Sorry, not sorry.
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
Regaining its focus, even for what was primarily a flashback chapter, Fear the Walking Dead delivered a powerful, family-oriented episode that took us back to the week Travis and Chris spent on that farm following the violent ending of "Do Not Disturb."
To the show's credit, Chris was not redeemed. Travis wasn't able to talk him out of joining that crew of badlands douchebags, nor did Travis have to sacrifice his own life, somehow, to show Chris the error of his ways. Travis found himself on the outside of this one, with no way making his way back into his son's life despite his best efforts.
As I mentioned back in my review for "Do Not Disturb," this storyline is finally utilizing Travis in an effective way. Previously, his "good guy" ways held the series down due to his failure to commit to action. The family was on the run and desperate, so his apprehension to do what was necessary sometimes was frustrating. But here, with no real immanent threat, and when juxtaposed with the douche crew, Travis could shine.
At the core of the story was the severely wounded James, who Travis managed to keep alive for a handful of days despite the fact that the groups motto was "leave everyone and anyone behind" - a credo that only compounded Travis' fears Chris wanting to join this band of a-holes. Not only was Chris unshaken after taking the life of the innocent farmer, but now he was going to ride around with these amoral guys who were reckless and disloyal.
Travis' speech to Madison when the two of them finally had a moment together may have gone on a bit long -- his whole diatribe about how he'd basically lost Chris after the divorce -- but I much preferred this story to the rest of what's been going on at the hotel and the Tijuana camp. It also led Madison to come clean with Alicia about her father's suicide, allowing the two of them to reconnect after last week's argument over the sign. Again, there've been some great quiet character moments in the back half of this season. The stumbling and fumbling's been coming with the danger elements.
So what does this mean now for Chris? When will we see him again? And Ofelia too for that matter, since she drove off on her own last week? Will the two of them coincidentally meet up? It sure feels like that could happen. Because when Brandon and that other guy showed up at the end, at the hotel gates, Chris wasn't there. Yes, another story we'll have to circle back to at some point as the show continues to needlessly fiddle around with format. At least, Madison's move to send a signal to Nick held some consequences as it wound up attracting about fifty stragglers looking for shelter. She owns it. She knows. I guess the sign's still lit up too since more showed up right at the end.
The Verdict
Fear the Walking Dead turned its focus back to Travis and Chris and gave us a great story about a father trying his best to save his son from turning into a dudebro zompocalypse goon. It didn't work, and Chris went his own way, but the storyline helped elevate Travis even further, showing us the actual value in his ideals.
Editors' Choice
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