'Fear the Walking Dead' reminds us all families are a little effed up in latest episode

It appears life on land isn't all that much safer than life on a boat -- especially when land is filled with intense survivalist families who make your own household struggles look like an episode of Modern Family. Amirite, Madison?

Alas, this is the lesson Madison and the rest aboard The Abigail had to learn the hard way this week on Fear the Walking Dead when the action took them off the water and into the home of the aforementioned family of five.  

To their credit, though, Madison and Co. were quick to catch on that something was amiss with the family that welcomed them into their home for a night of rest, human interaction and wine. 

George was the patriarch of the brood, and despite my initial prediction that he was going to shoot Travis when he started approaching the family's porch, George was surprisingly open to allowing the strangers into his home. "Because he wants to eat you!" my grim mind insisted.

That turned out not to be true -- but, honestly, it would have been kinda fun. (I'll accept the argument, though, that we're a little early in the apocalypse to hit cannibal stage, unless they already were cannibals, which would have tripled my intrigue. I digress.)

Instead, we learned, George was a man who put family first -- to the extreme. He and his family were living in isolation and they intended to stay that way for pretty much the rest of time. "He thinks it's better to die with family than die with strangers," his wife explains to Madison after admitting she turned on the porch light that led them to the island on purpose. 

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

But George's wife, Melissa, wanted their two small children to have a chance at a life that they'd never have on the island -- even if it meant saying goodbye to them. She herself was sick with multiple sclerosis, and while she wasn't severely ill, she knew her time was limited. Her oldest, she insisted, was too much like his father to leave the island, but she wanted Madison to take the young ones, Harry and Willa.

Madison and Travis argued about the morality of this -- taking children from their father against his will -- but little did they know Nick had a strong case in favor of this move.

After some Classic Nick snooping, he realized it was George's intention to poison himself and his entire family. Because the family that lives together also dies together, according to George.

They decided to make their move, but George walked in as they were about to walk out with the kids. He was appropriately pissed, but before he could explode, Harry ran into the room to report that Willa was ill. They discover her on the floor and the pills intended for the family's coordinated death out on the table. She'd seen Nick discovering them earlier and unfortunately decided to sample them. 

As Zombie Child rose from her slumber, she decided to take a bite out of her mother, leading to a delightfully chaotic moment where Team Yacht grabbed Harry and ran for the dock. 

At gun point, the gang handed Harry over and sailed away. As they made their way away from the shore, they looked back to see Harry and his brother being approached by their zombie mom, who the oldest was forced to shoot. 

Tasty morsels:

• It's great when Madison's parenting style comes out in full force; she's not exactly a coddler and I love that. Sunday's best line was: "I swear, if you do that again, I will leave you in the goddamn ocean; I shit you not."

• "Solitude doesn't bother me." Me too, Strand.
  

• Nick continues to be the best part of this thing. "Hey, Travis, I can help if you want, though; I know at risk youth. I am at risk youth."
  

• How does Alicia's music player still have battery? 

• Salazar is an undisputed badass, but I'm having trouble connecting with Ophelia -- or even remembering that she's there.

• Speaking of Salazar, he is very suspicious of Strand -- as he should be. At the end of the episode, we saw Strand talking on a phone (!!) telling the person on the other line that he "will be there." 

• Crazy as he was, George was a very informed guy. We learned from him that at this point in the story, at least half of the country had been bathed in napalm. This knowledge affects the group's plan to head to San Diego -- because it's not there.

• The actress who played Melissa was really good, particularly in that scene where she's telling Madison how to take care of her kids. That was heartbreaking.  

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