For many fans, Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 was the end of the show because everything that came after was under new leadership that didn't respect the storylines that came before.

Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 11 and Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 12 featured scattered storylines, shifting allegiances, and some more character assassination.

I'll give credit where credit's due: The creatives wanted to go out by providing viewers whiplash, much like they've done over the last five seasons.

I've been wrestling with whether they brought these legendary characters back, only to destroy their legacies by giving them the worst storylines imaginable.

There's been this half-baked feud between Madison and Troy that harkened back to Fear the Walking Dead Season 3, but in the end, the handling of their conflict has felt like awful fan fiction.

Troy has been focused on getting revenge on Madison in the past, but his motivations have been murky.

Tracy: Mom. She pulled loose. We need to tighten the ropes.

Troy: Oh, she’s fine. She’s not gonna hurt us. You know, when we get to PADRE, she’s gonna be the one to make Madison pay for everything she’s done. What’s wrong?

Tracy: Why does Mom have to kill Madison?

Troy: Well, you know why. She’s Alicia’s mother. She put the thinking in her head that got people killed. We can’t let what happened to Mom happen to anyone else.

Tracy: I know all that.

Troy: So, what’s wrong?

Tracy: This.

Troy: Your necklace?

Tracy: Victor said it belonged to Alicia. She… She killed Mom. Why would you want me to wear her necklace?

Troy: Do you know how many St. Christopher’s medallions there are?

Tracy: But Victor said…

Troy: Well, Victor’s mistaken. She gave it to me when she died. And she made me promise that I would give it to you to keep you safe. Which is what I’ve been doing ever since.

_{🔗 permalink: Well, Victor’s mistaken. She gave it to me when she died. And she made me promise that I…}

Every time we've gotten close to finding out who the true Troy is, something has happened to pull him away from that path.

There was genuine growth for both Madison and Troy when Crane returned as a last-minute villain.

If you watch Fear the Walking Dead online, you know Madison, June, and everyone else should have killed Crane instead of letting him run free.

In this universe, the villains you let away always return, sometimes stronger.

Victor: There was a time you’d have thanked me for such a thing.

Madison: Enough people have died because of me. I can’t put the rest of you at risk.

Victor: The rest is not that many, Madison.

Madison: What are you talking about?

Victor: It’s just me and our newly found friends of Alicia here. The rest retreated to the island to escape the herd. All of you should do the same.

_{🔗 permalink: It’s just me and our newly found friends of Alicia here. The rest retreated to the island to…}

Then again, he'd have probably returned from beyond the grave because, look at Troy. Madison bashed his brains in and let a dam explode on top of him, but somehow, he arrived with a kid and an army, determined for vengeance.

Troy has been portrayed as this one-dimensional pain in the butt throughout these final episodes, so hearing that he saved Madison and himself from a quick-sand-related death came out of the left field.

He's been so driven by his quest for vengeance that he never stopped to think about whether there could be a period of resolve between him and Madison.

Madison did some terrible things to him, but he was no oil painting, either.

Victor: I can’t let you do this alone.

Madison: I’m in a tank loaded with ammo and guns. I don’t need anybody else.

Victor: Madison, please. It’s like I told you before, Victor… Unlike you, I don’t have anyone left to disappoint. I need to do this so you don’t have to. Then you can build PADRE into what Alicia would have wanted.

Victor: This won’t end well, Madison. You think it’ll just be this one thing. But then you’ll realize you can’t stop. I learned it the hard way. At the Tower. There was just always one more thing that I needed to do to keep it safe, and before I knew it, I was the thing people needed to be protected from. Please, Madison. There’s another way.

_{🔗 permalink: This won’t end well, Madison. You think it’ll just be this one thing. But then you’ll realize…}

They're both far more similar than they'd like to admit. They play predominantly in the grey area, making decisions that will win them haters and lovers.

Troy had seriously turned a corner when he saved Madison's life, and it's a real shame that we won't get to witness that because Madison repaid him by killing him when he least expected it.

Had Troy been around for the entirety of Fear the Walking Dead Season 8, it would have been far easier to digest this ludicrous scene.

The sad part is that Troy's death could have had such a significant impact, but because of the scattered nature of the storylines, he's been on the periphery, even though he's supposed to be this villain.

Madison has always been a difficult person to read because she's thinking multiple steps ahead, and in her defense, she believed he killed her daughter, so there was no chance she would be interested in working with him.

Daniel: Madison! What did you do?

Madison: I’m done with second chances. Troy was right. That’s what got Alicia killed. That’s why I had to do this. If I didn’t, I’d be putting you all at risk. This is how we survive. This is how PADRE survives.

Troy: You have to fight f-for Tracy like you fought for Nick and Alicia.

Madison: Why would I do anything you say?

Troy: ‘Cause she’s not my daughter.

Madison: No. You said your wife was pregnant when Alicia helped you.

Troy: She was. But she died before the baby could be born.

Madison: No! If Serena’s not Tracy’s mother, who is?

Troy: Alicia. I-I took her child to make up for what I lost.

_{🔗 permalink: Alicia. I-I took her child to make up for what I lost.}

Would Troy and Madison have been able to co-exist in the same environment? It's doubtful, but it would have been far more watchable than we got.

Saying goodbye to someone we barely reconnected with didn't land well, but at least Troy was on hand to throw in the little nugget about Tracy being Alicia's daughter.

Ever since Tracy was shown in pre-season material with Alicia's necklace, it was almost like AMC, and the creatives were dangling it like a carrot in front of us.

Alicia: I’m not here to hurt anyone.

Tracy: Keep your hands up and move slowly towards the tent.

Alicia: You can put the gun down. I’m just here to bury my… Mom?

