While the action will eventually lead to intense situations involving the need to fight against walkers, things won't initially get off to that start on Fear the Walking Dead.  

See A Behind-The-Scenes Look At 'Fear The Walking Dead'

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Dave Erickson revealed how the psychological tension that builds as the apocalypse looms will affect the relationship between main characters Madison (Kim Dickens) and Travis (Cliff Curtis)--and that the tension is actually going to be the show's primary focus from the outset.  

"What I love about that is that it's taking this very fundamentally sound relationship and then seeing how the apocalypse changes that," he said. "Seeing how our personalities begin to evolve as time passes in the face of this. I think they're very understanding of each other's flaws, and what's interesting is to take the normal complications that exist in a good relationship and then put them under intense strain and see how each of the characters react." 

Madison Brushes Off Concerns About 'Illness'

Erickson also revealed how the situation will affect the core family's relationships with the other survivors of the apocalypse as well, as they start coming more to terms with what's going on and try to make sure that others also grow to understand it as well. 

"And that's one of the challenges: 'Why are you behaving this way?' When push comes to shove, people have seen enough--I mean, we're looking at the apocalypse through the filter of this family drama, so they'll witness this, they'll be confronted with people who have turned, they will be forced to contend with this," he said. "And in many ways Madison and Travis, Nick and Alicia--our core family--are slightly ahead of the game. And what's interesting is as they come to realize more of what's going on, there will still be neighbors, there will still be people in their lives who haven't quite caught on yet. It's a strange disconnect at times where, why are people not recognizing what's going on?" 

Overall however, the show will focus on that tension that develops as the series continues. 

"For us, it was always about the shark you don't see in the beginning of the show, and it was trying to understand something very wrong is happening and what is it?" he said. "There's a level of paranoia, there's a level of anxiety, there's a very disquieting feeling initially. And we have walkers and we play to the some of the beautiful tropes of the genre, but there's a certain psychological tension that we have in the beginning." 

Fear the Walking Dead premieres in August. 

Tags: Fear The Walking Dead AMC television