AMC's "Fear The Walking Dead"

[MrFanti]

"Wow!!!!" is all that I can say!!! :cool:

[JenniferParisHusband]

I'm truly hoping the drug addict son is the first major cast member to get devoured. He was horrible from start to finish.

[Vladimir Putin]

I'm truly hoping the drug addict son is the first major cast member to get devoured. He was horrible from start to finish.

I disagree. I hope his near brush with death will teach him a lesson that drugs are bad and that with the new situation arising, this will bring him a lot closer to his family. He should be grateful that by disarming the drug dealer, he's being given a second chance.

Here's a pic of Ruben Blades and the "Fear The Walking Dead" panel at last month's San Diego Comic-Con.
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/q749/transfan1/30_zpsgl5es7qx.jpg

[JenniferParisHusband]

I disagree. I hope his near brush with death will teach him a lesson that drugs are bad and that with the new situation arising, this will bring him a lot closer to his family. He should be grateful that by disarming the drug dealer, he's being given a second chance.

Here's a pic of Ruben Blades and the "Fear The Walking Dead" panel at last month's San Diego Comic-Con.

I think I misstated it. The kid who is the actor, he sucks. It was almost like watching a cartoon or an after-school special version of a drug addict. Plus his storyline was stereotypical and boring. They've already shown the preview for next week, he isn't going to change. So more after-school special. I hope he breaks into "I'm So Excited!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bflYjF90t7c

[youngblood61]

Looking forward to seeing this show, so I won't read on.

[RallyCola]

I am not a fan. Last night's premier gave me nothing to 'fear!' I found it lacked action, suspense, the gore of the original and chose to give me cliched characters who lack depth.

To me, the beauty of The Walking Dead's first episode was that it truly mimicked panic and emulated Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. Each has a character waking up in a world gone made. There is no attempt at explanation and there is need for it. You just react and survive and figure it out as you go along. It is dystopian because the media is not there to spoon feed you information. It just is. Moreover, all you need to know about Rick is revealed when he puts on his uniform.

To me, without providing spoilers, Fear The Walking Dead's premier lacked any significant punch. First off, I resent trying to emulate The Walking Dead's premier. The main character awakes again in a world gone mad, except, he runs away back to what reality is supposed to be. It isn't as impactful as Rick's awakening because as soon as he leaves the church, he is safe. The show then had to spend time trying to make you like its protagonists. It is very heavy handed about the blended family. It is completely predictable in that the kids don't like each other but clearly as the season progresses, they will need to depend on each other as a family to get through it. All three main teens (the spiteful weekender, the drug addict and the prissy white girl dating a black dude who can't wait to get away from her intolerable life) are so predictable and offer nothing new.

Now to the overarching theme: the beauty of The Walking Dead is the fact that the "survivors" are in fact the walking dead because they will go full zombie when they die which can happen at any turn. There is a finality to their lives and a brutality. In Fear, they are all just figuring it out, have no idea what they are dealing with and thus it will be reduced to standard zombie fare, like most other zombie movies...people faced with hunkering down to ride it out.

I don't see any originality here.

[svin_renigoth]

I'm going to keep watching. I can see they're going for a 'slow burn' into the devolution of society as the zombie apocalypse progresses. But...I think they should have made it a two hour premiere instead of 1.5 hours, so maybe they could have got to Ruben Blades' character saying something like he does in the preview for next week. I think it would have set the tone for the show a little better. But I think I get where they're going with it. The "Fear" in the title isn't necessarily about the characters fearing the walkers, but Fear in general--fear of death, fear for your family, fear of your neighbors, fear of others, fear of being a failure, the military instilling fear in the survivors to keep them in line (that's what it looks like in the previews, anyway), etc. The walkers are the existential threat in both series. The original series focuses on survival and what it takes to survive some years after the apocalypse, and what those characters are turning into. The new series looks like it's going to focus on everybody losing their fucking minds (to fear) in the urban sprawl of near-apocalypse L.A.

