It has been nine days since the last episode and everything is business as usual on Fear the Walking Dead. Not coming to terms with the apocalypse, of course. Instead, everyone is pretending that everything is okay. Travis goes for jogs while Nick floats in the pool all the while they are surrounded by a military encampment. Just another Sunday afternoon.
Chris documents the entire thing on his little camera. While recording this may be a good device to use for later, it is really just a plot device to inform the audience of what’s been happening using exposition through Chris.
Everyone is trying to make a life for themselves from Nick getting over his drug use to the little community they have made for themselves here. The commanding officer of the military states that they have created a six mile perimeter. It is created to make everyone feel safe like the sickness is being contained. Travis is willing to believe it, but many do not believe it’s that easy. The more the officer speaks about the containment, the more uneasy the people of the community get. Instead of a normal community it seems more and more like a prison camp.
Ofelia Salazar who is staying with the Clarks with her family is the less the dutiful daughter in the background that she has been for the past few weeks. Her clothes seem to come out of Alicia’s closet and she has a story of her own which includes flirting with one of the military officers in the camp.
Travis has become a puppet for the commanding officer. By being such a “good guy,” Travis has lent himself to being used to help control the camp and the people in it. One of the neighbors, Doug, refuses to take the screening for a sickness and locks himself in the bathroom. He is the one adult that can’t lie to himself like Travis and Madison. He’s scared and can’t pretend that everything is normal like everyone else.
Liza is one of the people that seems to have a place in this new society. While Madison is worrying about painting her house for a buyer, Liza makes herself useful as the onsite medical help. While most of the characters seem to think things are going to get better, the audience and common sense knows better. Liza will be a commodity when society does fall. Unfortunately for everyone else, that might mean leaving those who are not useful behind.
Doug is not the only one that has to pretend. Nick acts like he’s overcoming his demons but he is also another character that is thriving from current situations. With sickness and the military come medication. Nick isn’t trying to wean himself off heroin because he doesn’t need to. Instead, he steals morphine from the patients when no one is paying attention. This isn’t hard considering the neighborhood is under what you might call somewhat of a transition.
Keep reading on next page.