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

Skerries

this is such a cheesefest, but a fun cheesefest

mafaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Znl_hEhSuM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPLOxe3gmQk

Watched all of series 1 a few weeks back when I was bed ridden for a day and found it to be amongst the least entertaining trash to come along in a long time. There's a great idea at the heart of the show but it goes nowhere with the show instead focusing on the least interesting characters and giving time over to things such as a custody battle, some street level crime and nowhere enough to the conspiracy or to the actual vampires. The novels were poorly written nonsense that seemed to have been written so as to be adapted so it's a shame to see the show happy to go nowhere of note.

don ramo

season 1 was terrible, i wont be watching season 2 unless i hear unbelievably great things about it,

the first season was completely disjointed, noting was properly explained, i remember having to go to a comic forum to get the finer points that were completely left out of the show, i know you have to pick and chose what to include, but this took it to a new level altogether, and the lead character is just not in any way likeable, and that wig was very off putting, cory stoll looks grand, no need for the wig,

pixelburp

Yeah, the same here. Had completely & utterly forgotten about this until I saw the updates. Just reading my comments on series 1, man I did not like this show I love my schlock and easy-to-watch TV but I draw the line at stuff so bewilderingly scripted as The Strain. The books were fun if trashy, the TV adaptation was just trash.

mafaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM0pdi_SXVs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uWne_TLmnY

mafaa

Season 2 will return on July 12

mafaa

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

Mr E

Decent start to season 2.

I think the obvious lycra body suits on the creatures are now more distracting than Corey Stoll's wig. Kudos for not CGI'ing them, though!

Dyr

Wig: vampire hunter is back yayyyyy

conorhal

Mr E wrote: »

Decent start to season 2.

I think the obvious lycra body suits on the creatures are now more distracting than Corey Stoll's wig. Kudos for not CGI'ing them, though!

I'm enjoying the unintended naff campness of this show, it's a relief from the unrelenting grimness of a lot of TV shows these days.
Like Penny Dreadful I've just come to terms with the fact that nothing makes any logical sense and thus I've just decided to roll with it and ignore the little things, like the fact that thousands or people are getting slaughtered nightly yet New Yorkers remain unflapable and refuse to flee their beloved city or, you know, notice what's happening.
So you've tracked the 'Master' to a creaky old hidout? Sure you could burn the building down around his ears, but where's the fun in that? It's better to wonder into a nest of vampires surrrounding a near indestructable immortal because you're a vampire hunter that prefers the personal touch!

krustydoyle

The part with the blind kids was weird though. Hoping it matches the silliness of season 1, then I'll be happy.

squonk

I'm very happy with the opening episode. More of the same really but less stupid, annoying characters. I'd hoped the Gigantic Romanian guy would rear his head again during episode. I'm curious now how Setrakian got his sword. Kidnapping and turning rthe blind kids was preety horrible as a thing to do though. Looks like it could get interesting now with Vampire Mom however. It's good to have this show back!

sweetie

So we're back in the so bad its good camp now are we?

Skerries

squonk wrote: »

I'd hoped the Gigantic Romanian guy would rear his head again during episode.

that is The Master, whose body is now dying and he is going to swap again

I wasn't going to bother with series 2 but now that I'm working I find myself looking for some easy to watch trash for when I get in the door in the evening. Was going to try Under the Dome again but what I saw of series 2 was just dreadful, it really is a show that they seem to be making up as they go along. I binge watched series 1 of The Strain when I was stuck in bed for a day and found the best thing about it to be the quality of the wigs our hero wore. I felt like a character in itself and was actually far more defined than many of the cast so if the wig is back then so am I. I really hope to see the wig receive some Emmy love this year.

half debating if I will watch this first episode of the new season due to the last season being pretty awful (it's name proved so apt in terms of watching it)- this could end up being another falling skies muck-fest.

TerrorFirmer

I actually enjoyed the first season a lot despite it being full of absurdly ridiculous plot holes. The worst of it has carried across to Season 2, most glaringly, the bizarrely inconsistent portrayal of an alleged 'city under siege' - but it's still an entertaining watch all the same.

