Entertainment Affair was at the press conference where the cast and creators of Fear the Walking Dead gathered to talk about season two. A season they all agree is a different cinematic view with a vast following and the ‘gain of the new coming of age’.

Winner of the Eisner award for his popular comic book The Walking Dead and co-creator of Fear the Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman began by explaining the world of zombies in its new premise.  “What Fear the Walking Dead does best is, you know you have this familiar world and so people that do enjoy the world of The Walking Dead do get something that’s somewhat familiar. But our location is so different, our cast is so different and the stories that we’re telling you, especially with our second season, when you guys get to watch these episodes you'll see, we’re really providing something that is entirely new and constructively a cool companionship.” Fear (as the creators abbreviate it) is a diverse show from its locations to its workers. As they mentioned, when shooting in Los Angeles, many neighborhoods you don't see on tv often were explored. This season, working in Mexico continued that exploration. Bernardo Trujillo, the production designer is based in Mexico City and part of the technicians and artists working on the show came from Mexico and Baja.

On shooting off ground, Executive producer, David Alpert said, “Being on the water provides you with such a huge just emotional impact… You’ll see in 201 [first episode] there’s these amazing shots that take you underneath the water.” 

Show runner and co-creator Dave Erickson said, “It is very much a family drama.” He explained that the viewer will get to know these characters and their dysfunction as there still is a lot to learn from their journeys. Last season, Fear the Walking Dead delved into a family who witnessed a devastated Los Angeles. In season two, oblivious of the depth of the apocalypse, they aboard the Abigail, believing there is still a chance for survival somewhere.

Survival is something executive producer David Alpert has given some thought to. He reacts to the question, what would you do in a real zombie apocalypse? “Working with Robert for all the years I have, I’ve been thinking about the end of the world a lot… In any major city, food supplies will run out in 72 hours. That’s a bad thing! That’s not just from zombies. That’s from earthquakes, any sort of major disruption… Everybody should have a go bag and an escape route in their car. So you should have plans with your loved ones and your family members.” He also added the importance of having fresh water in your car and specified, “You should have at least 500 gallons of fresh water in your house.”

On human behavior and why the genre of zombies is so popular, Erickson expressed he doesn't fully understand it, “but it feels like every neurosis, every phobia, every paranoia, everything that people are afraid of… [you] can inject into that genre.” He later added, “I think people are fascinated by the what if.”

Alycia Debnam-Carey talked to us about what’s to be expected about her character Alicia. Debnam pointed out that in season one Alicia was “quite reactionary”. “She never had a clear objective as some of the other characters and I think with this season we’re starting to see her actually come into her own choices and become her own person because she's a teenage girl and she's now gonna have to become a young woman quite quickly in this very lawless world.” Alicia also expressed her enthusiasm on what she describes an interesting dynamic between her character and her character’s mother, Madison (played by Kim Dickens).  She’s excited for the viewer to see the mother daughter relationship be explored. “I don't see that that often, that sort of relationship being explored in tv and film as much. I think maybe the father-son role happens a lot more because I think a mother-daughter relationship is really, really complicated.” Nick, a young man who seems to embrace the chaos quite strategically is played by Frank Dillane. He pointed out an interesting fact about his character, “I find it interesting to know what Nick looks like as well because he’s always looking through other peoples clothes,” so we don't know what he looks like really. Frank also expressed his character’s desire to understand what is happening. “Nick’s journey will hopefully be a spiritual one I think as much as I want to know what’s going on. Like what’s happening? The dead arising from the grave. What does this mean? What does it mean? It is end time? Is it judgement day?” He said Frank wants an answer as much as his character Nick.

A character who will evolve quite strongly this season is Ofelia Salazar, played by Mercedes Mason. “We will see more of Ofelia. Ofelia right now is at a point where she’s lost her mother, as we saw at the end of season one. She doesn’t trust her father who she thinks is quite the monster at the moment. So she’s a little bit orphaned in that sense. She’s also physically hurt. Right now, because she doesn't know who to trust anymore, she’s a bit of an observer. You’ll see her on the precipice, but she's kind of staying her own course and kind of figuring out who she can trust,” explained Mason. Similar to her character, Christopher is also wounded by the loss of his infected mother. Lorenzo James Henrie told us about the changes to be expected in his character Chris for season two. “You see Chris at a very dark place… You really see a change in Chris and he starts off in a very dark path and trying to accept the reality of his father taking his moms life… and trying to find his place in this new world and trying to rationalize the things that are going on.”

Victor Strand is a key character. It’s his boat, but he will need support from others to continue on his journey. A journey he has yet to share with survivors. Colman Domingo, who graciously revealed his last name is a family name and shared he is from Belize told us who his character Victor Strand is and how he thinks. “I think of Victor as someone who believes in things on black and white terms. I think that what he says he means. I think that he may not reveal too much cause maybe its about him really strategizing and also reading personalities to find out whether or not they can handle it as well. He’s also someone who I don't know how he values love, but… he values obligation.”

A character, who while we did not get to talk to was very present in the room was Daniel Salazar, played by Ruben Blades. Domingo admitted being influenced by el maestro. “I’ve always been very influenced by Ruben Blades and his music… He’s got a such a legacy.” He described Blades as “very generous about his political career, how he feels about human rights. He’s just an amazing man and I think he brings all of that into his complex character of Daniel Salazar.” To that, Kim Dickens (who plays Madison Clark) added, “He’s very inspiring to work with and just to have around. He’s our very own personal Grammy winner. He’s just so passionate about human rights.” Dickens also told us Ruben’s dressing room is next to hers and “[I] actually hear him singing sometimes.”

Operation Cobalt goes into full effect and the dead are driven to sea. Madison, Travis, Daniel, and families head for ports unknown. The ground is no longer a safe place, but they come to find the water is no safer than land. With a bigger budget, season two concludes with fifteen episodes. Kirkman, who is still writing the comic book assured “no intention of ending any time soon.” As for season three ‘from a story perspective, the show will continue.’ To put fans at ease, they said there are more “ideas coming for the next few seasons”.

Fear the Walking Dead season two returns to AMC Sunday, April 10 at 9pm.