Guillermo del Toro's The Strain on FX

Episode 3 "Fort Defiance"
Great opening with Bolivar and the cops. Glad to see Gus back and I liked the scene where Vaun is training him especially Gus ripping out the Strigoi's stinger. Loved the reveal that Setrakian uses the vampire worms to stay alive. Zack has become a very unlikable character. The plot to kidnap Eldritch Palmer was interesting and his UV trap was pretty cool. I was not expecting them to kill off Vaun and the rest of the hunters that was crazy.
 
The Strain keeps getting really weird and profoundly darker deeper it ventures into the second season. I didn't want to write on the second episode because I got a bit scared for the producers answering the points I made across in the first one. The situation in the city is as bad as it can get even if Staten Island is supposedly free from the vampires. I just don't believe for a minute that is happening as there might be quite a number of vampires waiting to explode in the open, or outside the house, the minute it gets dark. After all, the vampires are drawn to infect their loved ones first, and it's very, very likely that people from other island have relatives in the Staten Island, just like we saw Palmer former bodyguard proving the case.

In the other hand what I don't understand is: why the professor didn't get as well as Palmer after he consumed Master whites?

Then again there the biological warfare two doctors are waging against the vampire population is even darker than Master rising an army of feelers to find one boy. It's the whole notion of using same weapons against them as they're using on us. Just thing is, did Eph think it whole way through? I don't think so. In fact I believe their plot is going to fail the same way as Palmer's kidnapping plot?

Why they had to try to kidnap him in his office? Had their lost their minds on venturing inside Palmer's fortress and thinking they can shoot their way out from the building ... in daylight?

Well, we see what happens to Daywalker now that his protectors are gone ... for good?
 
I think we just can't think to hard about it with this show. There is no hidden explanation for any of our criticisms. It's like one of those stories that needed a lot of critiquing and never got it.
 
Warren_Paul said:
I think we just can't think to hard about it with this show. There is no hidden explanation for any of our criticisms. It's like one of those stories that needed a lot of critiquing and never got it.
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It's a still a very entertaining show. (y)
 
Episode 4 "The Silver Angel"
The black-and-white luchador movie to open the episode was hilarious campy fun and a nice introduction to Angel. Using the Strigoi to find the nest was clever. The flashbacks continue to be interesting and the fight in the catacombs with the vampire monks was pretty cool. I thought the scene with Gus' mother was good and The Master talking through her was disturbing. The news crew getting attacked by Bolivar and a horde of vampires was great. The special effects makeup for the infected Strigoi looked really gross. Vasiliy Fet blowing up the subway station was kind of funny but it sucks those neighborhood watch guys caught him. Kelly and the blind vampire kids searching for Zach were really creepy.
 
It is interesting to see both sides of the coin gearing up with biological warfare, which makes both of them looking dark and dangerous. In the meantime the US government seems to have forgotten whole business. It is almost like the time when GWB was reading goat stories to a kinder garden. So when Eph said, "Let's go to the Washington!" I was ready to punch the air.

It just didn't happen. Mister Palmer have too much influence to calm down whole thing, even getting the boardroom members of FED slaughtered as if it was nothing. Only I think in the real world half of the nation would cheer, while the other half would get mad as hell. It is not like media isn't working at all and people don't get into internet to talk about things.

I know it's only a few days from the beginning of the epidemic. If you look the numbers New York City looks like a lost cause. It cannot be saved from this blight. Not with any guarantee measures. I'm not even sure it can be saved with Eph's pathogen. There's no reasonable delivery method, unless they start hitting all nests in the city. So only way out from this is that I can see is Professor's book and consequently killing of Master. All other routes lead to a total destruction or to a creation of necropolis at the place of Big Apple, where Ancients serve along side of the Master.

In the meantime, poor Gus. No family, no friends, no allies, only a mission that's too big for one man to have on his shoulders.
 
Episode 5 "Quick and Painless"
I liked the opening with the cops trying to clear the building and the spider kids just owning them. Nice to see Jamie Hector's character back and I'm curious where the search for the Occido Lumen will lead. Interesting seeing Nora join forces with councilwoman Feraldo as was Vasiliy and Dutch teaming up with the cops. Great to see Fitzwilliam finally join the cause. Ephraim throwing the CDC director off of the moving train was great. I couldn't help but laugh at the imagery of Palmer and his assistant dancing while a building burned behind them. I was excited to see Quinlan show up at the end.
 
I don't know what is going in Eph's head other than getting that next drink. Like people said and he acknowledges, he is a federal fugitive and he plans to walk into DC carrying a biological weapon with him. Maybe Nora saw that and thought let him burn on this trial, because Eph has to pull a real magical rabbit out from non-existent hat to make this happen. Nevertheless, I cannot believe they are really going through this because who says the counter-agent (biological one) isn't going to jump and start infesting normal human beings.

In the other hand the police conducting house to house, room to room sweeps is also as unbelievable as what it was with the Hunt of Boston Bombers. It's what they should have been doing in the first place, only this time, they can do the investigations around the city without any restrictions, when in our world, I would suspect they would meet a lot of resistance. Especially in gang territory.

