Review: Fear TWD 605 reminds us that you can’t escape the past

Fear TWD season 6 episode 5 delivered a thrilling but somber tale of survival

Poor Dwight just can’t catch a break, and in this week’s all-new episode of Fear the Walking Dead he comes to understand that things are much harder than he ever could have imagined. Fear TWD 605, “Honey”, was thrilling and full of action and it came with the same decidedly somber tone that has been a theme for most of season 6.

Though there were several stories at play in “Honey”, it was Dwight’s reckoning with Sherry that really shone through. Morgan hinted at what happened during All Out War with Negan, noting that Dwight had come a long way since then. When Sherry saw him slipping back to his Negan days to protect her, her own guilt came to the fore because she regrets not taking him out when she had the chance.

Duality is a major theme in season 6, and in “Honey” we see that Dwight was willing to go back to his old self to protect Sherry while Sherry was willing to put more people in danger to right the wrongs of the past.

“Honey” is also a shining example of how the past informs the present. As a vocal supporter of Fear’s fourth and fifth seasons, “Honey” highlights why the stories in those seasons matter so much. Morgan’s missions didn’t work the way he planned and now his path is informed by the knowledge that he can’t do things the way he did in the past. Dwight and Sherry’s pasts – both short and long term – are what guide them to make the decisions they make. Without the last two seasons, the impact of season 6 would be nowhere close to what it is.

After five episodes, Fear the Walking Dead shows no signs of slowing down as the action continues to march the characters toward an inevitable showdown with Virginia. There are a few stories moving in tandem this season: The characters’ struggle to survive, the impending battle with Virginia, Morgan’s quest to find Grace and the mysterious key that Morgan took from Emile that belongs to the people from the submarine.

Each episode moves fluidly this season, building the story and letting it flow at its own pace thanks to the anthology format. Each episode has been dramatically different from the previous one, yet they are all tied together as part of a larger narrative. This was very evident in “Honey” as worlds collided when Al and Dwight learned that Morgan was alive and on a mission.

Lennie James really leans into the “new” Morgan. He’s able to acknowledge past mistakes while remaining resolute about what needs to happen, and he does it with a quiet strength that underscores the journey Morgan has been on over the past ten years.

“Honey” was directed by the incomparable Michael E. Satrazemis. Whenever you see that he’s directing an episode you know it’s going to be a big one, and “Honey” did not disappoint. From horses chasing the MRAP to a hungry dog about to take out a man covered in guts, and so much drama in between, the episode was nonstop from start to finish.

(And I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that Satrazemis is responsible for some of the most notable cuddle scenes in recent TWD Universe memory, including Dwight and Sherry’s moments in “Honey”, the post-coital moment between Carol and Ezekiel and that crazy scene with Negan and Alpha that had everyone talking)

Now we know that there are lots of people who have it out for Virginia, which almost certainly means her days are numbered…or are they? With only two episodes to go before Fear TWD bows for the holidays, there’s no telling what could happen next. One thing is for sure, though: Fear TWD has never been as good as it is now, and it’s only going to get bigger and better from here on out.