The Strain

:

Season 1
  • Network: FX
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 13, 2014
Season #: 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 405 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 312 out of 405
  2. Mixed: 47 out of 405
  3. Negative: 46 out of 405
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User Reviews

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  1. seventhseal
    Sep 23, 2014
    5
    Series started off and had great potential however sadly it now feels like the episodes are being padded out to elongate the season. I am starting to lose interest in the characters and ultimately am losing interest in the series.

    Expected better. Average.
  2. pulpdiction
    Jul 29, 2014
    5
    whenever i watch a pilot and get the feeling this show doesn't belong to my universe... i'm normally 100% sure i will not follow it... i had this feeling with The Strain, it has a Carpenter vibe at times, but the main character and his gimmicks and overrated dramatized personal life... is just pathetic,i cant stand people dealing with sons and daughters that feels like a cartoonwhenever i watch a pilot and get the feeling this show doesn't belong to my universe... i'm normally 100% sure i will not follow it... i had this feeling with The Strain, it has a Carpenter vibe at times, but the main character and his gimmicks and overrated dramatized personal life... is just pathetic,i cant stand people dealing with sons and daughters that feels like a cartoon impersonation rather a real life story... it's really hard to incorporate kids in dramas without being to simple or plane childish… Expand
  3. slayde11
    Sep 22, 2014
    4
    I want to love this show SO badly -- del Toro's work hardly ever disappoints -- and to its credit, all the raw ingredients are right there. I'm just not 100% sure it's found its pacing (yet!) as an episodic TV show. I can see that it wants to serve up some mixture of poignant character insight and seat-squirming action. However, in this first season I feel that the excessive flashing backI want to love this show SO badly -- del Toro's work hardly ever disappoints -- and to its credit, all the raw ingredients are right there. I'm just not 100% sure it's found its pacing (yet!) as an episodic TV show. I can see that it wants to serve up some mixture of poignant character insight and seat-squirming action. However, in this first season I feel that the excessive flashing back and fragmentary bouncing around has diluted its success in both areas. Some of the episodes are a very stylish, engaging mix of horror, suspense, and character insight -- and the pilot showed so much of del Toro's signature style (probably because he directed it). So I'm very hopeful that things will come together in an impressive way, if only given enough time. The show runners just need to smooth out the pacing from one installment to another, as individual threads begin (thankfully) merging together in a more focused direction. Still hanging with it ...… Expand
  4. FleshWorld
    Aug 13, 2014
    6
    The show is canpy as hell and fun but I fear that the ultimate reveal will be less interesting that I've been hoping for. The lead actor who played one of the best characters on house of cards is really the only thing that is holding the show together. Also I should say that Guillermo Deltoro's creatures are tremendous.
  5. jlplatten
    Jul 25, 2014
    5
    I really can't decide if I like this show or not. There are cool aspects to it, when it comes to the story between the old guy and the main monster... which I'm assuming is a Dracula type monster. There's definitely some big history between these characters that I find intriguing... As far as a horror show, I don't mind some of the hokie-ness. But then they throw in all this serious dramaI really can't decide if I like this show or not. There are cool aspects to it, when it comes to the story between the old guy and the main monster... which I'm assuming is a Dracula type monster. There's definitely some big history between these characters that I find intriguing... As far as a horror show, I don't mind some of the hokie-ness. But then they throw in all this serious drama with the father work-a-holic who's fighting over joint custody of his kid with a ex-wife that doesn't seem to really have a problem with the ex-husband. Then you throw in some serious emotional problems from the father, when you see him in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. This show needs to make up its mind on what it is going to be. Fun goofy horror show or serious drama. Mixing the two is not working for me. I'm hoping for the fun monster show.… Expand
  6. TheQuietGamer
    Jul 28, 2014
    4
    I was hoping for a good horror show. The few short trailers that aired on FX before it came out looked really good. 3 episodes in and the show has done nothing but disappoint me. The vampire/monster designs are awesome and despite the lack of any sort of fear I do see potential here. It's just a shame that for every compelling element the show has so far, it squanders it in the worstI was hoping for a good horror show. The few short trailers that aired on FX before it came out looked really good. 3 episodes in and the show has done nothing but disappoint me. The vampire/monster designs are awesome and despite the lack of any sort of fear I do see potential here. It's just a shame that for every compelling element the show has so far, it squanders it in the worst possible ways.