Madison: Alicia?

_{🔗 permalink: Alicia?}

Truthfully, it raised more questions than answers, but I'm happy it was a ploy from Troy to prevent Madison from killing Tracy in the end because this family connection made zero sense.

It felt like all the emotional weight was put on Antonella Rose during these final episodes as Tracy's storyline came into focus.

In the end, though, these revelations about Alicia gave Madison this urge to find her daughter's corpse and save what was left of PADRE so that there was a future for people like Tracy.

Even though the writing has been painfully bad, the series has always had better visuals than its parent series, and that was on full display as Madison led the horde into PADRE to blow it up and save many of the people she barely knew.

Madison: I just can’t believe it’s real.

Alicia: It is. I promise you, it is. You okay?

Madison: I will be. What is that?

Alicia: That is a very old friend I came across searching a warehouse for supplies. Trying to return him to his rightful owner.

Madison: How did you find us?

Alicia: A story. About a woman who sacrificed herself here. And the person who told me said her name was Madison. And it didn’t make any sense, and I didn’t know how you could possibly be alive… but I had to be sure. I saw the fort over there. How are you still here?

Madison: Your daughter. She came back. She saved me.

Alicia: What are you talking about?

Madison: Tracy. She’s the child that Troy took from you.

Alicia: I never had a kid.

Tracy: You’re not my mom?

Alicia: No, I’m… I’m not, but I knew your mom when you were a baby. Her name was Serena. She was a pretty amazing woman. I don’t understand why Troy would lie about something like that.

Tracy: He knew how hard you fought for your own kids. He wanted to give you a reason to fight for me.

Madison: You said you heard a story about me. From who?

Alicia: I’ve been picking up radio chatter on the road. I think their route runs by here.

Madison: You know I would’ve come looking for you if I knew you were alive.

Alicia: I would’ve come looking for you, too. I never would’ve stopped. After Troy attacked me, after I got back on my feet, I went to find the people I’d been staying with. And I saw something on the road, these women that dressed like me, they used weapons I was using, they were doing the things that I was doing. They were helping people.

Madison: We met some of them.

Alicia: Yeah. It’s like the story of what I’d done was doing more good than I could on my own. And so I went somewhere else. I… started using a different name so Troy couldn’t find me. If I hadn’t have done that, maybe we would’ve found each other.

Madison: You made the right choice. You gave all those people something to believe in.

_{🔗 permalink: You made the right choice. You gave all those people something to believe in.}

The parallels to Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 didn't go unnoticed, and it's hard not to feel like Madison should have perished this time because this woman keeps cheating death.

My ideal ending would find Madison awakening from a coma, a la Rick Grimes, only this time it would have been after the events of the Stadium, and everything after has been a dream.

It would have been a great way to play with expectations and reintroduce characters we've lost and for the show to undo some of the irreparable damage done to the characters we know and love.

These last five seasons have definitely been a fever dream, and I did pinch myself when Alicia showed up, alive and well, after battling radiation poisoning, an attempt from her life from Troy, and everything in between.

I was resigned to Alycia Debnam-Carey not returning as Alicia because it seemed out of the realm of possibility, but it was pretty darn satisfying seeing the mother-and-daughter reunion.

Madison thought Alicia was dead and vice-versa, so knowing that they'll be back out in this undead world together gives me the hope that they'll land somewhere safe they can call home.

The decision to send them (and Tracy!) to Los Angeles was stupid, mainly because we witnessed its destruction several years ago in the series.

What do they hope to find in a place long cut off from society? It would have been far better for Alicia to have been in contact with Morgan, who told her about the Commonwealth.

It's a real shocker that Morgan wasn't used even as a plot device in the series finale because it was his show for so long.

It's hard to tell what will become of Alicia, Madison, and Tracy, but I hope that if they return, it's on one of the newer spinoffs because those shows have been creatively stronger.

Strand's conclusion of having a husband and son and hitting the road after seeing Alicia and Madison reuniting didn't land as well as I expected.

Dove: What direction you headed?

June: Uh, there’s a cabin in Texas I want to visit. Someone there I… haven’t seen in a while.

Dove: You want company?

June: It’s far.

Dove: It’s okay. Gives you time to teach me.

June: Teach you what?

Dove: Medicine. What you did for me when I got shot… I want to learn how to do the same for other people.

June: We’re going to the right place, then.

Dove: Um, why’s that?

June: The cabin belonged to my husband. It’s where I met him. It’s where he taught me to shoot… to survive… To live again. If he can do that for me there, maybe I can do the same for you… Odessa.

_{🔗 permalink: The cabin belonged to my husband. It’s where I met him. It’s where he taught me to shoot……}

Strand has been one of the wildest characters in franchise history because you never know what he will do next, but it would have been interesting to see him reunite with everyone.

Madison's decision to allow everyone to think she died so that they would continue to be better people was something, but I don't see it lasting for very long.

Alicia bringing back Skidmark was hilarious because that kitty has survived zombies, radiation, and everything else. They should have called it plot armor.

The best part is that Daniel got some semblance of happiness after so many years of struggling to exist on the road.

Dwight and Sherry returning to the Sanctuary to turn it into a sanctuary for people on the road was a mind-numbing development, but hey, turning the place of their trauma into a place of healing might be therapeutic.

If this happened on Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 9, it would have been far more satisfying because this random epiphany from Dwight came out of the left field.

The only good part is that Dwight and Sherry are together after everything they've endured.

June's ending was the worst, unfortunately. Jenna Elfman has had some great material to work with, but she was mostly sidelined throughout the final season.

June going on the road with Dove to return to her old home could have been far more interesting if these people had aspirations of parting earlier in the season.

