Sometimes it can be a bit difficult being a Walking Dead fan; the mothership series started out very strong until it reached a point where fans were always debating if they should stick out the rough seasons or find a different show to take up their time. These questions got even more difficult as AMC doubled down on the success with spinoff series such as Fear The Walking Dead and the recently-launched limited series The Walking Dead: World Beyond. Much like its parent series, Fear The Walking Dead has had some difficulty with consistency. The opening few seasons had moments of greatness, but it often failed in providing compelling characters you wanted to follow and in establishing an identity of its own. For those who stuck with it, the fourth season finally felt like the time when the series justified its existence as it shed some characters dragging down the narrative and introduced some new and returning characters who quickly became fan favorites. The fifth season was yet another slight step back, but as we enter the sixth season we are graced with a season on an upswing.
What exactly changed in the fourth season that transformed the show? The series adapted somewhat of a western aesthetic and with it the show abandoned some of the self-seriousness that hampered the creativity. The show continued to have real emotional stakes, but the way in which they were tackled allowed the characters to have varied emotions. The fifth season meandered a bit too much for its own good, but the final moments of the finale brought about a development that threatened to shake up the series in a bold way. Before we go on further, we have to address what that is and how it is resolved, but the answer is on the cover art for the season so it is hard to avoid. Spoiler-sensitive audiences should read forward at their own peril. The loathsome Virginia (Colby Minifie), the leader of a group known as the Pioneers who are forcing people to join their cause or else, shoots Morgan (Lennie James), a character who has been a part of the The Walking Dead since the pilot of the original series, and leaves him for dead. It appeared the show was taking a big swing by killing off such a pivotal character, but the premiere of the sixth season makes it clear that it is not so eager to let him go.
The sixth season finds the show at a very intriguing place creatively. Virginia has split our characters off into different factions and over the course of several episodes we get caught up with everybody as they work to reunite. All that we know about Morgan is that he miraculously survived his certain doom with the last-minute help from a mysterious figure, but the answer to that question is one of the many that is revealed with time. There is some frustration surrounding his survival due to a plot point involving how the dead react to Morgan in the premiere episode that seems forgotten the remainder of the season. Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) and Strand (Colman Domingo) are trying to figure out how they factor into Virginia’s society which finds them wrestling between who they are and who they want to be. Al (Maggie Grace) is given one standout episode, but mostly feels like the forgotten character of the season. Dwight (Austin Amelio), on the other hand, has some crucial character development that is a highlight of this go-around. John (Garret Dillahunt) is wrestling a lot with morality this season, and his distance from his wife June (Jenna Elfman) only exacerbates things.
The trajectory of this season finds the show covering some of the typical conflicts signature of the franchise on some fronts and blazing new trails on others. As mentioned, with a cast of characters this sprawling there are going to be some who are not given the attention you feel they might deserve. Yet those who they devote some extra attention to mostly pay off in really satisfying ways. There are some heartbreaking losses this season that remind you that you do really care about what happens to many of these people. Ginny proves to be a pretty capable villain in her own right, but a background villain bubbling under the surface played by John Glover (Smallville) leads the story towards a finale that is both thrilling and ridiculous. As executed, the series could be in a very different place when it returns for its seventh season. Given the alternating quality season pattern, the next one could once again disappoint, but there was enough work this time that we are ready to get excited for what comes next even if it’s likely to end in disappointment. That’s what you get with this franchise, but the good moments make it worth it.
Video Quality
The sixth season of Fear The Walking Dead comes to Blu-Ray with an eye-popping 1080p presentation that pushes the format to its limit. The series is filled with intricately curated dilapidated sets and gorgeous cinematography that is presented with perfect clarity on this disc. From the many brightly lit scenes to the darker, shadowy sequences that conjure up dread, the skin tones and facial details are incredibly rendered in a way you could almost mistake this for a 4K disc. Subtle facial features are readily visible, such as the various cuts and scrapes that the characters collect throughout their journey. Colors from the blood and landscapes pop off the screen in a pleasant way despite the depressed aesthetic that matches the tone of the story. Black levels are very deep and never betray the objects on screen. No instances of compression artifacts crept up during the viewing. This is an immaculate presentation that perfectly showcases a beautifully shot series that deserves such treatment.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track that is quite active. The series is primarily dialogue driven, but there are also fairly frequent moments of zombie action that kick this track into overdrive. There is some nice ambient activity in the rear channels, especially as you hear the sounds of zombie moaning approaching. The dialogue primarily stays in front center channels and is reproduced clearly. The track does a good job of making sure neither sound effects nor the score ever overpowers dialogue. The score and other music brings a richness to the series that fills up the room on this track. When the action kicks in, there is some heft to the low end that is appreciated in a series such as this one. This track has a substantial dynamic range that should please fans of the series.
Special Features
- Audio Commentaries
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- The End Is The Beginning: Executive Producers and Co-Showrunners Andrew Chambliss, Ian Goldberg and Actor Lennie James
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- In Dreams: Director Michael Satrazemis and Actor Karen David
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- J.D.: Director Aisha Tyler and Actor Jenna Elfman and Actor Keith Carradine.
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- The Beginning: Executive Producers and Co-Showrunners Andrew Chambliss, Ian Goldberg and Actor Colman Domingo
Final Thoughts
Fear The Walking Dead finds the show delivering one of its strongest seasons yet in its sixth season even if it still has its fair share of perplexing moments or infuriating developments. The creative team seems to be really pushing the characters forward in a substantial manner which you can already start to see paying off near the end of this chapter of the story. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray set featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and a few entertaining commentary tracks. If you have stuck with the series this long, this season should be an enjoyable entry into the overall story for you. Recommended
Fear The Walking Dead: The Complete Sixth Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
