Fear the Walking Dead Season 1 Episode 3: Recap & Discussion

“The Dog”

The Manawas/Salazars

The riots in L.A. are escalating as Travis, Liza, and Chris plan their escape from Daniel’s barbershop. With gunshots, police sirens, and infected citizens (with beautiful cerulean eyes) just feet away the families are in full panic mode. To ease the tension, Travis suggests they’re safe because there’s nothing worth stealing in a barbershop (which sparks an argument between him and Daniel that will pop up throughout the episode). Suddenly, a fire on the other side of the shop starts melting the wall and the Manawas and Salazars are forced to make their escape.

Both families exit the building as rioters power their way inside (I guess there WERE things worth stealing). Gunshots, overturned cars, and devoured SWAT officers greet them in the new Los Angeles hellscape. As Travis and the gang sprint their way through a Michael Bay/Purge fantasy, a large tower of scaffolding falls and crushes Griselda’s legs. Fortunately, they carry her to Travis’ truck just in time to drive out of there.

Seeking help for Griselda, Travis drives everyone to a hospital where he’s met with an overturned ambulance on fire, people screaming hysterically, and an infected patient getting gunned down by a SWAT team (honestly hospitals are the WORST place to go in the apocalypse…see: Rick waking up from a coma and Grady Memorial Hospital). None of this was a part of Travis’ plan, who is itching to get back home to Madison. Out of options himself, Daniel suggests Travis forget the hospital and take his family to the Clark’s house instead. This is to “get even” for housing his family in the barbershop. Reluctantly, Travis accepts as power grids in L.A. begin going out.

The Clarks

Meanwhile at the Clarks’ house, Madison is waiting on Travis to return while Nick snorts his “medicine” (Xanax) to “absorb it quicker” (cough addict cough). Madison reminds him that he’ll eventually run out of drugs and will be forced to go cold turkey. To ease the tension they decide to start a game of Monopoly (only in the apocalypse could Monopoly make life easier). Because no one can have more than a minute of normalcy, the power goes out and gunshots are heard outside. Nick opens the door for a…dog who’s covered in blood. Mr. Dawson, the infected neighbor, is outside staring at them. Abandoning their board game, Nick takes Alicia and Madison to break into their neighbor Susan’s house to grab a shotgun (maybe Xanax isn’t THAT much of an inhibitor…but still, don’t do drugs, kids).

Searching the neighbor’s house for the shotgun, Alicia notices Mr. Dawson enter their house across the yard. They stare in shock as Mr. Dawson attacks the dog (NOOOOOO), which (of course) is when an unaware Travis finally returns home. While they sprint back to the house to warn him, Travis, Liza, and Chris walk inside to find a blood-soaked Mr. Dawson eating the dog. Despite the context clues, Travis remains convinced he’s “just sick” (Don’t sick people usually stick with saltines)? Travis and Mr. Dawson begin wrestling around as Alicia sprints back to the neighbor’s house to find shotgun shells (terrible time to forget those). While at the neighbor’s, Alicia spots her neighbor Susan who seems…different.

As Travis begins losing the wrestling match with the “sick person”, Daniel comes out of nowhere and shoots Mr. Dawson in the face…twice after he was unfazed by the first blast (helpful knowledge for the future). Alicia sprints back and comes upon Susan who attacks her in the garden. Chris helps save her but gets upset when Alicia pushes him away (this family synergy is going great). While planning their next moves, Madison is on Team Let’s Get the Hell Out of Dodge but Travis insists they stay until morning.

Travis drags Peter’s body outside and Daniel suggests they burn it to prevent spreading the sickness, but Travis resists because he KNEW Peter (ugh). Meanwhile, Ophelia pleads with her parents to leave with the Clark’s but Daniel says, “This is the wrong time to be in someone’s debt” (safe to say Daniel and Tobias would get along swimmingly). We finally get to see Liza confront Madison about supporting each other for the kids. Madison, seemingly knowing more than Travis, asks Liz to “take care of it” if she ever becomes infected (and who better than your fiancé’s ex-wife)?

The next morning, Travis walks in on Daniel teaching Chris how to use a shotgun and orders him to stop. “The more the boy knows, the safer he’ll be,” Daniel explains. Although Madison agrees with Daniel, Travis remains stern on the issue (this family has clearly never had a horror movie night at their house). Before the Clarks leave, Madison heads to the backyard and considers putting Susan (who’s stuck on a fence) out of her misery. Right on cue Travis (AKA the Human Buzz-Kill) talks her out of it.

Madison informs Nick she gave all but two pills to Griselda and vows to help Nick without them. Meanwhile, Ophelia remains defiant about leaving with the Clarks, claiming Daniel is stubborn and hurting Griselda by staying. “Good people are the first ones to die,” he protests. The Clarks eventually drive away in Travis’ truck without the Salazars. As they drive off they see Patrick, Susan’s husband, coming home (this has been a terrible time for unaware people coming home to horrific situations). Patrick searches the house and eventually finds Susan, who looks like a zombie but Patrick probably figures it’s a no-make-up day. When he tries to hug her, she is immediately shot in the head by the military, who have arrived at the scene in force. They take Patrick away into a truck to be, let’s go with washed off?

The Clarks get back home where the soldiers are taking inventory of the neighborhood. Travis surprisingly tells the soldiers the Salazars are a part of his family (the smartest thing Travis has done all episode). Meanwhile, Nick sees a plane quickly descending downwards. Travis, the perpetual optimist, tells his family, “It’s going to get better now.” In contrast, Daniel looks at the now military-occupied neighborhood and says bleakly, “It’s already too late.”

So, what did you guys think?

Will Travis ever accept that the infected aren’t “sick” but actually dead?

How will Nick fare when his drugs finally run out?

Will Travis and Madison’s family ever accept each other?

WHERE in the world is Carmen San Diego?

Finally, what are your predictions for next week?! Let us know in the comments below: