‘Fear the Walking Dead’ – “Another Day in the Diamond” Recap

****Warning! Spoilers beyond this point! If you have not watched the latest episode of Fear and do NOT want to know what happens, turn away now!****

Last week’s season 4 premiere of AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead focused mainly on Morgan Jones’ transition and crossover from The Walking Dead after leaving Rick’s group back in Virginia. We also were introduced to John Dorie and Althea who are brilliantly played by Garret Dillahunt and Maggie Grace. At the end of “What’s Your Story,” the trio is ambushed by none other than the Clark family and friends (sounds more like a 70s variety show), but their intentions are what are in question. How will the past two years, that we as fans have no knowledge of, affect their decisions and who have they become?

The last time we encountered a “before and after” scenario, Rick’s group ended up at Terminus being prepped for dinner. The episode begins in the “BEFORE”  and the Clarks, Strand and Luciana have built a sanctuary in an old baseball field with 47 members. Looks like just another day in paradise. They celebrate their 365th day at the diamond with syrup but in reality, they are already 2 years into the apocalypse.

I personally would much rather celebrate with bacon…Bacon makes everything better, even in the apocalypse!

Madison is welcoming to a young newcomer named Charlie. She tries to get as much information that she can from Charlie in hopes of finding her family. Charlie just points in a general direction. Madison, Alicia, Luciana and Victor head out to search. Eventually, they reach a town. It is evident that there was once an encampment but also, noticeably absent, are any signs of infected. At the top of one of the 3 oil tanks, they notice a flag flying overhead with the number 457. It’s very similar to the flag with the number 51 from episode 1.

Here we are introduced to Naomi played by Jenna Elfman. She pulls a gun on Madison and asks for their truck. We can see that she is tired, broken and alone. She realizes she is outnumbered and runs for the top of one of the tanks. Negotiations to help her take a turn for the worse when she falls through a hole and into a pool of oil full of infected. Without thinking twice, Madison jumps down to help her while Alicia and Strand open the hatch from outside. Oil spills out with the infected. Alicia and Strand put them down. Later that night, Naomi tells them that she’s been traveling since the start.  Victor wants to know why they risked so much to save a stranger. Madison responds,

“No one’s gone till they’re gone.”

They head back.

At the stadium, Nick begins to burn up the rotting turnips and hears music playing far in the distance. Investigating, he begins to drive but has flashbacks of the dam blast which trigger a panic attack and causes him to crash. Cole shoots the surrounding infected allowing Nick to run back toward the stadium. Madison and company return as well.

While trying to retrieve the crashed truck, Luciana alerts Cole and the other men to get back inside and ditch the truck. Behind them, a convoy of trucks and cars enter the stadium parking lot. With guns in hand, our survivors watch as one of the men lure some infected into one of the trucks with music while riding a bicycle. He hangs a flag on the truck and paints the number 12. Another man grabs a chair and cooler and sets up his very own tailgate party.

Madison comes out to meet Mel, played by Kevin Zegers. She asks what he wants and he tells her that all they want is for them to listen, fall in line and give them their stuff. Hmmmm…sound familiar? Mel knows about Nick, their crops and how in time, their resources will run out. Mel calls out to Charlie, leaving everyone shocked that she had been a mole the whole time. Madison tells him that they’re not going anywhere. Mel informs her that they’ll just wait for them to either join them or die.

I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING NOT RIGHT ABOUT HER! Never trust a creepy little girl, folks!

Yet another reason to never trust little girls. The twins in The Shining. Claudia in Interview with the Vampire. The girl from The Orphan. And now Charlie. #FearTWD @AMCTalkingDead

— Sarabeth Pollock (@SarabethPollock) April 23, 2018

In the “NOW,” Morgan, Althea and John are tied up and Nick looks through their belongings. Morgan tries to tell them that they are mistaken in who they believe they are. Al tells them that they might be able to help each other. Luci comes out of the truck with the “51” flag which convinces them that the trio is lying. Al asks who do they think they are with. Victor replies, “The Vultures.”  Alicia orders them to show them where they got the flag from.

So we have SOME answers and still even more questions. We know that the reason Morgan, John and Althea are ambushed is that they are believed to be with the new villain group, The Vultures. It seems as though Madison is not so ruthless and cold-hearted like last season BUT the season is still young and what changes here? I need to know if Daniel died at the dam. Did he leave the group? Did he develop an infection from being shot by Strand? When they reunited after the blast, did Strand finish what he began and, in fact, kill Daniel? Even though Charlie was placed there as a spy, will she be the Eugene of the group and actually help the Clarks? She seems to have a bond with Nick.

Fear the Walking Dead airs Sunday nights at 9 pm on AMC.