'Fear the Walking Dead' Recap: 'La Serpiente'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

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

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. 

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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. 

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