The Strain season 2 doesn’t premiere until July 12th on FX, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t brush up on the fascinating real main characters on this horror-filled show – the vampires. FX has released some anticipatory videos giving us some behind the scenes looks at the making (and unmaking) of the disgusting anatomy of the vampires, a refreshing change from the pretty vampires so rampant in pop culture today.

Check out the videos below.

The first video, “From Infection to Dissection,” explains how a tiny worm can transform the human anatomy into a sort of reptilian-ish humanoid creature. Corey Stoll (Dr. Ephraim Goodweather), Kevin Durand (Vasiliy Fett), Richard Sammel (Thomas Eichorst), Jonathan Hyde (Eldritch Palmer), and Chuck Hogan really dive in with how these monsters function. Hyde, in particular calls them “proper vampires, these are strigoi plus.” Watch as Creature FX Supervisors (I want that job!), Sean Sansom and Steve Newburn, open a torso and remove and point out the realistically disgusting organs.

The second video, “The Threat,” has Corey Stoll, Sean Astin (Jim Kent), Carlton Cuse, Chuck Hogan, Richard Sammel, and Guillermo del Toro, explaining the origin of the biology of the vampires, a concept that Del Toro had initiated 20 years ago. Check out the artist renderings and sculptures, and imagery such as “suck you dry like a Capri Sun.” The science makes the fiction believable.

The Strain season 2 premieres July 12th, 2015 on FX.

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The Strain – Inside the Strain: From Infection to Dissection

All it takes is one sting. Look inside a vampire for a lesson on how The Strain transforms its host.

The Strain – Inside the Strain: The Threat

They’re not pretty … They’re monsters. Discover the genesis and biology of Guillermo del Toro’s terrifying vampires.
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FX synopsis:

The Strain is a high concept thriller that tells the story of “Dr. Ephraim Goodweather,” the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. As the strain spreads, Eph, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers, wage war for the fate of humanity itself.

Co-Creators, Executive Producers and Writers Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan co-wrote the pilot script for The Strain, which was directed by del Toro. Emmy® Award winning Writer and Producer Carlton Cuse serves as Executive Producer/Showrunner and Writer. Gary Ungar also serves as Executive Producer. The series is produced by FX Productions.