The Strain (FX) [** Spoilers **]

pixelburp

I love how this show strains (geddit!) so hard and falls over itself to make Nora and Eph the caring, sympathetic types, presumably in a ploy to make the audience emphasise with their attempts to maintain humanity in the face of oblivion, railing against the cold-hearted, snarky Fet. Yet the result just makes them come across as pompous and utterly supercilious. Not to mention just plain stupid, in light of the clearly dreadful events taking place.

Eph's 'Brooklyn pride' comment then tipped him into the realm of being a truly obnoxious lead, and the mention above of Jack from Lost is spot on - Eph is dreadful. But then the entire script is sh*t, nothing about this storyline is remotely interesting, a limp cliché written without even understanding what makes the cliché work in the first place. Funny, cos I really don't recall him being this bad in the novel, not the first one anyway.

wayne040576

pixelburp wrote: »

I love how this show strains (geddit!) so hard and falls over itself to make Nora and Eph the caring, sympathetic types, presumably in a ploy to make the audience emphasise with their attempts to maintain humanity in the face of oblivion, railing against the cold-hearted, snarky Fet. Yet the result just makes them come across as pompous and utterly supercilious. Not to mention just plain stupid, in light of the clearly dreadful events taking place.

Eph's 'Brooklyn pride' comment then tipped him into the realm of being a truly obnoxious lead, and the mention above of Jack from Lost is spot on - Eph is dreadful. But then the entire script is sh*t, nothing about this storyline is remotely interesting, a limp cliché written without even understanding what makes the cliché work in the first place. Funny, cos I really don't recall him being this bad in the novel, not the first one anyway.

He got worse with each book. I couldn't stand him in the third book.

duridian

Wow! (28th September episode)

I think Mister "Smooth" Rocker guy in one swift slimey move just became one of the most popular vampires in history there! And then Nora having to put in the finishing touch. Adiós.

It's as if the producers have listened to feedback from the viewers.

Still can't take clownface and his manicure mishaps seriously.

Drinking pus from under his manky fingernails makes them immortal and less dumb than the ones with a dose of worms? Really? Seriously, this is what they came up with?

And why do the dumber vamps all act like chickens that have been tasered when they are looking at something?

Was pleased to see

the Blackghul Ops return.

Guess that's where Gus' storyline is headed.

This show "turned" into a steaming pile of turd quicker than one of the hopeless victims in the show itself. will watch the finale as have watched the series up to now but won't watch next year!

pixelburp

The week on 'The Lead Character's an Utter Assh*le': Eph criticises Setrakian for being (understandably) emotional and impulsive over missing a chance to kill the Master, despite the fact it was Eph's own selfish idiocy that ruined the group's plan in the first place. He then also charmingly dumps over Dutch's acquisition of some tech that might give them a slim chance at success.

Oh and Dutch's plan just opens up yet another gaping plot hole: even if the internet has collapsed, the fact the TV stations are still broadcasting makes it ludicrous that this outbreak has remained a mystery to the outside world. Jesus, word of mouth should be enough, but I guess that would have required creativity of thought from the writers.

I generally had high'ish hopes for this series; the books aren't high art, heck they're barely literature, but the premise is decent enough that a canny adaptation could have smoothed over the rougher edges (see above) and make for a fun, schlocky time. Nope, this is garbage, to the point that I'd find it hard to credit anyone enjoying this at all. I wouldn't have any time with the concept of hate-watching, but it feels too close to that for my liking; I'll be off when the finale's finished!

Gbear

I don't mind most of it.

Computer waffle is a mainstay in popular culture, so while it annoys me, it's nothing to beat this show over the head with.

I do think that the flashbacks are done really badly. People inexplicably speaking English with ****ty accents makes the scenes utterly daft.
And it's really inconsistent, because Eichorst is German and speaks German with subtitles.
Also, they look like they'd run out of budget and weren't able to even put a decent fake beard on your man.

CastorTroy

Think my main complaint is they have all this looting going on due to this virus outbreak yet no one seems to be aware of the outbreak outside of victims, the pawn shop crew and Gus. And considering how anytime we see the vamps, they're attacking people, why isn't the city overrun already? I know it showed loads sleeping after being turned, but what about all the ones above ground?
Then Gus and the other guy easily drive out of town. Didn't think it would be that easy.
Honestly, I think Gus is the only believable character in this

Birneybau

glasso wrote: »

This show "turned" into a steaming pile of turd quicker than one of the hopeless victims in the show itself. will watch the finale as have watched the series up to now but won't watch next year!

I stopped watching 3 episodes ago but keep checking in here for the lulz.

