6.08: Fear the Walking Dead - The Door

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A reunion with an old friend helps pull John Dorie out of his darkest moment yet. Back at Lawton, Virginia demands answers.

 

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Oh man, I didn't know how much trouble I was going to be, when I opened Den of Geeks review and saw the poster putting out do not read warnings if you haven't seen the episode. I personally have been waiting for months for Fear to return back in the small screen, so you can probably imagine the amount of anxiety going in me. Are we going to lose someone?

The tension is real.

When John left Virginia's lot behind I didn't think he would end up boozing back in the same cabin where we found him. All while playing with his guns and feeling that broken heart beating in his chest. He lost his love, and with it the will to live for another day.

It's sad to see him spelling the goodbye message on the table and then putting the revolver under his chin as if there nothing in the world worth living for. Sure it's an effed place, but if you made it this far, is it worth to check out, when there is so much you can still do. There are other women then Jude out there. Some probably very willing to have a gunfighter on their side.

Hate to see it. Morgan absolutely so off his face that he doesn't hear John's revolvers going outside and Dakota in charge of Morgan's ManSplitter. What could possibly go wrong? It was just that there was already a horde forming at the bridge and firing guns could attract even more of them. But the thing is, John instead of heading for a booze hunt, went and checked for survivors as if he was still in the help business.

Not that it was just a punch of walkers, but Virginia's raiders also turned in the rental place. All looking for trouble. All eager to break hell loose on sight of Morgan's posse. According to John there's 40 miles between his hut and Morgan's hideout. The distance are getting huge and there's no way you would be travelling on foot.

A LOT of Dead could be travelling in that area. Not talking about the Helicopter People, Virginia's Rangers and all the other minor gangs before we reach down to the individuals. It is a lot of moving bodies. And yet, John's hut is in the middle of the desolate wasteland.

Morgan's flaw, Grace. At least now we know that she's getting huge with seven months of pregnancy behind, which makes it a bit problematic in terms of rescue. But even though Virginia pulled the right string to get Morgan to respond, there is only one way that I can see for getting her out and that is a blood path, straight from the gates to Virginia's place.

With others figuratively having nooses hanging from their necks, that plan is certainly out from the play, because it causes so many deaths. But that plan cannot be with John living in the hut with his guns and dark thoughts. And the bottles.

It is the same situation where we find Colonel Kurtz in the beginning of Coppola's Apocalypse Now! You where it ends, eventually. Every day that you can give them is good. Every day you can give them something to do is good. Every day they feel they're worth something is good. But, John, he doesn't see it that way, because he simply doesn't want to.

It's the life in the past. The memories of him living in the hut with June that he wishes he would have now. The good old times, because the present isn't enough. Strange as it is John's father was similar person and as it is something we inherit from the family, like it or not.

Morgan played out the "that's not your fault" card, but it still wasn't enough. Probably not because it wasn't coming from June's mouth or from someone stronger in verbally than Morgan with his own history with the bottle and the guns.

Not one line of reasoning went into John's head. Nothing that mattered.

In the history of Kirkman's world, I present to you ZombieWagon #2! A proud modification done by John. The only flaw is in the rear where it needs a barrier to keep the Dead from climbing in. What I don't get is that why a) the zombie mechanics were so unhelpful and b) why they didn't use the Halbert to clear the bridge?

In the aftermath I couldn't but keep shaking my head for Morgan calling Virginia and revealing John's hut location. And then for Dakota killing a dead with the same knife she used to kill the lost ranger that caused John to flee.

Then she pulled the trigger.

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFCK!

WTF Dakota? Why?

"I'm sorry," she said. "It doesn't always have to be something John..." before she pushed her off the bridge.

Dear Lord, Dakota just made to the kill-list. She has to go or Morgan's group won't make it. I cannot imagine any way for her to redeem herself. Then again this also means that we should feel nothing for Morgan using her as a bargaining tool. In his shoes, I would have sliced off that mocking head off from her shoulders. Even after Dakota revealed that she helped Morgan to heal I would have done it.

Both sisters are mad as hatters.

What a shame. Dear Lord let John rest in peace.

I'm signing out for the evening

 

[REBerg]

So much for Morgan's obsessive vision of a complete family reunion in a new, safe haven.
I really thought that John was about to talk Dakota out of shooting him, so I jumped when she pulled the trigger. My hopes for his survival continued after she pushed him off the bridge and he managed to swim to the surface and float downriver on the door. I even thought, for a few moments, that he might still be alive when he crawled toward and reached out to June, making what seemed like a lackluster effort to talk like a walker. I'm glad that the showrunners did not make us wait another episode or two to learn that he was totally dead.
John's departure was diminished by his tenacious plans to pull the trigger himself. He might have done the deed before encountering Morgan and Dakota had he not been constantly interrupted by walkers heading for his front door like pesky replacement window salesmen.
I imagine Dakota will eventually be let off the hook by June. After all, Alicia forgave Charlie for shooting Nick, and he was blood.
Maybe I missed something, but I don't understand why John was so hellbent on suicide. Plans continued for ending Ginny's reign of terror, which meant he could have been reunited with his love when all the dust had settled.

