Fear the Walking Dead: S1 Ep 3 “The Dog”
Lets just say that anyone who may have been on the fence regarding Fear the Walking Dead’s pacing will find Sunday’s episode more to their liking. Episode 3, “The Dog”, offered plenty of zombie action and enough suspense to keep longtime fans of the franchise happy while maintaining the tone that has been set by the first two episodes.
“The Dog” begins with Travis and his family trapped in the barbershop owned by Daniel Salazar (Reuben Blades). Travis’ family and the Salazars have sought refuge from the riot in the tiny shop and the level of despair that exists outside begins to seep into their temporary sanctuary. Eventually forced to flee, both families soon discover that the city they live in has become a world consumed by riots and a mysterious growing pandemic.
Meanwhile back in the suburbs Madison and her two kids, Alicia and Nick, settle down to a game of Monopoly to pass the time until Travis returns home. Nick’s continued battle with his addiction is never far from the surface. In some ways Nick is close to a zombie himself, as he constantly seeks relief by taking the meds his mother procured for him. The waiting begins to wear on Nick and he questions Madison’s decision to stay put.
“The Dog” continues the “What would you do?” theme that has been a large part of the series so far. Questions around loyalty and one’s responsibility to family, friends and those in the community are a large factor in the decisions made by several of the characters this week. We also get some added depth to many of the protagonist’s histories and how these details may influence their behaviour in upcoming episodes.
Several of the characters have difficulty coming to terms with the reality they now face as well as seeing loved ones and friends transform into something that is beyond their scope or reasoning. The realization that the infected are more than just sick begins to become clear. There’s also a lot of peeping through windows and looking through blinds in this episode – a stark reminder that the dangers presented in Fear the Walking Dead, are but a few inches of glass away from the protagonists.
Fear the Walking Dead is beginning to find its footing and with the addition of strong performances, particularly Rueben Blades’ and a different take on The Walking Dead universe, the final three episodes have the potential to keep audiences satisfied as the show carves out a mythology of its own.
