‘Fear The Walking Dead’ Divides The Survivors: ‘It’s Us Or Them’ [Video]

Fear the Walking Dead is set to return on AMC for the second half of its much longer Season 2 and, as the post-apocalyptic series returns, the surviving protagonists are no longer the united group they might have been. Instead, many of the Fear the Walking Dead characters are striking out on their own, some in search of a safe haven, some in search of answers, and some, like Nick (Frank Dillane), are searching for a deeper meaning to the zombie problem. New teasers reveal that Nick’s expedition will be a focal point, but will that be to the exclusion of the other characters in this Walking Dead spin-off?

Fear The Walking Dead: What Was And What Will Be

Thanks to TV Guide, we have a brief reminder of the way Fear the Walking Dead ended its mid season finale in May and, considering how long ago that was, some fans may need the refresher. The biggest hardship facing the ever growing group of survivors came as Daniel Salazar (Ruben Blades) set the ranch ablaze, forcing everyone to flee the property once considered a safe haven from zombie hoards. As the fire began to consume everything, Madison (Kim Dickens), Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey), Ofelia (Mercedes Mason), and Strand (Colman Domingo) took off in the hopes that they might safely make it back to the boat. The rest of their group, however, defied Madison’s dream of a united group by striking out on their own.

Nick, having been swayed by Celia Flores’ (Marlene Forte) romanticized vision of the zombies as dearly departed loved ones, runs off seeking to find the truth of the matter on his own.

Chris has also run off, forcing Travis (Cliff Curtis) to choose to keep his own son safe and abandoning his adopted family with Madison.

As Season 2B of Fear the Walking Dead picks up, Madison and Strand lead their smaller band of survivors to Tijuana, only to find out things are no better there than they were at the ranch.

While Strand’s group deals with their own troubles, Travis and Chris face the moral dilemma of the best way to deal with zombies, particularly those undead they have known.

“There is no more bad, right or wrong. It’s us or them,” Chris tells his father in the return of Fear the Walking Dead.

Nick’s Journey Will Be A Central Point In Season 2B of Fear the Walking Dead

Season 1 of Fear the Walking Dead was highly criticized by critics and by loyal Walking Dead fans for the slow-moving story arcs and the emphasis of drama over action, but, as Undead Walking points out, showrunners have initiated some needed changes for Season 2. One big way Fear the Walking Dead has been able to bring greater opportunities for action into the mix was by dividing the group, allowing Fear the Walking Dead episodes to switch back and forth between the splintered survivor groups.

As Season 2 of Fear the Walking Dead picks up with its eighth episode entitled “Grotesque,” the focus is primarily on Nick, who has doused himself in walker guts so he can more easily walk among the undead. No one is really sure what Nick’s purpose is, not even Nick himself, but it has been revealed in previous Fear the Walking Dead teasers that he ends up interacting with a new group of survivors. It remains to be seen just what kinds of people these are, but there does seem to be a love interest for Nick in the group.

It seems Fear the Walking Dead showrunners are going with a new formula, focusing on one group of survivors per episode, which should allow for deeper insight into each character as the season progresses. Dividing the Fear the Walking Dead cast in this way may even provide for greater character growth and allow them to better understand this new world of the zombie apocalypse, which is another change that has been needed. Many of the characters, particularly Madison, seem to be clinging to the concepts of “normal society,” even when it’s clear that everything has changed.

Fear the Walking Dead returns on Sunday, August 21 on AMC.

[Image by AMC]