I didn't actually know it was a wig until recently enough. I was shocked!

TerrorFirmer

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

I actually enjoyed the first season a lot despite it being full of absurdly ridiculous plot holes. The worst of it has carried across to Season 2, most glaringly, the bizarrely inconsistent portrayal of an alleged 'city under siege' - but it's still an entertaining watch all the same.

I didn't actually know it was a wig until recently enough. I was shocked!

did watch the first season 2 episode in the end. wasn't that bad. hopefully there won't be any boring characters like yer man's colleague's senile mother introduced - that really killed the vibe in the last season. could do with bumping off the kid to be honest - he's just annoying. that's not going to happen I guess with the mother vampire now promoted to blind undead kids' pied piper.
indeed - the whole "has nobody noticed that New York is over-run with vampire zombies" thing is ongoing and farcical - real estate deals going on as if nothing has happened....

squonk

I think people are reading too much into this show really. It's not True Detective or Game Of Thrones here. It's very enjoyable, cheap, turn your brain off fodder and, for what it is, it's very good! It's more about the gore and shock value I think and everything else is just a support act. If I want depth and realism I'll watch Rectify but for a show to keep my sleepy brain chugging away just before bedtime, The Strain will do quite nicely. I'm delighted Season 2 is back. Season 1 wasn't perfect but if they keep away from stupid characters, like the mother as was said, we'll be OK.

Jon Stark

I watched the opening two episodes of Season 2 there and it seems to be more of the same: some interesting strands here and there, enough to keep one interested.

They recast the kid yeah? He's even more annoying.

squonk

I liked Episode 2 this week. I think it's gone away for it's holidays and come back a stronger show for Season 2. I thought this week's episode was a step up in quality.

The kid is annoying but hopefully we'll get him in small doses. It was good to see how the sword was acquired. I thought that was pretty good. Overall a great show.

conorhal

Skerries wrote: »

that is The Master, whose body is now dying and he is going to swap again

Was this in the novels or is the masters rebirth down to the collective WTF? reaction of the entire audience when 'The Master' was revealed to be a hamster on steroids?

Here's hoping that the prosthetics and animatronics (which have been woeful so far) improve and we see the master return as something scary rather than laughable because it kind of hurts the show to have a big bad that appears to have been a leftover power rangers villian.

Dyr

conorhal wrote: »

Was this in the novels or is the masters rebirth down to the collective WTF? reaction of the entire audience when 'The Master' was revealed to be a hamster on steroids?

Yeah he gets a new body in the books I think

Maybe because vampires have no reflection he just never realized that he looked like mr f****kin potato head

PirateShampoo

There is also a Graphic Novel of the book if any of you are into that sort of thing, ive read a few of them and think its pretty good.

Sudden Valley

Is the written version of this show finished?

PirateShampoo

Sudden Valley wrote: »

Is the written version of this show finished?

Well its based on the Book, so characters are different.

JP Liz V1

Season 2 starts on UKTV’s Watch on Wednesday August 26th at 10pm

PirateShampoo

Sudden Valley wrote: »

Is the written version of this show finished?

Sorry thought you was asking about the comic, but yes it is. It's a 3 book series which finished in 2011.

Dyr

i really wish the rat catcher would stove ephram jrs head in with a tyre iron

annoying wee twat

PirateShampoo

Yeah, he's not a likable character in the book either.

Very good season so far though.

stronglikebull

I'm kind of glad I didn't give up on this at the end of Season 1 like I'd planned. The kid is the most annoying little sh1te in the world though, and I can't wait for his mother to set the spider babies on him.

Dyr

stronglikebull wrote: »

I'm kind of glad I didn't give up on this at the end of Season 1 like I'd planned. The kid is the most annoying little sh1te in the world though, and I can't wait for his mother to set the spider babies on him.

from what I remember of the books, don't get your hopes up

How is series two progressing? Not had a chance to watch any of it yet and a little miffed that the Emmy's didn't the wig a nomination for best supporting actor given that it's by far the most animated character on screen.

