Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 505 of ‘The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
​
When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous Shudder series, The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, we talked at length about how Drac and Swan, took their favorite leg of the competition, the Monsters of Rock, to new heights. Because this beloved segment was expanded upon in the last episode. Giving rise to an intense competition that required every contestant to not only create a powerhouse Monster of Rock look but offer up a performance for the ages, and if they couldn’t accomplish any element from that simple list… they were out. Which made for one intense battle, one that did indeed end with a no holds barred farewell.

But what mattered more, is that battle royale was merely the beginning of the journey. For we mentioned expansion and the Boulet Brothers were not kidding regarding that. For this week’s episode, ‘Gods of Death (Part 2)’, focused heavily on the bands that were formed last week. So that Drac and Swan could gain a better idea how the competitors would work within groups, and how well they would take direction and rise to the occasion regarding asks that were outside of their wheelhouse. All of which is critical to being crowned champion of Dragula. And all of that came forth via the assembly of Orcgotik and Fantasia’s bands. For they were tasked with a very specific list of ‘to-dos’ to determine this week’s winner and who would move on in the competition.

First and foremost, they were tasked with putting together a quality performance. One that would feature synergy at all levels and once that was put into place, they had to lay down the lyrics for ‘Gods of Death’, the new song that would be featured in their performance, and of course… they needed costumes that also related to that synergy but felt right for the song and kept with the tenets of Dragula and well… it didn’t take long for us to quickly garner an idea of which band might win this competition. Simply because, Orcgotik’s group, while feisty with one another… quickly came together and figured out a hardcore performance and some costumes to match. Whereas Fantasia’s group… was a little messy.

Because they were all over the place regarding how the performance should go, and their costumes, while themed, were a little too individual to really hammer home what Drac and Swan wanted and well, those concerns came to life on the stage. For when the lights dropped and the bands let loose, there was a clear difference between the two. Since Chaotik, Orcgotic’s group, were perfectly in sync and brought the energy the Boulet Brothers expected to their performance. While Hell’s 4-Play, Fantasia’s group, didn’t jell on stage and the performances were messy, to the point where there were questions about Niohuru’s ability to perform since uh, her guitar playing was a little out there.

Which meant, in the end, it was obvious who was going to win this competition, and rightfully so. Because they met the criteria for the competition and executed it flawlessly. Which of course, led to an extermination round, since someone has to go home and it was down to Niohuru and Anna in this tale, and in order to prove that they deserved to be here, they had to get some wild tattoos for certain. Phallic ones, with eagles and amazing captions, and truly, one ‘junk’ tattoo was better since someone was sent home, and their exit, really hammered home how tough things are going to get from here. Because the back half, home stretch, awaits… and only the best will be on that stage, and it will be interesting to see what other epic challenges are on the horizon as season five of this magnificent series continues along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘birth/rebirth’.
​
One unfortunate fact about life that each and every one of us do not want to face, in some capacity or another, is that each and every one of us… are going to die. And we don’t want to face that… simply because… we fear death. We are utterly terrified of the prospect that our own life will come to a close, and we don’t know what lies beyond. Not to mention, it is difficult to reconcile that people we love are going to die and disappear from our lives, and we don’t know if we can handle the reality that there will come a day where we wake up and we can’t text them or see them. So, we put it all out of sight and out of mind and do our best to live and never deal with that reality, only to learn… we are going to face it whether we like it or not.
​
Sometimes the universe forces us to do so by having us endure a brush with our own mortality, or a loved one comes to close to the end… or outright dies. Forcing us to deal with it all, our worst fear really, and that is why mankind continues to do the absolute most… to ensure we don’t have to face death. By making medicine more effective, and the science to save lives more efficient, and there are even people working to outright end death through science. Giving future generations a chance at immortality. But should we be trying to engineer the death of death? Because while we hate it and fear it, it does teach us a great deal and has value to the world and for proof… well than look no further than a brand-new movie on Shudder. For birth/rebirth is a motion picture that explores why death is important, in the most unique manner possible. 

For this is a story that introduces us to a mother named Celie who loses her daughter in a shocking manner, through meningitis, and while she is grieving, she comes to learn that something suspect happened to her daughter’s body. For it never arrived at the Medical Examiner’s office, and Rose, the pathologist at the hospital where they both work and where little Lila died, has been acting quite skittish. Which prompts Celie to force her way into Rose’s home, only to learn, her little girl is alive. For Rose decided Lila was the perfect test subject for something she’s been working on for a long time… a cure for death. And if Celie gives it time and is willing to pay the price, her little one will be back to normal in no time. But it is that price that puts Celie at quite the crossroads, for the cure requires fetal tissue to work and that means… Celie will have to cross some ethical lines at the hospital to cheat death and give her daughter a second chance at life.

