Fear the Walking Dead recap: Swan song potentially on ‘Still Standing’

Fear the Walking Dead’s ‘Still Standing’ episode highlights marked what could be the final chapter penned for the last holdout of a certain family.

This recap contains spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead  Season 5 Episode 7.

Fear the Walking Dead appears to be closing the book on the Clark family story, as Alicia was splattered with radioactive walker blood tonight. While it’s not a guarantee that Alicia passes, it’s now at least 50/50. Shocking if it happens, considering Alicia is likely the biggest ratings draw of the series. The episode itself had a distinct ‘series ending’ looming feel to it, despite no prelude or news of such.

For example: John Dorie easily revealing Sherry’s letter to Dwight without much applied pressure. Let’s face it, The Walking Dead universe has never been shy about stretching a plot line. Yet, they abruptly rush a literal goldmine of a narrative within half an episode.

The one time they really should wait and let the plot device of the letter linger to build suspense, they do the reverse. Dwight’s response felt a bit underwhelming and too understanding for his character history as well. Fear is suffering from having too many goody two shoes-types on its roster of protagonists.

There is too much alignment on the moral compass and not enough insurrection. Meaning, too many Dales and not enough Shanes. In fact, no Shanes; even Victor Strand is no longer his old, double talkin’ self. This creates a lack of tension. In Nick’s time, his drug use initially sparked both conflict and freshness to the show as a whole.

Nick’s dependency made him an unreliable individual to his family and romantic interest Luciana, which made them all better characters. Now, Luciana appears perpetually stuck as a ‘pure heart’ always in-tune with the others. The same for the rest of the roster, which leads to hollow motivational dialogue like between Al and June on tonight’s episode. There is no Carol to balance things out with a dose of reality. Annie and Alicia’s conflict felt similarly artificial because none of the other youngsters dared to attempt a mutiny against her tonight.

However, the conflict led to the best scene of the episode when Alicia took on a plethora of radioactive walkers. That moment when the radioactive blood hit Alicia’s face sending her into a bewildered daze was chilling. No way back. Although there’s always a chance Grace can help her, if this is Alicia’s final swan song it was well done. Radioactive infection has a different feel to it than a typical walker bite, an unknown conclusion hovering like a dark cloud. Alicia’s walker offensive would send Annie and the youngsters back to the promise of the plane.

Meanwhile, ‘shippers’ take notice of Morgan and Grace. That’s how you write a relationship through a slow burn, similar to Rick and Jessie. The chemistry is there if the show decides to put them together. A grand, welcome departure from the recent pattern of throwing two people together and seeing what sticks on TWD.

Morgan arrived at the nuclear reactor (after rescuing Strand and Charlie) to talk Grace out of the ultimate sacrifice. It worked, and Morgan even referenced Eastman for the first time in a while.

Al half-revealed she met someone to June while ‘she was gone’ this episode. But she didn’t go into details. It’s a good bet she’s already breaking and the decision to not stay silent might haunt her in the future. Imagine if June is interrogated at some point. Al will have no one to blame but herself, even if she didn’t say all that much.

Really though, where is Sherry already? Is she really not going to be on this season? Is that letter subtly breaking the fourth wall and letting viewers know it ain’t happening?

Missed last week’s episode? No problem! Check out a recap of last week’s Fear the Walking Dead and catch up on Season 5.