Fear the Walking Dead returns in May for eighth and final season

Last year, The Walking Dead wrapped up its eleven season run on AMC. And while other spin-offs featuring the likes of Daryl, Maggie, Negan, Rick, and Michonne are on their way, AMC has now confirmed that the first Walking Dead “companion series”, Fear the Walking Dead, is also coming to an end. The eighth season of the show, which is set to begin airing on May 14th, will be the final season.

The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Fear the Walking Dead season 8 will be split into two parts, with six episodes airing in May and June and the remaining six set for later in the year (an exact date is yet to be determined). AMC Studios and AMC Networks entertainment president Dan McDermott provided the following statement: “It’s a truly exciting year for The Walking Dead Universe, as we conclude an epic journey on Fear the Walking Dead, which became one of the most successful shows in the history of cable television. And now we are set to bring forth the next iteration of the franchise (with the new spin-offs) … This next phase of our beloved Walking Dead franchise promises to engage and enthrall faithful viewers. Fans new and old will love seeing zombies walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, beneath the Eiffel Tower, inside the Louvre, and at dozens more exotic and iconic locations from around the country and world.“

Walking Dead universe chief creative officer Scott M. Gimple executive produces Fear the Walking Dead with showrunners Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero, Michael Satrazemis and David Alpert. The show is produced by AMC Studios.

When Fear the Walking Dead began, the show was focused on the members of the Clark and Manawa families. As seasons have gone on, Clarks and Manawas were killed off until only Alycia Debnam-Carey’s character Alicia Clark remained… and she made her exit at the end of season 7. Oddly, now that Alicia is gone, her mom Madison Clark (played by Kim Dickens) is back for season 8, after appearing to have died in season 4.

Season 4 also brought a time jump that allowed The Walking Dead character Morgan Jones (Lennie James) to take a prominent role on the show.

Here’s the synopsis for the final season of Fear the Walking Dead: Morgan’s and Madison’s hopes to rescue Mo from PADRE did not go as planned. Now, Morgan, Madison and the others they brought to the island are living under PADRE’s cynical rule. With our characters demoralized and dejected, the task of reigniting belief in a better world rests with the person Morgan and Madison set out to rescue in the first place — Morgan’s daughter, Mo.  

James and Dickens are joined in the cast by Colman Domingo, Danay Garcia, Austin Amelio, Christine Evangelista, Karen David, Jenna Elfman, and Rubén Blades.

Are you disappointed to hear that Fear the Walking Dead season 8 will be the final season? Are you glad the show is leaving the airwaves? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Although I used to review every episode of Fear the Walking Dead here on JoBlo / Arrow in the Head, I have since fallen two seasons behind.