At the end of the finale, much of it felt like a rush job to bring closure to a show that very clearly got canceled at the last minute.

Dwight: I was thinking of The Sanctuary.

Sherry: What?

Dwight: We… We could take everybody there.

Sherry: D… Why would you want to go back there?

Dwight: Bec… Because we know it, it’s defensible. The streets are still intact. Sherry: Oh, my. I lost you to that place before, D. I can’t lose you again.

Dwight: Hey. You’re not gonna lose me again. We are family. I mean, maybe… maybe we can take that place and… and… and make it worthy of its name.

Sherry: I don’t know.

Dwight: It’ll make Finch proud.

Sherry: Okay. Okay, let’s try.

_{🔗 permalink: Okay. Okay, let’s try.}

It's a surprise the show didn't tie in more closely with any other shows in the franchise because I always thought many would cross paths with people in the spinoffs.

Unfortunately, it seems like AMC wants to close the door on this show because it's been running on fumes for years.

What are your thoughts on the series finale?

Were you satisfied after years of meandering storytelling?

Hit the comments.

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The post Fear the Walking Dead Series Finale Review: No One’s Gone Until They’re Gone appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Everyone is trying to survive.

Madison is going to find Alicia but Tracy shoots her, and we later learn the St. Cristopher necklace prevented the bullet from hurting her.

Madison goes back to PADRE and goes through with a plan to lead the herd inside and blow them up.

Her plan works… and everyone survives… except her … or so we think.

Madison comes to inside a tent and Tracy tells her that she dragged her out of the wreckage and didn't think she survived.

A woman arrives and Tracy takes aim telling her to get down… but it's ALICIA!

Alicia says she's here to bury her mother but is taken aback when Madison is alive.

Alicia says that she faked her death when she realized Troy was never going to stop sp she changed her name and realized the group would do things better if they thought she was dead.

Madison tells Alicia that her daughter saved her, but Alicia realizes that Troy lied. Alicia knew Serena and told Tracy that her mother was a great person.

Tracy says that Troy understood how well Madison looked after Nick and Alicia despite the world imploding.

Madison doesn't want anyone to know she survived because they've changed PADRE to MADRE because of her apparent sacrifice and believes they will work better doing things in her honor.

Alicia brings back Skidmark and leaves him for Daniel to reunite with, Dwight and Sherry agree to go back to Sanctuary and turn it into a safe haven for everyone.

June says she's going on the road and Dove asks to accompany her and says she wants to study medicine.

June says she's going back to Texas and that it'd be great to have Dove along with her.

Strand prepares to leave with his husband and son but is confused by a flower left for him. He looks in his mirror and sees Madison, Alicia, and Tracy on the side of the road sneaking away.

Madison and Alicia agree to go back to Los Angeles following it being blown up in an attempt to help people. Tracy goes along with them.

The post Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 12 Recap: The Road Ahead appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Troy shuts her down and says the only way to secure their safety is to kill Madison and make her pay for everything she's done in the past.

Tracy wonders about the St. Cristopher necklace but Troy tries to put this down to there being so many of them.

Before they get a chance to address the elephant in the room, one of Madison's traps knocks them off the road.

Troy is impaled and Tracy sets off to try to save him, but Madison catches Tracy in the truck and they bicker.

Madison says she'll go find Troy and ties Tracy up, telling Strand where she is.

Madison tracks Troy down and they speak about the past and how they need to wor with each other to survive.

That's put to the test when Crane returns for revenge and calls Madison terrible because PADRE saved her life. As he chases them through the woods, they get to a bridge with a river and quicksand beneath it.

They go over it and Crane cuts the rope down, sending them plunging into the water.

Crane is bitten by a zombie as he watches them and Madison and Troy go under water.

We cut to Madison waking up and learning that Troy saved her, seemingly repairing their relationship.

They all prepare to go and save PADRE … until Madison stabs Troy and says she's done with second chances. She can't risk letting him into this safe haven so he begins to bleed out.

Everyone is stunned by her decision… until Troy says that Serena wasn't Tracy's mother… Alicia was.

The post Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 11 Recap: Fighting Like You appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Madison Clark has been a shell of her former self since her return, but Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 10 was legitimately one of the worst hours of TV I've ever watched because the writing is so off for all of these great characters.

Obviously, the show would never be able to recapture the magic of Fear the Walking Dead Season 3, but I didn't think the bar could get any lower than Fear the Walking Dead Season 5 and Fear the Walking Dead Season 7.

Madison's quest to find Alica's corpse wasn't bad because, as a parent, she wanted to ensure her daughter was laid to rest. 

Madison holds on to a lot of guilt for many of her actions, but she'll never get over not being around to save her children.

Whenever there's some genuine progression or shades of the Madison that her original arc was leading to, it's marred with terrible storytelling, character assassination, and the tired tropes that have plagued the show since Fear the Walking Dead Season 4.

It's embarrassing that AMC has let it get this far because the wider TWD Universe is thriving creatively.

Madison: We should leave. We need to figure out what to do with her.

Daniel: We use her to get to Troy and make him pay for what he did to our daughters.

Madison: She knows where PADRE is. If Troy ever gets her back… There’s only one way to protect the island.

Daniel: You got the stomach for that, Madison?

Madison: She just tried to use her own mother to kill me.

_{🔗 permalink: She just tried to use her own mother to kill me.}

In a sense, Fear the Walking Dead has always felt a bit experimental with storylines they'd never dream of putting on the more serious shows.

But the fact is that Fear the Walking Dead was a serious show when it launched, and somewhere along the way, AMC believed firing the original showrunner was a good idea.