[RallyCola]

the slow burn concept only works if you don't already know the payoff. zombies are one thing but the ultimate realization for The Walking Dead is when they realize that everyone is already infected. now the main show deals with how survivors stave off turning every day and it also shows that man is the ultimate villain, not the walkers, how are slow and only motivated to feed, not through fear and desperation.

in 6 episodes where 90min was wasted on a "slow burn", you cannot achieve that same amount of suspense or character involvement.

to me, AMC clearly isn't sure of this concept which is why they only greenlit 6 episodes. while i expect nothing new to the zombie apocalypse concept or any true insight into the main series...i hope that it gets better than the premier.

if you are counting...it is already ahead of the original in terms of killing black dudes...2 down already...the boyfriend and the dealer and from the promo, we know the other black character introduced last night is going to be a walker ASAP.

[Vladimir Putin]

I think I misstated it. The kid who is the actor, he sucks. It was almost like watching a cartoon or an after-school special version of a drug addict. Plus his storyline was stereotypical and boring. They've already shown the preview for next week, he isn't going to change. So more after-school special. I hope he breaks into "I'm So Excited!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bflYjF90t7c

Feel he's stuck in a 1970s time warp?

I'm never impressed with Elizabeth Berkeley's acting, either in "Saved by the Bell" or "Showgirls," but I'd jump in bed with her.

[JenniferParisHusband]

Feel he's stuck in a 1970s time warp?

I'm never impressed with Elizabeth Berkeley's acting, either in "Saved by the Bell" or "Showgirls," but I'd jump in bed with her.

Funny story, not at all related to the topic, but... When I was working in the movie industry, in addition to my normal duties, I would volunteer to get sent out to do a "production audit" on how equipment was being used on location. It was a nice way to make some weekend cash, and get to travel. I got to do that with Showgirls. Had my audit done by 3:00 on a Saturday, and was asked by a producer if I wanted to help fill in the crowd during a scene they were filming. Despite no lines, I'd get a signature on the SAG card, and paid as an extra. So, double dipping on the budget at this point, I said yes. It was the strip club scene. I literally spent 5 hours staring down Elizabeth Berkley's cooch at a place called Cheetahs in Las Vegas. I was expecting it to be amazing, but it was far from. Tight little peach, in a dimly lit room, and no one was allowed to sit close, except the EP's. They'd call for a break, and like 80 guys would run off to the craft services table, she'd run and hide from them. I think I talked to her all of about 5 seconds. Said I loved her on Saved By The Bell, and she made a crack about how she hoped to leave that "shit show" in the rearview. Then I went back to staring down her snatch again. You can tell in the movie how long we filmed that whole thing, because if you look around the room, the first scenes we shot, every guy in the room is into it. By the end, no one wanted to look at it anymore, and everyone was sick of that lame song that was playing for her and the other blonde girl to dance to. Had to share that.

And now back to the actual discussion.

[bassman2546]

Funny story, not at all related to the topic, but... When I was working in the movie industry, in addition to my normal duties, I would volunteer to get sent out to do a "production audit" on how equipment was being used on location. It was a nice way to make some weekend cash, and get to travel. I got to do that with Showgirls. Had my audit done by 3:00 on a Saturday, and was asked by a producer if I wanted to help fill in the crowd during a scene they were filming. Despite no lines, I'd get a signature on the SAG card, and paid as an extra. So, double dipping on the budget at this point, I said yes. It was the strip club scene. I literally spent 5 hours staring down Elizabeth Berkley's cooch at a place called Cheetahs in Las Vegas. I was expecting it to be amazing, but it was far from. Tight little peach, in a dimly lit room, and no one was allowed to sit close, except the EP's. They'd call for a break, and like 80 guys would run off to the craft services table, she'd run and hide from them. I think I talked to her all of about 5 seconds. Said I loved her on Saved By The Bell, and she made a crack about how she hoped to leave that "shit show" in the rearview. Then I went back to staring down her snatch again. You can tell in the movie how long we filmed that whole thing, because if you look around the room, the first scenes we shot, every guy in the room is into it. By the end, no one wanted to look at it anymore, and everyone was sick of that lame song that was playing for her and the other blonde girl to dance to. Had to share that.