Which at first glance, doesn’t seem to be a plot grounded in why death matters so much. Instead, it seems akin to a fresh re-telling of Frankenstein, and there is merit to that. Since Rose in many ways, is the new version of that good doctor and eager to use her genius to cheat death and progress the world into a new era, and there’s even iconography that reflects that original classic. Through various metal staples in flesh and even through Lila who is quite monstrous at times. But all of those elements are really designed to give the story a horror foundation that unsettles the viewer so the real exploration can get underway. Which is indeed about how death is important to all of humanity and why we shouldn’t try to cheat it.
​
Simply because… what we don’t often acknowledge about death, at least… until we’ve faced it and dealt with it and reconciled it… is that it is what gives life meaning. For our days are numbered from birth and that reality should drive us… to enjoy every single second we are here. Because we don’t know when our time is up, and we don’t want to leave this plane of existence with regret in our hearts over having not really lived. Not to mention, death teaches us to cherish life period, and to savor being able to share those precious moments with people that matter and well, if we removed that from our lives and if we lived forever… there’s a very good chance we will no longer value life or understand the gift of it we’ve been given. Which… could make us quite cruel in nature, as evidenced by how this film ends.

All of which makes… for a supremely bleak and powerful horror feature. One that genuinely shocks you in ways you never thought possible, courtesy of the fact that Rose and Celie come to not value life anymore and see only their goals in its stead, and that is what truly generates the terror in this film. Because they are shells of their former selves by the end, and their special brand of twistedness is brought to life by a pair of powerful performances from Marin Ireland (Rose) and Judy Reyes (Celie). Who sell the moral grayness of the story and hammer home the need… to cherish those precious seconds we never get back and celebrate the lives we do lose. For to do otherwise, puts us down a scary path from which there is no return, one full of fear and darkness and a coldness that rivals that of death itself.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘Shining Vale’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
​
It is definitely safe to say that the hit STARZ series, Shining Vale, offers up consistent masterclasses in how to pay proper homage to a genre, and it also features… some downright brilliant writing. Courtesy of the amazing tributes to the great films of the horror genre it offers, with an emphasis on The Shining of course… heck… it’s even in the title. But it also harbors the best aspects of horror, courtesy of smart scares and powerful commentary regarding modern concerns in our world, and observations about very real issues that we face, and it often takes the time to showcase all of that in just about every single episode it sends our way.

But you’ll note we didn’t say every episode and there’s good reason for that. For one of the smartest horror shows around understands that sometimes… you need to lean into the scares and the story, and set the stage for bigger moments ahead, and that’s precisely what this week’s episode sent our way. For ‘Chapter 15: Coven’ was all about advancing the plot and setting up future surprises, some of which involved both Gaynor and Terry. Since Gaynor came to learn there’s a chance Ennio is something supremely supernatural in nature since he basically disappeared and no one seemed to remember too much about him, and Terry… well he made his bid for mayor known and got the town to listen to him, courtesy of a great speech written by Gaynor. All of which set up so much for the future.

But in between that… there was the whole matter of what Pat discovered regarding her time in the Asylum. For now, that she knew she was possessed during that period of time, and likely wrote her book under the influence of whatever spirit jumped into her body, and she was genuinely concerned that a spell was placed into her book and that more foul things would come from it. Which prompted her to return to the spiritual shop in town to speak with Zeth, to understand the truth to stop the evil from spreading. Since he was really the only expert on such affairs and well, he was less than forthcoming about offering help or information as to what might be going on. Mainly because of how the evil within helped freak him out, but she tried her best.

However, eventually Pat did get some of her answers, courtesy of a surprise baby shower at the house. Because… that baby shower was downright weird, and filled with creepy presents that didn’t totally make sense. Not to mention, there was mention of Pat being celebrated as some kind of deity, one that served another deity of darkness and well… the strange gifts she received and the outright creepy vibe of the whole party, prompted her to figure out a quick and easy way to get everyone out of her house. Simply because she needed to process everything she’d learned in the hospital and the strange behavior her friends were exhibiting in that moment and well, that brought about some unsettling discoveries. 
​
Because Pat took a good long look at her presents, one of which was a thick book about the comprehensive history of this town and its odd history. Specifically revolving around the town’s focus on mental health treatments for women, and as it turned out, this place was nothing short of a nexus for treatment. One that ‘helped’ so many women that the hospital had to expand into the surrounding area through fine homes, such as Pat’s, and well… bad things came out of that work. Giving the town a dark reputation for suffering, to the point where the secret rooms that Jake discovered were referred to as ‘The Portal to Hell’. Which of course, prompted Pat to investigate her own home and discover… that an entire network of tunnels connected nearby houses.

