After a shaky first couple of seasons that cost the show quite a few viewers (though it is still top 5 among cable series), Fear the Walking Dead finally seemed to find itself in the front half of the third season. The series killed off a major character in Travis in the third season premiere and introduced an interesting new settlement controlled by Jeremiah Otto, aka the Racist Hershel Greene.
Part of finding itself has meant dabbling in politics, but the series has handled it surprisingly well, introducing an episode almost entirely in Spanish, a border dispute, and pitting a racist old white man against a Native American community. It’s worked to surprising effect, and the two-hour midseason finale represents the two best episodes of the series run, so far.
Alas, showrunner Dave Erickson, who seems to have finally found his way, will be leaving the show at the end of the season, making way for two new showrunners in Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, who are moving over from ABC’s Once Upon a Time. Hopefully, Fear the Walking Dead can maintain its momentum in the back half and leave the new showrunners with a series on a creative upswing, perhaps even working toward the long-rumored crossover between Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead.
.@RobertKirkman on a connection between #FearTWD and #TWD:
"I think that it's something we would love to try and work out." #FearTWD #SDCC pic.twitter.com/ukNNx8SyXG— FearTWD (@FearTWD) July 21, 2017
The trailer also suggests that the back half will see the Clarks continue their conflicts with both the surviving Otto brothers, the Native American community, and that they will have to deal with a water shortage, which is clearly where Daniel Salazar comes back into play. Victor can be seen with Madison, too, so it’s safe to say that they will be reunited, as well.
It’s still not quite The Walking Dead good because it’s been difficult to invest in the characters, but the storylines have managed to rise of the level of the parent series.
Fear the Walking Dead kicks off the back half of the season with a two-hour premiere on September 22nd, with eight episodes leading into the return of The Walking Dead in October.