And now back to the actual discussion.

Great story. Her efforts at leaving that 'shit show' in the rearview failed her as she. along with most of the cast did a parody of it on Jimmy Fallon earlier this year or late last year. Hey, a buck's a buck, right?

I always had a hard-on for her on the show and when I heard about Showgirls and the nudity, I took my girlfriend (now ex-wife but not because of this) to opening night, while acting oblivious to what the movie contained. Needless to say she wasn't impressed with the movie nor impressed with being the only woman in the theatre.

[alpha2117]

To me, the beauty of The Walking Dead's first episode was that it truly mimicked panic and emulated Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. Each has a character waking up in a world gone made. There is no attempt at explanation and there is need for it. You just react and survive and figure it out as you go along. It is dystopian because the media is not there to spoon feed you information. It just is. Moreover, all you need to know about Rick is revealed when he puts on his uniform.

I don't see any originality here.

You do know that's a rip-off from Day of the Triffids right. The main character has an accident and is in hospital with bandages over his eyes when 99.9% of the rest of the world is blinded.

[RallyCola]

You do know that's a rip-off from Day of the Triffids right. The main character has an accident and is in hospital with bandages over his eyes when 99.9% of the rest of the world is blinded.

yes...boyle admitted as such but as I understand it...he was inspired to show what a world would look like to the last man who would see among a city of the blind. i have not read that book but the city was filled with people, no? in 28 days later, he upped the ante by showing jim utterly alone and brought a little know work to the zombie world. it is a trope that was again used to far lesser extent in Resident Evil.

that kirkman and co used it in The Walking Dead and that 28 Days Later was clearly the inspiration, was annoying at first but that they went back to it for Fear really grinds my gears! That shows limited originality and no creativity at all. I know they wanted parity with the original series, but from the very first minutes of the show, I was already unimpressed.

I will be honest...the whole zombie genre is extremely hard to be novel in...so I can't entirely fault Fear for just retreading very common themes that have been done better elsewhere, but when you layer all the cliched characters, the so called slow burn which to me is a bad thing, the terrible acting, and the lack of anything substantively different, it is not something I will need to watch. My wife on the other hand (as referenced in other threads) likes pretty much opposite shows that I like, so of course she enjoyed Fear...so it will be on my dvr, unfortunately.

ya know...I am pretty sure Ruben Blades character is just going to piss me off something fierce too as even more heavy handed and cliched. he is going to be the wise sage (like Dale) but has to be latino because its LA and when he dies a gruesome death at the hands of a walker, it will not be soon enough for me.

[MrFanti]

It set an all time record for a cable premier!
http://www.eonline.com/news/689338/fear-the-walking-dead-ratings-break-records-surprise-america-really-loves-zombies

[fred41]

It set an all time record for a cable premier!
http://www.eonline.com/news/689338/fear-the-walking-dead-ratings-break-records-surprise-america-really-loves-zombies

It did...but I believe, according to Wiki, the previous winner was a show called "Raising the Bar", which I don't remember at all, and which was cancelled after season 2...lol.

[luvzbig1s]

Actually most, if not all, stories are a rip off of some previous work

[Vladimir Putin]

I am not a fan. Last night's premier gave me nothing to 'fear!' I found it lacked action, suspense, the gore of the original and chose to give me cliched characters who lack depth.

To me, the beauty of The Walking Dead's first episode was that it truly mimicked panic and emulated Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. Each has a character waking up in a world gone made. There is no attempt at explanation and there is need for it. You just react and survive and figure it out as you go along. It is dystopian because the media is not there to spoon feed you information. It just is. Moreover, all you need to know about Rick is revealed when he puts on his uniform.

To me, without providing spoilers, Fear The Walking Dead's premier lacked any significant punch. First off, I resent trying to emulate The Walking Dead's premier. The main character awakes again in a world gone mad, except, he runs away back to what reality is supposed to be. It isn't as impactful as Rick's awakening because as soon as he leaves the church, he is safe. The show then had to spend time trying to make you like its protagonists. It is very heavy handed about the blended family. It is completely predictable in that the kids don't like each other but clearly as the season progresses, they will need to depend on each other as a family to get through it. All three main teens (the spiteful weekender, the drug addict and the prissy white girl dating a black dude who can't wait to get away from her intolerable life) are so predictable and offer nothing new.

