arts // no. 12 theotherpress.ca An unfailing lead and zombies of the western frontier » Season six premiere of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ continues to battle zombies in the wild west Jonathan Pabico Senior Columnist wkweK KY he newly aired season six premiere of spin-off series Fear the Walking Dead has a typical narrative structure but compensates this shortcoming with a compelling lead and story. We reunite with Morgan (Lennie James)—the mighty Zen warrior of the zombie apocalypse—after he’s betrayed and left for dead by new villain Virginia (Colby Minifie). He reluctantly decides to help new character Isaac, while being pursued by the cold-hearted bounty hunter Emile. What makes Fear so unique from the other shows in the Walking Dead franchise is that it has the look and feel of a neo-western. The story presents a violent world of outlaws, drifters, and rogues that pays gleeful homage to Sergio Leone’s old spaghetti westerns. The dry deserts and the growling zombies walking aimlessly blends with the old west’s genre tropes to study how devolved the undead world has become. Lead star Lennie James plays Morgan as a morose man in pain struggling to hold onto the remnants of his moral code. The use of harsh lighting, close-ups, and obstructed camera shots farther away from him convey his distraught state of mind as he drifts farther away from human connection. However, Morgan assisting Isaac evokes not only his good heart, but also stresses how important it is to be selfless by going the extra mile for those that need it most. During the deadly encounters Morgan has—with Emile, or zombies during action scenes—his goodness is brutally tested. These moments represent what James’ character stands to lose and how much he’s changed that violently transforms his identity with unpredictable results for the rest of the series. Aside from this, the viewers will enjoy seeing Morgan take on every zombie with his Zen master skills. As for flaws, the premiere doesn’t show what happened to Morgan immediately after the last episode and is explained only through his short expositional dialogue. This omitted time frame could have been shown to establish more tension for his lonesome journey. The episode also has predictable narrative beats, despite tremendous cinematography, locations, and zombies. It’s a multi-faceted arc that hardcore fans have seen from the entry’s lead countless times before, so there wont be that many surprises for them. Still, Morgan nonetheless remains a fascinating character because his adventure in the premiere is really a story about restoring faith and trust in both yourself and others. His interactions with Isaac explore how it’s alright to be open with people, even though it can be hard. Morgan learning to trust Isaac and himself reflects the value of having faith as we struggle, stumble, and sometimes slip away through life. He is a complicated reminder of how there is always meaning in doing the right thing. Relentless aliens, superb visuals, and weak characters Illustration by Athena Little » Premiere of CBC’s ‘War of the Worlds’ promises worthwhile spectacles despite shortcomings Jonathan Pabico The cuts between camera shots inexplicable events. Senior Columnist wkweK KY .G. Wells’ sci-fi classic The War of the Worlds was adapted as a 2005 film starring Tom Cruise, then eventually as Rafe Spall’s three-episode miniseries on AMC. Now, CBC is featuring an eight- episode TV series of the titular book that so far presents a haunting picture of a helpless Europe besieged by a cold-hearted alien invasion. As the episode progresses, the editing and cinematography elevate the story’s remarkably chilling tone. The gorgeous wide takes of the natural mountain ranges and urban city are edited with smaller camera shots of characters living their everyday lives. These effects perfectly set up suspense to foreshadow the terrifying phenomena caused by the invaders. In many ways, the premiere has a visual scale like Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and a narrative akin to Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day. This gives the show surprising emotional weight that gives viewers a substantial reason to tune in to the show, as well as a reason to look forward to what else CBC can bring in the future. gradually improves pacing, while locations become more claustrophobic to convey how frightened and confused families, scientists, and government officials are at the unknown. The gripping sound design leading up to the episode's climax reflects just how powerless we can feel towards Unlike Wells’ book, there isn’t a series lead to follow due to the story focusing on several characters from many subplots. Some viewers may be disarmed if they're expecting a main protagonist to spearhead the premiere. However, this approach is more realistic since it immerses you in the cH iS ar] fi] =) > vu Ss vo a) << re uv mo} a > Ho} Cc ae) p i) ar] iv 3 many different reactions to the attack. Gabriel Byrne as a neuroscience professor is good enough for the premiere. His story arc is perhaps the only one to take seriously through his character's distant family relationships with his wife and son before the invasion. The show could have developed his backstory more, even though it’s just the beginning of the show so far. Because of the episode’s flaws, and even though it’s only the start of the series, Tom Cruise’s adaptation is still superior. With the legendary Steven Spielberg behind the camera, the film presents a disturbing portrayal of aliens. It also foregrounds a riveting relationship between Cruise and Dakota Fanning’s characters. Byrne and the rest of the cast are only passable in the show because they lack this same chemistry. Overall, though, the season premiere of CBC’s War of the Worlds sets up a truly scary depiction of humanity’s threatening encounter with extraterrestrial life. With its editing, visual design, and storytelling, the show’s first episode promises an enthralling series that honours H.G. Wells’ famous novel. If zombies aren’t your thing, then maybe an alien apocalypse will provide you those scares you crave for every October.