Entertainment

'Fear The Walking Dead' Finds New Danger At Sea

by Fred Topel

If you were worried that moving Fear The Walking Dead to a boat for Season 2 would take away the series' suspenseful danger, think again. Though the Clark and Manawa families boarded a yacht owned by Victor Strand in the Season 1 finale, at the red carpet before their PaleyFest panel in March, the Fear cast told reporters that sailing away from the zombies won't exactly be a the solution to their problems. "We are on a boat in a very confined space ... We’re having to now look at the relationships with everyone and their alliances with each other, the dynamics they have with one another, whether they can trust each other," says Alycia Debnam-Carey, who plays Alicia Clark. “When you’re thrust into an incredibly unique and volatile situation, what are you willing to do and how will that change you.”

Cabin fever and in-fighting are a trademark of zombie movies and shows. Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and some of the best episodes of The Walking Dead have proven that the characters inside a safe place can be more dangerous than the zombies outside, and Debnam-Carey can preview which characters will have the most issues with each other when confined. "When we first get on the boat, it’s probably with ... Travis and maybe with Strand,” she says. However, she also warns, "it changes and I think it’s always changing."

Travis, played by Cliff Curtis, does have a lot to deal with, whether on land or at sea. At the end of the first season, he had to kill his ex-wife, Liza, after she was bitten by one of the infected. Now, he'll have to deal with the repercussions that act has on his relationship with his son, Chris. That's why the boat's safety won't make parts of Travis' life any easier. "I think the boat’s a great situation, but I think it’s going to be a real problem for him, for everybody,” Curtis says.

Adding to the stress of the situation will be the many different dynamics between Fear The Walking Dead's characters. Strand’s yacht is housing the blended Clark and Manawa families, who had friction well before the zombie outbreak. Then there's Strand, who's an outsider to the group, but in charge of the boat.

Lorenzo James Henrie, who plays Chris, says that some of the challenges will come from navigating these relationships. "That’s going to be a tough dealmaker in our group,” Henrie says, “staying psychologically sane and not coming to different conclusions about other people, not judging a book by its cover, blood versus bond. There’s a lot of different themes going on with the boat." Would the Clarks and Manawas been better off staying on land? Hopefully, we'll find out when Fear The Walking Dead Season 2 premieres on April 10 at 9 p.m.

Images: Richard Foreman, Jr, Richard Foreman/AMC