Fear the Walking Dead 1.5 "Cobalt" (spoiler alert)

[NewJeffCT]

Only one more episode after tonight. I think next week, we also get a Talking Dead.

The National Guard's plan for the neighborhood is revealed; Travis and Madison make a difficult decision.

[NewJeffCT]

1. Interesting tidbit from IMDB

which can be notoriously inaccurate for upcoming shows...

Daniel & Ofelia Salazar are listed as being in 7 episodes this season - even though they are only 6 episodes of the show? Are they going to be in the "zombies on a plane" episode?

Also, Tobias is listed as being in only 2 episodes, and we've already seen both.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3743822/

[Iggo]

3. Seriously? Six episodes? I though they were doing a split season?

I don't even think ep 4 had a zombie in it.

Oh and Travis is an idiot.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Season 1 of The Walking Dead

was also only 6 episodes. I'm guessing they figured they couldn't get it on the air earlier in the summer, so they could have 9 or 12 episodes or more.

Season 2 of Fear is supposed to be 13 episodes, so I'm guessing it will premiere in June instead of August. Season 2 of TWD was also 13 episodes (split in 6 and 7 episode halves), and has been 16 episodes/year since.

[Baitball Blogger]

26. I am confident that we will see Tobias again.

And it probably won't happen until the end of Season 2 or somewhere in Season 3.

I expect him to be like that wily kid from Jurassic Park III. Since he will avoid the soldiers and police, along with the zombies, he has the best chance to survive the early disintegration of society.

[NewJeffCT]

2. Some articles from this past week

http://www.inquisitr.com/2446543/fear-the-walking-dead-showrunner-addresses-the-lack-of-zombies-in-episode-4/

http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/s135/the-walking-dead/news/a670634/fear-the-walking-dead-is-scarier-than-the-original-says-colman-domingo.html#~ppuTLzu3BunRju

http://undeadwalking.com/2015/09/23/fear-the-walking-dead-was-matt-dead-outside-the-fence-discussion/

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/88065/20150924/new-fear-the-walking-dead-video-explains-meaning-behind-series-title.htm

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/category/television/tv-recaps/fear-the-walking-dead/?_r=0

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/shawn-hatosy-brings-military-forces-to-fear-the-walking-dead

[NewJeffCT]

5. a few more articles

http://www.ibtimes.com/fear-walking-dead-spoilers-what-cobalt-theory-about-national-guards-plan-survivors-2115810

https://undeadwalking.com/2015/09/27/fear-the-walking-dead-daniel-salazars-best-lines-so-far/

http://www.inquisitr.com/2446592/fear-the-walking-dead-will-ofelia-and-corporal-adams-be-the-next-glenn-and-maggie/

And, Scott Gimple on TWD's "black actor" problem:

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/09/22/walking-dead-showrunner-scott-m-gimple-tyreese-noah-bob

[NewJeffCT]

6. just out from Forbes

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2015/09/27/fear-the-walking-dead-is-heading-down-a-predicatable-dangerous-road/

[Baitball Blogger]

27. Forbes is wrong and right for different reasons.

Yes, there are going to be some parallels in human dynamics, because people are breaking away from social indoctrinations that just don't work, anymore. And some people will be quicker to catch on that others.

But, here, because we don't have a main protagonist, like Rick, who was a sheriff, we are dealing with background from individuals who have a whole new resource to work with. Tobias and the character that Ruben Blades is playing is the best example. I love that Madison was part co-conspirator with him over the torture of that soldier, because she knows that the stakes are high. Who expected that a suburban counselor would end up backing such a scheme?

My trust is in Salazar. It's obvious from the initial information that the military doesn't know what the hell it's doing, and it's going to literally cut bait and run. So our troop knows they will be on their own sooner than expected.

And that stadium of zombies, just waiting to break out. Creepie.

[NewJeffCT]

7. coming up in about 45 minutes

should be interesting.

[NewJeffCT]

8. here we go

kicking off now

[NewJeffCT]

9. the wolf comes to the door

is that the guy who Travis tried to calm down a few episodes back?

[Baitball Blogger]

12. I'm a half hour behind.

Are you referring to the guy who was in jail with Nick?

[NewJeffCT]

13. Yes

that guy

[NewJeffCT]

10. suicide for Alicia?

wow if they went there

[NewJeffCT]

11. salazar has the national guard guy

tied up in the basement

[NewJeffCT]

14. Daniel going to become a Bolton

on Game of Thrones? Flaying the soldier...

[Baitball Blogger]

15. How is he going to dispose the body?

[NewJeffCT]

17. looks like he's hanging on

for now.

[Baitball Blogger]

16. The time that Travis has to get on board with what is happening

is running short.

[NewJeffCT]

18. pretty intense ending

kind of some scattered goings on, it seemed. Alicia and Chris bonding, Nick and the new guy in the jail, Salazar and the soldier, Travis taking a ride.

[NewJeffCT]

19. Don't Open - Dead Inside

looks like an intense finale

[Baitball Blogger]

28. You know the rule of writing.

If you show a gun on the mantle in the opening chapter, it better be discharged and have some relevance to the story.

And we just saw a stadium of zombies that are itching for a stampede.

[bettyellen]

20. what is up with the guy with the cuff links?

is he just a sociopath looking for an easy to manipulate minion in Nick?

[NewJeffCT]

21. no frigging clue

but, he seems to know everything is going to shit

[Baitball Blogger]

29. Maybe that's why the Forbes article was so ho-hum about

the repetition in the theme of opportunists who would step in for personal profit once civilization begins to disintegrate.

Who would know better than Forbes?

[NewJeffCT]

22. So, what sort of skills

does Nick have that the black dude in the suit thinks will be useful? His skill with needles?

[Phentex]

23. desperation...

I think he smells someone willing to do anything.

[NewJeffCT]

24. good point

Plus, if the guy saves Nick, Nick owes him a favor. ("Some day - and this day may never come - I may call upon you to return the favor.&quot

[Kotya]

25. Heroin junkies can be resourceful.

They know where people hide stuff.

[Baitball Blogger]

30. And we know they will sell out their mothers for a fix.

[Iggo]

31. A slow-moving show about how things are supposedly moving fast is pissing me off right now.

Being honest with myself, I'm really not that excited about the season finale.

[NewJeffCT]

32. I'd agree with you

that the show has been uneven so far - some good moments with most of episode 3, and when Nick ran down his dealer twice. However, too much inaction combined with most of the characters not really being all that charismatic or likable.

However, I'm hoping we'll get some intense action and some harrowing escapes on Sunday.

[SwissTony]

44. I can see where you're coming from.

The directors seem to have chosen a different approach from TWD. In TWD, Rick was unconscious in hospital when the zombie "horde" had already happened. He was just lucky to have survived. But Rick had to get up to speed pretty quickly to keep going.

In FTWD, we seem to be some time before the horde. So, people don't know what's happening, when it's going to happen etc. And it's not clear what the time frame is. Is it a day or two (not much would happen), a week or two, or a month or two?

So far, I'm not unsatisfied. I'll wait for season 2.

[Solly Mack]

33. Finally watched.

No surprises about how the military is behaving.

Griselda's death was no surprise.

Liza isn't dumb, so maybe there's hope there...during an escape attempt or rescue mission. Whatever the others are planning.

Salazar. My, my, my.

Travis needs to rid himself of his inner delusional Herschel.

Madison adapts to fluid situations. That's a good survival skill.

The "Closer", aka the man in holding with Nick, seems to be the typical opportunist, but he is also someone who knows the score. He knew the man looking at the photo was weak. He knows Nick isn't. Nick has survival skills. He also understands human nature enough to know idiots will think gold and trinkets matter - because they can't grasp a world where a governing authority doesn't exist.

While it is reasonable to assume some form of bargaining and trading will eventually emerge, cuff links aren't it. Unless you're smart enough to know how to use diamonds for other things. So the military man is still caught up in a world where some semblance of order still exist, and as he is part of a group that thinks it is in charge...the delusion continues.

The "Closer" will either be a governor type or someone who just wants to survive and wants other survivor personalities around him.

Salazar thinks along the same lines, though I think the path taken isn't the same - remember his "the good people are the first to die" comment.

The "Closer" will be a next season conflict for the group that emerges as survivors. There will be conflict with Salazar, too.

My guess for the certain survivors - Travis, Madison, Nick, the Closer, Salazar, Chris, Liza, Alicia.

