The Strain (Guillermo del Toro's New FX Summer Show)

[JD]

I didn't even realize Eph was the bad guy from Ant-Man until they started talking about him getting rid of the wig.
At the end of the episode, was that a new vampire coming into the city, or one leaving?
The scene with Palmer and his assitant dancing while the building burned behind them was creepy. It will be interesting to see how she reacts if/when she learns who and what he is.
I like that they are showing more of how the city is dealing with the plague, like with the Councilwoman, and the cops clearing the building.
Kellie sing a lulaby to her Feelers was creepy too.

EDIT: Just found the answer to my question about the vampire at the end of the episode.
Apparently that is a character from the books named Quinlan arriving in NY. I just read up on him on The Strain's wiki and it sounds like he should be a very interesting character.
I've been trying to remember, did they ever explain why some of the vampires, like Eichorst, Palmer, and the singer are fully aware and sentient and others are just mindless monsters?

 

[Reverend]

I don't think it was explicitly explained, but I got the implication from Eichorst's backstory and what's going on with Kellie that the Master either actively suppresses the individuality and higher thought processes of those under his dominion and only allows a choice few to retain who they once were, or the bestial behaviour is their default state and he has the ability to restore the personalities of a few if he chooses.

How that extends to others, (including presumably this new player) one can only assume the ancients have dominion over them. Or perhaps in the case of Mr Hoodie McBonesword, he's an independent/rogue element like the Master.

 

[JD]

If anyone is curious, here's the basic description for Quinlan from the Strain wiki.

Spoiler: Quinlan in the books.

Quinlan is a member of The Born, a rare vampire/human hybrid (dhampir). The "son" of the Master, he hates his father intensely and so serves the three American Ancients as their chief bodyguard and hunter.

In an article about IGN Quinlan from the before the episode aired, and his appearance on the show, they said that Quinlan was Guillermo Del Toro's favorite character from the books.

 

[crookeddy]

Will there only be 3 episodes since there are 3 books?

[I'll assume you meant "3 seasons"]

Del Toro has said that the plan is to do five seasons.

I dunno if the show will last the full 5 then... The ratings are significantly lower for s2 than s1.

 

[Immolatus]

If anyone is curious, here's the basic description for Quinlan from the Strain wiki.

Spoiler: Quinlan in the books.

Quinlan is a member of The Born, a rare vampire/human hybrid (dhampir). The "son" of the Master, he hates his father intensely and so serves the three American Ancients as their chief bodyguard and hunter.

In an article about IGN Quinlan from the before the episode aired, and his appearance on the show, they said that Quinlan was Guillermo Del Toro's favorite character from the books.

so the one who died at stoneheart was not Mr. Quinlan ?

 

[JD]

No that was a new character, whose name I forgot. I can't remember for sure, but I think they either killed him off so they could bring in Quinlan, or decided to bring in Quinlan after they killed him.

 

[Morpheus 02]

Wow -- NO ONE seems to care about the show???

Now,i know I have putting it on the backburner in Favor of Falling Skies & Fear the Walking Dead.

But if just seems that the people at FX have made some HUGE mistakes in programming...

I mean, why would you put this show up AGAINST Fear the Walking Dead (even if it is a repeat)?

And was there any time to check the schedule. Labor Day weekend seemed like a GREAT time to do a season finale -- no new Fear the Walking Dead. (Was there a Last Ship--- I've fallen behind)?

Any word on a 3rd season?

 

[crookeddy]

Any word on a 3rd season?

It's renewed. But don't expect a 4th - ratings got significantly lower between seasons 1 and 2.

Why would they put the season premiere on labor day - there are still 4 episodes left...

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

Not a fan of the new semi-animated opening credits.

I like this show's mythology and back-story, but their little side quests kill any momentum for the larger story. "We have to kill the Master at any cost! But first, I need to help the hacker girl set up some furniture."

Also half the show seems set in a post-apocalyptic New York City and half seems perfectly normal. A storage unit place is abandoned to monsters while -- in the same episode -- they visit a hum-drum liquor store. The contrast is always a bit jarring.

 

[Mr Light]

I just started this show and I really like it, and I really like how in S2 there's an actual apocalypse semi happening in NYC and how they deal with it. That said, I can't stand the storyline with the dirty old man and the young secretary. Ugh.

 

[Borgminister]

Like what they've done with Mommie Dearest and exploring the guy-girl/girl-girl dilemma. The effects work and direction are consistently very good, sometimes excellent. Much better than season one IMO.

 

[Mr Light]

Oh that reminds me, I'm also annoyed by the dead momma constantly appearing yet doing nothing with her creepy little insect children. Another wasted plot line.

But aside from those two, I'm lovin' it!

 

[Borgminister]

Well I think the plot line has served to help mr. painintheass child grow the F up and smell the coffee, if anything. Her siren song succeeding might have been to cliche anyway.

The shades-of-zombie-vampire-intellect aspect is another thing that has improved the show I think.

 

[hux]

I watched the first season in bulk (five or six in a sitting) and it was hard going. Had I watched as it aired weekly, I'm pretty sure I would have given up due to the snails pace? That being said, by the time i completed it, I had really got into it and enjoyed watching. I'm recording the second season and intend to watch in block again.

It was a very slow build but I think that will pay off in season two (I'm assuming the New York mini-apocalypse has finally arrived).

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

^In dribs and drabs.

 

[Beagleman]

That was actually a really good episode... And I had a lot of fun freeze framing and trying to decipher what the Lumen said, it reads exactly as if someone simply took the English text and used google translate to translate it into German , interesting none the less.

 

[kitik]

This past episode was a perfect example of "is NY still functioning or not?"

Some of it just seems to make little sense to me. The streets around the Manhattan press conference seemed perfectly normal, and the cops seemed perfectly normal too, not like they had been out hunting vampires all night long or anything unusual like that. It doesn't add up.

 

[Mr Light]

Portions of the city are under control, others aren't. And of course it's safe in the day, the strigoi come out at night.

 

[Borgminister]

Really good "backstory". Amazing, actually, for the type of show this is. It may not make a whole lot of sense, but what a ride.

 

[Beagleman]

The second season is such a step up from the first, this episode was a good example for that. And I keep loving to hate Eichhorst.