Now to the overarching theme: the beauty of The Walking Dead is the fact that the "survivors" are in fact the walking dead because they will go full zombie when they die which can happen at any turn. There is a finality to their lives and a brutality. In Fear, they are all just figuring it out, have no idea what they are dealing with and thus it will be reduced to standard zombie fare, like most other zombie movies...people faced with hunkering down to ride it out.

I don't see any originality here.

Oops, responded to the wrong post, my bad.

[Vladimir Putin]

Funny story, not at all related to the topic, but... When I was working in the movie industry, in addition to my normal duties, I would volunteer to get sent out to do a "production audit" on how equipment was being used on location. It was a nice way to make some weekend cash, and get to travel. I got to do that with Showgirls. Had my audit done by 3:00 on a Saturday, and was asked by a producer if I wanted to help fill in the crowd during a scene they were filming. Despite no lines, I'd get a signature on the SAG card, and paid as an extra. So, double dipping on the budget at this point, I said yes. It was the strip club scene. I literally spent 5 hours staring down Elizabeth Berkley's cooch at a place called Cheetahs in Las Vegas. I was expecting it to be amazing, but it was far from. Tight little peach, in a dimly lit room, and no one was allowed to sit close, except the EP's. They'd call for a break, and like 80 guys would run off to the craft services table, she'd run and hide from them. I think I talked to her all of about 5 seconds. Said I loved her on Saved By The Bell, and she made a crack about how she hoped to leave that "shit show" in the rearview. Then I went back to staring down her snatch again. You can tell in the movie how long we filmed that whole thing, because if you look around the room, the first scenes we shot, every guy in the room is into it. By the end, no one wanted to look at it anymore, and everyone was sick of that lame song that was playing for her and the other blonde girl to dance to. Had to share that.

And now back to the actual discussion.

Very good story. Yes, I'm aware that no matter how good it looks on screen, it's actually the opposite on set. And that the best-looking actors no matter how friendly their characters may be in real life they are cold fishes. I can appreciate that staring at a woman's crotch for five hours, no matter how much you may have worshiped her on the screen can get to be less than a positive experience.

Case in point: the lovemaking scene between Sharon Stone and William Baldwin in "Sliver" (1993) was very unpleasant for both of them because they really hated each other. At one point Sharon bit William's lip on purpose with hostile intent.

I'm also not naive to not know that in many cases when shooting porn, even if both people in front of the camera orgasm, it doesn't necessarily mean they like each other. Both people in question can actually hate each other's guts and still successfully complete a sex scene.

[RallyCola]

It set an all time record for a cable premier!
http://www.eonline.com/news/689338/fear-the-walking-dead-ratings-break-records-surprise-america-really-loves-zombies

well...with a lead in of the original series...i can see why it would but let's see if it holds that through the end.

[MrFanti]

What I don't like about both series is that IMHO, they are moving too fast with the storyline...

[RallyCola]

2nd episode review...

i stand by what i said in my first set of remarks...it lacks any originality or tension. i care nothing for any of the characters because their development is heavy-handed and rushed while the zombie apocalypse is tiresome and uninteresting.

but what irked me the most is that no one can talk to another here, instead choosing to keep everything internal and believing they are sparing them of the truth. it is a pathetic crutch and thankfully my wife realized how crappy it is after tonight's episode and she deleted it from the dvr. we shan't watch this dreck again.

how many times can someone ask what is going on and get a blank stare or no answer? it is a plot device that this episode relied on to a fault and shred the entire hour of anything redeeming.

[MrFanti]

2nd episode review...

i stand by what i said in my first set of remarks...it lacks any originality or tension.

but what irked me the most is that no one can talk to another here, instead choosing to keep everything internal and believing they are sparing them of the truth.

1) I'm not asking you to change your perspective - it's yours and your entitled to it.
2) Yes I agree with you about not oddity of no one talking about what they say.