But there was good things in this episode, like good old professor showing he has a balls to walk in and threaten to decapitate the local crime boss to get his precious book. It is almost as if Master's whites in Professor's "worm" tonic has given him a new lease on life, just like it has happened to Mister Palmer. After all, he's few days off from the bed and he's already after some pussy.

What I don't understand is why his assistance cannot see what is really going with him? She didn't mention seeing punch of ninja's spontaneously bursting in fire after Palmer turned on the disco lights. She doesn't even think about what happened to the bankers, or why Palmer is in such a good shape?

I still like this series but I want it to be a bit more, because at the moment, the first season was much better than this one.
 
Despite a mixed reception from fans and critics, The Strain has been a good sized hit for FX, and the network has confirmed a third season for the Guillermo del Toro-produced vampire outbreak series.

TV.com reported a statement from Eric Schrier, Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions. “Guillermo [del Toro] and Carlton [Cuse] have delivered two thrilling seasons of The Strain that are captivating and visually arresting, doing justice to the original novel trilogy and meeting fans’ high expectations in the process. We’re excited to see them carry this powerful story into a third season on FX.”

The show is based on del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s trilogy of novels, and there’s been talk from the show’s creators that they are keen to stick to that structure, with either three or five seasons.

“A thriller that tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. As the strain spreads, Eph, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers, wage war for the fate of humanity itself.”
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http://www.scifinow.co.uk/news/the-strain-season-3-confirmed-for-more-del-toro-vamping/
 
Episode 7 "The Born"
Interesting Quinlan flashbacks and I liked the scene where he saves Setrakian and Vasiliy Fet from the spider kids. Disappointing we didn't actually get to see Quinlan and The Master fight though.
 
A great deal has come from the Roman's, but even greater deal is the Master has a tribal background. They were all monsters sitting in middle of dark, vast forests of Europe back in the days when Roman's avoided venturing deeper into the East. However what I suspect is that even though we can draws certain things from hearing Quinlin was Born through the efforts of an experiment, is that Master's and Ancients roots are located somewhere else than in ancient Germany.

What I don't understand is how it took this long for Quilin to pull his head out from his bottom and heading into the middle of vampire invasion. I mean with the resources he's able to pull, he should had been on top of this ordeal from the beginning. After all New York City is a home to the Ancients. They should have been alerted the moment Master landed on the continent. Nevertheless, I hope Quinlin doesn't stop his hunt but start using his allies because Master has devoted a great effort to mass his army.

Out from the picture, what is the governor of New York doing? The city is in a state of emergency and it's still void from most of the government responses. It's not like the world isn't watching or that the President would be uninterested on whole case, when New York City and one its island is full of bankers. In fact, a great deal of business is happening inside the Wall Street. So what is the problem?

PS. It annoys me that Eph is drinking all the time and he manages to keep his mind quite clear about everything..
 
Episode 8 "Intruders"
Yes Quinlan teaming up with Gus! Kelly and the spider kids attacking Eph, Nora and Zack was pretty cool too.

ctg said:
PS. It annoys me that Eph is drinking all the time and he manages to keep his mind quite clear about everything..
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Seems like most functioning alcoholics to me.
 
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I don't know what to say after seeing Palmer getting laid other than it was disturbing. I guess there is some truth in the rumours that the dark side lures in some wicked minds. How come his assistant can act so innocent, after she has seen everything that happens around Mr Big? Stoneheart is nothing like the imago Palmer is trying to portray around. Or then is it a case that "Love blinds, completely?"

After all Guillermo has been carrying this mantra throughout the series even though it has been shown to the viewers that love hurts time and time again. Everyone has been through it, even the professor, while his sole focus in this season has been on acquiring the book. We saw that his love ended in that little village a while ago. So, it was right for Quilan to ask that question in front of Gus's girl, because now he doesn't have no choice but to risk it for everyone, or face the certainty that there's going to be a time when he cannot protect his interest and SHTF.

Additional amusing, face of dear Eichurst, when Palmer asks the question! I start to see Emperor in him.
 
Episode 9 "The Battle for Red Hook"
I like the new title sequence. Lots of great action in this and the citizens fighting the vampire horde was kind of epic. I also liked the moment when the generators were turned back on and all the Strigoi burn up. Eph and Setrakian versus Eichhorst was pretty cool as well.
 
How many times can you miss with a rifle? It should be easier to hit than using pistol, which Eph uses brilliantly. But no. I loved Eichurst comments on Kar98 inability to hold more than five rounds in its chamber. What I don't understand is how they had a supply of silver tipped ammo for it?

Nevertheless, despite the questions, seeing a horde of vampires waiting for a command to run did my heart good. Tension was palpable and I was thinking whole time that there was going to be a second group behind them. Luckily that didn't happen, because the results would had been good.
 
Episode 10 "The Assassin"
Eph should have went for the double shot when he fired at Palmer. The vampire attack on the the police station and Nora and Vasiliy Fet coming to the rescue was pretty cool though. Finally Setrakian finds the Occido Lumen I wasn't expecting him to get sucker punched and lose it though. Things are looking really bad for Dutch Velders now that she's the prisoner of Eichhorst.
 
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