(All images used in this post are screen caps from AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead, unless otherwise specified.)
Fear The Walking Dead, Pilot Episode
“Gloria?”
<a scream from downstairs>
“Gloria! Look, baby, we gotta go..!”
“Shh-e...she was eating them.”
“Nobody’s going to college….nobody’s doing anything they think they are.”
“Something really bad happened there.”
<megaphone> “Everybody get back in their vehicles!”
(sound of gunshots)
“C’mon, let’s get out of here.”
The next morning…
“Five? What, did you miss a few stops?”
“It’s not real…it can’t be.”
“Watch this…here’s the new real. Killshot, bitch.“
“He was right here!”
“What the hell is happening?”
FTWD Cast:
Kim Dickens as Madison Clark
Cliff Curtis as Travis Manawa
Alycia Debnam Carey as Alicia Clark
Frank Dillane as Nick Clark
Elizabeth Rodriguez as Liza Ortiz
Lorenzo James Henrie as Christopher Manawa
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Thoughts and notes on Fear The Walking Dead, Episode 1:
- While rewatching this episode, I wondered about the technology featured in it, especially as the teachers/students watched the online leak of the reanimated traffic accident casualty on their computers and cell phones. The iPhone that Alicia’s classmate was holding as they watched did look like an iPhone 4s, which had not come out yet as of 2010, when The Walking Dead television series debuted. Online speculation about this element of FTWD puts the time of the zombie/walker apocalypse’s inception at Fall/Winter 2012. Cool time warping, compliments of Kirkman and Co., right?
- I loved many things about this pilot episode, but I must mention the artful pacing of it first and foremost…it was a 90-minute premiere episode, so after the first gripping sequence of Nick waking up in the squatter church and finding his reanimated junkie girlfriend, Gloria, feasting on a second victim, this episode slowed down just long enough to explore the complexities of the relationships between a mixed family, Madison and Travis, Travis’s ex, Liza, and their children, Nick, Alicia, and Chris. Despite the discord, confusion, and circumstances around the members of these combined families, we got to see the deep love and connection between Madison and Travis, and how their love and unconditional support of their children translated into us, the viewing audience, growing to care for all of these individuals as the episode played out, and rooting for them by the episode’s end, which left us viewers dangling by a deliciously bloody thread of viscera, and suspense.
- I was personally delighted by the strength of the writing and dialogue, as well as the acting by all the key actors of this series thus far, and was particularly blown away by Frank Dillane, who resembles the young Johnny Depp character of the What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? era, while managing to convey the dischordant, jerky movements and quirky walk of the Johnny Depp character, Captain Jack Sparrow, of the Pirates of the Carribean era. Deeply sensitive, intuitive physical acting style by one so young…the result being an already-iconic character, Nick Clark, who is sure to be a major game-changer as the series progresses.
- I am loving the walkers/zombies we have met so far, Gloria and Cal Walker. Hot, fresh, and ready 2 rumble. Me likey. ❤ ❤
- I am so stoked to create playlists centered around the poisoned paradise of L.A., and L.A. bands/music, as key themes, along with basic undead apocalyptic mayhem on the Western front. Hollah!
- It’s young, it’s hip, and delightfully horrific. I give FTWD a resounding A+.
- Bring it, FTWD!
Until next week, gang, and enjoy the playlist.
Playlist:
Best Coast, “California Nights”
Hozier, “To Be Alone” (live)
U2, “Gloria”
Missing Persons, “Walking In L.A.”
The Sugarcubes, “Motorcrash”
John Frusciante, “Away & Anywhere”
Misfits, “Last Caress”
Motorhead, “I Know How To Die”
Dr. Dre w. Snoop Dogg, “The Next Episode”
barnfullawalkers 
This has to be one of the best shows to have debuted all summer! And dare I say it–it’s one of the most interesting shows since The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad. I love AMC. They are amazing!
And Mad Men! Yes, I fully agree, Jack. Working on the post for FTWD Ep. 2, which def brought the scary. So frightening to see it begin to see it all come crumbling down, and so wrenching to see so many good folks fall victim to the voracious undead!