 

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Maybe I missed something, but I don't understand why John was so hellbent on suicide. Plans continued for ending Ginny's reign of terror, which meant he could have been reunited with his love when all the dust had settled.

As I understand it, but not going to pull a news piece out in the middle of the night, but the whole death thing was planned in last season. So maybe when they heard that Morgan was going to get killed, he walked into the AMC office and said, "Look..."

 

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Here's Den-of-Geek's review. He is in similar tone to me. And he gave 5 stars.

Fear the Walking Dead Season 6 Episode 8 Review: The Door

Things take a shocking turn in the masterful return of Fear the Walking Dead season 6.

www.denofgeek.com

"We talked about what the cost would be of what Virginia was doing to everyone, and how they were going to fight back. And it is looking at all the characters in John Dorie's orbit, and thinking about how they'll move forward, and what it will do to them," said Chambliss. "And ultimately it comes down to the fact that we have to remind ourselves we can't be precious about any of these characters, and we have to do what is going to continue to evolve the show, and continue to push the show in new directions, push all the remaining characters in new directions."

The showrunners, who took over Fear from co-creator Dave Erickson with Season 4, created the John Dorie character with Dillahunt in mind.

"John Dorie is one of our favorite characters, he's so much fun to write because he was kind of a beacon of hope in the apocalypse, and he was so specific in his characterization," Chambliss said. "And Garret just did such an incredible job bringing him to life that it was one of those realizations you have where you're just like, 'No, why does this have to all fall into place this way?' I think as writers, we go through a mourning in the same way the characters do, and the same ways as hopefully the audience will."

When the gunned down John washes up on the shore of his cabin — tragically mirroring his first meeting with June — John Dorie has reanimated as a walker that must be put down by his wife.

"We wanted to break people's hearts, and we wanted to make it feel as though he might just be able to come out of this," Goldberg said, "so that when he doesn't, and June is faced with the unthinkable of seeing the person she loves as a walker on the shores of the cabin, it was just, I mean, honestly it felt like the most heartbreaking ending imaginable for both of those characters."

Fear the Walking Dead Showrunners “Wanted to Break People's Hearts” With Big John Dorie Episode

Showrunners Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg 'wanted to break people's hearts' with the shocking [...]

comicbook.com

Like the Season 4 death of Nick Clark (Frank Dillane), which came about when Dillane asked for his character to be killed off, Dillahunt approached showrunners Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg about Dorie's demise:

"I don't remember exactly when, but [John's death is] something we'd been talking about since Season 5. And then we had a lot of conversations between 5 and 6 about how John would exit," Dillahunt told Entertainment Weekly. "And they came up with this great idea — great, and tragic, and wonderful, and believable in this world for how to get him off the show. And, at the same time, propel the story forward."

Dillahunt went on to explain Dorie's death was part personal request to move on, part creative story decision.

"Well, I don't think it's a secret or anything. It's a little bit of both of those things. I loved my time on this show and will always cherish it," he said. "I get a little antsy after a while, and I'm not a kid anymore, and I have some things I wanted to do. And I'm just fortunate it worked out."

He added: "I can't imagine what goes into logistically planning these series. There are so many moving parts, there are so many people involved. It's a feat of almost engineering for these showrunners, and [Walking Dead chief content officer Scott M. Gimple], and the writers to navigate all the obstacles in general, putting a TV show on, let alone the needs of their actors. I just feel very fortunate that they were willing to hear it, and consider it, and then come up with a great idea that made everybody happy."

"The Door," which is now the midseason premiere ending an almost five-month hiatus, was planned to be the midseason finale before the episode was delayed when production was halted by the coronavirus pandemic. That meant keeping Dorie's — and Dillahunt's — exit a secret that much longer.

"It was beautiful. It was sweet and sad, the bittersweet. And I'm excited for the future," Dillahunt said about his exit. "There's a lot of things I'll miss on the show. Obviously, a lot I won't. There's always a lot you won't, but I'm real excited for what the future holds, and I'm real happy. And I'm really excited to stay in touch with the fans. I'll see you on the circuit, and John exists, and Garret's still alive. John will always exist. And he was a great character. I was honored to play him."

Fear the Walking Dead’s Season 6B Shocker Was Planned Since Season 5

Fear the Walking Dead started planning the 'ugly mustard' that aired during Sunday's shock-filled [...]

comicbook.com

 

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One more thing, when they finally have cleared the bridge Dakota says to John, "Thank you for letting me drive. And thank you for letting me having a gun..."

