Fear the Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 11 Review: Youre Still Here – Checkersaga

ThisFear the Walking Deadevaluation accommodates spoilers.

I believe I lastly perceive what this season of Fear the Walking Deadis attempting to perform with its many paeans to hope. And all it took was cynical newcomer Wes (Colby Hollman) to open my eyes. This can be a stroke of genius onFears half, assembly its personal relentless optimism head on with somebody whose cynical mantra is Individuals are individuals. However extra on Wes in a bit.

Written by Mallory Westfall and Alex Delyle and directed by Ok.C. Colwell, Youre Still Here marks a welcome return to type for the sequence. And by that I imply a renewed, contemporary give attention to the undead, positioning them extra as scavengers, feasting on lifeless livestock whereas the residing roll previous seemingly unnoticed and unhindered.Impressively, 5 seasons in, Fear additionally nonetheless one way or the other delivers zombies we havent seen but in both Walking Dead sequence. The zombie caught in the undergrowth attempting to assault Alicia is suitably gory, tearing itself aside in its senseless quest to eat. The teargas zombie can also be a notable entry in the undead canon. Whereas I nonetheless assume the quick, feral zombies of Netflixs Black Summer season are extra terrifying, I respect that Here remembers that distinctive zombies (and zombie kills) will create a variety of buzz (no pun supposed).

However as everyone knows, Fear remains to be very a lot a drama. The writers lean very closely into the human stakes by the use of Wes, who we first met in Channel 4. For those wholl recall, Wes has develop into embroiled in Logans feud with Morgans crew of do-gooders, just by sheer dint of being at the flawed place at the flawed time. He and his motorbike are collateral harm in the battle for the mysterious oil fields.

Because it seems, Wes has his personal rating to settle, which is the place Alicia and Strand are available in, rolling up in time to lend him a hand. Serving to individuals is what they do, in any case, although Wes is having none of it. Individuals are individuals is his manner of explaining away the darker, extra predictable facet of human nature. Not that hes a saint himself, bending the reality simply sufficient to place the groups good intentions to the take a look at. In different phrases, Alicia and Strand are pawns, a method to another persons finish. Plus, like Logan, Wes isnt shopping for into the groups feel-good mentality. Hes an efficient viewers surrogate on this manner, reacting to the relentless altruism like several rational individual wouldwith wholesome cynicism. He doesnt want therapeutic, doesnt wish to be saved. Fairly than encourage him, the tape has had the reverse impact on him. And its right here that the episode actually shines.

Wes doesnt wish to hear a relatable story, isnt considering being dragged into Alicias morality play. He merely desires whats his, what was taken from himwith out the fixed preaching; for Wes, the time for thats over. Truthfully, his pessimism is a breath of contemporary air, particularly this late in the season. Typically vinegar is best than honey. Typically you want somebody to inform it like its with out mincing phrases. Anybody who has watched 5 seasons of this present has already heard their share of melodramatic monologues. Fear wins factors for taking this trope and turning it on its head. By doing so, Fear permits Wes to steal Alicias thunder, to undercut her tendency to one way or the other make different individualss issues about herone thing that hadnt actually occurred to me till this episode. The way in which Colby Hollman performs it, Wes is about talking a selected sort of reality that cuts to the bone. That is the manner issues are actually, he says at one level. We shoot. We kill.

This has broader context pastFear, in fact. Gun violence runs rampant on this nation. Folks die needlessly each day. However this isntFearpreaching a lot as its holding up a mirror to an offended society hell-bent on destroying itself. Whether or not you reside in the apocalypse or not, loss of life is inevitable. It simply comes sooner for some individuals. Alicia doesnt wish to be a part of the drawback. Shes hell-bent on shifting the needle away from all the wanton destruction.

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Which is the place Here scores factors once more, teasing viewers with the risk that perhaps its Madison whos portray these inspiring messages on the bushes. If Daniel may seemingly survive a dam collapse, why couldnt Madison have gotten out of the stadium? After dangling this risk, the episode subverts expectations by revealing Wes as the thriller tree artist. Clearly, this twist sheds a complete new mild on the fleeting nature of hope, and the way chasing it may be a burden to those that want it the most.

After all, theres extra to this episode than Weshes simply the most compelling a part of Here. Logan (Matt Frewer) and his crew proceed to be the requisite flies in the ointment, turning up at inopportune instances to remind Morgan that there are nonetheless unhealthy individuals in the world. Which is a disappointment, given how the episode has efficiently endeavored to upend the very tropes that are likely to lavatory down Walking Dead storylines.

Towards the finish of Here, Wes damns Alicia and her savior advanced with faint reward when he says with nice remorse, You made me care. In relation to Season 5 of Fear itself, more true phrases have by no means been spoken.

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Fear the Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 11 Review: Youre Still Here - Checkersaga

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero