REVIEW: Fear the Walking Dead, S3 Ep5 – Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame

This week on Fear the Walking Dead, Madison joins Troy in finding the person who gunned down the helicoper, while Nick and Alicia learn more about their new community. Meanwhile, Daniel and Strand go in search of Ofelia, but their journey ends less savorily.

We learn more about the Otto family as the members of the Clark family bond with each of them in different ways. Nick spends some time listening to Jeremiah’s story, Alicia sleeps with Jake, and Madison manipulates Troy. The Otto’s don’t know what hit them when the Clarks joined their community.

This season of Fear the Walking Dead gets better and better and some reviewers even say it is has risen above the mother show. Without any over the top comic elements, there is more chance for this show to be more grounded in reality and less gimmicky. And the show also continues to offer the same kind of creatively gory imagery such as the old couple (one already turned into a walker) having one last dance as their house burns around them, the guy reciting poetry as a crow pecks at his exposed brains, and even the scene with Alicia taking a dive, turning what seemed like a suicide attempt into some sort of liberating action.

Madison continues to show her ruthless and clever side as she bravely goes on an expedition with Troy to find out who gunned down the helicopter that also took Travis out in the second episode of the season. The person behind it turns out to be another intriguing addition to the show, a Native American called Walker (ironic), who just wants to reclaim his people’s land. With the whole zombie apocalypse setting, the rule book has been thrown out the door, and in a way, there’s more potential for justice for minorities. While I understand Madison’s fury at Walker for killing Travis, I am more inclined to see his side of things as opposed to creepy Troy’s.

Luckily, despite how dangerous Troy is, Madison has him under control. After all, she has had a lifetime’s worth of experience being a mother to a troubled teen as well as dealing with all sorts of their drama during her day job as a counselor. She’s truly adapting well to the new world.

Meanwhile, in a slightly disappointing side trip, Strand strings Daniel along with the lie that Ofelia is alive in the hotel. While not technically a lie, Strand does not have much of an idea where Ofelia really is which leads Daniel to abandon him. It’s sad because these are my favorite characters on the show and they could really be an impressive team if they worked together. Here’s hoping Strand somehow makes it out of the this latest hardship alive on Fear the Walking Dead.