The second episode of Fear the Walking Dead “So Close, Yet So Far” picks up immediately after last week’s pilot episode, but even in the few minutes that have passed, it is easy to tell that the situation in Los Angeles is getting worse. This week’s episode manages to give us a more thorough introduction of Travis’ ex-wife Liza (Elizabeth Rodriguez) and their son Chris (Lorenzo James Henrie) and their damaged relationship with the Travis after the divorce.
Right Where We Left Off
This week’s episode of Fear the Walking Dead starts off with Alicia looking for her boyfriend after being stood up in the last episode. At the same time, her mom, Nick, and Travis are wondering what the hell is going on and why isn’t anyone talking about it on the radio. They end up meeting with Alicia at her boyfriend’s house as we find him sick and having suffered a bite. Travis and Madison get the feeling that the bite might be related to everything that is going on, but Alicia is still left in the dark and forced to leave her boyfriend on his own as the virus slowly works its way through his body. Meanwhile, Chris (Travis’ son) is ignoring his father’s call and ends up getting off the bus he’s on when they hear that the cops shot another person
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Ignorance Isn’t Bliss
Arriving back at their house, Madison and family regroup as they plan on heading out into the desert. It appears that others on their street have the same idea, but others remain woefully ignorant of what is happening around them. Travis goes off in search of his son while Nick warns Madison that his withdrawals are going to start kicking in with a vengeance. Travis’ attempt to reach his son and wife doesn’t quite go according to plan. The freeways are bumper to bumper and not moving, and while taking a shortcut he notices a police officer that seems to know something is definitely not right as he is stocking up on supplies. Alicia is left to look after her brother while Madison heads to the school to find something that will help Nick with his withdrawals. There she runs in Tobias (possibly the only one on the show to have watched a zombie movie) and after giving him back his knife, helps him gather supplies before they run into the principal of the school, or rather who used to be the principal of the school. While not bitten, it looks like he was stabbed, and Tobias and Madison find out quickly that it is not easy to put him down.
Chris, on the other hand, manages to get on the front lines with his video camera as civil unrest grows in Los Angeles. The population being unaware of what is truly happening, are growing more restless and distrustful of the police as more homeless people are shot. Nick’s addiction probably saves Alicia from a deathly fate as she wants to head back to her boyfriend’s home, but is forced to take care of her brother when his withdrawal kicks in. Travis arrives at Liza’s house and at first she doesn’t want to listen to him, but he is finally able to make her see reason and they go off in search of Chris. Travis and Liza manage to arrive just in time to the large protest and grab Chris as more police arrive on scene and another person is shot. Their timely arrival is perfectly timed as protesters erupt in violence and a riot breaks out. Not able to make it back to Travis’ truck, they meet a barber that is just locking up his shop and begrudgingly lets them in to ride out the riot.
No Escape…Yet
The second episode of Fear the Walking Dead comes to a close with our characters in two different groups. The plan to get out of the city is put on hold as both groups take cover in the night and they slowly watch the world outside come undone. The Salazar family gives refuge to Travis and company, but even they aren’t quite aware of what is transpiring, while Liza finally realizes that whatever is happening is far more serious than first appears. Tobias goes his own way after Madison offers him a place to stay, and she arrives home just in time to give Nick his medication and come to terms with what she was forced to do to her friend and former co-worker. Travis and Madison have a short conversation on the phone before the signal is cut and they are both left worrying over the other, while Alicia finally starts to realize that something isn’t right.
“So Close, Yet So Far” is a good, strong episode that introduces a few new characters, and gives some more depth to the others we have already met. The episode gives us the small personal struggle of our main characters while showing the city of Los Angeles falling to civil unrest and chaos on the outbreak of a plague that no one is ready for.