Fear the Walking Dead recap: 'We All Fall Down' 

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While the crew of the Abigail hoped they could set off for the safety of open waters, they quickly ran into the threat of danger on the high seas, forcing them to make a pit stop in “We All Fall Down.” Unfortunately, as society collapses and the last vestiges of civilian life struggle to survive, they don’t find life any easier back on solid ground. And that return to land forces them to reckon once again with what kind of people they are — ones who help their fellow survivors or ones only looking out for their own salvation.

That question comes up as they decide to take refuge and hide from the mystery boat and possible threat chasing them. Strand still wants to chart a course for San Diego, despite the logbook Nick rescued in the premiere saying the city is gone, but for now they have the danger of company with possibly heavy firepower to outrun. They choose a cove (one Travis picks, not the one Strand selects) because of the ranger station there. There’s more hope for some supplies and information, if not signs of fellow life, in a place like that, but what they find eventually proves to be much more than bargained for.

While approaching the island, they notice a light flashing momentarily on and off at the top of a house. Docking, Travis and Madison’s combined families go to investigate (Salazar offers to stay with Ofelia and keep Strand company, a.k.a. monitor his behavior). Once they come close to the house, armed only with flashlights, Travis makes the brilliant move of yelling out a hello to anyone who may be inside. Because if there’s one thing people love in the undead apocalypse, it’s unwelcomed guests.

But rather than being met with a gruesome response, a young boy runs out to see them before he’s called back inside by a man. Travis introduces himself to the man, George, by promising there’s nothing to fear from their arrival, and George hesitantly invites them inside. Any seeming concern over these newcomers dissipates once there. George hands Travis a beer, and the two talk in his office while Madison spends time with George’s wife, Melissa, downstairs. George, narratively excused as an amateur anthropologist, marks Travis and his family as being from Los Angeles and also guesses Travis’ heritage.

In doing so George sets up a set of beliefs that become core to the struggle of “We All Fall Down.” He treasures the idea of a people or family’s reverence for their homeland, whether that be a cultural one or the place that has become their home, as this island has become for George’s family. But the other conversations going on in the house hint at the first signs of trouble. Melissa keeps asking Madison questions about her work as a counselor, going down a line of seemingly innocuous but actually loaded questions about Madison’s experience with younger kids.

George and Melissa have two young ones in their care, Harry and Willa, first seen in the show’s cold open playing by a beach with a fence blocking access to the ocean. It’s really there to block washed-up walkers from them. They also have an older son, Seth, who goes around eyeing these newcomers with nothing but mistrust while toting around a rifle that is roughly the size of his entire body.

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