Giving rise to a labyrinth of terrors, one where Pat heard Ruth speaking about how this baby belonged to some other entity and of course… she knew Pat was near and well… that… and the fact that Jake walled the exit up, left Pat terrified for what lie ahead and left us… in awe of a perfect tale of horror. Because all of those elements were hardcore horror for certain. Courtesy of the reveal that so many in this town seem to be in on something greater, something evil really, and they’ve been playing Pat and her family, as pawns the entire time. And now it’s going to be up to Pat to figure out their true intentions, and who this monster is that they serve, so she can stop their plans before something horrible happens in a town where awful is the norm, and that should make next week’s season two finale about as explosive as season finales come. Since it will undoubtedly focus on the truth, and a fight to keep evil away from this world. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 208 of ‘SurrealEstate’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
​
One particular truth about family life that each and every one of us can agree upon, is that family has a profound impact upon us. Now, whether that’s a good impact or a bad impact, is where our views on the matter begin to diverge, but one way or the either, there is an impact upon us and that impact… forges so much of who we are and who we will become and determines our relationship with our family. Since the good stuff brings us closer, while the bad stuff prompts us to keep them at arm’s length… or in some cases… prompts us to seek out knowledge, to understand why we endured such pain growing up. For we are beings that desire closure and peace and well… closure and peace are top of mind today, simply because that’s what Luke Roman set out to find in the next episode of SurrealEstate on SYFY.

But before we go into his important and powerful quest, we need to take a moment and discuss the other critical moments that took place in ‘Let Sleeping Dogs Lie’. Since Lomax deal with a different kind of family problem. One involving a Poltergeist-esque Pet Cemetery twist that allowed for the spirits of dead animals to infect a family that just moved into a nice home, and well… made them quite feral in nature. A problem she solved, by putting the dead to rest. With Phil’s help, who, also deal with the spoils and joys of early parenting in this tale. Since his little one taught him a great deal while she was consistently at his side. Plus, Zooey decided it was high time to see what was up with Susan and her lack of communication, and well… she dealt with a harrowing encounter with Susan’s house. One she thankfully survived, armed with the knowledge that this dream home happened to be quite deadly.

But in between all of those amazing moments, was… quite the critical journey for Luke. Because after spending some time to ponder upon what Phil brought to him in the season premiere, specifically, the whereabouts of his mother… he decided the time had come to seek her out. Because… he needed answers. He needed to know why she left the family behind, why she never bothered to reach out, so… he hit the road and made his way to her town. Wherein he learned, there were some traits mother and son shared. For Victoria Roman, was in real estate, and they both shared a love of older homes with the best of bones. But alas, that didn’t take this reunion all that far. Because despite making it clear quick that he had questions… she seemed unwilling to answer them. Which prompted Luke to try quite the gambit, and just walk away. Because if he couldn’t get her to talk on his own… she either had to choose to engage or leave things as messy as they were.

As it turned out, that was the right move to inspire answers. Because making it known that he wanted to talk and leaving the ball in Victoria’s court, prompted mom to seek him out and finally offer him the answers he so desperately sought. Such as the fact, that she left all those years ago, because she felt inadequate as a mother, and she felt she could never give Luke the peace or guidance he needed. Especially when it came to the pain, he endured from the voices he heard. So, she left, and spent every day filled with regret over that decision. For she did know her decision was selfish and silly, and that candor allowed for this duo to heal a bit, to begin to reconcile and it served as a fine reminder of the impact family has upon us and what that impact will motivate us to do when the time is right to have the peace we need.

