Fear the Walking Dead 509 review: Keeping humanity alive

The Fear the Walking Dead squad got personal during the midseason premiere, and they’re using their humanity as another skill to keep people — and hope — alive.

The Fear the Walking Dead midseason premiere helped fans connect with the characters in a way that had been a little lacking in the first half of the season. The squad took a unique approach in their attempts to convince people that they were trustworthy by taking videos of themselves. Each character talked about their own personal journey and challenges, while also reinforcing the idea that the group has the skills and the desire to help the people out there who need it.

This group of survivors has been focused on redemption at any cost for so long that there was a danger they might become caricatures of themselves. However, they pulled back from that edge by revealing their authenticity and telling their stories to Al on camera.

Hearing Morgan talk about his past was particularly moving. For fans of The Walking Dead, seeing the crossover characters Morgan and Dwight share their stories feels like they have a secret with the character because they know all the events and people that the character is referencing, even when no names are mentioned. It’s a nice bond.

But there was still plenty of action in this episode. While the focus is really on character development and revealing important vignettes from each character, it seems like their willingness to be open to each other and to others has only made them tighter as a squad. From a haphazard band of survivors not sure if they could trust each other — or if they wanted to trust each other — they have become a cohesive unit where everyone knows their job and does it expertly. It’s a joy to watch.

Logan showed up at he end of the episode to make it clear he’s still there, and to emphasize that he and his crew still want to know the location of the oil field — and they will do whatever it takes to get that information. Clearly, there’s going to be some serious conflict ahead in Fear the Walking Dead season 5B.

Keeping humanity alive at any cost?

Surviving in The Walking Dead world always means walking a fine moral line. The Fear the Walking Dead squad has the best of intentions, and they’re doing everything they can to keep humanity alive in this brutal world. They are risking everything to help as many people as they can, and they never back down from a fight. But what is the cost of trying to keep the idea of humanity alive? Is it worth it? What will it do to them long term to continually risk their lives for strangers? Will the risks and sacrifices be worth it? It’s going to be very interesting to see how the show handles the constant juxtaposition of humanity and the amorality necessary to live in that world.

If there’s one thing that fans have learned from The Walking Dead, it’s that having the sense of being on a mission is dangerous and can turn even good people into villains. Negan thought he was saving people and used that to justify his horrific punishments and many murders. The Governor thought he was saving people, too. And Alpha thinks that she’s found the only way to keep her people alive. The line between good guy and villain in The Walking Dead world is almost as thin the line between morality and amorality. It looks like the Fear the Walking Dead characters are going to be walking that line throughout much of season 5B.

Fear the Walking Dead season 5 continues on August 18 with “210 Words Per Minute,” and Culturess will have reviews, live stream information and more for fans on Twitter @SonyaIryna and @CulturessFS.