Fear the Walking Dead: 504 – Skidmark
Nothing beats a good watchcat, yes there is such a thing, at least in the Fear the Walking Dead universe and the cat and mouse game between Strand and Daniel makes for an interesting start to Skidmark. Strand’s quest to get an airplane is promising until Daniel, who is more than a few steps ahead of his old friend, exposes his gambit.
Meanwhile, Dylan one of the children of the walker-corn, lets it slip that he knows about a camp nearby that may have taken Althea. Apparently he’s not quite as twisted as his siblings but his desire to have the group get out of dodge does lead him to offer some help.
It’s interesting watching the contrast between the children on the show. Not too long ago Charlie was much like Max, Annie and Dylan. However in the right environment, with proper influences around her, Charlie has become a well-adjusted and valuable member of the group. The motive behind the kids’ actions takes a while to become crystal clear but there are glimmers of hope for them to turn things around.
Skidmark references a couple of classic movies during a rather bloody walker wipe out scene. The fallout from the scene features a mended fence between Daniel and Strand and hints at what Daniel may have been involved in since the events of the dam. Unfortunately though, the airplane that Strand was after takes a beating and sets back their plans.
Not giving up on people is the main theme of Skidmark. Daniel’s refusal to completely turn his back on Strand and the real reason the kids roam the countryside with no ambition to leave demonstrates the power of human connection, even when all hope is lost.
The helicopter with the mysterious logo makes another appearance near the end of the episode and with it a few more questions arise. Just how widespread is the network that controls them? Considering that it’s the same logo that was on the helicopter that whisked Rick Grimes away when he was thought to have been killed it’s not a huge leap to think that their tentacles run far and wide. Perhaps we’ll learn more about them on Fear before they pop up again in the Rick Grimes Walking Dead flicks that are slated to drop in the near future.
