SQUAWKING DEAD: [Episode 170] Season 7, Episode 7 of Fear The Walking Dead, "The Portrait"

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What's absolutely fantastic about this episode is the debate and coalescence on the points of view from our fellow hosts. Watching #VictorStrand's slowly disintegrate is changing the way we view him. Seeing #MorganJones break bad concerns even the harshest of his critics. And the return of #AliciaClark leaves us with even more questions prior to her arrival! There were far more setups than resolutions this episode, but it's hard to argue that this episode didn't move the story forward.

OH. MAI. GAH! ...the pre-show to this episode is *SO* spicy: I only wished we had been able to start recording sooner (OR THAT OUR HOSTS WOULD HOLD BACK FROM SPILLING THEIR GUTS LONG ENOUGH TO SAVE IT FOR THE ACTUAL SHOW 👀). Either way, you are not going to want to miss the Unedited Episode Recording for this episode. Best of all, it helps support this podcast! Check it out:

David Cameo:
Rachael Burt:
Sherrandy Swift: AKA @BlazyGardener

🎖SURVIVORS TIER MEMBERS:

Jasmine:

WATCH Sherrandy's pre-show ☢Nuclear Reaction⚠ to Morgan Jones & June Dorie's discussion:
Morgan Jones showed up at Strand's Tower with the intent to kill Victor Strand.
Strand perhaps pushed Morgan to this point, but Morgan's been undetectably changing (for better and worse).
What if Morgan had succeeded in murdering Strand?
Morgan unsuccessfully tries to convince June Dorie to leave the tower. Spicy conversation ensues: leveraging recent/repeating history with Virginia and the (incomplete) memory of John Dorie.
Will Morgan admit to June/Alicia Clark what he tried to do to Strand?
All Morgan had to do was wash his dirty paws; get away with it. Made things worse.
Analyzing Howard's words, "Don’t let Morgan Jones make you second guess yourself."
Strand's gift to Howard: even though The Tower was Howard’s before it was Strand’s, Victor gives Howard the chance to make history, rather than curate it.
See? Strand cares about children.
Why does Strand deny even the most useful people entrance? Are they just not "Alicia"? Is it pure instinct? Does he only choose people who are dependent upon him?
The Tower is unfinished on the inside, just like Victor: The framing is there, but filling it with History rather than structure; being damaged from the inside-out/outside-in.
Initial reaction to when Strand let out "Alicia," down the elevator shaft.
Against Strand's instincts, Morgan is brought into the tower because he is the person Victor knows sees him for who he really is.
Validating what Dave assumed about Strand: he was never loved as a child, so doesn’t know how to accept love.
Unsettling thoughts on what could happen to baby Mo living with Papa Strand?
Strands spooky Beta shit moment, hearing the walker noises while staring at his portrait. Rachael actually feels bad for him.
Strand is bad, but not evil. Victor is like a post-zombie-apocalyptic Walter White (Breaking Bad)
Very self destructive behavior from Victor: from sabotaging his relationship with Cole to keeping Alicia at arms length.
The torn, tattered, and bloody version of his portrait is truly how Victor sees himself. What does he actually see, though?
Questions abut Arno's exploding walkers. Dissecting Arno's plan to take over the tower invokes memories of The Twilight Zone's The Shelter.
Arno is too pretty to kill-off.
Dave previously called Alicia's appearance wouldn't occur until the 7th episode. Just like Victor, Alicia wants something from Morgan, too, but what could it be?
[Editor's Note] this episode was not Alycia Debnam-Carey's directorial debut. Heather Cappiello directed The Portrait and Alycia directed a yet unnamed episode 7x11
Strand’s vomit looks like paint, making Juliana (initially) sus (but not really).
But, really? Methylene Blue? Typically administered intravenously as Oxygen therapy for the blood. Taken orally doesn't seem nearly lethal, so... what was Morgan Jones' intent?
Morgan willing to kill(?) Strand to ensure Baby Morgan's safety? Add to it the (im)perfect timing of Arno showing up on the day of Morgan's attempted murder of Strand.
Will we see a change in Victor after his poisoning and how we might we feel about a mad Strand?