'Fear the Walking Dead' Recap: 'Another Day in the Diamond'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

I think it is safe to assume that everyone that tuned in to the Fear the Walking Dead crossover event with The Walking Dead last Sunday, had some big questions lingering on their minds after that story came to a close in that, was Fear truly a show transformed, or was this nothing more than a mere publicity stunt designed to suck all of us back in? Well, the only way to get the answer to that question, was to tune in once again and while I’ve been a fan of this series from the get go, I too was wondering if this bold new direction was going to stick around or not, and wouldn’t you know it, last week’s powerful premiere was more than a mere gimmick, this new style of quality storytelling appears to be here to stay.
 
Because ‘Another Day in the Diamond’ was an utterly outstanding episode, one that accomplished a great many things and the first thing I truly appreciated about this tale, is the sheer fact that this series has a real bleakness hanging over it now and yes, that’s a good thing. After all, this is the end of the world, and while it would seem that the group has found some semblance of safety, the danger that the dead represent has intensified on this series and I love the fact that at any moment it seems the walking dead can appear and wreak havoc on their lives and well, by bringing all of this back into the mix, what Madison and her family are trying to accomplish suddenly seems incredibly important.
 
Which is the next element that I loved about this episode, the fact that at long last, this group is trying to begin again, and do things right in the world, a theme that’s becoming prevalent on Fear’s sister show as well. And it’s clear now that Madison truly believes that anyone can be saved in this brave new world, and her tiny little community is working to prove that and her actions speak it as well since she was incredibly kind toward Naomi during their first encounter, despite the fact that Naomi pulled a gun on her and it’s just wonderful to see Madison, who nearly slipped into complete and utter darkness last season, bring herself back from the brink in order to accomplish wonders in a world ruled by walking corpses.
 
In fact, this episode made it clear that character development is going to be a focus going forward on this series and that’s a wonderful thing for certain. Because in prior years, this group never really had the chance to grow and it’s something that’s extending to Nick as well since he was a man transformed in this tale. No longer is he a mere hot head looking for the next thrill. He’s suddenly a firm believer in safety, which is a direct result of the traumatic third season finale and I think it’s wonderful to see the characters enjoy the care they’ve always deserved from the Writer’s Room and to see that the series is laying down an important foundation for season four with these smaller, character driven moments. 

---

​But, let’s be honest, while we enjoy the character study aspect of this harrowing universe, we also demand some epic storytelling through and through and it would seem that Fear is quickly establishing the fact that it is up to that challenge, and that it will accomplish such a feat, on its own terms. Because these first two episodes have made it clear that a mystery is going to unfold before our very eyes, and that said mystery may end in ugly fashion since we now know that Nick and his friends and family undergo some kind of hardship well before meeting Morgan and his new group of pals, and all of it is related to the strange flags that we saw in the season premiere.
 
Because in this tale, we came to discover exactly who is putting up those flags; a group known only as The Vultures and well, they are an intriguing group to say the least. I say that, simply due to the fact that often times in this universe, our villains are flashy and intense, but this group…well, they’re low key, sneaky and patient since they use an infiltrator to gain trust and intel about camps that might suit their needs before making themselves known and they don’t threaten or demand what these camps have, they simply ask for everything these people have to offer, and if their request is met with resistance, they wait until said camp is in dire straits to get what they need, much like a Vulture and they have now come to Madison’s new home, and are ready to wait as long as necessary to enjoy everyone else’s spoils.
 
Which means things are going to get desperate and unpleasant as the season progresses and it makes the mystery surrounding Madison’s absence in the meet up with Morgan all the more powerful. Because at this point, we haven’t a clue if she survived her encounter with the Vultures, or if she’s been taken by them, and well…I have to admit this is one hell of a way to set up a brand-new season of the show. We’ve never seen Fear the Walking Dead take its time to tell its story in this manner, nor have we seen it assemble a mystery before and the fact of the matter is, I’m intrigued by what this new season has to offer, and I’m quite curious to learn more about what happens at the ballpark and if this series is going to go all out and have another original series lead exit in harrowing fashion. 
 
But more importantly, whether or not Madison lives or dies, the bigger question for this season going forward, is whether or not her kids and friends can uphold the values that she is clearly trying to instill in them, especially when one considers just how much The Vultures are testing what remains of this hopeful group. Because building a better world appears to be the theme for The Walking Dead universe going forward and it should be fascinating to see if that’s possible out here in Texas, where it’s clear that others don’t share that value just yet and this thematic concept and the push toward accomplishing it is clearly going to make season four of Fear the Walking Dead its finest season to date. Until next time. 

---