Fear the Walking Dead: Pillar of Salt
September 19, 2016 7:55 AM - Season 2, Episode 12 - Subscribe
At the Colonia, Alejandro reveals his darker side. A hotel resident becomes violent and Madison springs into action.
Forgive me for asking a selfish question, but was my decision to blow off the second half of this season a mistake or just a half dozen hours of my life I got to save?
I understand being here puts me at risk of spoilers and I give precisely zero fucks.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:29 AM on September 19, 2016
I understand being here puts me at risk of spoilers and I give precisely zero fucks.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:29 AM on September 19, 2016
This particular episode was not that interesting, so I think the best way to answer your question would be to look at the three episode discussions prior to this one.
Me, I've consistently liked this show, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask if you were on the fence about it at any point. :P
posted by tobascodagama at 11:04 AM on September 19, 2016
Me, I've consistently liked this show, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask if you were on the fence about it at any point. :P
posted by tobascodagama at 11:04 AM on September 19, 2016
Forgive me for asking a selfish question, but was my decision to blow off the second half of this season a mistake or just a half dozen hours of my life I got to save?
I'm honestly not sure how to answer that. This episode continues the show's pattern for me: there are a few Idiot Ball decisions made by characters to drive the plot, mixed with a number of decisions that ring very true to character motivations, set against a backdrop that I find significantly more interesting than the parent show. I feel like FTWD is handling questions of family, community and race in a much more interesting way than TWD, while still relying on a lot of tired garbage to get from one action sequence to the next.
I'm good with that, but your mileage could vary considerably.
Stuff:
* I don't usually say this, but if Strand dies, I'm probably out. He's the most interesting character on the show by far, and they can't afford to lose him. The cast is very talented overall, but he's the only one given much to work with.
* Ofelia bailing was fine. I'll be interested to see what comes of that.
* Nick's storyline continues to work for me, on the balance. Alejandro cracking up tracks. Scouts leaving track. Luciana's conflicted loyalties make sense. The only part there I've got a problem with is the romance angle, but it's not beyond bounds for me, just seemed a bit fast.
* Madison's story was the Idiot Ball stuff this episode, which is unfortunate. Her reaction in the cartel grocery was nonsensical, as was turning on the sign.
* I noticed Travis seemed to be alone right at the end there, to which I say: good.
posted by mordax at 7:12 PM on September 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
I'm honestly not sure how to answer that. This episode continues the show's pattern for me: there are a few Idiot Ball decisions made by characters to drive the plot, mixed with a number of decisions that ring very true to character motivations, set against a backdrop that I find significantly more interesting than the parent show. I feel like FTWD is handling questions of family, community and race in a much more interesting way than TWD, while still relying on a lot of tired garbage to get from one action sequence to the next.
I'm good with that, but your mileage could vary considerably.
Stuff:
* I don't usually say this, but if Strand dies, I'm probably out. He's the most interesting character on the show by far, and they can't afford to lose him. The cast is very talented overall, but he's the only one given much to work with.
* Ofelia bailing was fine. I'll be interested to see what comes of that.
* Nick's storyline continues to work for me, on the balance. Alejandro cracking up tracks. Scouts leaving track. Luciana's conflicted loyalties make sense. The only part there I've got a problem with is the romance angle, but it's not beyond bounds for me, just seemed a bit fast.
* Madison's story was the Idiot Ball stuff this episode, which is unfortunate. Her reaction in the cartel grocery was nonsensical, as was turning on the sign.
* I noticed Travis seemed to be alone right at the end there, to which I say: good.
posted by mordax at 7:12 PM on September 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
if Strand dies, we riot.
...Colman is one of my Facebook friends. He has said nothing about leaving the show that I can recall...(although that may be because lately it's all about directing a play. Which may be why he's got a plot line that gives him some down time...)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:50 PM on September 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
...Colman is one of my Facebook friends. He has said nothing about leaving the show that I can recall...(although that may be because lately it's all about directing a play. Which may be why he's got a plot line that gives him some down time...)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:50 PM on September 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
...Colman is one of my Facebook friends.
