Fear the Walking Dead review: Finding a reason to live

Fear the Walking Dead’s midseason finale gave fans some long-awaited reunions and set up a new purpose for the survivors heading into season 5B.

The Fear the Walking Dead season five midseason finale wasn’t like other midseason finales. Usually in both The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead the midseason finale has heightened drama, and possibly a death or two. The midseason finale is a chance to give the story a big bump forward and set up what’s coming in the second half of the season.

But the Fear the Walking Dead season five midseason finale had more emotional moments than action moments, although there was a lot of action. The dramatic plane escape from the radiation area as the reactor melted down was heart pounding and had the feeling of a feature film. And when Strand and Al were desperately trying to land the plane, and Wendell was able to get the lights back on to guide them down the runway, it was a cheer-worthy moment. It was the reunions and other moments that really made the episode special, though.

Wendell and Sarah both had the chance to shine in this episode, which was great to see because both characters have been really underused so far in season five. Sarah stood up to Logan, but then tried to reason with him to do the right thing, owning her own past in the process. Mo Collins, who plays Sarah, has a wonderful ability to be switch between the heartfelt and the comedic effortlessly. Sarah definitely needs more development in 5B.

Wendell was the hero of the episode, which was fantastic because, like Sarah, he’s been a very under-utilized character this season. It’s always heartening to see characters that aren’t the typical dramatic badasses save the day and remind us all that ordinary people are indeed capable of extraordinary acts of bravery, selflessness, and sacrifice. Then there were those reunions…

The Reunions Fans Needed

The group has been split up from the beginning of the season, and the physical distance between them — as well as their inability to communicate because of the mountains — has made the entire first half of the season feel fractured. It was time to bring the group back together. It was interesting to see how Sarah, Wendell, and Daniel reacted to the group returning with a large bunch of children, but it was really the reunions between the group members that made this episode special.

Seeing Daniel reunited with Skidmark was important, but seeing him reunite with Alicia was a tearjerker. There are not that many original characters left on Fear the Walking Dead, so seeing these two reunite for the first time since season two was a big moment.

When Alicia ran to Daniel and hugged him it was a moment where their shared experiences and shared losses blended and reinforced that unbreakable bond of surviving together. While Alicia knew Daniel was alive at the dam in season three, they didn’t see each other. They hadn’t seen each other since season two, when Daniel set fire to the compound.

Daniel’s reunion with Charlie was also special. He clearly sees a lot of Ofelia in Charlie, and he’s sort of unofficially become her mentor. It will be interesting to see how their friendship and bond continues to grow. Maybe it can bring them both some peace and give them new reasons to live.

Reasons To Live

The theme of the first half of season five — and of the midseason finale in particular — was that the group needs to live for more than just helping people. Their search for redemption can’t be all they live for. Sherry’s words to Dwight were really what they all needed to hear. They need to live for themselves and find happiness for themselves. It’s what their loved one wanted for them, even if they don’t feel they deserve it right now.

So, even though clearly they’re going to have a fight on their hands in the second half of the season, they’re also going to be focusing on living. John and June are engaged, Alicia is going to be learning what Eastman taught Morgan to help her find a path forward, and each of the others will be finding their own reasons to live and build a life that’s worth fighting for. It’s going to be a very interesting season 5B when Fear the Walking Dead returns.

Fear The Walking Dead will be back in just a couple of weeks on August 11, and The Walking Dead will return for season 10 just a week after Fear the Walking Dead ends for the season.