Agent Coulson

Corey Stoll's wig distracts me every episode.

pixelburp

Gbear wrote: »

I don't mind most of it.
Computer waffle is a mainstay in popular culture, so while it annoys me, it's nothing to beat this show over the head with.

It's less the computer waffle and more the excuse that because the internet is down, nobody in NY is capable of figuring out what's going on, that even ordinary TV channels haven't worked out that something widespread is going on and that, hey look, there are monsters on the street at night - call the army! Even in standard zombie epidemics there's a point where the populous switch on to the threat, albeit when it's usually too late.
But yeah, it's still a minor quibble in the face of the larger problems with the utterly hateful group of lead characters (Fet and Setrakian aside)

Dyr

If they could kill of ze master and half the cast and just have homie, old guy and ratcatcher chase nazi dracula around feral new york that might save it

Not sure benicio is going to stand for such a radical rewrite though

Seriously, I just want most of the characters to die roaring

gazzer

Just because the internet is down that doesnt mean that people cant video what is happening and pass it on to the TV stations that are STILL on air I would love to know what the News reports in 'The Strain' land are actually reporting on

Birneybau

I actually believe it's one of the worst t.v. shows I've ever seen.

gandalf

TBH I find it to be entertaining. It is total braindead telly. The leads are dreadful, the master looks like a rejected muppet (Jim Henson type) and then there is the wig which would only stand out more if it was luminous.

But for some reason I am still enjoying watching it, I dunno maybe it's entered the "it's so bad it's entertaining realm" for me.

One great thing this week though was when

Chain Smoking Alzheimers Mommy got offed. Thank god she is gone

.

I'll stick with it for now as it is nothing more than "candy floss telly for the brain".

CastorTroy

Didn't they pass off the lack of news as the big bad corporation owning the news?

squonk

I'm still liking it. It's not high brow but it's good turn your brain off telly and that's not a bad thing. Nora needs to follow her mammy to the vampire realm though the fact she killed puffer mom does show some hope. I really wish they'd elaborated more on the vampire swat team at this point. Maybe that'll happen more now in the next episode.

squonk

squonk wrote: »

I'm still liking it. It's not high brow but it's good turn your brain off telly and that's not a bad thing. Nora needs to follow her mammy to the vampire realm though the fact she killed puffer mom does show some hope. I really wish they'd elaborated more on the vampire swat team at this point. Maybe that'll happen more now in the next episode.

yes at least some of the more annoying characters have been dispensed with. Nora and Zack should be off'ed asap but somehow I don't think that will happen. The flashback for attempted emotive comparison between Setrakian losing his one-legged bird (or leg-brace or whatever) and Nora losing her demented Ma was one of the worst pieces of muck on tv in a while.
The only award that this show is up for is "Best prop in supporting role" for Corey Stoll's wig and even that has no chance of winning.

wayne040576

gandalf wrote: »

TBH I find it to be entertaining. It is total braindead telly. The leads are dreadful, the master looks like a rejected muppet (Jim Henson type) and then there is the wig which would only stand out more if it was luminous.

But for some reason I am still enjoying watching it, I dunno maybe it's entered the "it's so bad it's entertaining realm" for me.

One great thing this week though was when

Chain Smoking Alzheimers Mommy got offed. Thank god she is gone

.

I'll stick with it for now as it is nothing more than "candy floss telly for the brain".

I haven't seen the latest episode but

Did she get killed? Because she outlasted a few of them in the books. Managed to make it to book 3.

Dyr

glasso wrote: »

The only award that this show is up for is "Best prop in supporting role" for Corey Stoll's wig and even that has no chance of winning.

Corey Stoll might win it himself

Venom

wayne040576 wrote: »

I haven't seen the latest episode but

Did she get killed? Because she outlasted a few of them in the books. Managed to make it to book 3.

Regarding the books

How much difference is the TV show from the book?

Was the mother as much of a waste of pages as she was screen time? 3 books of her would suck o0

pixelburp

Venom wrote: »

Regarding the books

How much difference is the TV show from the book?

Was the mother as much of a waste of pages as she was screen time? 3 books of her would suck o0

Open to correction because it has been a while since I read them, but see below - needless to say it contains book spoilers, but kept as general as possible:

Nora's mother survives all the way to the third novel, where the she effectively becomes leverage used against Nora. The hows and whys pretty much spoil the premise of the second and third books, so I won't say any more than that. The mother was just as much a lodestone to the characters as she is on the show, so that remains the same.

biko

Watching it right now, good stuff.

Birneybau

biko wrote: »

Watching it right now, good stuff.

Watch some more, it's not.

duridian

biko wrote: »

Watching it right now, good stuff.

Give it time, it'll grow off you!

duridian

Oh and Eph is in Homeland season 4 premiere this week minus the wig.

