Existing in the same apocalyptic universe as "The Walking Dead", does "Fear The Walking Dead" have what it takes to stand on its own two zombie feet rather than just being passed off as a companion spin-off series?
You betcha a** it does!
"Fear The Walking Dead" introduces a completely new set of characters and instead of being set down south in Atlanta, it focuses on the disease catastrophe taking place at the bustling suburban metropolis that is Los Angeles.
Set in a place with an overcrowded population and where gang members run rampant, it's a no-brainer that the producers of the show would pick Los Angeles to begin a completely new story, right?
 |
| The after-math of the virus outbreak in Los Angeles seen in "Fear The Walking Dead". |
The main cast of “Fear The Walking Dead” are quite impressive and the show pays special attention to the dynamics of a dysfunctional family dealing with the outbreak crisis.
We have Kim Dickens as Madison (a high school guidance counselor), Cliff Curtis as Travis (Madison's English teacher boyfriend), Frank Dillane as Nick (Madison's drug addict son) and Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia (Madison's daughter).
 |
| The entire cast of "Fear The Walking Dead". |
But first, here are...
10 things you should know about "Fear The Walking Dead":
1. "Fear The Walking Dead" is more of prequel than a companion series spin-off. It is set in the time period just before episode one of "The Walking Dead"; when Rick Grimes wakes up from the hospital and finds his world infested by Walkers.
2. In "The Walking Dead" the 'zombies' are called 'Walkers', but in "Fear The Walking Dead" they are called 'The Infected'.
3. Los Angeles has a population of about 3.9 million people in a city that's around 503 square miles. If one were to do the math, that means there's about 7,753 people (or the Infected) per square mile!
4. The creepy main theme music is composed by Atticus Ross who with Nine Inch Nail's front man, Trent Reznor, had won a Best Original Score Oscar for "The Social Network" and have gone on to score for films like "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", "Gone Girl" and more.
5. British actor Frank Dillane who plays a drug addict on the show, had actually played young Tom Riddle in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince".
6. There is a 16-part web series called "Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462" connected to the TV series, which is about the outbreak's effect taking place on an airplane. In one of the episodes of "Fear The Walking Dead", the airplane can be seen flying haphazardly in the sky.
7. There MIGHT be a crossover between "The Walking Dead" and "Fear The Walking Dead" as a character from the latter is said to have an episode arc in season 6 of the currently running "The Walking Dead".
8. Only the pilot episode of "Fear The Walking Dead" was filmed in Los Angeles for its exterior shots and to capture the mood and feel of the series. The rest of the season was filmed in Vancouver.
9. Due to her looks, Alycia Debnam-Carey has been mistaken for Miley Cyrus many times. But the actress is pretty accomplished and has starred in movies like "Into The Storm" and was the lead in the horror film, "Friend Request".
10. The Infected in "Fear The Walking Dead" look fresher and are harder to spot, as the story takes place immediately after the virus hits, thus there are no Infected ones roaming with their rotten bodies (yet).
 |
| Check out these Walkers.. Uh, we mean The Infected... |
Anyway, since the series premiered back in 2015, now fans can re-watch it and newcomers start watching the first season of “Fear the Walking Dead” by tuning in to the Sundance Channel HD, Astro (channel 438) on 26th March at 7pm.
The channel will run a marathon of the six-part drama before its season 2 premiere this April!