And to re-emphasize my last post, IMHO, this series should be moving at about the same speed as The Strain....

[RallyCola]

in all honesty, i will never have anything to add to this thread after this episode because i gave it two and won't watch any more. I don't agree with your Strain analogy though.

Del Toro said he could see 1 season (of which 13 episodes were ordered at once) from 2 books and then essentially carry forward from there. AMC only ordered 6 episodes. They have no chance to really develop anything and they have made it a point to emphasize this blended family dynamic so heavily that it takes away from the zombie apocalypse. That is the ultimate failure here...the zombies are not yet relevant after 2 episodes and the main family is cliched and silly. In The Strain, there is far more time to actually flesh out ideas. So...because of AMC's choices and the idiocy of the showrunners, FTWD can't possibly evolve like The Strain.

[MrFanti]

As I re-think it now, with the speed that events are happening, it's possible that it's just a 6 episode mini-series - nothing more...nothing less...Just 6 and done.

[RallyCola]

As I re-think it now, with the speed that events are happening, it's possible that it's just a 6 episode mini-series - nothing more...nothing less...Just 6 and done.

yeah, you have no idea what you are talking about. it's already renewed. you've just lost all credibility in debating this show.

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Fear-Walking-Dead-Already-Renewed-Season-2-75397.html

http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/467495-fear-the-walking-dead-season-2-to-have-15-episodes#/slide/1

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Fear-Walking-Dead-Has-Crazy-Plan-Find-Season-2-Character-81957.html

[JenniferParisHusband]

It's meant to be a slow burn and build up, remember "The Farm" on The Walking Dead, how it was meant to slow things down and lead up to the barn, shane, the town, and big herd coming after the farm? I get what they are doing with this, and have every confidence that when they get to the end of this season, the build up will lead to something good. But its a real damn slow way of getting there, and it's not the best way to start off the show.

And I still want the drug addict kid to get eaten, and hopefully replaced by the kid who was being a badass and saying in the middle of a zombie outbreak, I'm going to get my knife back. And not even a real knife, a steak knife, incase he wanted to have a steak dinner while fighting off zombies. That kid is the best character on there. He's the East LA Darryl. I want him to roll around the zombie apocalypse in a low-rider the way Darryl does his Harley.

[MrFanti]

yeah, you have no idea what you are talking about. it's already renewed. you've just lost all credibility in debating this show.

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Fear-Walking-Dead-Already-Renewed-Season-2-75397.html

http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/467495-fear-the-walking-dead-season-2-to-have-15-episodes#/slide/1

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Fear-Walking-Dead-Has-Crazy-Plan-Find-Season-2-Character-81957.html

I thought you were done with this thread (obviously not).

I see you couldn't resist the opportunity to insult rather than hold an intelligent discussion/debate though.

[MrFanti]

And I still want the drug addict kid to get eaten, and hopefully replaced by the kid who was being a badass and saying in the middle of a zombie outbreak,

LoL!
On a side note, more Black people getting zombified - I wonder who's next?

[jamesedwards]

All I am going to say is I Fear that it will come on again! Bring back the real Walking Dead, pleaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

[RallyCola]

I thought you were done with this thread (obviously not).

I see you couldn't resist the opportunity to insult rather than hold an intelligent discussion/debate though.

what is intelligent about what you said. you are clearly wrong and misinformed. there is nothing to debate when you think the series will end at 6 episodes when it already has been renewed. unfortunately, as i said, you've lost credibility on that topic.

i will have nothing to add for subsequent episodes but i will allow you to entertain me with your misconceptions of this series until next week. at that point, where i haven't watched the new episode, i will have no standing.

[RallyCola]

LoL!
On a side note, more Black people getting zombified - I wonder who's next?

are there any other black characters left? the principal, the boyfriend and the dealer were all that i recall being introduced.

[MrFanti]

All I am going to say is I Fear that it will come on again! Bring back the real Walking Dead, pleaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Patience! :cool:

[youngblood61]

I can't believe after just two episodes people are ready to trash this show.