    None of the characters have yet to grab me in any way, and the main character "Eph" is a type I find completely unlikable. It doesn't help that the majority of the acting here is pretty awful and that the dialog is often horrendous. There are certain characters who are beginning to show potential, but they hardly get enough screen time.

    Every now and then something cool will happen on-screen, usually when the show is focusing on the infected characters changing, but so far the show is nothing but wasted potential. After only 3 episodes the show has proven to be both un-scary and poorly written. Maybe the show will get better as it progresses, but as of right now I can't recommend it to anyone.    … Expand
  7. Rex_richards
    Jul 30, 2014
    6
    I read all the books, and they get worse and worse as they go along with ever more ridiculous and unrealistic scenarios, such as flimsy puny humans out muscling vampires and running away successfully and all the different idiotic things that are needed for the humans to do well against vastly superior forces. So basically, I'm really worried that these first episodes are as good as itI read all the books, and they get worse and worse as they go along with ever more ridiculous and unrealistic scenarios, such as flimsy puny humans out muscling vampires and running away successfully and all the different idiotic things that are needed for the humans to do well against vastly superior forces. So basically, I'm really worried that these first episodes are as good as it will get. There are I'm guessing, about six seasons worth of stuff in the books.

    Having said that, these first few episodes have been pretty good, well episode 1 and 2. episode 3 is fraying at the edges with terribly predictable scenes coming in every now and then... but... what the heck, it's gory escapist fun, sadly with much more in common than a hollywood movie where we are treated like idiots than a classy american tv show like true detective.    … Expand
  8. dodgingbullet
    Sep 9, 2014
    6
    Guillermo del Toro can be a master of horror. Yet "The Strain" will not work (maybe because it´s in prime time where there is less gore and not so much bad words) - It dwells far from the book and DarkHorse´s Comics.
    It´s a shame, but i truly believe this one is gonna be obliterated when the new season of Waling Dead airs up again.
  9. mbeckford
    Sep 17, 2014
    5
    I can't believe I am giving three stars to a Guillermo Del Toro-backed show. I am a fan of all of his movies and enjoyed the first book in the trilogy (the second and third were essentially action movie scripts that don't translate well to the book medium). But the book wasn't adapted skillfully to TV ... it doesn't hold the chills and intrigue that the book provided with its mystery ofI can't believe I am giving three stars to a Guillermo Del Toro-backed show. I am a fan of all of his movies and enjoyed the first book in the trilogy (the second and third were essentially action movie scripts that don't translate well to the book medium). But the book wasn't adapted skillfully to TV ... it doesn't hold the chills and intrigue that the book provided with its mystery of the silent airplane and mysterious virus slowly unveiled.

    The special effects range from "very cool" to "very cheesy." The head vampire's, or "Master's," coffin and his swirling cape are well done, and so is the scene where a main character "vamp" that begins an episode as he literally puts on his face. The big reveal of the face of the master in episode 8 is anti-climactic and absurd. If you remember "bat boy" from the now defunct Weekly World News, it's what he would look like if he were real and older (for kicks, google the image and see if I'm right).

    The vampire "biology" is cool in principle (as in the book) but is made slightly ludicrous with the mediocre effects that make the long stinger protrusion more phallic than threatening. Del Toro does a better job in Blade 2 where he started playing around with the idea. The best "vampire acting" so far is a semi-major character that changes in episode 10. This episode has a "Walking Dead" feel to it and as such is one of the better ones.

    If you watch this as a campy throw-back to some of the creepy shows of the 70's/80's/90's ('Salem's Lot comes to mind) you will enjoy it more. This was best portrayed in an early episode with a French girl that was a survivor from the airplane who returns home. The scene where she reunites with her father will likely become "that scene freaked me out!" for many teens (Danny Glick scratching at his brother's 2nd story window in the mist was that scene for me in 'Salem's Lot).

