Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (November 3, 2024)
When it launched in 2015, Fear the Walking Dead existed as a prequel to The Walking Dead. However, Fear caught up with its sibling series’ timeline in Season Four.
This “Complete Fourth Season” set contains all 16 episodes of Fear. The plot synopses come from the series’ official website.
What’s Your Story?: “A solitary traveler named Morgan Jones (Lennie James) reluctantly joins forces with cowboy John Dorie (Garret Dillahunt) and journalist Althea ‘Al’ Szewczyk-Przygocki (Maggie Grace) when common challenges force them to work together.”
Because Lionsgate sent me review copies of Fear’s first three seasons, I wrote about them. Because they didn’t send me a Blu-ray set for Season Four when it hit shelves in 2019, that streak ended.
Such is the basic nature of this site. While I review titles I buy on my own at times, that only happens for programs I independently want to see.
Fear didn’t fall into that category. Although I largely enjoyed Season One and Season Two, Season Three left me less enchanted, so I felt no desire to throw my own cash at S4.
As such, I didn’t see Season Four – or any subsequent years – until I snagged a “Complete Series” set in late 2024. The biggest negative related to this gap stems from the fact I’ve not seen any Fear in more than six and a half years, so my memory of the character specifics grew faint.
This doesn’t turn into an issue for “Story” because it introduces new roles – well, new to Fear, at least. Morgan appeared as a regular on The Walking Dead, though he makes his Fear debut here, and both Al and John are entirely new.
At least for one episode, my failing memories of Fear’s first three seasons don’t matter, and my lackluster views of S3 also become irrelevant. “Story” opens S4 in an intriguing note that makes me curious to know more about our new participants.
Another Day in the Diamond: “Still marked by recent losses, the Clarks brace for another fight when nomadic opportunists menace their newly formed community.”
So much for S4’s fresh characters! At least for now, that is, as I feel sure they’ll pop up again down the road.
“Day” goes back to the folks we knew from Seasons One through Three, however. Which seems fine, as I didn’t expect S4 to branch out without any connection to these established roles.
Still, I probably would’ve preferred that S4 better develop Morgan, Al and John before it went back to the well. Or perhaps I just feel bitter that I need to get a refresher on those faded memories of Seasons One through Three to make sense of “Day”.
Actually, I don’t think the episode strongly requires viewers to recall details to get into the episode, though those connections help. Anyway, “Day” reintroduces the regulars in a reasonably positive manner and helps set up potential paths ahead for the rest of the year.
Good Out Here: “While the others go on a supply run, Morgan and Nick (Frank Dillane) bond over their haunted pasts, but banishing one hated ghost exacts a devastating cost.”
Though “Day” largely concentrated on established Fear characters, it did link them with the new ones at the end. These developing relationships become a major part of “Good”.
This means we see the uneasy alliance between the two groups and how the roles react to one another. Though not the most plot-driven episode, “Good” sets up these dynamics well, and it signals the departure of a main character,
Buried: “Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey), Luciana (Danay García) and Victor (Colman Domingo) share their memories about the day it all went wrong. John receives news that makes him question his purpose.”
In the aftermath of the death seen last episode, “Buried” mixes new material with flashbacks. These flesh out some backstory and move ahead a few events in a reasonable manner, even if the show lacks a lot of clear forward momentum.
Laura: “In the post-apocalyptic wilderness, ex-cop John rescues an injured nurse he calls Laura (Jenna Elfman) who never says she'll stay — but whom he can't forget.”
Another flashback, we get the history of John and the woman he continues to seek in the series’ “present day”. I don’t know how much we need this information, as we can figure out these events on our own, but the way the show develops the roles makes it involving.
Just In Case: “Victor and Madison (Kim Dickens) come face to face with part of Naomi's mysterious past — though not all of it. Morgan and John try to prevent a final showdown.”
Hey hey – more flashbacks! Maybe the actor who plays the dead character had a contract that required more appearances.
