Fear The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 7 Review: See, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things (Mid Season Finale)

In "Shiva" Chris runs off after being caught standing with a knife next to Madison and Alicia's bed. Travis follows him but doesnt bother to put on shoes. Travis is not the sharpest tool in the shed. He finds Chris holding a boy hostage while his father looks on helplessly. Chris has definitely gone cuckoo. Travis feels guilty about abandoning his son during the divorce. Travis knows Chris desperately needs him and decides to stay. Will it be a mistake? Will Chris ending up killing his father?

Travis asks Nick not to tell Madison that he found them. Nick returns to the compound alone. He tells Madison he is invincible. The infected/walkers/zombies cannot touch him. We are again reminded that Nick is an addict. He has traded a drug high for the high of running with zombies. I fear for Nick. Saying that you're invincible it a sure fire way to get killed.

Daniel is now hallucinating about his dead wife Griselda (and why he didnt finish her off so she wouldnt turn into a zombie). He makes a half hearted attempt to escape with Ofelia. He is captured by Celia's men and locked in the basement. I know we need to create conflict since it's the mid season finale, but Daniel's mental illness came out of nowhere. I dont buy that he would go bonkers so easily. He's seen some bad stuff during his life (which we see glimpses of in flashbacks). He should be MORE resilient than the other survivors. I also dont buy that he wouldnt have a stronger instinct to defend his daughter. But no one asked me.

Celia is getting weirder by the minute. She's upset with Strand because he shot Thomas in the head (instead of them eating the poisoned communion wafer and turning). Celia forces Strand to leave the compound.

Meanwhile Nick goes back to the boat and retrieves Zombie Luis. Celia will let Nick stay but still doesnt trust his family. Madison tells Celia she wants to understand. Celia takes her to the zombie pen. When Celia enters Madison quickly backs out and locks the door. Celia does not scream. She seems resigned to her fate. Madison is vicious and I love her for it. Don't mess with Madison!

Daniel manages to escape his confines and sets the compound ablaze. Zombies and people run everywhere. Strand returns with a truck and tries to rescue Madison and Alicia. Madison at first refuses to leave without Travis (but he's off with Chris). Then she tries to get Nick to join them. He won't budge so she's forced to leave him. Nick better hope it doesnt rain or he will find out he's not invisible after all.

Favorite Quotes:

"This is not apocalypse. This is a beginning. The end of death itself-- life eternal."- Celia to Nick.
"You belong here with us Nicholas."- Celia.
"They're not really dead... they're what comes next."- Celia to Nick.
Travis: "I should have helped me." Chris: "Look at me. I'm no good. I'm no good. I'm not good."

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). A good tight episode for a mid season finale. The group left the compound faster than I thought but at least Celia got her just reward (IF she is truly dead-- we never saw her body). When the show returns in August we'll have people in three different locations-- Strand, Madison, Alicia and Ofelia in one setting, Nick in one, and Chris and Travis in another. It should (hopefully) be interesting. I just hope they dont revert back to the boring episodes the show was previously plagued with.

On a side note, "FTWD" continues the "TWD" tradition of arriving in a nice place and then quickly destroying it. See this is why we cant have nice things!