Season 5, Episode 16: End of the Line
PLOT: Morgan's group has to decide whether to surrender to Ginny's people or to fight back.
REVIEW: The title End of the Line is a very fitting one for this episode of Fear the Walking Dead, not only because it's the season 5 finale but also because this review marks the end of Walking Dead series of reviews here on JoBlo. I've had fun taking the journey through the world of these Dead shows with you readers over the last few years, but you're on your own from here on out.
Thankfully, these reviews don't have to end on a negative note, because I enjoyed End of the Line, which starts with a bit of fan service aimed directly at saps like me who said they'd be disappointed if Dwight (Austin Amelio) didn't make some kind of contact with his long lost wife Sherry by the end of this season. They know just how to drag things out, aware that certain viewers will be satisfied with Sherry's voice breaking through static on a walkie talkie – so it's probably not even the voice of Sherry actress Christine Evangelista – and will hold on in hopes of seeing a real reunion next year.
Dwight and Sherry isn't the only relationship drama that gets some attention in this season finale, as the John (Garret Dillahunt) and June (Jenna Elfman) relationship takes a heartwarming step forward and even the Morgan (Lennie James) and Grace (Karen David) "will they or won't they?" situation makes some progress… in fact, that one branches off into directions I didn't see coming at all.
I can't complain about Fear taking some time for the love stories, partly because I understand that it comes with the territory of the Walking Dead shows being soap operas that happen to have zombies with them, and also because the performances of the actors have made me care about these characters, so I want to see them be happy together. I care about Dwight and Sherry, I want John and June to have a "happily ever after", I want to see Grace overcome the radiation poisoning she suspects she has but hopefully doesn't. Okay, so I don't care about Morgan so much, but that guy has been getting on my nerves for years at this point. If Grace likes him, I give my blessing.
While all this love is flying around, a good portion of the episode is focused on action carried out by desperate characters. Finding that the Humbug's Gulch Old West town he intended to move his convoy of 40 people into is infested with 263 zombies, give or take, Morgan has had to call the annoying villain Ginny (Colby Minifie) for help, despite the fear that Ginny will split his people up when she adds them to the group of 817 that are already under her care. But almost immediately after Morgan has made the call, some of his companions start having second thoughts and a plan is put into motion that could clear out Humbug's Gulch and get Ginny off their backs at the same time.
I can't say things go the way I wanted them to when this plan was set into motion, but there is a satisfying conclusion involving a river that I found fun to watch.
End of the Line begins with desperation, spikes up into hope for a while, and then falls back down into despair near the end, as things take a turn that only serves to guarantee that I will be watching season 6 of Fear the Walking Dead even though I won't be reviewing it here. These Walking Dead shows may not be as popular, exciting, or engaging as they once were, but I'm on the hook to watch them, and any further spin-offs that may come along, until the bitter end.
The end of this episode is quite bitter itself, and it goes out on a moment that appears to be rather final but is surely a cliffhanger due to the character involved. I'll be tuning in on premiere night to see how that cliffhanger is resolved in season 6.
BEST ZOMBIE MOMENT: Best zombie moments rarely have anything to do with zombies accomplishing anything good, and the best zombie moment in End of the Line was not their time to shine. Instead, the best moment involves a herd of zombies getting duped into wading into a river, where they're swept away in the current.
GORY GLORY: I've said it many times that the makers of Fear the Walking Dead are great at coming up with cool, unique zombie scenarios, but unfortunately they seem to have very little interest in gore. Once again the best we get in the gore department in this episode are the usual shots of multiple zombie heads getting damaged.
FAVORITE SCENE: The final scene. Whether it's a character's demise or a cliffhanger, it's a great moment either way.
FINAL VERDICT:
That's all, folks!