The Strain - SCARY!

[Overmind One]

I just finished watching episode 1 of this show, and it is pretty good! This show is viscerally in the horror genre, but it has a veneer of science fiction. I have not read the book, so this is my first exposure to the story. Basically this is a classic "Mysterious Monster On The Loose" story, in the vein of Mimic and The Thing. It is all wrapped in a shell of science fiction involving the CDC analysing the deaths caused by this monster, attributing it to a parasite. On the other end, we have a mysterious cabal of sorts who evidently are very familiar with this monster and want to ensure it's survival. It is refreshingly different.

Having said the above, I found the gore in this to be rather extreme and skin crawl inducing (not in a fun way). There is lots of guts and blood and crawly stuff going on in this, and that carried the show. The actors and characters they have introduced are rather weak, and right from the start we have a love triangle, a child custody thing going on, and references to something very old and dangerous behind it all. It moves very fast, but in an erratic fashion.

And...it's SCARY! Somehow this feels like it should have been a movie. I am not sure how long they can go as a series, but I have only seen one episode. Ill watch the next one. There are two so far.

 

[shavedape]

I agree. The child custody thing bores me and so does some stuff in the second episode but I don't want to spoiler. It's just some boring, mundane personal stuff about the main character (the CDC guy).

That said the show is more interesting that Failing Skies. It's not great and I don't know how long it can last as a series, but for now it's okay.

 

[Joelist]

There are three books in the series, all written by our friend Guillermo Del Toro (Pacific Rim). Suffice it to say that if they follow the books the end of the first season will see a rather extreme change in the way the world works.

 

[shavedape]

Tonight's episode was interesting. Personally I don't give a hard turd about the CDC guy's child custody problems, but other than that the characters and scenes are pretty good. For instance, the opening scene in tonight's episode was really cool and there was hardly any dialogue.

As for Failing Skies. I flipped over to that during the commercials and found myself yawning. My God the writing on that show is painful. "Magic-cocoon-Star Child-Alien-Super-fast growing baby/hot teen/full grown adult" =

 

[Backstep]

When the rocker junk fell off, he was meh and flushed it

So much for the being a vampire is cool.

 

[Overmind One]

Tonight's episode was interesting. Personally I don't give a hard turd about the CDC guy's child custody problems, but other than that the characters and scenes are pretty good. For instance, the opening scene in tonight's episode was really cool and there was hardly any dialogue.

As for Failing Skies. I flipped over to that during the commercials and found myself yawning. My God the writing on that show is painful. "Magic-cocoon-Star Child-Alien-Super-fast growing baby/hot teen/full grown adult" =

Falling Skies sucks now, and I used to like it. This Strain episode was funny.

 

[shavedape]

When the rocker junk fell off, he was meh and flushed it

So much for the being a vampire is cool.

Yeah, that scene was so bizarre but funny too. I love when he turns around and you get a full frontal shot.

 

[Backstep]

Yeah, that scene was so bizarre but funny too. I love when he turns around and you get a full frontal shot.

Full frontal Ken Doll shot.

 

[YJ02]

The child custody thing is for the women viewers--but I bet that somehow the Doc and his kid will be put back together after step dad and mom fall victim or something....

I like this show-so far-because there is no "I am vampire just because..." with no "why" or explanation. They show the beginning--at least the current one beginning.

Most shows/movies start out mid disease or after it has wiped out everything (28 days, twd, etc.)

The rock singer guy is so cliche Alice Cooper/Marilyn Manson-and the wig is awesome--so far they didn't over do that angle of "rockstar" thing.

I wonder how his manager or whoever she was is doing? Maybe tonight she will be on

 

[Backstep]

The child custody thing is for the women viewers--but I bet that somehow the Doc and his kid will be put back together after step dad and mom fall victim or something....

I like this show-so far-because there is no "I am vampire just because..." with no "why" or explanation. They show the beginning--at least the current one beginning.

Most shows/movies start out mid disease or after it has wiped out everything (28 days, twd, etc.)

The rock singer guy is so cliche Alice Cooper/Marilyn Manson-and the wig is awesome--so far they didn't over do that angle of "rockstar" thing.

I wonder how his manager or whoever she was is doing? Maybe tonight she will be on

If the show follows the books, the fan is running and the poop is in the catapult.

I've read there will be one season per book.

 

[YJ02]

last nights ep was awesome!

I loved the way the guy's wife was reacting/lack of reaction-denial to her husband's changing

and then the way she so cold bloodidly fed the nag neighbor to him! terrific

and the autopsy--" we just pulled out a 6 ft python from its mouth and it crapped out stuff all over the table!"

 

[shavedape]

last nights ep was awesome!

I loved the way the guy's wife was reacting/lack of reaction-denial to her husband's changing

and then the way she so cold bloodidly fed the nag neighbor to him! terrific

and the autopsy--" we just pulled out a 6 ft python from its mouth and it crapped out stuff all over the table!"

I was actually confused by the wife's "performance" in last night's ep. The whole religious thing was over the top, and did you catch all the cross/crucifix symbols in the background during her scenes? They were really pushing them. Even the huge antenna in the background when she goes outside is a cross.

So here's what I don't get, if this woman is so religious why would she murder someone so easily? I honestly don't understand her shift in personality so quickly. She goes from being uber religious to a murderer in a matter of minutes.