Now, we're left with scraps of characters that change allegiances and motivations based on what the writers are feeling that day.

With the state of the series heading into the two-hour series finale, it's hard to imagine it ending with anything more than a whimper.

Adding Troy Otto's daughter, Tracy, into the mix as yet another kid used to disrupt the plot for the good guys is about par for the course at this stage.

The only good thing about the addition of Tracy is that it showed how far Madison was willing to go to protect P.A.D.R.E.

Killing Tracy would have concealed P.A.D.R.E.'S location, but for how long? Troy has proven to be this presence, thanks to his connections.

If anything, killing his kid would have further fueled his desire to destroy the settlement and everyone inside.

June: Troy, if you’re listening, we have your daughter. I repeat, we have your daughter. She’s safe. We’re willing to return her to you if we can agree to terms.

_{🔗 permalink: Troy, if you’re listening, we have your daughter. I repeat, we have your daughter. She’s…}

The kicker here is that Daniel Salazar has been one of the more consistently written characters, so it would have been more interesting if he pushed back against Madison.

He was still reeling from Charlie's death, which was all thanks to Madison, by the way.

This conflict between Madison and Daniel should have driven much of the action during "Keeping Her Alive."

If you watch Fear the Walking Dead online, you know they've had various dust-ups because they have very different viewpoints on events.

It's made for some of the show's best scenes, but here, even though Daniel was driven by wanting to help Madison find closure for her daughter's death, it didn't work because their relationship wasn't at that level.

The person who shocked me the most was Luciana. I would've thought that she, more than anyone, would have allowed Madison's safe passage to get to the horde of walkers.

I can understand Luciana was upset about Madison's actions on Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 9, but it was ice cold if you ask me.

The only good is that Luciana changed her stance by the end and said she'd go with Madison to the house where Troy apparently killed Alicia.

June: If you want us to believe you’ve changed, Victor, show us. Help us fix this. How? The girl’s already here. We’ll bring her back to her father.

Strand: You think that will satisfy Troy?

June: It might if we give him the man who kidnapped her.

_{🔗 permalink: It might if we give him the man who kidnapped her.}

Let's circle back to Troy and Trace because what kind of father-daughter relationship includes the kid learning about the father's sins in the apocalypse?

The writing for Tracy was wild, with the show giving her a lot of material that was as believable as Alicia being this messiah who influenced a whole group.

The show's inability to confirm Alicia's fate on Fear the Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 15 is why we're in this situation now.

The creatives needed something to dangle like a carrot in front of the audience, and that's exactly what they're doing here.

As much as it pains me to say this because I'd love a Madison-Alicia reunion, I hope Alycia Debnam-Carey shot down the opportunity to return for a cameo.

There have been so many terrible things the creatives have done to these characters, and if Dickens and Daniel Sharman's returns are any indication, they won't get satisfactory send-offs.

Seriously. One of the cheesiest scenes in TV history has got to be the group telling Madison what an honor it is to be in her presence after Alicia's profound impact on their lives.

Had we seen Alicia setting up a community or a safe haven during her final arc on Fear the Walking Dead Season 7, it would have been easier to get on board with this random-as-hell storyline.

There are no words to describe my disappointment in how these final storylines have been handled, but the only glimmer of hope is Madison rushing off in the final scene, telling everyone she'll take down Troy herself to end what she should have ended at the dam 10 years ago.

June:

Why’d you bring that girl here?

Victor: Because I knew Troy wouldn’t dream of attacking the island if he knew we had his daughter as leverage.

June: Or it’s the perfect reason to attack. He doesn’t know that we’re here. Now you have his kid, he’ll find it.

Strand: How? It’s not like she’s been tagged for migratory purposes.

June: Maybe you’d know how badly a parent would fight for their kid if you were doing more than playing father to Klaus.

Strand: After all these years, you still don’t know me.

June: Oh, I do, Victor. I stood by that Tower and I watched you make bad decision after bad decision. People lost their lives because of what you did. John’s father lost his life because of what you did. I’m not making that same mistake again.

Strand: June, many people lost their lives because of you, as I remember, when we first met.

_{🔗 permalink: June, many people lost their lives because of you, as I remember, when we first met.}

It seemed like a final goodbye she made to Strand, Luciana, and the people she looked like she cared about but only met a few scenes earlier.

With a show of this caliber going into its series finale, there's a severe lack of stakes because if we follow its typical format, it'll make us think that people died, only to reveal them to have survived before the episode is over.

Another sticking point is that many thought Morgan stole Madison's show, so how can the writing be worse now?

I think Morgan teaming up with Madison would have been far more satisfying than what we got, but I don't make these decisions.

All we can do is wait to see how this pans out next week, but it's hard to imagine it will be worthwhile.

What are your thoughts on that stupid wild goose chase to find Alicia's corpse?

Do you think it's believable that, in her deathly state, she managed to escape and influence a group?

How do you want the series to end?

Hit the comments.

Fear the Walking Dead continues Sunday at 9 p.m. on AMC and AMC+.

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The post Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 10 Review: Keeping Her Alive appeared first on TV Fanatic.

While there were some great moments of the pair unpacking their trauma after returning to The Sanctuary, the decision to include Dove as yet another kid who needed saving was both random and a part of the bigger problem with the series as a whole.

Dwight and Sherry's relationship was underpinned by their time at the Sanctuary under Negan's rule, and it's a miracle they managed to come out the other end of it after reuniting on Fear the Walking Dead Season 6.

They had so much to unpack that their latest reunion would have worked far better had it just been them in the Sanctuary.

If you watch Fear the Walking Dead online, you know that Dwight had this inner conflict after Finch's death that he felt the best route forward would be for him to go home and leave Sherry behind.

Their relationship has been made stronger by the bumps in the road for them. They were strong as hell pre-apocalypse but lost sight of that due to Negan's harsh regime.

They somehow managed to come out the other side, so it was surprising that Dwight felt it was better for them to proceed in this world alone.

Sherri: There’s a fight coming.

Dwight: Okay. What kind of fight?

June: One we can’t win without you. This guy Troy. He’s got a score to settle with Madison, and he plans on settling it by taking over PADRE.

Dwight: Oh, it sounds like Madison’s fight to me.

June: Yeah, well… she made it ours. She’s M.I.A. And she left Strand in charge.

Dwight: Victor’s still alive?

June: A lot has happened since you left.

_{🔗 permalink: A lot has happened since you left.}

For some, pain is too difficult to endure, and knowing all of the missteps he made in his life, Dwight was likely worried about the prospect of losing Sherry if they wound up in another sticky situation. 

Returning to their home was interesting because going back to this location that preceded their turn on The Walking Dead helped make this world more fully realized.

The last thing Dwight expected was for someone to be taking up residence in his home with a story about people at the Sanctuary stealing his insulin.

If you watch The Walking Dead online, you know Dwight and Sherry wound up in a lot of trouble at the Sanctuary due to Sherry's sister, Tina, not completing the work required of her to get her medication.

Dwight: Yeah, w-what does any of this have to do with me? I’m… I’m just a little confused here.

Sherri: You trained every kid on the island. They’ll listen to you. They trust you. There’s nothing that I could say or… or do that you couldn’t do better. And what… Dwight: You. Why… Why are you here?

Dove: PADRE is the only home I’ve ever known. Without it… I don’t… I got nothing.

_{🔗 permalink: PADRE is the only home I’ve ever known. Without it… I don’t… I got nothing.}

What are the chances of Dwight returning home, only to find himself being asked to go back to that horrible location for insulin, of all things?

Jay could have been this big villain, but it turns out there are coincidences, even a decade and more into the apocalypse.

Dwight was skeptical because he knew that nothing happened for free in that universe, but there was a part of him that wanted to help someone in need.

When Dwight was introduced on The Walking Dead Season 5, he made many bad decisions but slowly tried to make up for them and succeeded by the time Daryl told him to leave or be killed.

At the time, we weren't told the gravity of how that exchange affected him, but being back in the Sanctuary's proximity made him think more about his actions.

Dwight: The rest of the place is clear. But we got to hurry up. We probably have an hour before they get here.

_{🔗 permalink: The rest of the place is clear. But we got to hurry up. We probably have an hour before they…}

Seeing him slip out of it after being shot showcased that Dwight strived to be a better person and that it was driven by Daryl's words.

Who would have thought it?

Dwight felt terrible that Jay died and turned into a walker just as he got back with the medication.

Knowing how hard he fought for that man, he had only just met would have made Daryl proud because it highlighted that Daryl knew there was a change in him.

Sherry showing up in the nick of time is pure Disney, but seeing the worry on her face, fully knowing she's going back to a place she doesn't look back on fondly, was well played by Christine Evangelista.

There's so much history between Dwight and Sherry that would have made this journey far more intriguing if June and Dove weren't along for the ride.

That's not to say I'm not a fan of June and Dove, but they were randomly brought along to add unnecessary drama to Dwight and Sherry's storylines.

Dwight: How you doing, kid?

Odessa: Better now. You coming with us?

Dwight: Yes. Yeah, I am. Yeah. N-Never should have left. Maybe we can turn that place into what it’s supposed to be.

_{🔗 permalink: Yes. Yeah, I am. Yeah. N-Never should have left. Maybe we can turn that place into what it’s…}

Sherry wanted to ensure Dwight's safety and give him a sense of purpose after their son's death, but I don't think telling him that Madison needed them was the way to frame that conversation.

Dove rushing off early in the morning, only to return shot, forcing the gang to go to the Sanctuary to save her life was sheer stupidity.

Fear the Walking Dead's writing for teenagers has been questionable, to say the least, but Jayla Walton did the best with what she was given.

The only good to come from this situation is that Dwight and Sherry confronted their demons and are now headed back to help Madison as one.

Something good has to come from all of these people putting their lives on the line for Madison Clarke.

The biggest shocker of the episode was Strand slipping back into his Tower Strand cosplay and trying to manipulate Troy's daughter to save P.A.D.R.E.

Does Madison, Daniel, or even Troy know Strand located the kid?

It was a complete 180 from the rest of the hour, but it was oddly satisfying to see Strand back to his old ways.

Colman Domingo plays a great villain, but something tells me Strand has bitten off more than he can chew with his latest act.

What are your thoughts on Sherry and Dwight revisiting old haunts?

Do you think Strand made a mistake?

Fear the Walking Dead continues Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC and AMC+.

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The post Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 9 Review: Sanctuary appeared first on TV Fanatic.

If you watch The Walking Dead online, you know it was the outpost for the Saviors, where many heinous things happened under the rule of ruthless leader Negan.

It's a location that forever changed Dwight and Sherry's lives as they were forced to lead very different lives.

TV Fanatic scored an exclusive first look at Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 9, which showcases an intense scene.

If you watch Fear the Walking Dead online, you know Dwight and Sherry parted ways following Finch's death.

They survived many turbulent times, but Dwight revealed his intention to return home after their relationship ended, seemingly for the last time.

In the clip, we see Dwight inside a house, with his gun at a man's head.

That man reveals himself to be named Jay, and he's seemingly battling health woes.

He tells Dwight he needs his insulin to survive, but Dwight isn't buying what Jay is selling.

