In defense of Fear the Walking Dead

       I read a lot of bad reviews last summer about the first 6 episodes of Fear the Walking Dead and although (and unfortually) I don’t work for AMC,  Mr. Kirkman or Mr. Gimple or either Walking Dead series I need to fight and give a pro-side to watching this, not just another spin-off show.

         Yes I agree the first season was slow BUT it HAD to be unlike its parent show we didn’t wake up with a main character and then thrown into an already established new world of zombies and daily life and death situations. On another sunny day in L.A. this new gang (of characters) had to learn the rules of the game (I know I would have to do the same). What was happening? Why were the dead walking? Who was in charge? How to defend themselves and If the situation could be stopped? Enter Madison Clark (Kim Dickens) Travis Manawa, her boyfriend (Cliff Curtis) Nick Clark, her son (Frank Dillane) Alicia Clark, her daughter (Aylicia Debnam-Carey) Chris Manawa, Travis’ son (Lorenzo James Henrie), Daniel Salazar (Ruben Blades), Ofelia Salazar, his daughter (Mercedes Mason) and my favorite Strand (Colman Domingo), three families and one drifter (compared to a group of strangers) makes for a whole new dynamic in the way the story is told.  This allows FTWD to be its own thing, it has no comic book guidelines so no 2 months in advance announcement about an actor to play a certain character then when the episode finally airs there being disappointment. 

          This time we the viewer see the story from the beginning. I’m sure while watching season after season of The Walking Dead we all have our ideas about how this world wide situation began and because of elements seen on the pervious series some thoughts could have been about government action. Fear the Walking Dead appeals to and answers some of those questions, the government going too far and what it means to work together and fight back. Although we still don’t know what has caused the dead to walk through the streets of the city I enjoyed watching the characters figure out that the dead are helpless and that they only way to stop each one is to aim for the head and kill it (not an easy thing to do but after the 1^st one it gets easier, or does it).  Also it is nice to know that there are other good groups of people out there on the other side of the country living and surviving this cruel world we have all become a part of and love. Yes the characters and the situations they find themselves in are new and whenever a new series begins there is a period of adjustment and introduction. It is in the hands of the viewer to give any new show a chance and some time for said show to grow into its own (especially a spin-off). Think of it this way it is the child (as oppose to sibling show like CSIs) of TWD a teen who what to be nothing like its parents.

To sum up because of the passion some have for The Walking Dead there will always be “haters” of its spin-off and to them I say get over it and give Fear the Walking Dead another chance and let’s get to know these characters a little better before we can truly judge them.