The Best of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ – Season 1

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Episode 102: ‘So Close, Yet So Far’
Original Air Date: August 30, 2015

‘It’s all gonna go to hell, and that’s what they don’t get. When civilization ends, it ends fast.’

- Tobias

Cliff Curtis as Travis Manawa in Episode 102 of ‘Fear of the Walking Dead’ – ‘So Close, Yet So Far’. (Photo Courtesy of Justina Mintz/AMC.)

In the middle of summer in 2015, something quite amazing happened to the world of The Walking Dead. In that, AMC Networks debuted the first spin-off in this popular franchise, entitled, Fear the Walking Dead. A story that was designed to introduce us to new characters in this harrowing universe and show us important unseen moments in the universe as well. Such as how humanity crumbled before the rotten hands of living death and what the earliest days after the end of everything as we know it, would look like for the lucky few that managed to escape the horrors of the cities and Operation: Cobalt, and well… what followed the show’s intense pilot episode, one that introduced us to the Clark and Manawa families… was nothing short of incredible.
 
Because we were treated to eight stunning years of stories from this saga, the kind that took risks and released main characters from the show in shocking and stunning ways. Which allowed for this series to break new ground in the zombie subgenre, and it even allowed for characters from the flagship series to come aboard and continue their journeys and grow in fascinating ways. But alas, all good things do indeed come to their end, and come next Sunday, we will bid farewell to this popular and brave series when its powerhouse series finale airs. But before we close the book on Madison Clark and the friends and family, she met along the way… we here at NTG thought it would be worthwhile to reflect upon the show and spotlight its finest episodes, starting with the best that season one has to offer.
 
Which believe it or not, is not the pilot. Granted that episode has a lot of merit and did some bold things but truly… the gem of season one was the episode that followed the pilot, ‘So Close, Yet So Far’. For several reasons. Such as the fact… that this episode was nothing short of a hardcore horror story. After all, the dead were growing in number in this story, and were a silent threat surrounding two families that now had some knowledge that the world was about to change and that led, to some powerhouse tension. The kind that had us wondering as to when exactly the Clark and Manawa families would see their next walker, since they had so many close brushes, and that made the moment Madison finally had to fight one both scary and exhilarating, and the wonder of this story didn’t end there.

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Lorenzo James Henrie as Chris Manawa in Episode 102 of ‘Fear of the Walking Dead’ – ‘So Close, Yet So Far’. (Photo Courtesy of Justina Mintz/AMC.)

​Because this was in many ways… a prophetic story. One that briefly but impact-fully explored the real-world tensions that were growing between everyday citizens and the police, and also how their power was of concern. Which was welcome commentary to find here, the kind that does get overshadowed… by the rapid collapse of humanity here. Because the terror in the city, the threat of the dead and the exhaustion of the populace leads to some outright collapse, the kind that is understandable but also heartbreaking. Simply because we the viewers know that all that had to happen, was communication and unity and then the dead could have been driven back or controlled. But instead, fear and confusion ruled the day in this episode and that led… to some of the chilling moments and visuals present in the franchise.
 
After all, when you think about it… this episode is the last time we see the civilized world in one piece. For after this, the dead begin to grow in numbers, basic social services break down and the end arrives. Making this the beginning of the end and there’s a real horror that accompanies that. In part because it is handled in such an intense manner here, but also because now… it has echoes of our own lives. Of the confusion and the rapid nature of the world’s shut down a mere three years ago. The only difference here… is that the lights won’t be coming back on and there will be no vaccine. Just death, suffering and changed lives and psyches and that makes this quite a powerful episode, one that ends… in a chilling and uncomfortable manner.
 
For that last shot, of Griselda standing over her candles before blowing them out is shockingly symbolic. For in many ways, that candle represents the light of humanity and just like that… it is about to be snuffed out and that… is the perfect way to end a perfect episode. One that truly instilled terror and a sense of doom into our hearts and let us know how bleak this series was going to be. And none of that is an easy task from a cast and crew perspective, but everyone here did their part to make that feel authentic and that is why this particular episode, serves as the finest that season one has to offer. Because it was a tone setter through and through and gave zombie fans something they’ve craved for ages on end, a genuinely terrifying look at the beginning of the end. Until next time.

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