The Strain

:

Season 3
  • Network: FX
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 13, 2014
Season #: 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 47 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 47
  3. Negative: 3 out of 47
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User Reviews

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  1. ozymandias79
    Oct 31, 2016
    4
    This has been the weakest season of 'The Strain'. Most of it was filler. The latino subplot was pointless (fast forwarded through after ep. 4). The storyline with Ef and the woman was practically pointless, stretched out, and predicable. The flashbacks - all pointless. Fast forwarding through all the pointless filler made it a little better but the last episode was the only one worthThis has been the weakest season of 'The Strain'. Most of it was filler. The latino subplot was pointless (fast forwarded through after ep. 4). The storyline with Ef and the woman was practically pointless, stretched out, and predicable. The flashbacks - all pointless. Fast forwarding through all the pointless filler made it a little better but the last episode was the only one worth watching in its entirety. Almost nothing happened this season. This show has two episodes in season 4 to prove its back on track. Otherwise, I'm tuning out...… Expand
  2. Bitmouse
    Jul 3, 2017
    5
    So yeah, my original review of this show still stands, would be better without the whole Zach and Kelly non-sense. Did Guillermo Del Toro go through a painful divorce or something?
  3. Thirdrail
    Aug 30, 2016
    4
    This is a tough show. On one hand, by season three, you've invested a considerable amount of time in things, and the show does maintain continuity, so the ending is in sight. On the other hand, since season two, The Strain has gotten a little less interesting with every passing episode. The characters are not particularly enjoyable to spend time with, and nothing new or surprising happens,This is a tough show. On one hand, by season three, you've invested a considerable amount of time in things, and the show does maintain continuity, so the ending is in sight. On the other hand, since season two, The Strain has gotten a little less interesting with every passing episode. The characters are not particularly enjoyable to spend time with, and nothing new or surprising happens, or is likely to happen again before the show is over. I think there's a real possibility that by the final episode, I will have gone from watching The Strain, to hate-watching The Strain.

    Under normal circumstances, I'd lodge a complaint about the fact that the show has turned into a major sausage festival, and is now basically a story about a bunch of stressed white guys who run around yelling and fighting at and about things - a concept we've pretty much done to death over the course of recent human history. Except there's no point, in this case, because The Strain's female characters are just as boring and unlikable as the male characters. But, you know, if you're so strident of a feminist that you'll even champion the right of women to suck equally, then you might be a little bugged with where this show has gone with its lady parts.

    TL;DR: The Strain has gone from being a show you actually watch, attentively, to being the kind of thing you put on screen two in the background, while you're playing video games.    … Expand
  4. TheCore
    Nov 17, 2016
    9
    The downside of critics only getting to see the first three eps of each season is that, as with the two previous seasons, they don't get to see how nutso badass things get by the end, especially with a season like this that keeps growing more epic in scale and dystopian in tone. We're not exactly getting Aaron Sorkin level character work here, but this season explored even more backstoriesThe downside of critics only getting to see the first three eps of each season is that, as with the two previous seasons, they don't get to see how nutso badass things get by the end, especially with a season like this that keeps growing more epic in scale and dystopian in tone. We're not exactly getting Aaron Sorkin level character work here, but this season explored even more backstories on its already existing characters, making us care not just for the villain(s), but even the Hispanic guy who I finally actually started to feel deserved a part in this show in the first place (but I do mostly agree with other users- we could totally lose him and it wouldn't matter). This season actually makes a love triangle (of all cliche things) work, and as with earlier seasons dabbles in the whole "conflicted with still caring for loved ones even after they've been transformed into hideous vampire creatures" thing that would have just come across as flat out stupid in a dumber show, but mostly kind of works here (though you'll be pushed to those boundaries of acceptance in the final stretch of the season finale). I go with a high score for season 3 because all the disgusting worm-laden bloody nastiness and boat-loads of bad-ass violence and action make this show just too damn rad to not recommend!… Expand
  5. Alexlee
    Sep 22, 2016
    8
    plot development is good. casts played each corresponding characters brilliantly, the CGI and camera work is good .... basically everything is good but not perfect.
  6. Cherbear11
    Sep 11, 2016
    9
    I like this show, it keeps me interested and on the edge of my seat. Can't wait to find out what they will do with the Master when he is found, will he the one doctor take the book to the master to get his son back or what can't wait to find out.
  7. marc5477
    Feb 26, 2017
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A very weak season with a lot of forced drama that goes no where except to fill in episodes. I honestly cannot remember half the episodes because nothing actually happened. For the most part the show is devolving and has entered into a cycle of escalation in order to maintain viewer interest. Its a bit like Dragonball Z at this point where the good guys develop a means to fight back, only for the bad guys to get even bigger weapons, only to result in the good guys making more powerful weapons, and so on and so forth. It was largely devoid of any sort of reasoning and situations became laughable. For instance, after creating a awesome anti-vampire weapon, the 1st that happens is that it does not work... because apparently no one thought to spend 5 seconds to click "play" to test it before going back out in the field. On the reverse side, we now have nukes floating around because they needed something bigger than just plain ole vampires. On top of the silliness with the weapons, we have this character development void where no one developed in this season. They all started and ended the same way. Nothing changed by the end of the season. A few useless side characters died, but the main characters are back at square 1. The writers need to up their game. Depend less on Dragonball Z style escalation and put more into the characters and plots to make them a bit more believable. Overall, this was a lousy season.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. We Got This Covered
    Reviewed by: Isaac Feldberg
    Aug 28, 2016
    60
    Still very much the thrill-a-minute lovechild of a macabre master and a novelist with a pronounced knack for the nasty, The Strain remains a juicy, pulpy, often delectable piece of summer programming in season 3.
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  2. Yahoo TV
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    Aug 27, 2016
    80
    Even the third episode, which is loaded with a lot of backstory origin material about Quinlan’s past, doesn’t get bogged down. When it’s good, The Strain moves as quickly as those long, creepy tongues that burst out of the strigoi’s mouths to suck your blood.
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  3. Collider
    Reviewed by: Haleigh Foutch
    Aug 27, 2016
    40
    Ultimately, instead of finding our characters at the start of a new chapter, we find them somehow regressed back to what is essentially same old, same old and the first three episodes are spent catching up instead of moving forward. The rest of the gang is diverted by cumbersome subplots.
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