The Strain FX TV series

[Keth]

John Hurt cast as Abraham Setrakian. This is good news to me, glad to see it's still happening. I'm still not very far into The Fall, so I need to get back on that.

 

 

 

Setrakian is a Holocaust survivor who encountered vampirism in the concentration camps. A one-time college professor, he finds himself running a pawn shop in Spanish Harlem while secretly preparing for the blood suckers’ return when the story opens. When they do make their way to New York City, Setrakian hooks up with Centers for Disease Control doctor Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll of House of Cards), a scientist who slowly comes to understand the true danger facing the city. The pilot is also set to star Mia Maestro, Kevin Durand, Jonathan Hyde and Richard Sammel.

[Iambaytor]

Personally I'm more excited about Kevin Durand playing Vasily Fet. I'm still trying to figure who they're going to get Ron Perlman for, he's got to be in here somewhere.

Edited June 19, 2013 by Iambaytor

[Keth]

So did anyone get around to watching the first season? Pretty good stuff overall. Did a good job of adapting most of the first book, while changing some things up to keep it fresh. The stakes aren't too high at the moment, but I'm hoping they really are able to let loose in season 2.

 

Things I liked:

 

-How fast the season moved. The first book, while good, sometimes felt like a chore to read due to the insane amount of buildup. And while there is certainly alot of that here, there was alot of good action pieces and story moments to keep me interested.

 

-Kevin Durand as Fet. Dude's accent was silly as hell, but he sold the part and is charismatic enough you don't really care about the accent.

 

-The new character additions were good as well, especially the hacker chick. It's nice to have a somewhat capable female in the cast to distract from Nora's useless character (even more so than in the books.)

 

Disliked:

 

-The actor who plays Zack. Acting-wise he is just awful and character-wise he makes season 1-2 Carl Grimes look like a model child.

 

-Nora and her mother. Just hate them so much.

I was so happy they killed her mother off instead of stringing her along until season 4 or 5

 

 

Things I'm unsure about:

 

-Gus. He's being used well, but they are writing him really weird. One minute he goes from straight up hero to the next only caring about money or something.I hope they even that out next season.

 

-Eph. I think the problem here is the actor playing him. He did a fine job I guess. I just think I don't like Eph in general though. He's not particularly interesting in the books and that translates here as well. So mission accomplished?

 

Aside from book to TV comparisons which is all too easy to do, the first season was solid and the plot really looks like it's going to kick into gear in the next season.

[Iambaytor]

How can they make Nora MORE useless?

[Keth]

I mean she does her doctor thing a few times... but i think just seeing it onscreen really drives home what a burden on the group she is.

[Iambaytor]

They really should've just cut Eph and Nora out entirely, they're both a burden on the group.

[alive she cried]

I watched the first episode, I was really looking forward to it. But I found it quite underwhelming, just plodded along and never grabbed me. I've actually deleted the rest of the season off my DVR since. Does it get way better after the first episode?

[Keth]

Probably should have given it a couple more episodes.

 

I honestly don't know what I can recommend to you since you won't even watch Arrow man

[alive she cried]

I'm sorry, but when I look at this

 

 

There's no way that can be anything other than painfully average television. I already got burned with Agents Of Shield and Smallville, I'm trying to pre emptively avoid more pain. I don't understand why when we're in the golden age of television we're still settling for Bones, NCIS and CSI level crap.

 

I wouldn't put the Strain in with the rest of those, but it just did nothing to entice me to want to watch a second episode, and when I have Fargo, True Detective, Justified, Luther, Love/Hate, American Horror Story, Homeland (Season 3 on), Boardwalk Empire (Season 5), House Of Cards, Hannibal...to watch, a one and half hour opener is all I can afford to give a new show, don't grab me? Back to the end of the line you go. It's okay The Strain, Transmet will keep you company.

[Keth]

You really... reeeaaaally need to watch Arrow though. Like really. I was in the same boat as you with it, and the fact that it's on CW didn't do it any favors. I promise you it's above average.

 

As for The Strain, it really does get better as it goes. Hopefully when season 2 comes out it gets some better reviews/bigger audience and will compel you to revisit it.

 

 

I also gotta go remake that Hannibal thread too, I thought I was alone there.

[Iambaytor]

I've found you really can't give up on a show until the end of its first season, if it can't capture you by then then there's no point continuing. The first episode of any show is usually its worst.

[Visitant]

I made it through S1, and to be honest there were parts that I didn't know if I wanted to keep watching. Either way I'm on board for S2 and here's hoping they get a liiiittttle more in their budget.

[APANCHALYPSE FOREVER]

First season wasn't bad. Entertaining enough. I definitely want to see where it goes (never read the comic).

[Keth]

[Boogie]

A friend recommended this to me and after finishing the first season I can say it was entertaining. The season finale seemed weak to me. Ended like any other episode. The revelations about the master being more strong that they actually thought, were kinda obvious. Then again, i never read the book. Should i? Anyways, it was nice to see Del Toro's touch plastered all around the setting of the series. I'll follow season 2, because why not?

[Keth]

I highly recommend the books. Alot of people didn't seem to like the 3rd one, but I thought it had an awesome ending, and I hope the show has the balls to go through with the crazier stuff they present in the books. There's a lot more to look forward to than season 1 made it seem like. Like you said, the show feels very much like Del Toro.

[Keth]

Anyone catch the premiere? Alot of cool stuff going on with some nice deviations from the books that I won't get into.

 

 

So glad they included the origin of The Master's current form. Plus the stuff with the blind kids got dark quick.

 

 

Good start to the season so far.

[Da Cap'n 2099]

Yeah, it wasn't bad. The origin was great.