Fear is here! Sunday, AMC aired the mid season premiere of Fear The Walking Dead. ‘Grotesque’, episode 208, was an all Nick, all the time episode! I was amazed that we got a backstory of Nick. I really thought that the writers would give us a BANG UP return! Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but I think everyone expected it to pick up right where episode 207 left off.
It really doesn’t get much better than having a ‘Nickisode’. In just an hour, we learned more about Nick’s life and I am cool with that. He wants to be with the dead. Why? Heck if I know. Maybe he feels comfortable with them. He has this feeling that he is dead. Throughout all of his many problems, losing his father, the addiction, and the frightening realization that his girlfriend went all zombie, he has survived. Somehow, I think that this has made him strong enough to bear what is happening in this new world. The fact that he really understood what Celia was doing, keeping the dead, taking care of them, really touched him somehow. The fact that the Mexican people believe in their dead, cherish and celebrate them, is creepy to me, but is understandable. His brush with death in this episode, many of them actually, reminds me so much of another ‘Dead’ series, The Walking Dead. With Glenn, his brushes with death are far and wide also. This is just another ‘easter egg’, given us by the writers.
One of the confusing aspects of the episode, was the opening. Where did he find this woman and her son? Who are they and what do they have to do with the story? She and her son head South and Nick heads North. To be with the dead. Maybe we will find out who they were in the remainder of the season.
Nick’s long and winding trail, led him into trouble numerous times. On the highway, the dead were not the threat, it was the living. Almost being shot by the band of marauders is one thing. Almost dying in the heat of the desert is another. Trying to drink from a cactus and then eating it, only to becomes sick and vomit. Drinking his own urine, was gross, but what was he to do? Finally, shivering in the cold of the night and almost becoming dog food was pretty cool. The dogs did get a chunk out of Nick’s leg.The walkers hearing the ruckus, gather together and start walking towards the dogs. The walkers were attacked by the dogs, but in the end, the dogs became kibbles and bits. Starving, led Nick to share in the remains of the walker’s snack. Eww!
Hearing the gunfire and recognizing he had to disappear again, he puts on his grossness. Walking with the dead and blending in as if he is one with them. The bad guys are shooting them, one by one. Nick hears the walkers speaking to him. Were they, or was it delirium? We were shown the backstory of the rehab facility. Madison tells him his father is dead. Nick remembers that he never really acted like a father anyway. What’s the difference now. He hates his father for this. Gloria, seen in several flashback, was a good distraction for him in rehab, but when out, they became one in the samedownward spiral of drugs. Both of them failed rehab, and the ending for her was at the church in the very first episode.
We got to meet Luciana. She has been watching Nick walk along with the infected. A bad ass woman, who decide that Nick is worth helping, she takes him to the Doctor, Alejandro. He can’t believe he sees a thriving community, and soon learns that the dead are respected here.
The community of Colonia, will proof the be too good to be true in this season. Although I like Luciana. Her character may be around awhile. I do think however that the so called doctor, will not be trustworthy. He sort of creeps me out. What do you think?
All in all , I thought it was a great backstory episode. I think Nick will turn out to be the true survivor in this series. Although he is getting a bit strange with the “wanting to be one of the dead” things going on, I am sure he will come around to life sometime in this season. I can’t wait for the next episode! I see this as becoming a long standing series. Tell me what you think?
Inside The Episode
Talked About Scene