Chocolate Lions

I actually feel sullied that I watched as much as I did.

Mr E

I must have very low standards... I love this show.

Great finale - sets things up nicely for season 2.

Abraham Setrakian has to be nominated (at least) for best new character in next year's Boards TV awards.

Agent Coulson

Mr E wrote: »

I must have very low standards... I love this show.

Great finale - sets things up nicely for season 2.

Abraham Setrakian has to be nominated (at least) for best new character in next year's Boards TV awards.

David Bradley has had some amazing roles in the last 2 years.

CastorTroy

So all these years of Setrakian hunting the vamps only for Gus to be chosen as the human soldier? That's a kick in the teeth.

Important lesson: Do everything possible to kill master vamp. Don't just assume sunlight will kill. How many times have we seen vampires run through sunlight in shows like Buffy?
Second lesson: Let the kid go to his mum. Less bother then.

Thankfully it's over. It was a strain indeed. So master vampire creature is just lying there waiting to be decapitated and yer man starts into a "by the power of God..." preamble instead of just chopping his noggin off and he gets away! Won't be back unless I want a dose of serious cheese.

wayne040576

pixelburp wrote: »

Open to correction because it has been a while since I read them, but see below - needless to say it contains book spoilers, but kept as general as possible:

Nora's mother survives all the way to the third novel, where the she effectively becomes leverage used against Nora. The hows and whys pretty much spoil the premise of the second and third books, so I won't say any more than that. The mother was just as much a lodestone to the characters as she is on the show, so that remains the same.

That's pretty much spot on from what I remember. Although I didn't pay as much attention to the third book. It wasn't great. I read (on this thread I think) that he wants to make 5 seasons instead of just 3. Maybe he needs to rethink that plan.

squonk

All in all I liked it. The real danger here is that the shock value of the earlier episodes has subsided. I still think that scene with the newly hatched vampire hiding out in the garden shed was excellent! Once we get used to that it's easier to start focusing on the show's shortcomings. Yes, there are a number of those. I agree Setrakian should have just lobbed off the master's head straight away. Also, not having the rat catcher hanging on for dear life just prior to that would have assisted in a clean, easier kill.

I wished the kid joined his mammy as well. Infact, him faking an asthma attack and dragging them back to an unsafe house was grounds for lobbing his head off there and then 'just to be sure like '.

At least we now know the purpose of the vampire swat team. There's a Babylon 5 style Vampire Grey Council now with their own agent running around killing Vamps. In response to another poster, Setrakian is a badass but is probably too old to really be the council's agent at this stage.

Good setup for Season 2 now and I'm looking forward to it. It's not high art or anything but it's not the worst show. Really the best opener for Season 2 would be to have the dream team get ambushed, have Eph, Kid and Nora get bitten requiring a swift dispatch from Setrakian and the rat catcher. I think that would improve the show immensely.

Cartman78

Just catching up with this one.....watched the first episode the other night and was hoping it might fill the void of schlocky-lowbrow-gory-borderline crap TV that the Walking Dead normally fills.

Might stick with it for another while anyway....it might be a good antidote to Strictly Come Dancing and X-Factor that I am being passively exposed to of lately

There are too many fundamentally bad characters in the show. And that's amongst a small overall cast so they can't be gotten rid of. So it's pretty doomed to be annoying.

don ramo

i cant see myself returning for the second season, the show is just so disjointed, and i really couldn't give a toss about any of the characters, i mean how can they black out all activity from NY, its completely impossible, and the bridges are also all still open, there are multiple buildings brining away with no response units heading out to them,

it would be understandable if it was all set over one mad night, but its not, i mean people are getting up and going to work, passing burning buildings, down into subways, and not noticing a lot of their loved one seem to have disappeared at an alarming rate,

i would have been a great show, if it was made or at least set 20 years ago,

DvB

don ramo wrote: »

i cant see myself returning for the second season, the show is just so disjointed, and i really couldn't give a toss about any of the characters, i mean how can they black out all activity from NY, its completely impossible, and the bridges are also all still open, there are multiple buildings brining away with no response units heading out to them,

it would be understandable if it was all set over one mad night, but its not, i mean people are getting up and going to work, passing burning buildings, down into subways, and not noticing a lot of their loved one seem to have disappeared at an alarming rate,

IIRC in the books the timeframe was far shorter than is implied on the TV show, it was a real case of it expanding over 2 or 3 nights with anarchy & panic to leave the city setting in at a far greater pace than we're getting on the show.
Season 1 hasn't even covered all the first book yet, its dragging it out to an extent that might explain the thinking behind a 5 season run, though I'd be very surprised if it lasts that long, as much as I'll probably keep watching its obvious that it hasn't been well received if this thread is anything to go by.

