5 things Fear the Walking Dead is getting right

Fear the Walking Dead has struggled, in past seasons, to grab the attention of viewers. But in season 3, that has changed. Here are five reasons why.

I’ll admit it: I’m a zombie junkie. I will watch anything related to zombies I can get my hands on. That’s why, when AMC announced a spinoff to The Walking Dead would premiere in August of 2015, I happily devoured all six episodes of that first season with the understanding that Fear the Walking Dead was a prequel, meaning it would tell the story of a family fighting to survive in the early days of the walker outbreak.

Many fans of the original understood that FTWD would be more of a slow-burn, compared to TWD, and patiently watched the world burn. The show’s inaugural season averaged around seven million viewers per episode, and AMC ordered a full 15 episode slate for season 2, which premiered in April of 2016.

The second season was much more complex and involved a whole lot more walkers, than season 1, however, viewership began to drop. When it was all said and done, season 2 averaged around four million viewers per episode. Many fans were frustrated that FTWD was following the exact same framework as TWD, with the main group of survivors being scattered across the map in the second have of season 2.

By the time season 3 rolled around, there was hope that the show would finally reach its full potential and surpass that six-episode first season’s ratings.

Season 3 is five episodes into a 16 episode slate, and so far, it appears as if showrunner Dave Erickson has found the magic touch (even though he’s leaving the show at the end of the season). Every episode of this third season has been superb. The storytelling is rich, the action has never been better, and the stakes have never been higher.

Here are five things Fear the Walking Dead is getting right and The Walking Dead should take note of (WARNING: Aired spoilers for season 3 to follow.)