Sunday, August 30, 2015

FEAR: So Close, Yet So Far



The second episode in the first season of Fear the Walking Dead, continues right where we were left off last week as we're still getting to know the different characters. This episode titled So Close, Yet So Far begins to pick up more on the social disorder; from how some people are oblivious to what is happening around them, while other's are too wrapped up in other social causes or civil actions to realize a different perspective. There is so much involved -- why is there no Talking Dead after the show? There is so much to discuss! I'd love to see how Chris and the gang would address the "protesters" versus the "rioters", how quickly it all came crumbling down. Overall, I would say that this was a good second episode, and I look forward to the next one even though it's two weeks away.

"It's like no one is paying attention" - Nick


So Close, Yet So Far opens with the principle of the high school walking the halls (in slow motion) and using his walkie-talkie giving someone the all clear, the camera cuts to various shots of the school. The next shot is of the daughter, Alicia, walking down the middle of the street (why she's walking in the middle of the street when there are perfectly good sidewalks is beside me). She comes to Matt's house and notices his front door open. So, what does an intelligent young girl do? Of course instead of calling someone, she walks directly into the house where only God knows what's in there. She notices a vase and flowers smashed on the floor and continues to search for her boyfriend by calling out his name a few more times before she finally find something else, which by her facial expressions conveys concern; cut to commercial. 

Alicia & Matt - When their life was full of possibilities

Last week Madison, Travis, and Nick had their run-in with Walker Calvin and they pick right back up with them speeding into traffic fleeing from the scene of the crime. They're making their plans to leave town when Madison gets through to her daughter on the phone and is trying to tell her to start packing their things up, but Alicia has different plans. She tells her mom how she's at her boyfriends house and he's really sick. Those of us that are The Walking Dead fans, we know this is the Walker Virus, or whatever it is. Travis and Madison want to leave and they want Alicia to go with them, but she doesn't want to leave her boyfriend Matt. Meanwhile Nick is rummaging through Matt's house, probably looking for anything to help ease his pain of the withdraw he's experiencing. When Alicia is persistent about not leaving her boyfriend, Travis asks her to get Matt something to drink. While she's away he discovers a huge bite mark on Matt's shoulder. Yup! He's a goner! Madison tries to tell Alicia they have to go, but she isn't listening; Matt gets her to leave though, she loves him and he tells her she has to leave because of that love. When the family arrives home, the neighbors across the street are outside preparing for a birthday party. It's very eerie how much they have been through and yet some people aren't even aware yet. Another neighbor is packing his car up and as Madison makes eye contact with him, you see him better and he's not looking too good, as he cough's eerily into his hand. Yikes! Travis leaves to go find his ex-wife and son, Chris,

Travis's son Chris, camera handy for some "important" documentation

Travis and his ex, Liza, are arguing because she thinks he's trying to manipulate their visitation schedule to see their son. She too doesn't have a clue as to what is really going on. When he arrives he uses her phone to contact Chris, when he finally answers he's at a scene of a crime that is quickly escalating. Back at the homestead, Madison and Alicia are dealing with the consequences of Nick's withdraw and what should be done. The mom leaves Alicia with Nick while she has to go find some drugs to make Nick functional for their escape. When Madison arrives at school, she makes her way through the metal detectors and finds the keys in the principals office. She arrives at another office (presumably the nurses) where there is caution tape on the door and an outlined body marked off on the floor. As she's breaking into the locker to raid for medications, someone is behind her - jump scare - it's Tobias - he asks for his knife back.


Back in the city, the crowd surrounding the scene of a shooting are increasingly harassing the cops trying to contain the field. Chris has a camera in his hand filming as a cop asks him to put the camera away. The crowd continues to become more agitated, taunting the cop about civil rights, as he silently makes a call into his receiver. Back at the school Madison gives Tobias his knife back and tells him "Be careful" as they leave she gives her office one final look, knowing that they'll be leaving and probably not returning (in her mind for a while, but it'll probably be that they'll never come back once they leave). Alicia is agitated that she's having to care for her brother, it feels like she has been through this before and she doesn't think he'll change, so why bother. When Alicia tries to leave Nick yells at her and they have a confrontation, as she leaves she hears him hit the floor. When she comes back in he's having a seizure and vomiting, which is very dangerous. When Alicia is scrubbing the floors, Nick has recovered and he thanks her. She tells him that she hates him and he comments how he knows -- electric goes out. Back at the school they're discussing social collapse as Tobias starts stocking up on some food. As they are making their way through the school when they hear the metal detectors going off. They start running for it when they find "Arty" otherwise known as the principle, who's now a walker, and starts making his way toward Madison. The walker goes to attack her but attacks Tobias instead. Tobias acted like a hero coming to her aide, even though he didn't know what he was doing or how to use his knife, because it literally did nothing. As the Walker Arty continues to attack Tobias, Madison is looking around and finds an extinguisher hitting him over the head repeatedly, and doesn't phase him. She hits him a few more times before it cuts to commercial...

Madison and Tobias hear the metal detectors in the school going off

Madison and Tobias leave the school, getting in her car to leave. Chris ia at the "protest", which is the word he uses, it's definitely developing quickly to rioting; as Travis and Liza are looking for him. When they find him - shit's about to get real. Police are arriving in riot gear as another walker is on scene and is shot by a cop. People start running as the city quickly is taken over by rioters and probably and inevitably walkers too. Finally Chris listens to his parents and they are running through the rioters and looters - they find shelter with a barber (and presumably his family). Madison drops Tobias off and offers him to stay with her till this is over; "This doesn't end" Tobias informs her. They part ways. She's in her car, maybe just trying to grasp a little reality, collect her thoughts, it's almost like the calm before the storm as she sees kids in a passing car with medical masks covering their faces.

Madison after dropping Tobias off

Liza asks Travis what he knows and what he's seen, he says nothing that makes sense (background riot noises) very scary. Camera pans over LA night sky scene traffic backed up. Mom arrives home, and gives Nick some of the medicine she was able to find, and fight for. He quickly takes it from her, happy with what she was able to find. He asks how much, she informs him enough to get them to where they want to go (the desert). He's an addict, he wants the drugs, what is he going to do when they can't find what he wants? Nick tells his mom how Alicia tried to leave, she doesn't address it and goes into the bathroom and attempts to wash her coat from Arty's blood. Everything starts crashing in on her as she starts to cry, her phone rings, it's Travis. They talk about where they are, he just tells her that they're safe (even though it's not the truth, he skirts around her questions, not to worry her). She wants him to come home, but he tells her to leave, she wants to wait for him to get back - the call gets disconnected. She opens her door to leave her bathroom and Alicia sees her and asks what happened but she just walks by her. Pan to the school and the principals dead body where she left him -- the city rioting. Back at the house Alicia's shining a flashlight outside (that will attract a walker). The power's off and phone lines keep cutting in and out. They watched as their neighbor across the street is getting attacked. The mom insists that they don't intervene, she keeps her from leaving and locks the door. The wife of the barber is praying -- they're still waiting out the city riots in the barber shop -- the barber's wife blows out the candles as the screen goes black.

Next Episode: "The Dog" September 13th


Links

No comments:

Post a Comment

Post your comment here. We look forward to hearing from you!