Maybe Ofelia, Salazar's daughter....but maybe Daniel dies because he goes bonkers Griselda is dead and Ofelia survives of his family group. But Daniel is able to process changing dynamics quickly, so might already accept her as dead. Though he talks as if the possibility exist she's still alive. Maybe she's his taproot?

Maybe Ofelia's military boy-toy...maybe not. They are sort of obligated now to watch over him. They could kill him or his possible escape could alert the military, and the group has only until 0800, maybe less than 12 hours, to formulate an escape plan.

Liza will kill the army doctor, I think. Though she did teach Liza a very important lesson - the headshot kill. Maybe Liza kills the doctor after she turns.

It's annoying how slow the show is moving....but it's annoying to watch people in real life who are slow to grasp what seems crystal clear and obvious.

[NewJeffCT]

34. nice comments

I'm still not sure Alicia is going to make it. And, I have a feeling Liza won't make it and Chris will blame Travis and we'll go through that in season 2.

I had thought it was Alicia's suicide note, but then somebody on another board said it was the Asian woman who had written a note to her husband (the guy that was going to embrace his sick wife when both got blasted by the soldiers)

I think Salazar and his daughter make it.

[Solly Mack]

35. Liza dying would add to the father & son conflcit already present and that

does provide an avenue for change and growth.

I want Ofelia to survive, and that would be another area of conflict, another storyline. Ofelia said her father was right but she didn't like what was happening in the end.

Still, too much interpersonal conflict can bog a show down. Usually dealt with by killing a character off.

Yeah. The note belonged to Susan.

I see Alicia surviving into the 2nd season then all bets are off.

[NewJeffCT]

36. well, Alicia does have the advantage

of being an attractive young woman, and they have tended to have longer lifespans on the original show than black men. Beth lasted from season 2 all the way till season 5. Maggie, Sasha, Tara, Rosita and Michonne are all still alive. Lori and Andrea both lasted into season 3. (Amy - Andrea's sister - was the only short-lived one I can really remember?)

[Baitball Blogger]

37. I thought I read somewhere that Alicia has a few secrets of her own.

We still may not know her full background.

Daniel Salazar and Nick are the two wild card personalities, though I see Nick going dark very quickly, since we haven't seen him do anything else but make bad choices. And, I think the guy who is recruiting him is not seeing him as anything but a useful idiot. Yes, he knows Nick will be resourceful and he will make a good right hand man, but he also knows that he will be able to manipulate Nick because of his addiction.

The only thing that will keep Daniel on the side of good is Ofelia. I think that man has seen so much of death that it would not be characteristic for him to lose his mind once he realizes his wife has died.

Daniel and Madison will make a good team. Not a romantic team, but a survival team. Daniel will do what needs to be done, a la Shane, only smarter. And Madison will try to keep everyone else from losing their shit because of it. But her weakness is Nick. I think that boy is a liability for her.

Most promising plot line is that this early group of survivors are going to try to make a break for the desert. Whether they make it or not is not as important as the fact that they are recognizing early that the military has lost control and they need to slip away before it is too late. Salazar knows that people will be as much of a danger to them as the zombies.

That stadium full of zombies is going to be the cliff hanger for the next season. Once they break loose, we will be on par with the beginning of Walking Dead.

[NewJeffCT]

38. I think Salazar lets them out, and then the season ends

with the zombies swarming the fenced off area and overpowering the fences.

Interesting, though, you have the makings of a rather ruthless crew, though. You have “the Closer” in Victor Strand, and his new buddy Nick. Then, you have Salazar the former death squad torturer, and you also have Madison, who just bashed in the principal’s head to save Tobias.

Could create an interesting dynamic next season with Travis, Liza, Chris, Ofelia and Alicia. Are they ruthless, or do they hang on to their humanity?

[Baitball Blogger]

39. They are from L.A.

Haven't they already lost their humanity?



jk.

[Solly Mack]

40. Sadly, true.

Course, Morgan is still around, albeit off and on. But then he is in Alexandria now, so...

[NewJeffCT]

41. Morgan has been in like 3 episodes

the season finale last year, the Clear episode in season 3 and the very first episode. I think he made two cameos earlier in last season as well.

Now, if he survives all of season 6 and is a major factor, then we can start to talk about black men mattering on the show.

Sasha has been around a while, and Michonne has been around since the season 2 finale and has become more & more vocal on the show, so it seems to only be black men on the show.

[Solly Mack]

42. I would never say black men mattered on the show. Only that Morgan was around on and off.

And then I hinted that he'd likely end up dead (too) since he was in Alexandria.

[MosheFeingold]

43. "No surprises about how the military is behaving."

I think it's a tad 2 dimensional. National Guard troops in this kind of situation would be from the local area.

They would have families, too. Just statistically, most of their families would be in the "dead" areas.

They'd be a lot more broken up and understanding than they are being portrayed.

+++

I lost all respect for Liza when she didn't grab the pistol from the dead guy in the street in 1.04.

[Solly Mack]

45. Some wouldn't, some wouldn't. In terms of empathy and decency.

Soldiers are human, nothing more. Some good, some bad. Some truly awful.

I'm referring to them thinking they can handle the situation better than civilians and them thinking they know what's best.
We already know they can't and they don't. Kill orders/containment are in keeping with them thinking they know best - so, again, no surprise at their behavior.

Fear the Walking Dead is showing the early days, when the walking dead infection is manifesting. The Walking Dead has already shown us the government/military - to include the NG - wasn't any better equipped to handle the situation than anyone else.


A soldier worried about their family can also become hostile and resentful. It's not realistic to think they would all be caring and concerned about other people. It's not realistic to think they would all be decent people. Especially with the world falling apart right before their eyes. Just as it's not realistic to think anyone else will behave in a decent manner. It's kind of what the 2 shows are about. How to keep your humanity in the face of what's happening. What constitutes humanity now, and how people change in the face of the dead walking.

[NewJeffCT]

46. If you go back to the parent show and the CDC episode

Jenner mentioned that when things started going bad, a lot of the people there just left to go to be with their families at the end of the world... and, the people at the CDC are supposed to be among the best & the brightest. (I remember the Cracked article on why a Zombie Apocalypse could never really happen, "The CDC - they tend to not fuck around. It even says it on their business cards."

But, I would think if things really got bad, posse commitus would be suspended and we'd get the army, marines and air force involved, command centers would be set up on aircraft carriers or battleships offshore, etc, etc. The national guard does a lot of good things with disaster relief, but they're basically weekend warriors and not professionals (what is the commitment - one weekend a month and one week/year?) These guys are truck drivers, accountants, insurance salesmen, computer repair guys, plumbers, etc for the other 350 days per year.

the Cracked Article:
http://www.cracked.com/article_18683_7-scientific-reasons-zombie-outbreak-would-fail-quickly.html

[Solly Mack]

47. I think a lot of the NG would book to be with their families.

I also think a lot of professional soldiers would do the same.

I think that would be a very human attitude and course of action.

I don't hold to the notion that people would stay at their job during a zombie apocalypse simply because they have an important job. Or rather, had an important job when the world was normal. No one's job is vital or critical when zombies come calling.

It's an all bets are off situation.

Some would feel compelled to remain out of duty, obligation, honor, etc., but it's neither shocking nor unexpected to find that many would not.

I agree. If the shit hit the fan like that, there would be no such thing as no troops allowed on the streets.

On September 11, 2001, and for days after, posts/bases were on lock down. People had until 3 PM (where I was) to reach post before they were locked-out until the lock-down was called off. No one left post, no one entered - for days. Civilians who worked on post were told to leave and not come back until they were called. Spouses and family members who worked off post were told to make it by 3 or be prepared to stay off post until the lock down was over.

Soldiers that lived off post had 1 hour to reach post prepared to remain there.

My point being, that would be the course of action during a zombie invasion too. It's how they do things. I agree the full force of the military would be used on the streets, with the post/bases themselves locked down...making it kind of like a honey pot for zombies.

There's almost always some way to get onto a post/base. Woods are often used as a natural buffer but zombies could walk through the woods and start attacking.

People could and would die on post from all kinds of things - making more zombies. I can see how easy it would be to lose the military to zombies, post by post.

I can see soldiers abandoning their job because all hell done broke loose.

I can see soldiers going on a power trip because they have the big guns and abusing their authority.

I can see soldiers behaving badly - because like everyone else - there are good and bad ones.