Fear the Walking Dead 103 – The Dog
By Bobby Doherty @thehorndogg

The Dog picks up right where the last episode ends. No advancement in the timeline. Travis, Liza Chris in the barbershop and Maddison, Nick and Alicia in the house waiting for Travis.

The first danger we see for the main characters is with Travis’ group in the barbershop. Travis tries to reassure that no one will loot a barbershop because what would someone want to steal from a barbershop anyways. But after Chris notices the walls are heating up from the store burning next store it’s time for group to abandon ship and make their way towards Travis’ truck.

As soon as the door open chaos ensues, looters storm the shop not to steal but tear it apart. The group runs out to the street to find anarchy. We see walkers are attacking, police are trying to police and looters are looting.

The two families are now fleeing the barbershop towards Travis’ truck. They make their way through scaffolding with people all over it. (To me it felt more like a scene from the walking dead escape then anything based in reality.) Most of both family’s make it through the haunted house maze all except the Salazar family’s mother who gets trapped under the scaffolding after the police riot water hose comes out and blasts it down. They double back to rescue her and get to the truck. The Salazar family let’s Travis know they need a doctor for Griselda’s leg.

Back at Madison’s house we see it’s just like any night time to play board games to pass the time. You hear a gunshot and the family tries to pretend like nothing is happening but you can see the family is shaken by the noises.

Travis heads to the hospital to get Griselda the medical attention needed but when they arrive at the hospital everyone is fleeing the scene. Police open fire on zombie patients. The families decide to go to Maddison’s house and avoid any more hospitals. Travis drives away you get a shot of the slowing failing power grid which was predicted by Tobias in an earlier episode.

The power failures finally hit the house and when the power goes out in a zombie apocalypse it’s important that loser puts monopoly way. You don’t want to be missing pieces. Nick tries to convince his mom it’s time to run. You hear a scratching at the door you find out it’s a dog trying to get in. The dog comes into the house covered with blood and starts barking up a storm which alerts them to a walker across the street. Being new to the whole zombie experience, the family not prepared to defend themselves they flee to a neighbor’s house where Nick knows a gun is kept. They find the shotgun and shells but it’s too late the walker has already made to it to the house and is feeding on the dog. Just as all this happens Travis finally arrives home. Madison and her kids rush back home to warn Travis.

Travis enters the house to find the neighbor chewing on the dog. Travis still thinks you can save the infected and doesn’t want to kill. Madison arrives with the gun. Daniel takes the gun and isn’t messing around and shoots him twice in the face to put him down.

Alicia who was backtracking to get more shotgun shells gets caught by a walker but Chris pulls her free and is thanked by an elbow to the nose. Nick finally says that these people aren’t sick they are dead.

All three families decided they will stay the night, Madison agrees only if they get rid of the neighbor’s body. Now as the night progresses each family has an idea of what will stop the sickness. Daniel thinks if you burn the bodies it will stop the sickness, Liza fears that Griselda leg with dead cells will spread to the rest of her.

Travis’ women come together and decide it’s best to work together for the sake of motherhood. Madison tells Liza to kill her if she ever turns because Travis wouldn’t ever do it.

Morning starts off quiet until Travis catches Daniel teaching his son how to use a gun. We find out Travis doesn’t like guns.

Before the families hit the road Madison says she has to take care of one last thing. We find her outside with Susan and a hammer. Travis steps in once again thinks he can save everyone and stops Madison from hitting Susan with the hammer. Daniel sees this throw the window and believes these people are too nice and leaving with them wouldn’t be beneficial for his family’s survival . The Salazar family stays behind while Travis’ two family leave the house.

While driving away Madison discovers that Patrick, Susan’s husband, has come back. Madison doubles back to try to save Patrick. Patrick is in shock by Susan’s turn and just as he is about to get bit, a shots ring out and the military storms the yard.

We come back to the military taking inventory of who’s in the house and Madison is questioning where they took Patrick. The soldier lets on that being touched by the blood can spread the infection. Madison lies about being exposed to the blood and what is buried under the mound in the back yard. Travis believes that there’s hope because the military is clearing the houses. Then it cuts to Daniel inside who believes it’s already too late.

I think TWD has ruined me because I am so much smarter than everyone on this show. I sit behind my desk talking to the screen going ‘that’s not going to work, what are you doing?’ Best part of this episode for me was the drive away from the chaos of the riot to the hospital and then the grid blackout of LA. It really put me in that zombie video game mode where I’m running from the city because its all messed up and shit is about to go down. If was a real character growth episode where you learn a lot about the families. I’m starting to get a bit frustrated with Travis. I’m voting him for first main character to get offed. Another solid show, I’m giving it a B.

Things I question about this episode:
Anyone else impressed with them keeping with the technology for the time? Alicia’s still rocking the old IPhone.
Does fire code in LA not say you have to have two egress doors in case of a fire?
All the rioting the Travis’ truck isn’t harmed at all?
Does the riot control handbook say firehose anyone that’s on temporary structures?
How come my family’s monopoly games never that fast? I still have a game going from 1996 with my brothers and sisters
Why must a put a board game away because I lost? It’s dark and scary in that room
Doesn’t Susan looks like the asian girl from the ring all grown up?
Why are we putting trash out to the curb?
No one asks how the dog died?
Is it normal for a 6ft grave to be dug for a dog?
What are we on 7-8 zombies and Travis still thinks you can reason with them?