As you'll know, if you watched The Walking Dead Season 6, Dwight and Sherri found themselves inside the Sanctuary post-apocalypse and were getting supplies in exchange for hard work. 

Part of that hard work entailed getting Sherri's sister, Tina, insulin to survive.

As you probably already know, that didn't work for very long, shaping the events of Dwight and Sherri's early years in the apocalypse.

Dwight returning to Virginia and running into someone whose insulin has been stolen doesn't feel like a coincidence.

We've witnessed many survivors in this universe feign ignorance… until they get the person right where they want them.

The promo and press photos for "Sanctuary" reveal that Dwight and Sherry do make it back to the location that went from a haven to torture for them.

The big question, though, is how does Sherry get there? Are we to assume that she believes Dwight is in trouble?

They're both still battling the scars of Negan's reign of terror, so they wouldn't return there without being forced to.

The good news about the return of the location is that we see Eugene's walkers he made while being one of Negan's right-hand men on The Walking Dead Season 8.

If another group has taken up shop in the place, there's a chance they could be former Saviors, which could give us even more updates about the other characters we're awaiting updates on from The Walking Dead.

TV Fanatic has screened the episode and can confirm that it's an easter egg-laden affair that will hit you right in the feels if you're a fan of the original series.

That's about as much as we can tease because of spoilers — but it is one of the better episodes of the reboot era of Fear the Walking Dead.

The series definitely feels like we're building toward this almighty conclusion.

But given the ever-expanding nature of the TWD universe, there's a chance we'll see some of these characters again.

I mean, wouldn't it be awesome to see Dwight and Sherry crossing paths with Negan on The Walking Dead: Dead City?!

Check out the TV clip below.

What are your thoughts on the person Dwight meets in the clip?

Do you think the person is innocent, or do you think Dwight is getting played?

What do you think brings Sherry back to Virginia?

Do you think there's a possibility these two lovers can put the past behind them and carve out a future for themselves?

Hit the comments.

We love hearing what you have to say about the show.

Fear the Walking Dead continues on Sunday at 9 p.m. on AMC and earlier that day on AMC+.

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The post Fear the Walking Dead Exclusive Clip: A Chilling Sanctuary Throwback appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Morgan awakens at the train track. He's killed hordes of walkers and tells Madison he has lapses in his memory and is seeing red.

Madison vows to help him, but they know they face an uphill battle.

Through various flashes, we learn that Morgan is killing anything in his wake when he has these blackouts.

Morgan and Madison prepare for a battle with Shrike to save everyone, but Shrike is shocked by her father's corpse and lets him bite her.

Dwight and Sherry are upset to learn that their son is dying and there's no more they can do to help him, so they push through, bury him and decide to split up after years together.

Madison helps Morgan realize the dead are never truly gone and he buries Grace next to Eastman. He then says goodbye to Madison and embarks on a mission to find Rick.

Madison tells the parents and the kids she has a boat and will attempt to reunite everyone with their families, and everyone seems interested.

In an epilogue scene, someone on a boat is shown to have the hammer that killed Troy, Alicia's arm, and Strand's glasses.

We don't know who it is but we know they're on a mission to find Madison since they're listening to all the news she's saying on the radio.

The post Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 9 Recap: Sanctuary appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 8  was another middle-of-the-road installment, but it did feature reunions, callbacks, and a shocking death that should usher in the final episodes of the series.

Since Charlie's arrival on Fear the Walking Dead Season 4, she's been one of the most polarizing figures in franchise history.

That's what you get when you kill someone as pure as Nick Clark and live to tell the tale.

There was an element of ambiguity surrounding Charlie's fate since the end of Fear the Walking Dead Season 7 because, with such a severe case of radiation, she stood to die soon after the events at Strand's tower.

Many believed she was dead, including Daniel, who stepped in to become a father figure to her in her time of need.

I'd love someone, mostly the creatives, to explain how she was fit and healthy when she rocked out of the truck near the beginning of "Iron Tiger."

Madison: I don’t get it. Why didn’t you want us to see her? Because of the stadium?

Luciana: You haven’t told her?

Madison: Told me what?

Daniel: I thought Charlie was dead. I didn’t think there was a reason to. Madison: Reason to what?

Luciana: Let me tell you on the boat.

Madison: What the hell is going on?

Luciana: It’s complicated.

Madison: No. It’s not.

Charlie: I… I shot Nick. I killed your son.

Madison: What?

Charlie: I was scared, and Ennis was dead, and I… I pulled the trigger. I’m so sorry, Madison. I really am.

Daniel: Come on, Charlie. Go, go! Get her inside! Come on. Don’t do something you’re gonna regret.

Madison: Who said I’ll regret it?!

Luciana: Let us explain.

Madison: No! Get off me! There’s nothing to explain! Get the hell away from me! Both of you!

_{🔗 permalink: No! Get off me! There’s nothing to explain! Get the hell away from me! Both of you!}

Then again, Troy Otto and Madison Clark returned from the dead in recent episodes, so we should roll with the punches until this is over.

What's making these storylines more difficult to stomach is that TWD: Daryl Dixon and TWD: Dead City have both reinvigorated this shared TV universe.

It almost feels like we're being punked with these wild storylines, but I can't deny that "Iron Tiger" was entertaining.

The pace was off the charts, and its events will have some significant ramifications in the future.

Fans have been clamoring for a reunion between Madison and Charlie since the latter took the former's son away from her.

If you watch Fear the Walking Dead online, you know Madison would move mountains for her children, so of course, she was going to feel some way about meeting the person who ended her son's life.

The good news? The writing for Madison was decent, at least initially, as she flew off the handle and called the youngster out for her actions.