But while it was wonderful to see Luke grow in this manner, and see his mother finally move their relationship in the right direction, this meeting also brought about quite the surprise. In that, somehow, the emotional power of this reunion… gave Luke his powers back. Which makes sense, since ethereal family trauma stunted them in the first place, so it only stands to reason that family healing would restore them, and well… that could not have come at a better time. For now… a battle ahead against whatever is ruling over Susan and her home awaits, and all of her friends will need Luke’s abilities to beat this evil entity. But as we wait for that battle to get underway, we can celebrate another amazing tale from this series. One that offered up some beautiful and powerful moments for Luke, the kind that were indeed life changing and moving, all because of the power of family. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 504 of ‘The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
​
Thus far, the fifth season of the hit Shudder series, The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, has been mostly devoid of a staple of the show. Specifically, hot tea and spicy drama and well, there’s good reason for that. Simply because the competitors this year, came to compete. They want that title, they want that prize money, they want to be the absolute best drag supermonster they can be. Which has prompted them to worry less about the insults and the infighting and just leave it all on the stage. But this is of course, a competition filled with people. People under pressure, people who are passionate and full of feels, and one can only keep that stuff at bay for so long before it catches up and spills over, as evidenced by this week’s epic episode.

For ‘Gods of Death (Part 1)’ brought forth some pivotal moments in the competition. For starters, this was the kickoff episode of the show’s annual Monsters of Rock segment. Which Drac and Swan love dearly since it really begins to show them what the contestants are made of and really leans into the wonder of drag and the performances that accompanies this art form. And well, they made sure to up the ante and the pressure by informing everyone that this year’s MOR battle would take place over two parts and part one… would involve creating that MOR character and a performance that would truly engage everyone in the mansion. But there was of course, one important caveat to this. In that, there would be no messing around regarding this competition. For the person that failed to deliver a great costume and a great performance, would be sent home on the spot.

Which brought about incredible pressure, and finally prompted the drama to appear. In part because this is where some of the combatants made it clear there were personality conflicts and bad behaviors that required some boundaries but also because… the stakes were super high. Which brought forth spicy critiques of the costumes, sass, battles royale and moments of levity and honesty since some of them just needed to vent and get their frustrations out as we are wont to do. But this definitely changed the dynamic of the competition a bit, and really reminded us of how raw and visceral this show can be, and how much every single person taking that stage wants the chance to be crowned as the best. And while there was indeed hard drama before us at last, it was productive in every single sense of the word.  

Because it pushed everyone to truly be the best. To really deliver on their costumes and performances and that led to one stunning floor show. Where Throb Zombie straight up created a monstrous version of Elvis Presley, and where Blackberri offered up an amazing homage to the world of KISS. Which made life tough for the Boulet Brothers. Because they were genuinely impressed with the floor show and had to really dig deep to find bottom looks, but they were there. Since Jarvis Hammer’s David Bowie inspired look didn’t quite vibe, nor did Jay Kay’s throwback Emo piece. Which prompted one last round of competition to really decide who was moving forward to the group portion of this challenge. Specifically… an on the spot, improvised, lip sync showdown/performance. Which did indeed settle who was going home. 

All of which made for one incredible episode. One that again featured some delightfully terrifying cinematic bumpers to remind us that this show will always find a way to showcase the majesty of horror, while at the same time, this episode provided us with a fresh twist on an important leg of the journey. Because normally the rock episode is a singular episode. Which means that what lies ahead can only be bigger and more impressive than what we saw here, and that’s saying something. Since this was one bombastic tale, and now sadly… we must wait impatiently to see how the group portion of this competition goes, and what kind of drama and tea that will generate, as these performers are pushed harder than ever before, all in the name of reaching the top. Until next time.

On August 23, 2015… the world of zombie themed fiction received quite the gift. In that, the runaway success of The Walking Dead, prompted AMC Networks to do something that had not been done in ages in the world of zombies. Specifically, giving life to a new and sweeping franchise that would absolutely rival that of George A. Romero’s Living Dead Saga in scope and size. Courtesy of a brand-new series… Fear the Walking Dead. A series that would serve as the first spin-off of many and promised to deliver a few elements that were rarely seen in the world of the dead. Such as showing us the fall of mankind to the walking dead, and what survival looked like for people that genuinely had no clue how to handle that kind of situation and well… what followed… was quite the journey.
​
One that yes, delivered as promised. For we were indeed treated to the fall of mankind through the lens of the Manawa and Clark families, who lived in Los Angeles and watched the second largest city in America succumb to living death in a record time period. And yes, we were indeed treated to horrors untold and an understanding that these everyday urbanites were not ready for this kind of life and had to learn on the fly. But once we got out of Los Angeles and into the land of the dead, something special happened with this show. It followed a new direction, one that took the time to explore new corners of this universe and new corners of the human condition and well… what it accomplished will be studied and dissected for years to come. 