    If the series is renewed it could get very monotonous as it follows the next two books. Vampires "snake-biting" and chasing our protagonists will get dull and old very quickly. Ultimately, the show will need to have some creativity weaved into it to make it entertaining over the long haul.    … Expand
  10. jorel75
    Oct 28, 2014
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The problem with Zombie-like - Vampire-like TV or Movie themes, is that it is been there for a very long time, some writers and directors pushed our expectations by introducing twists to what we know to make it engaging e.g. walking dead (Gruesome Season 1) and WWZ - kind of.
    The strain attempts to play on that same tune by introducing Vampires to a Zombie themed series, albeit the acting mostly is good, the scenes are entertaining, the flashback are great, overall the story is not that surprising and when an episode reaches a high climax , it suddenly loses it and replace the climax with a little disappointment. Take the Master, who looked very scary but once they showed us his full face you think, damn that's one awful make up, another area is where he seems extremely powerful but then he is not (season finale showdown) and what with the rewind scene, that was so lame. Same applies to the Zompires who can be extremely tough, yet you can escape them, bash them, shoot them, overpower them with bare hands.
    The characters are cool, although their development from what they are to what they become is too quick.
    Overall, it is good to watch, but not as engaging as I expected.
    The other disappointment is New York city, you really can't really feel the disastrous impact considering the 100s of turned citizens    … Expand
  11. Videshi
    Oct 23, 2016
    4
    I really wanted to like this show, because it started out very well, had some great horror elements, and really seemed like it was going to be a genuine mix of science and myth. However, it's written really, really poorly. The writing is beyond lazy. Expect to see a "throw your arms up in surprised disbelief" plot hole at least once per episode.

    Plots are started and then dropped out of    I really wanted to like this show, because it started out very well, had some great horror elements, and really seemed like it was going to be a genuine mix of science and myth. However, it's written really, really poorly. The writing is beyond lazy. Expect to see a "throw your arms up in surprised disbelief" plot hole at least once per episode.

    Plots are started and then dropped out of nowhere all of the time. It's very, very unclear in the first season how it is that the world, or even New York at large, doesn't know about the vampires... Despite the CDC collecting their corpses, the worms that spread them, and all of the bodies from one center they're studying them at vanish (there was only ONE man working in the entire centre, and no one ever checks up on him and his findings were not recorded or given to anyone......?!?). Then even arrest the main character for murder, despite the attacks from vampires being public and very apparent, them having an actual body, actual evidence, a recording they were going to use to inform the CDC (who already would have known, but the evidence plot was dropped too so that just goes away). He's still considered a fugitive two seasons away, which still makes no sense... I can go on and on but I'll stop here.

    So... If you can completely turn your brain off from any kind of reality, then you may enjoy this. Personally, so many "are the writers children?" moments happen that I just found this immensely disappointing.    … Expand
  12. genericusename
    Oct 24, 2014
    6
    It's a decent show. Not great by any means, but it's an enjoyable way to waste an hour. It's campy at times, and the lead actor is, simply put, bad. Still, the supporting cast (especially David Bradley) is strong and most of the effects outside of the Master's look are pretty good. There are also some genuinely scary moments. It's a quality summer show.
  13. ahnehnois
    Oct 11, 2014
    5
    It's really just a long-form B movie. The technical craftsmanship is generally good (though the main bad guy was pretty underwhelming), but characters can be stilted and stereotyped and plot developments are frequently ludicrous.

    For example, the actor playing the lead, a CDC doctor, is quite credible and interesting, but dialogue mistakes at times clearly betray the writers' ignorance    It's really just a long-form B movie. The technical craftsmanship is generally good (though the main bad guy was pretty underwhelming), but characters can be stilted and stereotyped and plot developments are frequently ludicrous.

    For example, the actor playing the lead, a CDC doctor, is quite credible and interesting, but dialogue mistakes at times clearly betray the writers' ignorance of medicine. The vampires are a convincing piece of makeup and special effects work, but they'll kill people instantly or spend ten minutes flailing around trying to catch a fifth grader depending on what the plot demands.

    On the whole, it works not because it is great TV, but simply because it hasn't been done before. A long-form serialized B movie with better production values is not a bad thing. Their take on vampires is interesting, if nonsensical (they keep talking about a vampiric virus, but apparently that in turn is carried by supernatural worms; what kind of infection is this?). Their unoriginal use of Nazis inspires sighs, but the Holocaust survivor turned badass old guy is fun. In the end, the horror tropes; the scares and gore, the lessons the characters learn, the moments of clarity, seem to be enough to make the series' flaws worth bearing. If you're a fan of this sort of thing, anyway.    … Expand
  14. talonps1
    Oct 6, 2014
    5
    What can I say, an easy way to blow off a Sunday until Walking Dead returns. That said, think Salems Lot (not only in visual but plot line minus the CDC aspect) in NY and you have The Strain.

    Lead character, Dr Forget-his-name-but-something-catchy alcoholic, divorced...irritating. The only good characters are the exterminator and the hacker...well the creepy german is decent...oh wait    What can I say, an easy way to blow off a Sunday until Walking Dead returns. That said, think Salems Lot (not only in visual but plot line minus the CDC aspect) in NY and you have The Strain.

    Lead character, Dr Forget-his-name-but-something-catchy alcoholic, divorced...irritating. The only good characters are the exterminator and the hacker...well the creepy german is decent...oh wait the man servant of the rich old guy, yeah he's good. Everyone else, meh.

    Plot, story...again, if you want to waste a night and have something put you to sleep, this is your series!    … Expand
  15. Galo75
    Aug 26, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have to say I am utterly disappointed on how this show has been turned into a boring poor imitation of The Walking Dead with no budget. The vampires walking all of a sudden in apartment buildings while the characters are delivering Indian food? Really?! The MASTER looks like the Chupacabras, yes that 1dls low budget film made a few years back. Just terrible. The acting, the chemistry is just not there. I can not believe we are on the 7th episode of Season 2 and NOTHING moves anywhere, I am literally browsing my IPAD during the show as nothing seems to happen until the last five minutes of each episode.

    They recasted Eph's son, good riddance! But the new kid is even worse. Eph is more pumped and is showing more skin for any fans out there, but it looks far distant now from being a researcher. The first episodes were pretty good in season 1, now it has just become a hot mess where bad acting, absence of chemistry between the characters and laughable sequences are sinking this show. Poor Del Toro, he is probably twisting in his grave, no pun.    … Expand
  16. RainXIII
    Sep 9, 2015
    5
    The show has a good story, but it is wasted.thanks to the poorly written Characters. In almost every major scene they act completely stupid and waste precious time with meaningless conversations. All in all a good show, but don´t start to think about what happens there, you´ll be disappointed by all those stupid actions the characters perform. With better Characters this show could haveThe show has a good story, but it is wasted.thanks to the poorly written Characters. In almost every major scene they act completely stupid and waste precious time with meaningless conversations. All in all a good show, but don´t start to think about what happens there, you´ll be disappointed by all those stupid actions the characters perform. With better Characters this show could have been so awesome.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Best TV Season of 2014
12
#12 Most Discussed TV Season of 2014
7
#7 Most Shared TV Season of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 38 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 38
  3. Negative: 2 out of 38
  1. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Emily Nussbaum
    Aug 7, 2014
    70
    he series doesn’t have the best pacing, or the best dialogue (“Well, if the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, we’re going to the morgue”), and in some areas it doesn’t even try: never has a show set in New York but filmed in Toronto felt more like a show set in New York but filmed in Toronto. (When Astoria appeared, full of burning garbage cans, all of Queens raised its eyebrows.) And yet the show overflows with greasy satisfactions, simply because it commits so fully to its own goofiness.
    Read full review
  2. Sioux City Journal
    Reviewed by: Bruce Miller
    Jul 14, 2014
    80
    Ominous, creepy and utterly engaging, The Strain is like the perfect drive-in movie.
    Read full review
  3. PopMatters
    Reviewed by: Cynthia Fuchs
    Jul 14, 2014
    80
    The series takes some time to put this team together, even in the same area of New York. And while you’re waiting for that plot turn, you’re treated to a series of lurid images, from yucky to jolting.
    Read full review
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