‘Fear the Walking Dead’ Season 4, Episode 10 ‘Close Your Eyes’ Recap: Bonding Over Issues & Hopelessness

One would think that after losing Fear the Walking Dead’s lead that the show would tank for the coming weeks. That seemed to be the case for the show—that is, until after tonight’s episode, titled “Close Your Eyes.” Last week’s midseason premiere was massively underwhelming, but this week’s episode proved to be worth its salt. We get an almost solo episode where Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) tries to work through her issues following the death of her brother Nick (Frank Dillane) and mother Madison (Kim Dickens).

Adding to that is Charlie (Alexa Nisenson), who, after being the cause of everything wrong that happened since she acted as a spy for the Vultures, is also caught up in guilt and a desire to kill herself. It’s a bit dark for a FearTWD episode, and honestly, I think it’s the strongest chapter in the convoluted fourth season. That said, here’s everything that went down on tonight’s episode of Fear the Walking Dead.

A Shelter From the Storm

It was previously teased by Debnam-Carey herself that “Close Your Eyes” is a special episode for her, saying that it was “one of the toughest working experiences” she ever had while filming a Fear the Walking Dead episode. Longtime Walking Dead director Michael Satrazemis helmed the episode, and it did bring back how the show initially felt like before Dave Erickson left as the showrunner.

“Close Your Eyes” opens with Alicia breaking into a house while the storm rages on. She looks around for Infected and kills them all. After disposing of them one by one, she realizes that it’s the family who used to live in the house. Alicia then throws away all the family pictures next to the bodies of the Infected outside. It’s an entire ordeal for her, and seemingly the perfect time to be alone. But her me time is cut short when she hears commotion upstairs and discovers that Charlie is also in the house.

Ryan Green/AMC

Last week, the kid opted to keep her mouth completely shut while giving off guilty vibes to John (Garrett Dillahunt), June (Jenna Elfman), and Al (Maggie Grace). Now, Charlie’s guilt intensifies as Alicia passionately goes on a rant against the kid, calling her a useless human being and a piece of garbage. The dialogue is spot-on, with Debnam-Carey delivering it in a way that makes you want to curl up in a ball and cry too. Charlie didn’t know that Alicia was there, it just so happened that they both saw the same house to take refuge in.

Alicia wanted to be alone, but Charlie wanted to kill herself because of the guilt she’s feeling.

What’s up with the two, really?

Now, this is where the episode goes a little bit off-kilter. Alicia is filled with hatred against Charlie but doesn’t act on it despite all the reasons to do so. I think it’s bull to call it a moral dilemma because, in the FearTWD world, there is no room for morals. You either die, survive, or get killed.

After seeing Charlie in the same house, Alicia runs away after stocking up on food. But for some weird reason, she knocks herself out while trying to pry open the car door. She wakes up back in the house, no thanks to Charlie. The storm intensifies, with the winds banging on the windows and seemingly ready to destroy the place. Alicia also discovers that Charlie covered the dead Infected family with sheets and took their photos with her.

What Alicia does after discovering this is so cryptic that you won’t see her point in having Charlie come down with her, help her nail wooden boards to secure the windows, and eat dinner together. I mean, I get it, Alicia is struggling with the choice of killing Charlie or not, but this is not how Madison would’ve done if she were alive. There were many times when Alicia could have went with it (even with Charlie prodding her to do so), but she wasn’t able to.

Ryan Green/AMC

With Charlie’s gun taken by Alicia, she tries to find another way to kill herself. Charlie sees an Infected hanging on a tree outside her window, so she approaches it so she can be bitten. But Alicia saves her, and the two try to sort their feelings out downstairs. That’s when Charlie finally speaks up and asks Alicia why she saved her. Alicia doesn’t answer but makes it clear that she didn’t do it because she forgives her. Alicia pulled her out because she wanted Charlie to live with the guilt of killing Nick forever.

The two seemingly bond over their issues and appear to have mended their wounds. Charlie asks about California, where Alicia is from and tells her that she’s never been to the beach. They turn it in for the night, but Alicia wakes up the next day to find Charlie gone. She finds her arranging the family photos upstairs, concerned that someone might come looking for them.

Newly-made Friends

As the storm intensifies, Alicia and Charlie are left with no choice but to hide in the basement. They find it flooded, though, and with no way out. Hopeless, Alicia tells Charlie that they will get out. But when the water reaches their necks, Charlie breaks down and says that she doesn’t want to turn. Charlie also remembers the time when her parents turned. Charlie also doesn’t remember what they looked like. She begs Alicia to shoot her in the head. Alicia tries, but also breaks down in tears, saying that she can’t.

Then, in a weird twist of fate, the Infected that Charlie saw hanging on a tree falls on the door that leads outside from the basement, giving them a way out. Once they get out, the Infected walks to them, and Alicia kills it. “He saved us,” Charlie said. Nope, I don’t think so, Charlie. Sloppy writing and physics saved you.

Ryan Green/AMC

When the storm dissipates, Alicia buries the Infected family and places stones on their graves. She also puts the photos in a jar next to the graves. Alicia and Charlie also seem to be the best of friends now, with Charlie offering her help in looking for Luci (Danay Garcia) and Strand (Colman Domingo). As they drive back to where their friends are, Alicia tells Charlie to close her eyes and imagine the beach. Charlie sees it and tells Alicia that she also remembers what her parents look like.

When they get back to the Mansion, they see that Luci and Strand are gone. They proceed to the school bus where John and June are, only to find them gone too. Charlie insists on looking for them, but Alicia drops the bomb—things are only going to get worse from here.

Ryan Green/AMC

‘Fear the Walking Dead: Close Your Eyes’ Overall Verdict

I have to admit, I was prepared to see an episode where disappointment is written all over it, but “Close Your Eyes” is one of the strongest Fear the Walking Dead episodes since season 3’s “This Land Is Your Land.” For some reason, most Alicia-focused episode always turns out to be a good one. Of course, “Close Your Eyes” isn’t the best, but it’s good enough to have a seat at the table. Debnam-Carey and Nisenson’s acting is also one of the best features of tonight’s episode, with every dialogue and scene executed well, despite the shoddy writing. Here’s to hoping that the following chapters will follow suit.

Fear the Walking Dead continues next Sunday, August 26th, with “The Code” at 9/8c on AMC. Watch the preview below: