‘Fear the Walking Dead’ recap: The zombies start to spread

The world of “Fear the Walking Dead” is starting to look a little more like “The Walking Dead.” More empty streets, quiet abandoned buildings. Alicia stops by her boyfriend’s house to see if she can find him, but all she finds are the signs of a struggle, an open front door, and something that clearly freaks her out.

Across town, Madison and Travis are frantically trying to get in touch with their missing kids while driving away from the recently zombied Calvin. Madison has a brief, frantic conversation with Alicia, who’s with her feverish boyfriend, Matt, and won’t abandon him. They meet up with her, and Travis leans in to talk to poor Matt, whose parents are on the way back from Las Vegas. He figures out that Matt got bitten on the shoulder, and Matt heroically tells Aliciato leave him to his parents’ care, because he seems to realize what’s happening, and that he won’t be safe much longer.

Nick wants to tell their neighbors about what’s happening, but is also anxious about starting withdrawal, which is a problematic thing to have to worry about while they’re trying to flee the city. Travis departs to try to find his ex wife and son.

His ex, Liza, is not thrilled to hear from him, and Chris, his son, is edging far too close to investigating a zombie attack downtown, which is turning into a protest.

Madison runs out to try and find some withdrawal meds for Nick, because she and Alicia are worried about him quitting cold turkey. Travis gets stuck in traffic, and sees a cop packing his trunk full of bottled water, which he knows means he’s not the only one trying to get out of town.

Madison has gone to the school to try and find something for Nick, and discovers it is disturbingly empty. She breaks into a contraband locker to find some drugs, and is surprised by Tobias, the kid who brought a knife to school. He wants his knife back, and seems to be the only other person in the school.

Back at withdrawal house, Alicia tries to leave to go back to Matt, and Nick has a near panic attack trying to get her to stay. She starts to leave anyway, but comes back when she realizes Nick might die while she’s gone from choking on his own vomit. Her degree of familiarity with what happens to him in withdrawal is pretty telling.

Chris hasgotten sucked into a protest against what he sees (totally reasonably) as police brutality against a homeless man. Over at Liza’s house, Travis tries to get him to come home, and Lizaturns on a TV to figure out where the protest is.

Madison and Tobias raid the school’s larders for canned goods, and hear over the intercom that one of the creatures is in the building and make a run for it. She eventuallyrealizes that the zombie in the building is Artie, the principal, and tries to connect with him. Which is a very bad idea, and Tobias knows it immediately and tries to save her, which nearly gets him bitten for his troubles. Madison takes Artie out with a fire extinguisher, which is a weird thing to do to your former boss.

Travis and Liza find Chris just before all hell breaks loose and hide out in a barbershop. The owner is a little reluctant to let them in, but begrudgingly allows them to take shelter, while a riot takes over outside.

Madison offers to let Tobias come back with her, but he turns her down because he knows she’s got her hands full with Nick. I really hope nerdy Tobias makes it.

Travis explains what happens to the zombies to Liza and Chris, and tells them they need to make a run for it.

Madison gets back and gives Nick some oxycontin. He tells her Alicia tried to get back to Matt, and Madison goes to the bathroom to quietly freak out about Artie. She does manage to connect with Travis, who tries to get her to leave without him, and then the call gets dropped before they’ve confirmed if they’re trying to meet up or not.

Alicia has finally figured out that something horrible is happening, and tries to run out of the house when she sees their neighbor being attacked, but Madison stops her. They’re going to have to tell her what’s going on eventually, but will she believe it’s what happened to Matt?