Dyr

Deleted User wrote: »

How is series two progressing? Not had a chance to watch any of it yet and a little miffed that the Emmy's didn't the wig a nomination for best supporting actor given that it's by far the most animated character on screen.

It hasn't really progressed at all from what I remember about the books.

every time they pan out to the bigger picture of how the authorities are dealing with the virus across new york it just becomes ludicrous

Even the wig is starting to dial in his performance

sydthebeat

while the first season stayed pretty close to the books, this season is different in a lot of places.
Dutch doesnt appear in the books at all. The whole

"vamp killer squad, lets kidnap eldrich palmer"

isnt there either, nor do i think is

the whole early relationship between satrakian and palmer iirc

im enjoying this season, warts and all

Avatar MIA

The acting is below East Enders level.

The flashbacks this season have been poor, but WTF was the purpose of the flashback opener to S2E4. That was painful. Maybe he's a huge character in the books.

The storyline is all over the place.

Yet, still watching it

TerrorFirmer

Bambi wrote: »

every time they pan out to the bigger picture of how the authorities are dealing with the virus across new york it just becomes ludicrous

I really can't understand how they get this so hilariously wrong. It's like something from a low budget 80's flick. Reminds me of the end to one of the more famous 80's Italian zombie movies. They're portraying New York apparently over-run with Zombies, and a radio voice-over is stating 'We have reports that zombies are roaming the streets - oh my god, they're at the door....they're coming in....Nooooooooo'.

All while the shot clearly shows traffic moving as normal, and people strolling care free around the streets while about two zombies shuffle about in front of the camera.

The Strain reminds me of that.

gazzer

The John Travolta 'Rat Catcher' lookalike has to go. He mumbles all his lines and is an attrocious actor

Dyr

gazzer wrote: »

The John Travolta 'Rat Catcher' lookalike has to go. He mumbles all his lines and is an attrocious actor

He's B Movie gold, best thing in the series :mad:

You want mumbling try true detective, Its was like an entire Elvis impersonators conference that was spiked with mogadon.

PirateShampoo

gazzer wrote: »

The John Travolta 'Rat Catcher' lookalike has to go. He mumbles all his lines and is an attrocious actor

Don't you be hating on Keamy.

PirateShampoo

Well there goes the wig.

Dyr

PirateShampoo wrote: »

Well there goes the wig.

Noooooooooo :eek:

duridian

PirateShampoo wrote: »

Well there goes the wig.

Bambi wrote: »

Noooooooooo :eek:

Yes. It is always sad when they off a major character in a show like this.

I suppose on the bright side at least the wig got a quick death, it could have gone down gurgling for days in agony, as vampire worms slowly turned it into a merkin, so for that at least we should be grateful.

:eek:

Sudden Valley

Can't help but think he was only wearing a wig because network don't want their main male actors in their shows being bald. He does remind me now of Agent 47 from the Hitman series.

Find the scenes with the ratcatcher and the british woman way more interesting than the two scientists with the annoying kid.

PirateShampoo

I'm disappointed more people are not watching this, i think its a great show.

I think its really coming together now and becoming a great show, well as long as they minimize Zacks screen time.

Plus we finally have the real Mr Quinlan, cant wait to see him be a bad ass.



Back ground history if anyone is wondering who the heck he is, also the link will have SPOILERS so the outcome of the story in his bio.

http://the-strain.wikia.com/wiki/Quinlan

Sudden Valley

This show seriously needs to develop better make up for the bad guys. The ending scene of this scene was so bad looking. Also I love how everywhere outside New York is still so normal.

PirateShampoo

Well we wont be seeing giant size master any more, so with him and the wig gone the effects budget should go up.

Keplar240B

PirateShampoo

Still a little silly in places, but this show is definitely getting better.

Only 5 seasons planned as well, which is a good thing.