• Network: AMC
  • Series Premiere Date: Aug 23, 2015
Season #: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 604 Ratings

User score distribution:
Watch Now

Where To Watch

Stream On
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Review this tv show

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling

User Reviews

  1. Sep 20, 2015
    3
    As a big Walking Dead Fan, this prequel is a disappointment. Cliches and the characters often fall into a stupidity track often lacking common sense and unrealistic reactions. It feels like some B movie writer came up with this script and was able to just slap on the Walking Dead logo to make it more well-known than what it should be.
  2. Sep 23, 2015
    3
    This is a very disappointing show that pales in comparison to TWD. I like TWD and I was hoping to see more TWD but with a different perspective from different characters. I was also hoping to learn more about the origins of the disease and where and how it started. Not only did I not learn anything more about the disease I may have suffered brain damage from watching this show. How canThis is a very disappointing show that pales in comparison to TWD. I like TWD and I was hoping to see more TWD but with a different perspective from different characters. I was also hoping to learn more about the origins of the disease and where and how it started. Not only did I not learn anything more about the disease I may have suffered brain damage from watching this show. How can characters be portrayed as so incredibly stupid.

    And, why are most characters on this TV show so anti-government, anti-police, anti-military... it's like watching OMNI TVs version of white trash. Everyone on the show appears to be ignorant and disgruntled. Other reviews indicated that the writers are trying to show human nature and how people would respond during a crisis what I think they are doing is showing how stupid people actually are. The world if falling apart around them and they are bickering with each other. Yes! that is a zombie eating your neighbour do something! Do anything!

    I think the writers are having fun with us?
    Expand
  3. Sep 28, 2015
    3
    They should of called this 'Find the Walking Dead' as there have so far not been really any of them in the show. Instead of a 6 episode series set at the start of a zombie apocalypse full of thousands of recently infected tearing apart the millions of residents of LA, we find that the first 4 episodes are just 'getting to know you' pieces where it is hard to care about the main cast. TheThey should of called this 'Find the Walking Dead' as there have so far not been really any of them in the show. Instead of a 6 episode series set at the start of a zombie apocalypse full of thousands of recently infected tearing apart the millions of residents of LA, we find that the first 4 episodes are just 'getting to know you' pieces where it is hard to care about the main cast. The main cast are a family, of course, this time it seems the 'Rick Grimes' part falls to a woman (the mum) who has to put up with a smack head son, an intelligent rebel of a daughter wand a goody two shoes 'do my best to help' boyfriend. all of whom are about as interesting as thrush. The story stumbles along at a pace around the same as Stephen Hawking doing a lap of the local swimming pool and seems more like an episode of a soap opera for most parts. Hopefully they are setting the series up for a brilliant finale where there is 60 minutes of zombies, death and horrific gore, but I doubt they will. they may just have the family sat around eating cheese sandwiches, it wouldn't surprise me! Expand
  4. Jul 6, 2017
    3
    The fact that critics have all voted fear the walking dead positively is extremity worrying. How can you believe a word any critic says from this moment forward when they are blatantly being paid off in some way to review this show in a positive light. SHAMEFUL.

    Anyway, as for the show, It has its moments, and i am still sticking with it through gritted teeth! I'm a sucker for
    The fact that critics have all voted fear the walking dead positively is extremity worrying. How can you believe a word any critic says from this moment forward when they are blatantly being paid off in some way to review this show in a positive light. SHAMEFUL.

    Anyway, as for the show, It has its moments, and i am still sticking with it through gritted teeth! I'm a sucker for punishment. The show is a drama about humans struggling, It has very little to do with the walkers. The acting is terrible, especially Kim Dickens and her family in the show. Kim takes the award for actress who cant act award for 2017. It is levels of bad that i can't put into words.

    If it wasn't for the feminist obsession here in 2017 they would have killed her off along time ago. In fact, i believe that doing so would draw people back into the world more as it is unbelievable how a woman who only has one emotion can influence so many people and act like a bad ass when in real life she wouldn't have lasted a second with how she acts in fear the walking dead.

