right thing and inspire others to join in as well and that’s the first time in a long time, that we’ve seen this series end on a hopeful note.
 
Granted, it doesn’t repair the deep divide that these two camps have dug between one another, but it’s definitely a start and oddly enough, the series still wasn’t quite done giving us more fascinating moments about what the world could look like after the complete collapse of society. Because the whole storyline of Walker and Madison arriving at the trader’s arena, wherein people tried their hardest to keep the old life going by bartering away items that no longer have meaning was fascinating to watch and I love the fact that Strand was there and his return to Madison’s world now ties together Daniel and the Dam he now works to protect since Madison plans to head there to solve the Ranch’s water problem.
 
When all is said and done however, I really enjoyed this midseason premiere. It was filled to the brim with tense moments and powerful commentary and I am truly appreciative of the fact that this story really took the time to examine the divide between these two communities and teach them, if only for a moment, that there is something bigger than their silly hang-ups and past issues and I’m hopeful that this is the start of some actual peace and progress over at Broke Jaw Ranch. Provided of course, Troy doesn’t come back to start any trouble. Either way, this is another fine entry in the saga’s finest season to date and I can’t wait to see where the story is headed next. Until next time.