Luciana: This may be hard to hear, but we gave her the same thing that everyone else wants… a second chance.

Madison: Even Alicia?

Luciana: Alicia was the first one to forgive.

Madison: I don’t think I can do that.

Strand: No one’s asking you to.

Charlie: Victor… can I talk to Madison?

Strand: I don’t think this is a good time.

Madison: No. Let her. I want to hear what she has to say.

Charlie: I don’t blame you for feeling the way you do. I hated myself for a long time after what I did to Nick. And I don’t expect you to forgive me or anything, but I just… I really need to say this because I honestly don’t know if I’m ever gonna see you again, so…

Madison: No, this is not… this is not for me. This is for you, so that you can feel better about what you did to Nick.

Charlie: I was 11. I was 11 years old, and I was scared, and I was being used by people who were older than me, and I just… Look. I really am sorry that I took Nick from you. I’m so sorry I… I took him from the world. I really have tried to turn all that hurt and all the pain and… and turn it into something more. That’s why I spend every single day doing what I’m doing. It’s… It’s what makes things like this possible. As bad as his death was, something good did come out of it, okay? And if… if there’s anything I can do to help you see that good, just tell me. I’ll do it.

_{🔗 permalink: I was 11. I was 11 years old, and I was scared, and I was being used by people who were older…}

Charlie taking the explosive-filled truck straight in Troy's direction would never lead to anything good, but the show did a great job of showing this inner conflict for Madison as she realized sending Charlie to a very likely death didn't make sense for either of them.

Deep down, Madison has been working on her inner demons and is trying to wrestle with her own decisions in the apocalypse, so hearing her pick up the walkie-talkie to try to avert the deadly chain of events she started was satisfying.

The only flaw in her actions is that she should have been aware there was a chance Troy was listening in. Seriously, this show and its freaking walkie-talkies are a disaster waiting to happen.

Charlie's struggle after being captured was well played by Alexa Nisenson. On the one hand, Madison and co. could hand over P.A.D.R.E.'s location, but on the other, it would be taking this location away from all of the people Madison was looking after.

Strand: I told you this wasn’t a good time.

Madison: No. There is something she can do. You snuck into the stadium, you fooled me, you fooled my son, you fooled Alicia, Victor, everyone. I need you to do the same with Troy Otto.

Charlie: You want me to find out what he’s planning?

Madison: Nope. I want you to do something else. I want you to kill him. Luciana: Madison, don’t do this to her.

Madison: You took the stadium from me. You took my son from me. This is the least you can do.

Charlie: Madison? You’re right. I’ll do it.

_{🔗 permalink: Madison? You’re right. I’ll do it.}

Troy's desperation showed when he made these thinly veiled threats because he should have killed Victor Strand in Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 7 if he wanted us to believe he meant business.

Charlie killing herself to preserve the location of P.A.D.R.E. came out of nowhere, but it was the only way she could secure the safety of the children.

She may have arrived on the show as a frustrating character, but there were many decent Charlie moments over the years.

Now that she's dead, it serves as a catalyst for Madison to become more cutthroat because Daniel and Luciana are very likely done with her.

Madison had strong connections with Daniel and Luciana before her storyline was cut short on Fear the Walking Dead Season 4, but it's hard to tell where these writers will take her next.

Charlie: Why are you cutting their arms off?

Troy: Well, you gotta pass the time somehow.

Charlie: You want Madison to think they’re Alicia. Why did you kill her?

Troy: I’m the one asking the questions. And seeing as it sounds like I’m not the only person to have killed a Clark, I gotta know… Is what Madison said true? Did you kill Nick? He was a friend of mine. More like a brother, actually. Yeah, we were better suited to this world than the last one. At least that’s what I thought until I heard what happened. So why is Madison trying to protect you?

Charlie: She’s giving me a second chance.

_{🔗 permalink: She’s giving me a second chance.}

Daniel's anger was warranted because, when you think about it, he always held on to the hope that he would reunite with Charlie at some point.

Knowing she was alive, thrown into the firing line by Madison, and then killing herself to protect Madison's people won't wash very well with him.

It's a shame that this storyline has caused this major impasse in Daniel and Madison's relationship because they're a force to be reckoned with when they work together.

Madison catching up with Troy and learning that he has a missing daughter wasn't entirely unpredictable.

There had to be a reason he was tracking Madison, and in all likelihood, he'll drop some bombshells on her the next time they cross paths.

It's a shame we don't have time to do this storyline justice because we should have a Troy Otto flashback storyline to fill in all the blanks.

Unfortunately, that won't be happening because we don't have enough time. Troy should have been the villain for the entirety of Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 to give his return time to breathe.

What are your thoughts on Charlie's death, TV Fanatics?

Do you think it was justified, or do you think she had redeemed herself?

Do you think Daniel will return to take down Troy, or is he off the show for good?

What are your thoughts on the reunions and callbacks?

Hit the comments.

Fear the Walking Dead continues Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC and AMC+.

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The post Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 8 Review: Iron Tiger appeared first on TV Fanatic.

They meet with Luciana and have a heart-to-heart… until a car pulls up. Luciana doesn't want Madison anywhere near it, but when she gets there, it's … Charlie.

Madison is confused about why they're trying to hide Charlie from her and Luciana and Daniel have a talk about how she should have known.

Charlie tells Madison she killed Nick and Madison tries to kill her. There's something amiss and everyone tells Madison they believe in second chances and that Charlie got to fix things.

Madison learns that Alicia was the one to forgive first and then Madison says Charlie can repay her debt by going to Troy, sneaking in, and killing him.

This doesn't sit well with anyone but Charlie agrees to the mission, drives a tanker to his location, but Madison has a change of heart. On the walkie-talkie, she tells her to abort the mission, but Troy is already there.

