AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead
Season 2, Episode 4: “Blood In The Streets”
Directed by Michael Uppendahl
Written by Kate Erickson

* For a review of the previous episode, “Ouroboros” – click here
* For a review of the next episode, “Captive” – click here

Nick (Frank Dillane) has swam onto a nearby shore with some supplies in a bag. He finds a tent city where survivors once waited for help; a giant makeshift sign pleads SAVE US. The whole place is eerie now, a moment to the plight of people in those first days after the world fell apart. Luring any walkers, Nick manages to prove he’s a worthy hand at getting around. And he can kill them without too much fuss. Also, now that he’s figured out the trick of smearing himself in the guts of zombies to stay immune while walking amongst the undead, a whole new world has opened up. Perhaps a great reason for this episode’s title?
Then out into the darkness Nick leaves, covered in zombie blood warpaint.

 

Back on the ship, both Travis (Cliff Curtis) and Madison (Kim Dickens) are wondering how to move forward after Strand (Colman Domingo) left float the other survivors at the end of last episode. For his part, Travis feels responsible because of putting those people in that raft. But Madison, she plans on keeping her faith in Strand. In a harsh new reality he may actually be the only one worth following, right now. At least as far as we know, concerning his character.
Meanwhile, Chris (Lorenzo James Henrie) and Ofelia (Mercedes Mason) try to pass the time, wondering about Mexico, talking about relationships and so on. But out of nowhere some people in a raft arrive, one of them not well – she’s pregnant and having real trouble. The whole boat is up, wondering what’s going on. It certainly isn’t making Strand happy. In fact he looks downright panicked. The people boarding claim they’re “good” and that nothing is wrong. However, you can never shake that paranoid feeling. Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) recognizes one of the voices: it’s Jack, from the radio.
Then the gig is up. The people onboard take charge, putting everyone at gunpoint; everyone, that is, except for Strand trying to get away on an inflatable raft. And luckily Nick is off onshore somewhere for the time being. Yikes. This is intense.

 

We flashback a little. Strand drinks in a bar and chats with a man named Thomas Abigail (Dougray Scott) about all sorts of things, from business to Napoleon. Turns out Strand had some troubles after Hurricane Katrina’s devastation. After Tom gets wasted drunk, Strand brings him to his hotel room then robs a few of his credit cards, though Tom does see him: “Maybe I won‘t remember,” he quips. This is a perfect scene to cut to then cut back from to Strand in the water, as we’re seeing him just as he was in that bar: starting over from the bottom. Now, he’s stranded out in the water with little to no options left. And certainly no Thomas Abigail to fall back on now.
Things are more tense by the second on the boat. The ringleader of the assailants gets serious, threatening Chris before Travis gives up that Strand has the boat’s key. Everybody is fine for now, but everything is getting more dangerous. Alicia feels bad for having brought this on the group and tries to do her part towards helping her family and their group get through the situation. Jack talks about everyone having a “function“, and to a point he does know what’s going on in this new post-zombie apocalypse. In a world of walkers, everybody does have a purpose, it’s true. Unfortunately that doesn’t work well for anyone against a group that is hellbent on making sure everybody’s got a ‘function’ in this next life.
As everything happens out on the high seas, Nick is successfully wandering the streets, not just covered in blood, he mimics the walkers with their same noises, the same limps and contorted movements. It’s interesting to see him amongst the withered streets, nothing the same anymore.

 

Skip back again. Strand is caught by Abigail having made a few moves with those credit cards. Victor is certainly sly, he weaves excellent banter, that’s for sure. Nevertheless, he’s on the hook, not with the cops but with Abigail. We segue back to Strand who eventually loses his phone in the water. Things are just getting worse for him. I dig his character, though, and hope he doesn’t die. At least not for a while.
Travis does his best on the boat to try and get the motor going without a key. At the same time, the rest of the group try their best to start a revolt. With a bit of motherhood bonding, Madison distracts the pregnant woman as Daniel (Rubén Blades) attempts getting loose. Downstairs, Travis also keeps the ringleader busy watching him in the motor room. Everyone in the group of survivors already onboard is tricky. Very, very tricky.
Over on land, Nick traipses through apolcalyptica until someone runs up on him with a gun. He lets the guy know he was sent by Strand. Seems this is the guy that’ll get them all across the border to Mexico. Hilarious exchange as he doesn’t any of the blood on Nick to get on his sexy leather interiors.

 

The women on the boat start getting to the pregnant lady, wondering if the baby died inside her and maybe it could turn into a zombie inside her. WHOA. Nasty. Yet something I’ve always wondered about, and something we’ve already heard wondered aloud on The Walking Dead. Well, things get very tense, but for now everything remains on edge.
On the shore, Nick is leading the new addition to their group. He’s known Strand since Strand met Abigail. Speaking of which, we flash back to them both sitting together by a pool, everything working well and the money clearing flowing. Tom talks about the rest of the world feeling as if it wastes away. And then, we see them hold hands, as if against the world. Are they more than business associates? They seem like lovers.
Back at the boat, more of the hostage taking crowd has arrived. They take Travis and Alicia, black hoods and all, leaving the rest in fear. Still, Daniel tries to free his hands. So many things are happening at once, as Madison and the others angle, Nick heads back towards the boat, Strand floats in the waves. Then once Nick and his new buddy Luis get closer, this provides enough distraction. The survivors fight back and everything is settled for now.

 

As the finale of the episode comes around, we see Strand and Tom kiss back before everything happened and the world collapsed. Then we cut over to Strand, floating in the sea. Just his luck, Madison comes to find him. At the end of a tumultuous hour, the crew is all right. They can move forward from here.

Next episode is titled “Captive” and promises to get even more exciting after this week’s excellent chapter. Stay tuned with me, fellow fans.