    I have seen a drop in qaulty of the walking dead since fear started awhile back. I dont know if this is just a coincadence but the shows feel stale and repetative. They are so scared to offend people that certain events happen on the show that in a real life situation would go down a whole different way!

    I persoanlly think the makers should be disgusted with how low qauloty their shows have become!

    If you want to save it, start with Kim asap.
    Expand
  5. Nov 5, 2017
    3
    As a fan of the original show... this particular season was more of a let down for me. The entire time I was waiting to be engaged... or connected with some or one of the characters however I felt as if I didn't really care who died or who lived and the ending didn't feel satisfying in any way to me. The character development was abysmal and the acting was pretty poor by some of the actorsAs a fan of the original show... this particular season was more of a let down for me. The entire time I was waiting to be engaged... or connected with some or one of the characters however I felt as if I didn't really care who died or who lived and the ending didn't feel satisfying in any way to me. The character development was abysmal and the acting was pretty poor by some of the actors taking the immersion factor away completely. The walkers themselves even seemed a little off, perhaps being so early in the infection time it is too early to judge. However it is interesting as a fan of the original series to see what was happening when Rick went into a coma, before the outbreak and seeing the chaos and turmoil the characters had to face. If you're a fan of the walking dead I'd say try it, see if you like it, if not, then don't bother with the rest of the season. I wouldn't recommend this however if you are not a fan and would say watch the walking dead for a much better overall experience in this universe. Expand
  6. Oct 25, 2015
    2
    Worst spin-off since "Caprica". clearly meant for teenagers. bad acting, stupid storyline, unbelievable, sickening politically correct casting and utterly annoying characters. The story holds great promise, but doesn't live up to its potential. what walkers? there's nothing to fear here but the quality of the coming episodes.
  7. Nov 14, 2015
    2
    Utter ****

    The show is closer to "Fear the Government" than it's original title. The only episode that is any way entertaining at all is the last one and even that one s full of zombie cliches. The characters are boring, the story is terrible and the show as a whole is an effortless dull cash grab.

    Would not recommend, will certainly not come back for the second season.
  8. Aug 24, 2015
    2
    While the limited glimpses of the zombies we got were good the terrible writing/acting delivered during the other 95% of the show was dishearteningly bad.

    I don't think the character introductions went the way they wanted them to go. Instead of making you care about anyone they introduce the main characters as being people so incredibly stupid you don't want them to live through this.
    While the limited glimpses of the zombies we got were good the terrible writing/acting delivered during the other 95% of the show was dishearteningly bad.

    I don't think the character introductions went the way they wanted them to go. Instead of making you care about anyone they introduce the main characters as being people so incredibly stupid you don't want them to live through this. While it's OK to introduce future zombie chow it's not OK to turn the entire cast into this and not even give the courtesy of a smart character you can relate to and pull for through the shows twists and turns.

    We have a couple of teachers in a blended family struggling with their heroin addict son who is also apparently the dumbest kid in California. The angsty pointless teenage daughter trying leave town with her art school boyfriend. Some random highschool kid you barely get introduced to trying (badly) to tell people something bad is coming and brandishing a butterknife for self defense (dumb). Then of course the show then ends up being 90% dumb teachers dealing with dumb son's issues (something you probably hear about from other people at work all day long) 5% "wait a minute something is strange here but whatever lalalalala" and 5% "wow there's an actual zombie" to which the three main characters have a very subdued "well that was really odd don't you think" reaction to instead of the realistic reaction which would be to flee in screaming terror or at the very least go get help immediately.

    Apparently episode 2 will be more hair pulling of a similar nature. Failed character development and a few zombie teasers again. Bad way to start.
    Expand
  9. Aug 23, 2015
    2
    As a fan of the original show, this is a swing and a miss for this spin off. I could sum it's plot up as this: "Junkie knows something weird is happening, nobody else gives half of a f***, and would rather show off their acting chops in slow, boring "character development" tangent stories for the next hour."