He takes Charlie in and says that he wants the location of PADRE or he'll kill her.

The tanker explodes and zombies make their way in, and Madison and Daniel try to save the teenager from a likely death.

However, Charlie kills herself so that Troy can't use her as leverage.

Troy's daughter is missing and Madison tries to find her while fighting him. Troy leaves.

Daniel says he's also leaving because no matter what happens, Madison always causes something.

The post Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 8 Recap: Iron Tiger appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 7 filled in the blanks about what became of the villain after his ill-fated tower imploded, and it was another meandering episode of this once-hot zombie drama.

Pulling off such a reunion between Madison and Anton Strand was no easy feat, and for the first time in a long time, Madison felt like the leader we left when Kim Dickens was unceremoniously written out of Fear the Walking Dead Season 4.

Despite the attempts from current showrunners Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg to fix the damage they caused to the show and its fandom by discarding Dickens, Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 has been a waste of time.

Until now, that is.

Every time the series returns, I question whether I can get through another season of questionable storytelling and straight-up character assassination from the people who clearly don't understand the arcs from the first three seasons.

I always return because the show has a lot of potential and because, above everything else, I'm a completionist.

Even if I struggle with the creative choices, I still want to see how things end.

The good news is that there are definitely "the end is near" vibes as the series refocused on the characters that should have been at the wheel of Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 — and beyond.

It must have killed Madison hearing that Strand disregarded their bond and friendship to keep up this ruse that he's not the villain we met on Fear the Walking Dead Season 7.

Even though we know that he has shades of good, he'd still throw those who oppose him to the wolves to keep up that ruse.

I can sympathize with Strand here because a part of him was never really fully invested in the tower. It was almost like he saw this opportunity to take the world by storm in a way it never afforded him before.

While many people would take that chance, I doubt they'd have been as cutthroat as Strand. His settlement operated on a culture of fear because he wanted to keep people in line.

It's such a juxtaposition to his five-star luxury resort that now opens its doors to pretty much anyone looking for shelter and resources.

He should have been open and honest with his new family if he wanted to shed that persona and say goodbye to Victor Strand for good.

Had he done that, it wouldn't have led to this distrust between him and his family.

Then again, maybe it wouldn't have led to Strand having a family in the first place. There are so many variables in this apocalyptic sandbox.

The only redeeming quality in Strand is that he went to help Madison before it was too late to give us a good old Victor-Madison team-up that reminded me of their fun at the hotel on Fear the Walking Dead Season 2.

Despite the unbelievability of this resort serving five-star cuisine, years into the apocalypse, Dickens and Colman Domingo sold every single one of their scenes together.

There's a reason why the fans have been clamoring for more of them for years, and I'm still shocked it's happening after it seemed like Dickens was over the show.

Dickens didn't need to return after how she was treated, but I'm sure she was excited about the prospect of bringing Madison's story full circle and working with her best friend again.

Ever since she popped back up on Fear the Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 16, Madison's actions have been questionable.

She spent years of her life collecting children for PADRE, and now, she's trying to reunite them with their parents while simultaneously trying to build this settlement that will sustain itself for the years to come.

She wasn't confused about why she was being targeted by this group because, of course, she must have a wealth of enemies.

It would have been far more shocking if AMC kept Daniel Sharman's return as Troy Otto under wraps because that would have been one heck of a moment to get fans talking.

When Madison last left Troy on Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16, she'd bashed his skull in with a hammer and let a dam explode on top of him.

Yes, Fear the Walking Dead has gone full Days of Our Lives, and I'm kind of living for it.

I thought Troy was long gone, but bringing him back as the final villain is an excellent way to throwback to the years when this show wasn't so inconsistent.

Unnerving shock registered on Madison's face when she realized Troy was alive. She recognized that this man was out for revenge and wouldn't allow her to leave that room alive.

But Troy is playing the long game and won't kill Madison quickly. Instead, he'll terrorize her and her people until he gets the location of PADRE.

It's hard to believe that after all these years, Troy is looking for a home, so his schtick about this is just lip service.

He wants to take what Madison took from him, and if he has to kill some people along the way, it's just par for the course to him.

Another shocking moment highlighting how Strand has changed came when he said it was OK for Troy to bash in his brains to keep the location of PADRE out of Troy's mouth.

Despite my qualms about the series' inconsistent writing, it feels like Strand has been redeemed in one episode.

Maybe there's hope for Troy, too, but something tells me he'll up his wicked games in the name of causing Madison distress.

I can't say I'm buying Troy's admission that he murdered Alicia because it's hard to believe the series would kill off the character off-screen.

Then again, maybe Alycia Debnam-Carey wasn't interested in returning.

She endured seven seasons of the show and watched the show go from a diamond in the rough of The Walking Dead universe to a caricature of itself.

Madison has been so laser-focused on her attempt to build PADRE that she hasn't considered the bigger picture.

Who is she doing this for? She's now lost both of her children; frankly, it's hard to imagine she'll be able to continue this journey for much longer.

Will she put all of her resources into killing Troy's army, or will she buckle under the depth of grief?

It's an interesting question that will take us into the final five episodes ever.

As the final midseason premiere, I'm willing to forgive the retconning because the show might be on the road to ending with grace.

All of that can change, as we've witnessed with the rollercoaster nature of the storytelling.

Fear the Walking Dead has had dizzying highs and mind-numbing lows, so hopefully, we end on a good note.

What are your thoughts on Troy's return?

Were you taken aback by him admitting to killing Alicia?

Hit the comments.

Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC.

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The post Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 7 Review: He’s Back! appeared first on TV Fanatic.