Otherwise though I'm liking the story. I enjoy how it's very broad and involves a ton of different people but I can see them all becoming intertwined as the story progresses. I'm sure they're going to have something happen to the hispanic guy's family (his bro is already getting sick) and then I suspect he will go all bad ass on the vamps and join up with the good guys.

 

[YJ02]

I was actually confused by the wife's "performance" in last night's ep. The whole religious thing was over the top, and did you catch all the cross/crucifix symbols in the background during her scenes? They were really pushing them. Even the huge antenna in the background when she goes outside is a cross.

So here's what I don't get, if this woman is so religious why would she murder someone so easily? I honestly don't understand her shift in personality so quickly. She goes from being uber religious to a murderer in a matter of minutes.

Otherwise though I'm liking the story. I enjoy how it's very broad and involves a ton of different people but I can see them all becoming intertwined as the story progresses. I'm sure they're going to have something happen to the hispanic guy's family (his bro is already getting sick) and then I suspect he will go all bad ass on the vamps and join up with the good guys.

Her love for her husband is obviously much stronger then her faith--perhaps she is ONLY religious because of her love for her husband(?) There was some mention about her being afraid of losing him , perhaps they had a close call before? Last ep she was cursing planes-how they "smash into everything/destroy lives. etc" Maybe they had a close call on 9/11?

I think another reason for showing all the crosses and religious stuff was to demonstrate to us that crosses and holy water HAVE NO effect on these 'vampires' (?). Instead of just a simple prop for a religious household.

So far, I only get that perhaps silver (the old man's cane/sword is silver) is a weapon against them and that perhaps sunlight has an effect as well (the office of the ex-nazi vamp has those auto tint windows)

I think that the hispanic guy is going to join up--we show him 'establishing a relationship' of sorts with the old vamp hunter/pawn shop owner. We see that the Dr's and the hunter have joined. Since we have a tech component--why did they hire a pro hacker to take down social networks ? how does that help vamps?-- then maybe we will even see the teenage techie girl join them too (the one who got the guy the plane manifest)?

 

[Backstep]

I was actually confused by the wife's "performance" in last night's ep. The whole religious thing was over the top, and did you catch all the cross/crucifix symbols in the background during her scenes? They were really pushing them. Even the huge antenna in the background when she goes outside is a cross.

So here's what I don't get, if this woman is so religious why would she murder someone so easily? I honestly don't understand her shift in personality so quickly. She goes from being uber religious to a murderer in a matter of minutes.

Otherwise though I'm liking the story. I enjoy how it's very broad and involves a ton of different people but I can see them all becoming intertwined as the story progresses. I'm sure they're going to have something happen to the hispanic guy's family (his bro is already getting sick) and then I suspect he will go all bad ass on the vamps and join up with the good guys.

Hippocrates 3:16 Thee shall feed thy pesky neighbor to thy demon/vampire husband when thee pesky neighbor threatens to call the police on you. 3:17 Only thy is allowed to call thee police on pesky people/neighbors, so sayth the Dog.

 

[shavedape]

Well this show just gets better and better. Last nights episode really ramped things up! :encouragement: I hope this show gets renewed because I'd love to see the type of world it will be now that the vamps are "going public".

 

[YJ02]

The last ep was terrific. Both the flashback story and the current day. I particularly liked the end--just who the hell are the "half vampires (?)" in the black hoodies?

Now that is interesting

--------------------

also good to see that a conventional bullet to the head will kill these things (when the cabbie shot the vamp point blank in the face) and that we don't see totally invincible vamps (minus the standard kill tech's)--I hate that when it happens

And is Aaron Douglas becoming a fat bastard or what?

 

[shavedape]

Loving the show and hope it gets renewed. The one thing I'm worried about now is the introduction of the vamp-hybrids though. It almost seemed cartoonish so I'm hoping they turn out to be acceptable characters.

 

[YJ02]

Loving the show and hope it gets renewed. The one thing I'm worried about now is the introduction of the vamp-hybrids though. It almost seemed cartoonish so I'm hoping they turn out to be acceptable characters.

The "vamp hybrids" are hybrids with what? I think the cartoonish thing comes from the 'uniforms' and the fact that is a Deltorro production

===================

How is the vamps get 're-civilized'. Like Eickhorst, he obviously has regained all of his human faculties (proper speech, controlled behavior, etc) is it something that just comes with time?

--------------------------------------

So do you still think Aaron Douglas is hot?

 

[shavedape]

The "vamp hybrids" are hybrids with what? I think the cartoonish thing comes from the 'uniforms' and the fact that is a Deltorro production

===================

How is the vamps get 're-civilized'. Like Eickhorst, he obviously has regained all of his human faculties (proper speech, controlled behavior, etc) is it something that just comes with time?

--------------------------------------

So do you still think Aaron Douglas is hot?

No, he looks old and flatulent. Not my type at all. I'm much more into these two although I find Corey Stoll wayyyyyy hotter when he's naturally bald instead of wearing a rug. And all I can say about Miguel Gomez is get me a spoon! :encouragement:

 

[Overmind One]

No, he looks old and flatulent. Not my type at all. I'm much more into these two although I find Corey Stoll wayyyyyy hotter when he's naturally bald instead of wearing a rug. And all I can say about Miguel Gomez is get me a spoon! :encouragement: