Watch The Opening Scene From ‘Fear The Walking Dead’ Before It Premieres

The reviews for Fear the Walking Dead are in, and they’re… mixed? Variety says the pilot “ambles along too leisurely… with a fair amount of fabricated tension but precious little that actually quickens the pulse,” while HitFix criticizes its “uneven execution, with the prequel nature of it hurting as much as helping.” Having seen the first episode, I agree with the A.V. Club, which noted that “right from the jump, they’re sacrificing a lot of the resonances that a prequel promises,” but, “in the long run, though, they may end up with a better show, which can shamble along on its own.” Fear the Walking Dead isn’t as good as its predecessor, but it could be.

Decide for yourself this Sunday when The Walking Dead companion series premieres on AMC, or make a hasty judgement and determine whether it’s better based on the first three minutes of the pilot, which you can watch below. Hey, at least it’s not another teaser for a teaser.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Living in the same universe as The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead is a gritty drama that explores the onset of the undead apocalypse through the lens of a fractured family. Set in a city where people come to escape, shield secrets, and bury their pasts, a mysterious outbreak threatens to disrupt what little stability high school guidance counselor Madison Clark and English teacher Travis Manawa have managed to assemble. The everyday pressure of blending two families while dealing with resentful, escapist, and strung out children takes a back seat when society begins to break down. A forced evolution, a necessary survival of the fittest takes hold, and our dysfunctional family must either reinvent themselves or embrace their darker histories.