For this turned into a story that explored things that no other zombie story ever pondered upon. For instance, this is a series that pondered upon the nature of loss and grief, and how difficult that is to process in constant crisis. And while yes, it’s been touched upon elsewhere, no series dug deeper into such matters than this one. Since we saw every single second of struggle that comes about from such a conundrum, yet… we also saw the characters dealing with it, grow. We saw them fight it, process it, and work their best to overcome it and that’s huge, because they did it the right way here, and actually confronted it. Sure, it might have taken a few seasons, but that really is something special that horror needs to explore more, and this show was a pioneer in such matters, and so much more.

After all, this is a series that also thumbed its nose at a lot of tropes and was supremely progressive in nature and groundbreaking as well. For it was incredibly diverse, and featured proper representation and showcased America as it was before the fall of everything. Not to mention, this is a show that actually took the time to showcase the wonder of Latino/Latinx culture through Daniel Salazar and Luciana’s journey, and even included a powerhouse Spanish-spoken episode. Which was groundbreaking as well. Not to mention, it examined topics that no other story out there was willing to do, and it challenged the characters like never before with difficult decisions that not even the audience knew the right answer to as the outside observer. Making this a brave show that really wanted to stand out from its sister series and do something special and it most certainly did.

Plus, it did something that most spin-offs won’t do. Which was to offer up crossovers to continue the story of characters from the flagship show. Not as a gimmick, but to give them proper closure and proper growth that they could not achieve with TWD working toward telling the comic book story. Which allowed for Morgan to become so much more than his trauma, and it brought forth the redemption that Dwight and Sherry craved and well… they weren’t alone. For character growth was a huge focus for the show period, and everyone found a new horizon through growth by the end of this series, and that’s wonderful and hopefully future TWDU shows that spotlight new characters and new stories, take a page from that. 
​
But alas, all good things must come to an end, and we have in fact… reached just that with this series. For these wondrous characters are on new paths now, and while there have been no announcements for spin-offs… I don’t think anyone would be upset if a few came to life. Simply because… it would be wonderful to see what that growth did for all of them. But in the here and the now, the time has come to say goodbye and offer thanks. To the talented crew for making sure that week in and week out, this show could come to life, even during scary times in the real world. To Dave Erickson, Scott M. Gimple, Andrew Chambliss, Ian Goldberg, and Michael E. Satrazemis for shaping these bold stories and giving them life as producers, writers, and directors, and of course… we must offer so many thanks to the cast of this series, in no particular order.

To Kim Dickens for being the hero. One that informed us to never quit regardless of how hard it gets, to Alycia Debnam-Carey for being the amazing moral center that this series needed often. To Colman Domingo for being the man we loved to hate but also hoped deeply would become the man he did. To Rubén Blades for playing such a powerful character that informed us that life is far grayer than we would like to admit. To Danay Garcia for being the beacon of hope often through Luciana’s beautiful views of the world, regardless of the darkness. To Maggie Grace for reminding us to always be curious. To Garret Dillahunt for reminding us to always do our best to keep our souls pure. To Austin Amelio and Christine Evangelista for reminding us, that love can make anything possible, and that redemption is real. To Lennie James for showing us that we can overcome trauma if we put in the work. To Jenna Elfman for informing us that we can reinvent ourselves and accomplish anything if we fight for what we want.

To Karen David for reminding us to always be objective, so we can work our way out of any trouble in this life. To Alexa Nisenson for teaching us that we don’t have to be products of our environment. To Mo Collins for reminding us to laugh, and to Keith Carradine for showing us that the past does not define us. For all of you, and the rest of the cast this writer missed, assembled a beautiful tapestry that represented the best and worst of parts of us, and how those bits make us the beautiful, and flawed mess we are. And also, on a more personal note… I cannot thank the many members of the cast and crew that took the time to speak with me over the years via various interviews. Those chats were simply amazing and added depth to a series that meant a lot to this writer. For zombies are my favorite monster, and to be able to pick the brains of experts, pun intended… was a true honor, and well… that as they say is that, and we have indeed reached the end of the journey. One that truly enriched zombie fiction like never before and took us on a very human adventure through a land of living death.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Finale of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’. To revisit the shows penultimate episode, click here.
​
When the eighth and final season of the bold and dynamic AMC series, Fear the Walking Dead, kicked off… the series made it clear that it wanted to ponder upon a powerful question. In that, are we a species that can be saved? For The Walking Dead established in its final season that we are indeed worthy of it, courtesy of the good that we harbor within our souls. But worth and action are indeed two different things, and well… we’ve seen things over the course of this show’s eight year run that have left us wondering as to whether or not we can indeed find salvation and what it might take for us to get there. 