don ramo

DvB wrote: »

IIRC in the books the timeframe was far shorter than is implied on the TV show, it was a real case of it expanding over 2 or 3 nights with anarchy & panic to leave the city setting in at a far greater pace than we're getting on the show.
Season 1 hasn't even covered all the first book yet, its dragging it out to an extent that might explain the thinking behind a 5 season run, though I'd be very surprised if it lasts that long, as much as I'll probably keep watching its obvious that it hasn't been well received if this thread is anything to go by.

id usualy unsubscribe from a thread thats this negative, and enjoy the show with only my opinion on it, but its just so bad that even now i wonder why i stuck it out in the first place,

the show should have been tweaked massively for a tv adaption, even like i said earlier set it in the early 90s, which would have been very easy to do, its just that its set in the world here and now, is probably the biggest mistake they made, its just to far fetched to believe all that could happen, at least without some kind of global vampire apocalypse,

biko

Finished season 1 now and tbh it's fine for what it is.
I didn't read the books or anything but it's grand.

sweetie

the first half season was definitely stronger than the second half. I'll give the second season a chance though.

squonk

I don't find it overly far fetched. I'm not really looking to poke holes and am taking the plot as it's given to me. If the show was The Wire or something similar and so much stretching of belief was required to explain some particular plot point, I'd be all over it. Come on though, it's a frickin show about Vampires!

I don't notice many on the Z Nation thread dissecting the finer points of that show. OK, that's because the show is complete entertaining crap but The Strain isn't far behind really. It's a cut above Z Nation IMHO ruined largely by several unlikeable characters. What's good about it is pretty good though and it's a grand show. It won't win Emmies or garner critical acclaim but for a bit of gore and fun, it's OK.

Yes, the first half of the season was much better than the second. Hopefully they'll return to form if they make it back for Season 2.

pixelburp

And we're done. Phew. A pretty tame ending really, even by the shows own standards. I will give credit where it's due, at least Jonathan Hyde's performance as Palmer was suitably outlandish and moustache-twirlingly evil; it's a pity the rest of the cast & tone hadn't been so embracing of the inherent pulpiness of the the material.

squonk wrote: »

I don't find it overly far fetched. I'm not really looking to poke holes and am taking the plot as it's given to me. If the show was The Wire or something similar and so much stretching of belief was required to explain some particular plot point, I'd be all over it. Come on though, it's a frickin show about Vampires!

An outlandish premise doesn't preclude the possibility of a script writing some relatable or likeable human characters - premise and character aren't mutually exclusive concepts You say it's a show about vampires yet we spent large chunks following a hateful, obnoxious lead as he fretted about his divorce with a wife we barely met, while having an affair with a co-worker who was barely on the page, let alone the screen. Fet was the only character switched on to what was happening, the rest just acting like idiots because the script couldn't make them behave like rational, intelligent beings.

It's particularly problematic when the show went out of its way to set itself in 'our' world, unlike something like Gotham that decided to roll with an intentionally outlandish, exaggerated version of reality. The script's no better but Gotham's tone is deliberately cartoonish and comic. The Strain wanted to be dramatic, tragic, serious; instead it was turgid, ponderous and a mess of bad/stupid characterisation.

The vampire apocalypse shouldn't be 'fun' as such, but it could have at least been arresting, or thrilling Absolutely nobody critical of the show here expected The Wire, or ever compared it with The Strain - however some coherent intelligence in the script would have been nice and not a tall order.

Mc Love

Birneybau wrote: »

I actually believe it's one of the worst t.v. shows I've ever seen.

Nah that goes to the blacklist

I actually enjoy watching the strain over that!

Birneybau

Mc Love wrote: »

Nah that goes to the blacklist

I actually enjoy watching the strain over that!

I've never watched the Blacklist. I bolded 'I've' for a reason.

sydthebeat

Enjoyed the first series enough, it's bubblegum for the brain and totally b acting but somehow keeps getting me back for more.

While this season is over I'm gonna try gotham

Spon Farmer

Great stuff - good to see vampires back as bad guy monster freaks.

I'm all for the clash of personalities but Eph was at times too argumentative with the rest of the group.

They need to jettison Nora though, she is is just ridiculously painful to put up with. Moaning on about Fet's "inhumanity". Shut up, woman!!

The Fet is awesome

Sugarlumps

Really enjoy it, Eichorst is a great character. Similarities to Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds.

mafaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sert0jkhb1I

Sugarlumps

Look forward to its return.

squonk

When's it back?

Frank O. Pinion

squonk wrote: »

When's it back?

FX haven't announced a date, besides "Summer 2015".