I remember you talking about that before! As always, thanks for any inside info you can offer.
posted by mordax at 8:12 PM on September 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
I remember you talking about that before! As always, thanks for any inside info you can offer.
posted by mordax at 8:12 PM on September 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
Hell, he may be on lockdown even there.
...but he also just was on the NERDIST podcast and talked extensively about Strand, so that may be hopeful...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:16 PM on September 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
...but he also just was on the NERDIST podcast and talked extensively about Strand, so that may be hopeful...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:16 PM on September 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
I feel like they're starting to overuse the smear-yourself-with-zombie-guts technique. We're getting to get to a point pretty quickly where zombies seem about as dangerous as rainshowers: just wear the appropriate outerwear and you won't even be inconvenienced.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:10 AM on September 20, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by mstokes650 at 9:10 AM on September 20, 2016 [3 favorites]
I feel like they're starting to overuse the smear-yourself-with-zombie-guts technique.
I hope they keep using it, but I want to see it backfire more. Specifically:
* I want to see rain ruin it again.
* I want to see someone get infected from doing it. (Smeared zombie guts, get a cut on a door or piece of glass or something, get the zombie crap in the wound, die.) That should become part of the discussion around using it, because they're putting it right on their skin instead of sheets.
If they'll mix the constant use with some people getting screwed over with it anyway, especially death, it'll be fine. If they continue without that... yeah, not cool.
posted by mordax at 9:24 AM on September 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
I hope they keep using it, but I want to see it backfire more. Specifically:
* I want to see rain ruin it again.
* I want to see someone get infected from doing it. (Smeared zombie guts, get a cut on a door or piece of glass or something, get the zombie crap in the wound, die.) That should become part of the discussion around using it, because they're putting it right on their skin instead of sheets.
If they'll mix the constant use with some people getting screwed over with it anyway, especially death, it'll be fine. If they continue without that... yeah, not cool.
posted by mordax at 9:24 AM on September 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
On the one hand: yes.
On the other hand: it was a dreadfully under-used technique on the other show despite being established early on as extremely effective. And it makes more sense than Michonne's guard zombies. (Sorry, I love Michonne, but her guard zombies were completely bullshit.)
On the other other hand: zombies are always completely harmless in these stories until they suddenly aren't, so in that sense the gutsmear stuff is at least a preferable alternative to the usual portrayal where everyone turns into Annie Fucking Oakley within a week of civilisation collapsing and all human skulls are apparently made out of Play-Doh.
posted by tobascodagama at 9:26 AM on September 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
On the other hand: it was a dreadfully under-used technique on the other show despite being established early on as extremely effective. And it makes more sense than Michonne's guard zombies. (Sorry, I love Michonne, but her guard zombies were completely bullshit.)
On the other other hand: zombies are always completely harmless in these stories until they suddenly aren't, so in that sense the gutsmear stuff is at least a preferable alternative to the usual portrayal where everyone turns into Annie Fucking Oakley within a week of civilisation collapsing and all human skulls are apparently made out of Play-Doh.
posted by tobascodagama at 9:26 AM on September 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
so in that sense the gutsmear stuff is at least a preferable alternative to the usual portrayal where everyone turns into Annie Fucking Oakley within a week of civilisation collapsing and all human skulls are apparently made out of Play-Doh.
Except we've gotten a pretty healthy helping of those things, too, especially the Play-Doh skulls.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:33 AM on September 20, 2016
Except we've gotten a pretty healthy helping of those things, too, especially the Play-Doh skulls.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:33 AM on September 20, 2016
Sure, because the east coast show already established both of those things, and there are definitely zombie fans who only tune in to see that stuff, so viewers have come to expect it.
But this show has started on a course of using the gutsmearing trick and other things like the zombie pied piper trick to largely skip the mass-zombie-murder scenes that other zombie shows lean on when they need characters to move from place to place. It's a nice bit of variety, if nothing else.
posted by tobascodagama at 12:25 PM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
But this show has started on a course of using the gutsmearing trick and other things like the zombie pied piper trick to largely skip the mass-zombie-murder scenes that other zombie shows lean on when they need characters to move from place to place. It's a nice bit of variety, if nothing else.
posted by tobascodagama at 12:25 PM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by tobascodagama at 7:55 AM on September 19, 2016 [2 favorites]