The Strain
Season 1 Episode 4: “It’s Not For Everyone”
Directed by Keith Gordon
Written by Regina Corrado, Guillermo del Toro, and Chuck Hogan
Starring Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Mia Maestro, Sean Astin, Kevin Durand, Richard Sammel, Jonathan Hyde, Miguel Gomez, Natalie Brown, Jack Kesy, Ben Hyland, and Robin Atkin Downes
FX
Air Date: Sunday August 3, 2014, 10pm

Today’s review of Episode 4 of The Strain, Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan‘s new unpretty vampire series, is preceded by last week’s recap.

Beware! Spoiler alert in effect!

Previously, on The Strain 1.3 “Gone Smooth”, the episode opens with the true face (or parts of a face) of Thomas Eichorst (Richard Sammel) putting his visage on carefully like a young girl on her first date. He has a busy day, you know. First he has to meet with a guilt-ridden Jim (Sean Astin) to pull him into the mess even more, by getting his dying wife into a cancer trial. Then he has to force the CEO of Regis Airlines to shoot himself. Ephraim (Corey Stoll) goes to the dead little girl’s house and finds nothing except a bloody bathtub with clumps of hair in it, but something is lurking in the shadows. Ansel, one of the survivors, gets caught by his loving wife sipping blood from raw meat. Vasilly (Kevin Durand) answers one of his newly numerous rat calls at the mayor’s house, scaring the selfish mayor in the process to the delight of his bitten daughter, and sees hundreds of rats pouring out from the sewer when he steps outside. Bolivar (Jack Kesy), loses much of his hair, and we discover the meaning of “Gone Smooth” when he turns around from two splashes into the toilet, unbothered by his lost manhood. Setrakian (David Bradley) gets off in court by playing an old man with slight dementia. Nora (Mia Maestro) meets him outside wanting answers, but he says she’s not ready. He has his own agenda as he is delivered the plane’s manifest. He’s going to pay a visit to the entire list. Eph is not so lucky in court as he loses joint custody of his son because his son says that’s what’s best for his dad’s important job. Captain Redfern seems at his end. He whispers, “He is here!” and worms are revealed wriggling under his chest skin. Then he disappears. After a frantic search, Jim, Eph, and Nora find him guzzling blood bank bags. He attacks, throwing them around and projecting his giant tentacle at them until Eph crushes his head with a fire extinguisher. They are finally caught up, folks!

Episode 1.4 “It’s Not For Everyone” Preview: The ick factor is taken up a notch in this episode. Our persistent scientists examine Redfern’s corpse in a secret autopsy. A secret, more vile than the average autopsy, that reveals a new anatomy. What will they find? Enough to make Jim spill his guts like the late Captain Redfern. Ansel still has enough of his humanity to send his family to safety. Is there any place that will be truly safe? Now that Eph and Nora know the horrific reality, they go back to Emma’s (dead little girl) house and run into danger, and something more. This episode follows Gus (Miguel Gomez) again who does not yet know his part in all this. He just continues with his petty little crimes. And something is happening to the city that might be worse than this vampire virus outbreak (to some). This episode satisfies as Eph and Nora finally understand the severity of this “illness.” The gross scenes are turn-your-head-away worthy, and your stress levels are sure to soar, as you watch the characters willingly walk towards monster dwellings. I’m surprised we haven’t already heard that The Strain was renewed for a second season, but here’s hoping that news comes in soon.

Here is the episode 4 trailer:

Ansel and his wife:

And the anatomically incorrect “Gone Smooth” Bolivar: