Fear The Walking Dead Showrunner Discusses His Politically Charged Final Season

When Fear the Walking Dead returns for its third season, it sounds like it will do so as a drastically different series. What started as a family drama in the earliest days of the end of the world quickly escalated into a full blown apocalyptic show which followed characters learning how to survive.

The new season will see the characters continuing to tackle the threat of the undead but, like its older sibling series The Walking Dead, the characters of Fear the Walking Dead will be subjected to some truly terrifying and threatening human threats. Following batches of episodes which followed the character out to sea, to a farm in Mexico, a community in Tijuana, and an abandoned hotel, Fear will be introducing a new location for its characters to call home for a majority of Season 3.

Not only will Fear the Walking Dead be undergoing some major changes with Season 3 but its fourth season will see a huge shake up, as well. When production is completed on the current run, showrunner Dave Erickson will leave the show after three years of being in charge and The Walking Dead‘s showrunner Scott Gimple will join the show as an executive producer.

Erickson opened up about the departure in a recent interview with THR and also discussed some of the exciting new elements coming to the third season.

Leaving Fear Behind

Leaving a show after becoming so attached and heavily involved with it is not easy for any cast or crew member. Erickson, however, has been considering the move for some time now.

“It’s something that’s been on my mind for a time,” Erickson said. “When you’re running a show, inevitably it’s all-consuming. Frankly, you end up not spending as much time with your kids as you would like. You sacrifice quite a bit to keep all of these balls up in the air. I’m looking forward to having time to reflect and spend time with everybody in my life and think about what’s the next thing to do. We wrap in July, but I’m still delivering and won’t be done until August or September. I’m looking forward to September and October as a time where I can refill the well a little bit and make plans for the next thing.”

When Erickson leaves, Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg will step in as co-showrunners.

“I think a clean break is best,” Erickson said.. “Different showrunners, as they come in, will have to put their mark on the show and develop it and shift it toward whatever it is AMC and [Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman] and company are thinking. For me, my job is to continue telling the story we’ve been telling and finish it as best as I can, in terms of closing one chapter and letting them open up the next. My intention is to downshift and focus on other things.”

New Characters

Before departing, Erickson will be introducing Troy and Jake Otto to Fear the Walking Dead, as the series heads to their family farm with its core characters seeking Sanctuary. Of course, all fans of the Dead universe know that such an idea is often too good to be true. 

“They’re essentially a group of preppers who prepared for the end of democracy, not necessarily the rise of the dead,” Erickson said. “They were well ahead of the curve compared to most people in the apocalypse. That’s where we start. As the season plays out, and this is something we’ve explored before but we do it in a deeper and darker way this season: what are you willing to do for security? What are you willing to do when you lock down on the resource of the day and the currency that currently matters in the apocalypse? What are you willing to do to protect it, and who are you willing to become?”

Politics

A political factor will be ushered into Fear the Walking Dead, as well, during a time where politics dominates conversation on a global scale. 

“There was always going to be a certain topicality to this season, because it was always intended to be the border season,” Erickson said. “That plan predates President Trump. But now, in the wake of the election, it resonates and echoes a little bit more. Fundamentally, the question for Madison this season is what happens if you align yourself with somebody you know has reprehensible traits. We’ll come to learn with Otto that even though there seems to be a benevolence to him at times, there’s a darker and uglier side to him as well, and it’s frankly racist. I think Madison will have to rationalize that. But I don’t think you can cast your ballots focusing on one specific topic and one part of your agenda, and ignore the racism and misogyny and xenophobia that goes along with that. I think that’s part of what the family has to wrestle with this season. They’re going to find a modicum of sanctuary and security, but it’s going to come at a great price. They’re going to have to get somewhat dirty before they have a chance to clean themselves off.”

More Walking Dead

MORE WALKING DEAD: Negan’s Backstory Reveals Completely Different Character / TWD Star Quits Social Media After Death Threats / TWD Showrunner Joins FTWD / TWD F-Take Clips With Rick And Daryl / Major Criticism Fixed For Season 8 / TWD Casting Two New Characters

The Walking Dead will return for its eighth season in October of 2017. The first trailer is expected to arrive at San Diego Comic Con in July. For complete coverage and insider info all off-season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.