Since we’ve seen a group of good people… go to extremes and fall to the wayside often. Since Alicia Clark was briefly a villain after losing her mother, and of course… Morgan Jones lost himself and found himself over and over again during his time on the show. Not to mention, Victor Strand, a man that tended to do selfish things in the name of personal gain, outright became the heavy for a time. Plus, that period in between the Civil War at the Tower and the rise and fall of P.A.D.R.E. saw every single hero lose themselves to the darkness within and commit to acts that were downright questionable for certain. 

Which spoke more to a species that was yes, worthy of salvation, but stuck deeply within its own toxic and self-destructive cycle.  And well… all of those moments, more or less indicated, that perhaps we cannot be saved… and that answer seemed to hang heavy over the show’s series finale. For ‘Fighting Like You’ and ‘The Road Ahead’ featured a bevy of dark moments. The kind that quite frankly, saw Madison Clark complete her transformation from the humble and kind, and brave and bold mother that we met in the series premiere, to a being of vengeance and fury… courtesy of Troy and the final showdown we’ve been waiting for between the two of them. One that was as unique as they come.

Because despite amassing a giant herd of the walking dead to use against the island, eventually Troy and Tracy succumbed to a booby trap on the road. One that badly injured Troy and separated the two. Which allowed for Madison to find Tracy one more time, wherein she was able to learn about Troy’s location so they could square off. That reunion in turn, helped Madison to learn that Troy hurt Alicia and murdered her in cold blood… because she was a voice of good and reason in this world. One that put his beloved wife in danger because she believed in Alicia’s teachings, in the hope she engendered, and he simply could not cope with the fact that good cost him so much, especially after what his father taught him. 

Which was an admission that spoke to a hopeless path for Troy, one mired in evil and sorrow and the only card he had left to play, was helping Madison and her friends find the herd and stop them… but even then… that went poorly. Since Crane decided now was the time to strike and get his own brand of vengeance, and that meant another hard fight for Madison, one that oddly… finally helped Troy to understand the fool hearted nature of his actions. Because there were people genuinely trying to cause harm in this world, and they were clearly scary and terrifying and well… he no longer wanted to be that. He realized that the universe had granted him more, granted him so many chances to be better, to be a real beacon for his daughter. So… he helped. He stopped the herd and sadly… died for his efforts.
​
For Madison, who was still in that place of darkness, didn’t believe he could ever change, ever help. That this was nothing more than a trick. And for her decision, she was greeted with the reality that Tracy was her granddaughter and that motivated her to make a mad dash to find Alicia’s walking corpse… to give herself the peace she thought would heal her. But alas, disaster struck. A second herd hit the island, because of Troy’s passing, and the dispersed herd found the search party for Tracy. Leading to chaos, the fall of P.A.D.R.E. and seemingly the death of Madison at Tracy’s hands. Because in this moment, the group hit rock bottom. No one worked together, everyone fought one another and tore each other down. Making it seem as though… we could not be saved because of our demons’ ability to overpower our better angels.

But alas, Madison survived her injury, and once more… led the dead to an explosive death, one that seemingly claimed Madison as well. But her heroic act, inspired everyone to realize… we are better than our demons. We are capable of great acts, great beauty at our absolute worst. That prompted the beginnings of M.A.D.R.E., a movement to honor Madison. One that saw the group part ways to build the right kind of communities all over America, and that sacrifice inspired Tracy… to find Madison and save her, and the story of Madison Clark spread so far… that a mysterious hero named Alicia Clark, who was cured of her poison by a high dose of radiation… came to bury her mother and instead found family again. Giving rise to peace and salvation for the Clark family, and new beginnings for the Otto family. Since we learned that Tracy was not Alicia’s daughter, but Madison was told so… so Tracy would be given a chance to thrive with people that cannot be stopped by the world, and the darkness we sometimes indulge in. 
​
Which meant, Fear the Walking Dead, offered up a happy ending. Where Strand found love and finally became the good man he always wanted to be. Where Daniel Salazar and Luciana found the family bond they lost so long ago. Where June found purpose and direction again and a chance to take on the motherhood role she craved, where Dwight and Sherry were ready to confront their past and their fears and where Madison Clark and her daughter were granted a second chance to do the right thing and inspire others. Because the real answer to the question that season eight posed, is that yes… we can be saved. Because we can right wrongs. We can change and reinvent ourselves and grow and step away from the evils that plague us if we choose. Giving rise to a species that always finds a way forward. Regardless of the dark days and the mistakes. For as Madison herself has said often... 'No one’s gone until they're gone.'

