Fear the Walking Dead: It’s Small but it Counts (Spoiler Alert)

Hooray for a modicum of representation. The key moment in the latest episode of Fear the Walking Dead titled ‘Blood in the streets’ was small but it counts. A moment in which it was revealed (not the best word I grant you) that the mysterious Victor Strand was in a relationship with the man he stole money from and later became a business partner with.

The man, one Thomas Abigail (hence the name of the boat) is who we can only assume is waiting in Mexico and as the first gay relationship in the show, it’s a relief that it was done with delicacy. What makes the moment a success is its lack of drama. The writers haven’t written the characters sexuality into the episode, making the ‘reveal’ a dramatic culmination to his story. Nor have they made it a pointed revelation, one which would drastically change the character.

Instead, it was a simple moment that just happens to be there. The story is exactly the same with or without the relationship and yet it’s a nice touch that both matters and doesn’t matter. We’ve known Strand since the end of Season 1 and he’s been a complete mystery throughout, a strong personality with a ruthless attitude. and his sexuality doesn’t change him at all

The fact that the writers have written a black gay character over 30 is a great development, one that adds a small, but important level of diversity to a show that needed some.

The episode would’ve been a perfectly good episode without it, but with it, it’s nice to know that writers can fully understand the importance of sexuality without making a fuss over it. It just happens as naturally as any heterosexual relationship.

It would be great if we didn’t have to highlight these moments of diversity but when you have the ongoing debate about killing off your LGBTQ+ characters off, it’s at least good that there are still positive attitudes on TV such as this.

As long as Strand survives of course.