I didn't voice in the review, but back then at that moment I was thinking what an odd thing to say. But I assumed it was because Ginny had been sheltering her from everything. It never even crossed my mind that she might be the murderer, but in the hindsight it now makes sense.

John should have never had trusted her with the gun and I believe he could have handled the zombie mechanic on his own. The mistake was trusting her and not really vetting her clearly, even though they should have because she's related to Virginia.

 

[Dave]

I was thinking what an odd thing to say. But I assumed it was because Ginny had been sheltering her from everything. It never even crossed my mind that she might be the murderer, but in the hindsight it now makes sense.

John should have never had trusted her with the gun

That's very easy to say in hindsight. She has been a problem all along, and yet everyone treated her the same - they all thought what a poor kid, in the shadow of her evil sister. Even faced with the truth in black and white, Morgan still didn't know what to say to her or to do. It was as if his brain didn't compute, so typically Morgan, he suddenly forgot all about the hostages and immersed himself in trying to find John instead. That was always going to be pointless as John must have bled out shortly after getting onto the door. And I thought June was going to let him bite her, she took so long to get her knife out.

Despite this change of tack, there is still a lot left unresolved in this story.

 

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That was always going to be pointless as John must have bled out shortly after getting onto the door.

Indeed. I was surprised that he was still alive after the shot as that shock must have stopped his heart as that soft lead mushroomed and caused massive a wound cavity. I would assume that he'd have turned in the water and got washed in the bank, just like all the others.

And I thought June was going to let him bite her, she took so long to get her knife out.

How many were able to see her putting him down, when it was super emotional ending?

 

[REBerg]

As I understand it, but not going to pull a news piece out in the middle of the night, but the whole death thing was planned in last season. So maybe when they heard that Morgan was going to get killed, he walked into the AMC office and said, "Look..."

Ah, art being forced to conform to life.
I try to avoid behind-the-scenes news about shows I watch, so I am usually surprised by plot developments. Still, it would seem that Dillahunt gave the showrunners plenty of time to develop a better ending for John than: "Hey, let's have the kid kill him. Nobody will see that coming!"

 

[Jeffbert]

He had a gun in holster, if he had thought a bit before speaking, seeing that her gun was in her hand. Script writers make characters do such stupid things. Did not see that coming. Still, he had to recognize the knife handle before realizing she was the killer. Damaged goods. Like those two girls whom so & so had to kill in TWD a few seasons ago. irredeemable.

 

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He had a gun in holster, if he had thought a bit before speaking, seeing that her gun was in her hand. Script writers make characters do such stupid things.

How would you have written it out?

 

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Cannot wait!

 

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How would you have written it out?

How about something like this:
Ginny radios John that she's in a bad mood and June will be executed within 24 hours unless he turns himself him. John immediately rides to the rescue, is mortally wounded, but manages to get to Ginny and take her out before dying in June's arms.
There! A hero's death in which he both saves his love and performs a public service -- more predictable but more satisfying.
Instead, John is killed by a child with his own gun. How embarrassing.
Just because writers can surprise fans doesn't mean they should.

 

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I like it but then what we would have done for rest of the season?

 

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I like it but then what we would have done for rest of the season?

It wouldn't have had to happen in the next episode -- just before Dillahunt's contract expired.

 

[Dave]

A hero's death in which he both saves his love and performs a public service -- more predictable but more satisfying.
Instead, John is killed by a child with his own gun. How embarrassing.

Some writers wish to make drama's more like real life, and less unbelievable. I think some of TWD plot has been comic book stuff, so FTWD is made more realistic. This was the kind of embarrassing mistake someone could really make in real life. Unfortunately, real life is, in general, predictable and pedestrian. I want my drama to be dramatic. Realistic is quite often also boring. In these current pandemic times especially, I want to be whisked away into fantasy I could never experience. I don't want the trials and experiences to be limited to those I could live myself. I want heroes and villains, not children with issues.

 

[nixie]

Not John, there was something in my eye when he put the gun to his chin.
Till now I've felt sorry for Dakota but turns out she is a cold blooded killer, who will do anything to escape her sister. She didn't have to kill John, he would have tried to help her change her view on the world. Add her to kill list. Maybe a little hypocritical as I forgave Charlie but don't think I could forgive Dakota.
Morgan was tempted to take her head but think what he saw wasn't a killer but a very mixed up little girl, he'll learn unless he is now going to trade her for the others.

 

[svalbard]

Damn. I wasn't expecting that. Powerful episode.

 

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Damn. I wasn't expecting that. Powerful episode.

How did John's death affect you?