If there is one particular constant in the universe that applies to just about everything… it would have to be that when one door closes, another one opens. For life is constantly in evolution, and changes and new challenges and moments await when we leave something behind, and that genuinely applies to storytelling. For sequels, spin-offs, and stories in that vein, reflect that saying to a tee and never was that more evident than during tonight’s airing of the Series Finale of Fear the Walking Dead.
​
For that was the closing of a chapter, one that meant so much to so many, and with its end… a new one begins. Because in the midst of our farewell to Madison Clark and her friends, family, and extended family… AMC Networks dropped a new teaser in our laps regarding… The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Giving us a fresh look at the next chapter in this incredible saga, one that includes an official release date for the show and well… since you’re eager to know what is behind the next door in this saga… here is that teaser and all the details on the February debut of this series.

‘AMC Networks announced tonight that The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, the highly anticipated next series in the Walking Dead Universe, will premiere Sunday, February 25, 2024 on AMC and AMC+. A new teaser for the series, which stars Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira as beloved TWD characters Rick Grimes and Michonne, was also released during tonight’s series finale of Fear the Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead... And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they've ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive -- or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is executive produced by Showrunner Scott M. Gimple, Lincoln, Gurira, Denise Huth and Brian Bockrath.’

When we think of bold decisions in storytelling, we tend to think of epic moments. Such as say, killing off or removing a lead character from the framework of the story or something outright incredible happens that changes the landscape of the story and the environment for the characters, and it makes sense why we gravitate toward that. After all, those are huge changes that take guts to execute, especially since so many stories, especially on television, rely on comfort and familiarity to keep the audience tuning in. But while those are big moments worth discussing and pondering upon, what we often forget is that sometimes… bold decisions don’t have to come from giant and grandiose acts. 
 
Sometimes… they can come forth by introducing say… snap decisions from a character that have an incredible impact upon their interactions with another character. Or… having a character deal with some very real-world problems and implications. For those can really shake up a story and change its course and its direction, and it is those more, low key bold decisions storytelling wise, that we are going to focus upon today, as we bring to an end to our spotlight of the finest episodes that Fear the Walking Dead has to offer. For in season seven, those exact moments took place, and that led to a powerful episode that really did go places most zombie fiction does not. 
 
Such as the fact that ‘Ofelia’ informed us, that Daniel Salazar, one of the sharpest minds on the show, was suffering from cognitive mental decline in this tale. The kind that impacted his memory and his decision-making skills, to the point where he was a danger to himself and others and well… that’s bold. Bold because… we don’t think about those kinds of problems in disaster set stories, we simply assume everyone will keep on keepin’ on. When in fact, this would be a real problem, one that would cause more harm than good in a world where hospitals and specialists designed to treat such issues no longer exist, and nothing could be done really but making hard attempts to keep that person comfortable. And yes, Daniel’s affliction did indeed bring forth trouble, and a troubling decision.

Since Luciana did come to understand that there was a way to provide Daniel with real clarity, which involved, giving him something to focus upon. Specifically finding his late daughter and she used to that her advantage and manipulated Daniel in the process. Which was equally as bold. Since that spoke to how this world was wearing our heroes down, and how they were letting fear take control. Which prompted them to go to new places in a negative manner to win, to survive. Which let’s be honest… is something that happens in our world now, and we’ve done it ourselves now and again, and that too was bold to find here. Since you just don’t see horror stories or stories in general point out how fear can bring us to our lowest and make us do awful things.
 
But perhaps most important of all. This is a story that explores the nature of ageism, and how problematic and prejudiced that can be. Because in so many ways, Daniel is seen as a worthless old man, when he is not. He’s just hurting, he needs treatment and support and so many are willing to turn their back upon him and dismiss him and that… really is the boldest aspect of all regarding this episode. For this is how we treat the elderly in our own world, because we fear old age and fear the possibility of losing our faculties as our own odometer climbs. So, we shun the old, make them feel as though they are now spoiled milk to be thrown out, all in an effort to not deal with our own fears, when as Daniel proved here… that’s simply not the case, and those of age can be so much more and be productive.
 
