‘Fear the Walking Dead’ Recap: ‘Channel 4’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

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

At this point, I think we can all agree upon the fact that the horror genre as a whole, is a wonderful place for storytellers to explore our world and our society. For tales of terror offer up a magnificent opportunity to explore the human condition as a whole, and time and time again, we’ve seen our favorite scary stories tackle incredible topics when it comes to humanity and The Walking Dead universe is no exception to this rule. For the flagship series and Fear the Walking Dead handle this matter on a regular basis and really, what the genre, and Fear specifically, are capable of is on my mind today simply because the latter series has quite frankly, been seemingly devoid of the commentary that makes up its gory tapestry as of late.
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Think about it for a moment. Because the first three seasons of this series dove deep into how people handle trauma and fear as it unfolds before their eyes, while season four spent a lot of its time examining how we heal from trauma and loss. But season five thus far, has seemingly been devoid of those kinds of topics. Instead it has focused heavily upon what it means to be good to one another and why it is important to do so, and while that’s important to discuss in storytelling, this is a horror story. One set at the end of the world and it needs conflict to properly drive its tale and this lack of villains and commentary left me wondering where this series is headed for the remainder of this season. 

Well, as it turns out, the confusion and the seeming lack of depth to this season was apparently all part of some larger plan. For last night’s midseason premiere, ‘Channel 4’, took the time to provide us with what exactly this year’s adventures are getting at commentary wise, and it would seem that what this story is working toward is an examination on whether or not genuine good can exist within our world, since the evil of man tends to jeopardize everything wonderful that we work toward. And it arrived at this particular surprise in the most unique way possible, by having our characters put everything on the line in a documentary filmed by Althea and others to show what’s left of the world that there is a better way after all.

Which quite frankly, made for one unique and meta episode in its own right. Because it was a tad jarring at first to see characters that we watch on television, put together a documentary to be seen on television. But at the same time, this was a stroke of genius in its own right since it allowed for the talented actors of this series to add a level of candor and depth for their characters that we’ve never quite seen on this show and it didn’t take that long for this reviewer to be sucked into this narrative since it was compelling as can be and it offered up a few answers on what happened after the recent midseason finale. Take for example the fact that the group figured out how to make gas on their own, making Logan and his plans to steal the gas insolvent and good on them for abandoning him before he could cause more trouble. 

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But what made this part of the story truly impressive, is the sheer fact that our band of heroes took their mission to help others to a whole new level in this tale. For they eventually ran into a woman named Tess who had locked herself within her home since the end of the world kicked off and she was of course, in need of help. Because, her asthmatic son was struggling with breathing and her husband had yet to return from a supply run with an inhaler, trapping her and her son within the house since their front yard was full of landmines and well, the crew risked everything to save her. But what matters more, is that the danger they placed themselves within, engendered trust from Tess, who finally left the house and helped Morgan when he was in need after learning her husband had passed on. And the point of this little vignette was clear; it was designed to remind us of what the series has been hammering home thus far about how we have to be better toward one another, and that kindness might solve more problems than we know.
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Which brings us to how the show tipped its hand about what it is looking to examine, since it presented us with a pair of real-world scenarios, in subtle fashion, to remind us that such a concept is easier said than done. Because we eventually ran into a man who saw this custom made tape at one of the supply outposts Morgan and company keep going to help those in need, and while he watched the tape and heard their message loud and clear, he opted to keep whatever supplies he needed to further his own journey. Something that served as a fine reminder that despite the fact we sometimes know what we need to do to make the world a different place, there are people who offer indifference on the matter and chug along to their own tune.

Yet while all of this was fascinating in its own right, the question as to whether or not good can win over all things in this world was posed by way of the surprise reveal that Logan survived his abandonment by the group, and well, it’s clear that he’s livid over the betrayal and the loss of something that would make him wealthy in the new world since fuel is quite the big deal now. Which means that his greed and unique brand of ‘evil’ are clearly going to be focal points in the future since he’s hellbent on getting revenge upon Morgan’s group, and he’s desperate to get his hands on that oil and that is what will challenge our group and this concept. For if Logan is beyond salvation, then the answer to that all-important question is no. But if by chance he can be saved and figure out that things are different in the world now, then the story may continue down quite the unique path as season five rolls on.

Either way, as far as midseason premieres go, this was hands down one of the most unique ones I’ve ever seen, and it was also one of the most unique zombie tales I’ve ever seen as well. Granted, first person filming is nothing new to the genre, but to throw a documentary feel into it and pose the questions this episode poses made it special to say the least and I really like how this one turned out. Because it really did allow for a unique and thought-provoking story to play out and I love the setup and reveal that this story brought our way and I find myself invested heavily now in what comes next. Because I’m curious to see if a horror story can resolve one of the greatest problems to ever plague our species and even if Morgan and his band of heroes fail, it’s going to be one hell of a fascinating ride in the weeks to come. Until next time. 

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