    In the original show's pilot, we have a car chase which leads to a dazed and
    As a fan of the original show, this is a swing and a miss for this spin off. I could sum it's plot up as this: "Junkie knows something weird is happening, nobody else gives half of a f***, and would rather show off their acting chops in slow, boring "character development" tangent stories for the next hour."

    In the original show's pilot, we have a car chase which leads to a dazed and confused Rick Grimes waking up from a coma to find himself in a terrifying hellhole. It was exciting and creepy.

    In 'Fear of the Walking Dead', we have a stoner getting hit by a car, getting locked up inside a hospital (makes little sense), and half an hour of whining by apathetic LAPD members and a 'Stand and Deliver' style classroom drama that just drags on and on for some time. Apathetic is the best word here, because it doesn't seem like anyone cares what's going on. Even when the zombies show up, it doesn't feel exciting...and that's a bad sign for this spin-off.
    Expand
  10. Oct 12, 2015
    2
    poorly written, poorly cast. absolute rubbish. characters act irrationally and inconsistently the whole time. no plot points pan out or get interesting. the strand is a bad clone of johnson from peep show
  11. Aug 24, 2015
    2
    It's pretty obvious based on one episode that this show is plain garbage. FTWD characters make TWD characters look like brain surgeons in comparison. "Oh, you say you saw your girlfriend feeding off a dead body before attacking you?" "let me just head on down to that crack den, alone, without a weapon and without informing police to see for myself." "oh, it looks like you were telling theIt's pretty obvious based on one episode that this show is plain garbage. FTWD characters make TWD characters look like brain surgeons in comparison. "Oh, you say you saw your girlfriend feeding off a dead body before attacking you?" "let me just head on down to that crack den, alone, without a weapon and without informing police to see for myself." "oh, it looks like you were telling the truth, let me just bring my wife along for a return trip, without telling police and again without a weapon." "hun, you were right something awful happened here". "ok let's get back to school and not report any of this". Expand
  12. Sep 16, 2015
    2
    I love the idea of a slow approach and the outbreak scenes of the zombie apocalypse are usually my favourite bits, so I really should love this. But the scary scenes are not the least bit scary, the gory bits are never cool, but by far the worst are the dialogues though: Irritating enough that a paid team of professional authors can write such a huge pile of crap. How these dialogues gotI love the idea of a slow approach and the outbreak scenes of the zombie apocalypse are usually my favourite bits, so I really should love this. But the scary scenes are not the least bit scary, the gory bits are never cool, but by far the worst are the dialogues though: Irritating enough that a paid team of professional authors can write such a huge pile of crap. How these dialogues got past Robert Kirkman and a test screening audience is a mystery to me. Shame on them though. The dialogue is too bad to even care about logic holes or bad acting. Expand
  13. Aug 31, 2015
    2
    This show is hiding in the shadow of its big brother. Granted it was not the best opening premiere, but this show was a let down even by normal tv standards. There was family tropes left and right; a daughter who wont listen to her mother and madly in lovely with her bf, a son who is a bad egg, parents who had divorce. It was a bit bland for those used to the walking dead's plot. Now iThis show is hiding in the shadow of its big brother. Granted it was not the best opening premiere, but this show was a let down even by normal tv standards. There was family tropes left and right; a daughter who wont listen to her mother and madly in lovely with her bf, a son who is a bad egg, parents who had divorce. It was a bit bland for those used to the walking dead's plot. Now i personally have never been a big fan of the walking dead's dialog(any scene with Carl and his father has horrible dialog) but this show is on par if not a bit worse with its cheesy lines. There is not much to say other than it was a huge let down and not worth watching unless you want to experience some of the lore before the events of the walking dead. Expand
  14. Sep 2, 2015
    2
    I'm a big TWD fan and watched with another big TWD fan. The pilot was so bad that I had to turn it off about halfway through. The acting was terrible and none of the characters were remotely believable to me. The characters are what make TWD so good and that aspect was completely lacking in the pilot.
  15. Sep 16, 2015
    2
    This is an unnecessary spin off without much thought, it feels like a cash grab. No much was answered about the walker as the original series. The characters are super dumb, and it's really painful to watch. A lot of the tensions feel very forced and predictable. I feel like the writers are trying too hard to make these characters as dumb as it get, and it really feels unnatural and makesThis is an unnecessary spin off without much thought, it feels like a cash grab. No much was answered about the walker as the original series. The characters are super dumb, and it's really painful to watch. A lot of the tensions feel very forced and predictable. I feel like the writers are trying too hard to make these characters as dumb as it get, and it really feels unnatural and makes little sense on what they do. Also the characters are not very likable at all, and when you start to realize that you are actually rooting for the zombie to eat them, it's probably time to turn off the show.

    Also what's the point of this show? It shows exactly the same perspective as the first, but just different characters, location, and time frame. I feel like once the characters realize what's going on, it's just going to another walking dead with different characters. The series really had a potential, but they really blew it. I would really want to see a miniseries perhaps from the government perspective where the it try to combat the outbreak before civilization ends.
    Expand
  16. Aug 24, 2015
    2
    When you have a 90 minute show where nothing happens for a good 85 minutes, you know you're in trouble. Opens well and ends well, but the boring, endless filler in between was unbearable. I assume it was supposed to build character development, but the poor script makes you care less about about them, and actually annoyed. Decent acting by Frank Dillane but this doesn't hold a candle toWhen you have a 90 minute show where nothing happens for a good 85 minutes, you know you're in trouble. Opens well and ends well, but the boring, endless filler in between was unbearable. I assume it was supposed to build character development, but the poor script makes you care less about about them, and actually annoyed. Decent acting by Frank Dillane but this doesn't hold a candle to The Walking Dead. Expand
  17. Aug 28, 2015
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The pilot for this show was slow and the writing was terrible. I get the idea of the show is partly to explore the effects on everyday people. That is part of the charm of the original series. It is not all about the political elite and extraordinary heroes. It about the human spirit and how various personalities tap into that spirit with varying outcomes.
    Okay, so why are these characters doing stupid stuff that no one would do. Why do the police fail to investigate a place that has been named as crack den where a gruesome murder just took place. Sure the witness is a crackhead, but still. So instead, the kids step dad - for no good reason - decides to go and investigate the crack-den gruesome murder scene himself - at night. Sure enough, its true. But does he call the cops? Nope, him and his wife decide to go back and check it out again, alone. Yep, still a crack-den scene of gruesome murder. Does anyone call the cops? No. But then the wife's judgement is so good that she decides to keep the knife wielding of a student just their little harmless secret.

    And so on. The characters are just cardboard cut outs, their actions the consequence of just unaccountably stupid plot twists.

    Me thinks the writers of this series have contempt for their audience.
    Expand
  18. Aug 30, 2015
    2
    I really did not like the characters in this show. Are these people that we want to survive? The mom was very rude to the cops and the nurses even though she is an educator so you think she would give other public service people a bit more respect. I can't stand the "bail my kids out of their situation regardless of their own stupidity" type of parenting. The step dad finds bloodI really did not like the characters in this show. Are these people that we want to survive? The mom was very rude to the cops and the nurses even though she is an educator so you think she would give other public service people a bit more respect. I can't stand the "bail my kids out of their situation regardless of their own stupidity" type of parenting. The step dad finds blood everywhere in the church but seems to see no need to call the authorities. The kid then commits murder and the parents are already talking about how to get him out of that. I am hoping that they all get eaten in the second episode and a better group of people becomes the cops. Expand
  19. Sep 10, 2015
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I want to punch everyone in the face. boring episode 1 and stupid decisions episode 2. By the end of ep 1, the son, father and mother know that something very weird and dangerous happens. What to do next?... lets split up in 3 group and dont tell anyone about it. Especially our stupid daughter who will run into the arms of his soon to be eating flesh boyfriend...

    I know, people in zombie movie dont know **** about zombies... I would have love a fast opening for once.. with smart peoples. They serve us, once again, the chase our kids all over the town while they put themselves in the middle of the danger, hanging up on phone warning. O and by the way, the father is very lacking any skill to make things clear on the phone eather ''there are unkillable, very violent people that try to eat the flesh out of your face all over the town, and it seem to spread very fast, our son is in great danger''... TALK TO PEOPLE...

    And why the F** the mother didnt get the giant stack of food the kid had prepare??

    This show is dumb. And I really hope we are done chasing and convincing people.
    Expand
  20. Oct 2, 2015
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This series is a money-grab by AMC and Robert Kirkman. The pitch was "We'll see the end of civilization". We've seen nothing. There are 16M people in the LA area. It is impossible to evacuate that many people. A lot of people have to get sick, die, and turn in a short timeframe. Influenza and plague have devastated societies in the past yet few people have actually been sick. There has only been 2 walkers in Maddie's neighborhood. One was a suicide. Two walkers is not enough to evacuate a community. It is reasonable that people would be getting sick and dying yet the neighborhood hasn't been exposed to the contagion. No one has Internet, TV or radio in a middle-class neighborhood. The Internet was designed to function after a nuclear war however it has failed after less than 2 weeks because no one allegedly is there to maintain it. Walkers tearing apart stupid characters is boring. Perhaps the series can be saved when better writers are hired. IMO we're being served hot garbage and expected to like it. Expand
  21. May 19, 2016
    2
    First season was almost passable, but this second season -- ugh. The boat story should've only lasted a couple episodes, not an entire season. Acting is super weak, the writing even weaker. It's a boat story with a few zombies randomly thrown in. I finally stopped mid-episode last week and said 'no more'.
  22. Sep 27, 2015
    1
    I am a huge fan of the original. I put up with this show until the 5th episode. I had to finally walk away. Almost nothing makes any sense. Military against their own people. Military that can get bribed by watches and jewelry in a time where material things shouldn't matter so much. Military that are the a holes. A dad that captures and tortures a military guy for no reason evenI am a huge fan of the original. I put up with this show until the 5th episode. I had to finally walk away. Almost nothing makes any sense. Military against their own people. Military that can get bribed by watches and jewelry in a time where material things shouldn't matter so much. Military that are the a holes. A dad that captures and tortures a military guy for no reason even though the guy would tell him everything. How he thinks he can get away with it is beyond me. Characters that are ALL unlikable. And how a military with all its might can't handle some lumbering dead is beyond me. The whole concept of this show is beyond stupid. I can't believe these are the same guys that made the original show. I really wanted to make excuses and give this show a chance but I will not be going back to this inane show. Expand
  23. Mar 9, 2016
    1
    Major disappointment. The acting is awful, and the writing worse. Actually I wonder if the awful acting is due to the terrible scripts? dont bother with this drivel, unless you want to constantly yell at your TV about ridiculous plot holes that occur over and over and over, stick to TWD
  24. Aug 24, 2015
    1
    The only zombie around was me; zoned out and drooling in my chair for the duration of this boring pilot.

    Pretty much every family-drama trope is lumbering along too.
  25. rgd
    Aug 23, 2015
    1
    A very very slow start. Out of 90 minutes, 88 minutes of buildup and tease. Now i read in a professional review that the second hour is more of the same? Deadly--and not in a good way.
  26. Aug 24, 2015
    1
    My expectations were way too high. I am very disappointed.
    Cartoon like acting. The coddling of Nick was beyond tolerable. Poor sense of pace to the story.
    I was bored.
  27. Aug 24, 2015
    1
    Pretty unfortunate opening for a spinoff of The Walking Dead. There is precious little action. I suppose this would be fine if the intent was to develop characters that the viewer is going to care immensely about in later episodes. However, based on the opener, this seems unlikely.

    Sadly, the interpersonal drama is akin to what you might expect from an after-school special designed to
    Pretty unfortunate opening for a spinoff of The Walking Dead. There is precious little action. I suppose this would be fine if the intent was to develop characters that the viewer is going to care immensely about in later episodes. However, based on the opener, this seems unlikely.

    Sadly, the interpersonal drama is akin to what you might expect from an after-school special designed to teach young people about the wonders of diversity. I found it nauseating, and not in a flesh-eating way - more like a banal, mind-numbing way. In addition to the oh-so-wonderful diverse blended family, we are treated with characters ham-hamdedly intended to appeal to preteens. The heartthrob teenage boy will obviously clean up his act, but is currently quite annoying, as his bored sister. The classroom scenes, supposedly showing us the wonder of a teacher reaching out to urban youth, are straight out of the 1960s.

    Based on the depth of TWD, I suppose I'll give this one a little more of my time, but it's painful to do so.
    Expand
  28. Aug 24, 2015
    1
    I am a big fan of the walking dead. This show, "fear of the walking dead", is terrible. Hard to connect with a druggie, a dysfunctional family and the lead female character that is so disrespectful to the police officers amongst others around her. If all these charters from this family were bit and turn into walkers and someone shot them, that would be entertaining. Short of that, thisI am a big fan of the walking dead. This show, "fear of the walking dead", is terrible. Hard to connect with a druggie, a dysfunctional family and the lead female character that is so disrespectful to the police officers amongst others around her. If all these charters from this family were bit and turn into walkers and someone shot them, that would be entertaining. Short of that, this series was a waste of my time with poor scenery, cheap acting, no emotional attachment to the charters, and boring. Shame to have any association with the original walking dead. Expand
  29. Aug 24, 2015
    1
    The cast of characters in this show range from dull to annoying to detestable. If this was my family, I would be praying for a zombie apocalypse. Its unlikely that I will watch Fear the Walking Dead again, but if I do it will be to root for the walkers. Without a single likable character, I could only describe this mess as depressing soap opera style dysfunctional family drama. What aThe cast of characters in this show range from dull to annoying to detestable. If this was my family, I would be praying for a zombie apocalypse. Its unlikely that I will watch Fear the Walking Dead again, but if I do it will be to root for the walkers. Without a single likable character, I could only describe this mess as depressing soap opera style dysfunctional family drama. What a disappointment. Expand
  30. Aug 25, 2015
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Big fan of TWD, so when I heard Kirkman was involved and might finally get a chance to give some origin to the epidemic, I decided to give it a shot. Boy was that a mistake. All you need to know from this hour long snore fest was that the kid is a drug addict and that causes the "modern day" family situation stress. That's all. Time that should've been spent building suspense in the world (mumblings about the disease while standing in line at the grocery, or clips of morgues overflowing) was over ridden by the teenager's drug use. I get it as a tool for delivering doubt at the onset of the pandemic, I even get it as an attempt to make you understand/care about the new characters (completely failed btw), but the way this is force fed to you over and over makes me think that they were under the impression that they were the first tv show to ever tackle the topic of teenage drug use. I didn't expect zombies everywhere as this is set pre-epidemic, and the sirens and choppers that seemed to grow louder as the episode went on was a nice touch, but I disliked the characters, and seeing as how all they attempted to do in this episode was make me care about what happens to angsty teenagers and the edu-rents, that's not a good sign. The kid uses heroin. Really, I got it. Won't be watching this again, i'll stick to the flagship where something actually happens. Expand
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 33
  2. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Reviewed by: Gail Pennington
    Aug 24, 2015
    75
    Fear the Walking Dead is heavy on spooky atmosphere and light on zombies (they’ll be known as “infected,” not walkers, we’re told) in the early going.
  2. Reviewed by: Ned Ehrbar
    Aug 24, 2015
    80
    Fear the Walking Dead pulls off a great feat in prequel land: using that nagging sense of inevitability to its advantage. It shouldn’t work, but it totally does.
  3. Reviewed by: Tirdad Derakhshani
    Aug 24, 2015
    80
    Fear the Walking Dead is a wonderfully refreshing reboot that reminds viewers of the exciting, moving, and dramatic potential The Walking Dead had in its first season - a potential the show has all but squandered.