If anything, all of these elements made… for a brilliant episode through and through. One that tackled new problems and possibilities for folks living at the end of everything, and one that had a lot to say about the human condition and how easy it is for us to be shun our own morals when fear comes into play. Not to mention, this episode was nothing short of an acting clinic as well since Danay Garcia and Rubén Blades let loose here to wow us with emotional moments and Colby Hollman held his own as the moral center of the story and well… those themes, those performances and one great story, makes this the best episode that season seven had to offer, and this revisitation of that episode, signals that the time has come… to prepare ourselves emotionally. For all that lies ahead is the series finale of this amazing show, and our fond farewell to it.
 
To learn more about how the actors handled the themes in this episode, check out Post-Mortem Interview with Danay Garcia, Rubén Blades and Colby Hollman… here.
​

​If there is one common trope that we find often in horror and in storytelling in general, it would have to be… the happy ending. For we firmly believe that good will conquer evil in any capacity, and we also believe that it will overcome great odds to do so, the kind that involves sacrifice and pain and a real dedication to giving life to a better world. Because in trying times, the best of us rises to the surface and that’s why we see the monster be vanquished in these stories, or people find a way to rebuild from devastation and soldier on. Because happy endings have to happen, and good days have to be on the horizon. But as time continues along, and stories lean harder into the truth about the world, we are seeing that trope fade.
 
Because the hard truth about that trope, is that it is escapism at its finest, for while happy endings are a thing in our world… they are not a constant. For sometimes, evil wins the day, the virus spreads and devastation remains, and people just leave it all behind and start over fresh without giving rebuilding a second thought. If anything, that trope is starting to die, simply because… we are coming to understand we learn more from failure, and we gain strength from real hardships that scare us and challenge us, and we need to focus on that. And one particular series that leads the charge in busting this trope continues to be Fear the Walking Dead. For it often has no qualms with bringing about a sour ending or a big loss for the characters, and it also has no issue with letting the bad guys… win the day now and again.
 
For the season six finale of this show, should have been filled the joyous stuff that we sometimes find within this franchise. Wherein heroes win the day and teach everyone those all-important lessons about unity and wonder. In fact, we’ve seen it happen in the TWDU before since the Alexandria Alliance, with Morgan as part of it, defeated Negan and the Saviors and worked toward a better tomorrow. But ‘The Beginning’ was a story… that offered none of that. In fact, this was nothing short of a bleak and devastating episode where evil really did rule the day, simply because it had time to get its claws into the minds of the broken and because of that… there were nuclear bombs high in the sky, making their way back to Earth to destroy the survivors and everything they’d worked for.

​Which allowed for many scenes to explore the fragility of morality, and the fear that would come forth if say the worst-case scenario arrived and nuclear bombs were about to rain from the sky. But more importantly… the heroes lost in this tale, and that was hard to watch, and it was even harder to watch them all scramble to just survive, somehow. Which led to one of the scariest episodes this series has ever put forth. Because despite having faced legions of the dead, and mad individuals with wild agendas in mind, this kind of threat… was a game changer and it truly gave rise to some amazing acting, some powerful moments, and some realistic observations as to how we genuinely find hope in our absolutely lowest moments. 
 
Which in the instance of facing a natural disaster, something we now all have experience with, is to find solace in survival. In being able to just breathe and know that we get a few more miles down the road. Wherein we can figure out a path that will make us happy when the danger passes. Not to mention, if evil is keeping us down, this episode reminded us that there are other ways to fight it, since sometimes turning the poison that a madman injects into a person’s mind against them can be quite impactful and powerful. But above all, we have to learn in those scariest of moments, that being the beacon, being the hero is sometimes the most important act of all. Because to know that others are depending upon us, need us… can give us what we need to stand up and take one step forward. 
 
Bu of course, those lessons were crammed into the end of a harrowing and horrifying tale. One where the clock was ticking, the tension was thick and where… darkness reigned supreme. Which made for a powerhouse episode, one that really did leave us wondering if anyone was going to survive this nightmare and what their future might look like in an irradiated world of the dead. But most important of all, it wasn’t a happy ending. Just an ending, where Teddy won the day and where the forces of good were left scattered to the wind and corrupted with fear, at least when it came to Strand and well… that’s a bold way to end a season and that is why this episode is outright the one we consider to be the finest that season six had to offer. Until next time.