At this point, the flashbacks start to feel ridiculous. While they add some substance to the roles, I think S4 needs to more firmly move forward and toss out exposition when needed.
The Wrong Side of Where You Are Now: “A shoot-out leaves one peacekeeper's life hanging by a thread. Madison answers an unusual distress call that provides a terrifying piece of intel.”
Again with the flashbacks! Admittedly, these do serve a purpose and “Side” integrates them well enough.
Still, the constant flip-flops feel more gratuitous than purposeful. “Side” does come with some good movement, even if the format got old episodes ago.
No One’s Gone: “Madison takes a stand for those she loves and everything she's come to believe in. Al discovers her surprising role in shaping her friends' destinies.”
Halfway through S4, I continue to hope we’ll eventually lose the flashbacks. Halfway through S4, I’m about to abandon hope.
As with other episodes, “Gone” blends the sides smoothly. I just tend to find the flashbacks moderately superfluous, as they can feel like padding.
People Like Me: “Some of the gunfight survivors fare better than others. Overcome by guilt, Charlie (Alexa Nisenson) runs away. Morgan resolves to head east, but a storm is brewing.”
Halfway through S4 and a miracle occurs: an episode without flashbacks! Yay!
In this vein, “People” largely feels like it wants to set up dynamics for the remainder of S4. It focuses more on character relationships and sows the seeds of potential narrative developments yet to come. Those choices make it a good launch for the rest of the year.
Close Your Eyes: “Alicia has a painful reckoning with her past when the storm forces her to bunker down with the one person she never wanted to see again.”
That person would be young Charlie. I can’t reveal why Alicia views Charlie with such animosity, but she comes with good reasons.
“Eyes” offers an unusual episode because it focuses entirely on a situation with Alicia and Charlie. This gives it a different flavor that works.
The Code: “As he begins his journey, Morgan's nagging doubts — and some people he meets along the way — make the going harder than he'd anticipated.”
Here we find another episode that focuses on a small portion of the series’ main cast, and I continue to like that approach. “Code” becomes especially intriguing due to the new characters it involves, as they create some fresh tales and domains.
Weak: “June summons her strength when Al sickens and someone steals their armored van. Morgan tries to contact others in the group. A new enemy appears.”
After two shows that concentrated on smaller aspects of the series’ character group, “Weak” goes back to a broader focus. That said, it doesn’t encompass the entirety of S4’s main roles, so it still comes with the pleasing specificity of the prior programs, and that allows it to help develop matters well.
Blackjack: “Marooned by the storm, Victor and John squabble. Luciana makes a passing acquaintance. An attempt to reunite friends draws deadly opposition.”
With the main cast still split into smaller factions, “Blackjack” does nudge toward a broader reunion, as we find all of S4’s primary roles here. This allows it to develop themes and add just enough thrills to work.
MM 54: “With his crew cornered and a horde of walkers closing in, Morgan weighs tough options. Alicia and Charlie head for the beach — and hope.”
Introduced back in “The Code” as a mysterious “Filthy Woman” with a hate-on for Morgan, we get the “origin story” for Martha (Tonya Pinkins). She seemed purely malevolent in prior episodes, and “MM 54” explains what drove her down such a dark path.
This becomes the most compelling aspect of “MM 54” but not the only solid part of the episode. With the gang largely back together and various increasing threats, “MM 54” pushes us toward the series’ final shows well.
I Lose People…: “Morgan seeks to atone for his perceived failures. His friends mount a rescue effort, only to find themselves saved by a single selfless act.”
With little time left in S4, “People” tends to act as set-up for the finale. It percolates some character and plot points to push toward the conclusion in a vivid manner.
…I Lose Myself: “When a place of safety threatens to become a tomb, Morgan's quest to save one outlier becomes a race to rescue all he cherishes. A new path beckons.”
S4 concludes with a resolution to some plot threads and a nudge toward the future. A season that passed the torch from many of the series’ original main characters to some new ones, “Myself” manages to wrap up the package on a positive note that also prompts curiosity about where Season Five will go.