[MrFanti]

I can't believe after just two episodes people are ready to trash this show.
Contrary to popular belief, not all the reviews are negative.....On a bit of a side note, I thought this one to be interesting...:)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fear-the-walking-dead-showrunner-defends-black-only-deaths_55e6ef92e4b0c818f619c21b

[MrFanti]

Interesting season thus fare....

[MrFanti]

Interesting season finale....
Don't know how you can kiss a person with walker blood on their cheeks and not get infected yourself...but hey! :-)

[MrFanti]

And...interesting way to start the season...

[KelliBlueEyes]

And...interesting way to start the season...

Just caught up on it today, happy to hear they are supposed to be bringing my favorite character back

[MrFanti]

Just caught up on it today, happy to hear they are supposed to be bringing my favorite character back

Who is that?

[KelliBlueEyes]

Who is that?

Daniel

[MrFanti]

Daniel
Ah the patriarch.....
Not sure if I have a favorite character yet - but there are quite a few interesting ones....the obvious ones that first come to mind for me are Nicholas and Victor....

[KelliBlueEyes]

Ah the patriarch.....
Not sure if I have a favorite character yet - but there are quite a few interesting ones....the obvious ones that first come to mind for me are Nicholas and Victor....

Travis reminded me of Andrea from twd, the way he was just a total fuck up all the time. As soon as he started getting his shit together they killed him. I've never liked Nick. I totally get Victor. I guess I would have to say other than that whole pirate thing I kind of like Alicia. But I always liked Daniel, and they had said before that he didn't die in the fire. I guess he is supposed to come back in season three.

[MrFanti]

Travis reminded me of Andrea from twd, the way he was just a total fuck up all the time. As soon as he started getting his shit together they killed him. I've never liked Nick. I totally get Victor. I guess I would have to say other than that whole pirate thing I kind of like Alicia. But I always liked Daniel, and they had said before that he didn't die in the fire. I guess he is supposed to come back in season three.

Yes...Travis was a bit of a wimp...that's for sure. I do like how Nicholas thinks "outside of the box" though...:cool:
Daniel IMHO has some Shane characteristics - i.e. do what has to be done to survive....

[KelliBlueEyes]

Yes...Travis was a bit of a wimp...that's for sure. I do like how Nicholas thinks "outside of the box" though...:cool:
Daniel IMHO has some Shane characteristics - i.e. do what has to be done to survive....

Kind of messed up that as soon as Travis grew a pair they killed him off

[MrFanti]

Kind of messed up that as soon as Travis grew a pair they killed him off

LMAO!
Did you watch "Talking Dead" afterwards, there was a funny part where Cliff Curtis said a joke that when the writers told him he was supposed to be an English teacher, he knew his character wouldn't last long....

[KelliBlueEyes]

LMAO!
Did you watch "Talking Dead" afterwards, there was a funny part where Cliff Curtis said a joke that when the writers told him he was supposed to be an English teacher, he knew his character wouldn't last long....

I don't watch talking dead, I don't have cable or satellite I catch up on a couple shows on vumoo over mobile data. Told you I host in a private location LOL

[MrFanti]

Told you I host in a private location LOL

Got me there!
Yep, I wasn't paying close enough attention....

[bryanferryfan2]

I'm a Strand fan

[MrFanti]

Well......another interestingly complex episode!

[bryanferryfan2]

Strand knows how to work the angles don't he .

[JerkingDude]

Kind of messed up that as soon as Travis grew a pair they killed him off

Why did you have to spoil it. :( Im so pissed now!

[MrFanti]

Daniel, Daniel, Daniel....

[MrFanti]

Once again, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel......

[cantona5]

I'm actually really enjoying it this time around - kind of gone back to where the original was so strong in the early days.

[MrFanti]

It's different now....hard to express my feelings about the last few episodes....

[MrFanti]

Interesting season 3 finale!

[KelliBlueEyes]

Interesting season 3 finale!

OMG season 3 was wild. Loved the finale.

[MrFanti]

OMG season 3 was wild. Loved the finale.
LoL yeppers! :cool: