Here to Help

I'm not going to spoil anything that happens in this episode but if you enjoyed season 3 and hated season 4 this episode gave me hope that Season 5 as a whole will be an awesome season, so much has happened in one episode and the first 20/25 mins kept me on the edge of my seat. I really think that the show has changed directions and won't make the same mistake they did in season 4. I can't wait for episode 2

I was almost bored from start to finish. first few minutes i was confused about wtf is happening? and no, it wasn't even exciting. but at this point i don't really care anymore ... last 5 seconds had a traditional cliffhanger, to get you into watching the next boring episode. no, i will not waste my time any further.

While trying to help a man named Logan, Alicia, Dorie, June, Morgan and Luciana get into a plane crash, leaving Luciana seriously injured. They encounter a group of children; Annie, Max, and Dylan, as well as strange traps and signs warning of high radiation in the area. After they find a working radio, they learn that Logan is not only Polar Bear's partner but he also lied about needing help. He just wanted them to get them as far away as possible so he could take over their denim factory. They children flee in fear. Meanwhile, Al investigates a strange walker wearing body armor. As she records it on her camera, she is captured another in the same armor.

As the rest of the group plans to retake the factory, Strand investigates a man on one of Al's tapes who has a plane they can use. To Strand's shock, the man is Daniel Salazar.

"Fear the Walking Dead," Season 5, Episode 1, "Here to Help," kicks off with a sense of urgency and purpose as the group embarks on a mission to help those in need. The episode introduces us to a new group of survivors, including a plane crash victim named Logan, who seeks the group's help in finding his friends. As they set out on their journey, they encounter various challenges, including a horde of walkers and a mysterious distress call.

One of the key themes of the episode is the idea of community and the importance of helping others in times of crisis. This theme is exemplified by the group's willingness to risk their lives to save strangers, highlighting the best aspects of human nature even in the face of overwhelming danger.

The episode is also notable for its tense and action-packed sequences, particularly the scenes involving the walkers and the group's efforts to rescue the survivors. These scenes are well-executed and keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, showcasing the show's ability to deliver thrilling and suspenseful moments.

"Here to Help" is a strong start to the fifth season of "Fear the Walking Dead." It effectively sets up the central conflict and themes of the season while delivering exciting action and compelling character development. As the group continues on their journey, it will be interesting to see how they navigate the challenges ahead and whether they can maintain their sense of altruism in the face of increasingly dire circumstances.

"Fear the Walking Dead" has devolved. It's fallen a long way from its early years as an earnest, deadly serious prequel to "The Walking Dead." (I, for one, really liked the first season's creative mix of slow-burn horror and family drama, and I loved the ambitious, milieu-exploring apocalypse-in-progress stories of subsequent seasons.) Today, we've reached the point where the show has become so slapdash and campy that you have to wonder whether its creators take it seriously at all.

I'm sorry to say this, but the Season 5 premiere felt like pretty amateurish stuff. Its writing, directing and acting (in some places) were really, really spotty. Its early action set-piece involving a plane crash, for example, was choppy, confusing and awkwardly staged. The plotting and dialogue were ... poor.

Even the premiere's marketing was goofy. Its television ads seemed like an intentional self-parody - like maybe a Saturday Night Live skit lampooning zombie shows. (See below.) The poster is a mess too - even if the center image's suggestion that John Dorie is a gunslinging Christ figure is pretty damned nifty.

With all of this said, it may surprise you that I still liked the episode well enough, and I'll still watch the show. I'd rate the premiere a 7 out of 10, because "Fear the Walking Dead" still has its merits. I can think of three reasons in particular why I still had fun with the premiere, and why I'll still tune in next Sunday.

First, some of the characters are terrific. I'll always love Victor Strand (Colman Domingo). I really like Dorie (Garret Dillahunt) and his mild-mannered girlfriend, June (Jenna Elfman), and Charlie (Alexa Nisenson) is the kind of child character that typically grows on me. (Let's hope Dorie's posture in the poster isn't a hint about his death.) I still like Morgan, because Lennie James is always a pleasure to watch, even if I don't share the immense zeal of his legions of fans. (The writers need to do more with him beyond his weird, vaguely "Kung Fu," born-again altruism. I know he's supposed to be the Eastern philosophy guy, but his dialogue sometimes makes him come off like a stereotypical, nattering Evangelical.)

The second reason I'll stay with this show is that its stories move along quickly. There are no static, Negan-centered endless epics here, like there are on this show's plodding progenitor.

The third reason is this - "Fear the Walking Dead" has always hatched the most creative story ideas. Whatever problems the show might have developed over time with character, dialogue or plot details, the basic story concepts have always been really damned inventive. (They consistently offer much more than "The Walking Dead's" two boiler-plate plot arcs - group-vs.-group or refuge-with-a-hidden-danger.) This season looks like it will be no exception. There are two major reveals in this episode's closing minutes. One connects Season 5 with past seasons of "Fear the Walking Dead," while another is a tantalizing hint about greater forces in the "Walking Dead" universe.

Oh! One more thing! There is an important new character here played by the terrific Matt Frewer. If you're a true zombie horror fan, then you'll recognize him as none other than Frank, from Zack Snyder's superb, unfairly reviled 2004 "Dawn of the Dead" remake. And if you're and 80's kid like I am, then you might remember him as the original Max Headroom - from both the Coca-Cola ads and excellent but short-lived 1987 sci-fi series. That's some pretty fun casting - and the guy is a good actor.

The episode introduces four new characters, three of them being good guys and the villain, Logan who we knew of from season 4 but never got to see. He's played brilliantly by Matt Frewer, an fine actor and he plays the character with such perfection leaving me wanting more. My opinion is that it was a great season premiere, setting the atmosphere and immersion with also bringing new storylines and old ones back with the crew back together, it was nicely directed with great action.

The ensemble cast did great in this episode from acting to stunts; but Lennie James, Alycia and Matt Frewer were the ones that shined throughout the episode, delivering great performances.

After an alright season we get an episode filled with what made that season good and focusing on that, following up with the trucker story and the group's goal to save people makes for some unique opportunities if done right and from the look of the trailer it seems promising to be as great as the third season.