The Strain
Season 2 Episode 1: “Bk, N.Y.”
Directed by Gregory Hoblit & Guillermo del Toro
Written by Carlton Cuse & Chuck Hogan
Created by Chuck Hogan & Guillermo del Toro
Starring Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Mia Maestro, Sean Astin, Kevin Durand, Richard Sammel, Jonathan Hyde, Miguel Gomez, Natalie Brown, Jack Kesy, Ben Hyland, Robin Atkin Downes
FX
Air Date: Sunday July 12th, 2015, 10pm

The Strain came back yesterday with a 90-minute episode on the same day they hit SDCC 2015! FX’s “Fight or Die” series created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan was the hit of last summer. Season 1 told the story of the initial outbreak, and was the beginning of the battle between humans and Strigoi. A plane landed at JFK and went dead, literally – no signs of human life, no signs of electricity – nothing. The CDC was called in headed by Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll – House of Cards) and his partner Nora Martinez (Mia Maestro). The entire plane seems dead, but four people were found alive in the jumpiest way possible – the pilot, a rock star, a lawyer, and a husband, all of whom soon show bloodthirsty symptoms. From there the virus spreads.

Eph and Nora (and little Zach after his mom gets infected) form a little band of survivors with Abraham Setrakian (David Bradley), who has fought The Master (Robin Atkin Downes) before, Vasiliy Fet (Kevin Durand), an exterminator who’s prey has just gotten a whole lot bigger, and Dutch (Ruta Gedmintas), a genius hacker, who inadvertently helped the vampire apocalypse.

The Strain 2.1 “Bk, N.Y.” review: It picks up pretty much where they left off. Starting with an Setrakian flashback, a story inside a story, one his grandmother used to tell, of the origin of The Master (cue really vile worm transfer). Back to the present, and Setrakian is able to wound The Master, who wants a new body and revenge (the folk tale was the setup).

He is promptly captured by a servant of the ancients (a vampire himself), who want to strike a deal. He is reunited with Gus (Miguel Gomez), who works for them. Setrakian can live as long as when he finds The Master, he alerts the ancients. Setrakian mentions the “Occido Lumen”, an ancient tome that might have the answers. They both witness something they can’t unsee.

Vasiliy is vampire-proofing his place, with Dutch’s help. Eph and Nora try to figure out how to prevent or cure this vampirism.

Oh no. Not the children!

This episode flew by. There was not much in the way of fight scenes, with the exception of a harrowing storage facility ambush, but it provided more depth to the characters and the story. I was disgusted at times, which is par for the course for this show. But sadness was prevalent throughout most of this. And not just becuase Eph is a raging alcoholic again. Because I can’t blame him for that.

Wow. The ending just upped the complications, as if it wasn’t messed up enough already. Zach (new Zach – Max Charles) is going to be more confused and angry than he already was. Zach definitely belongs to the “Carl Grimes School for Messed Up Childhood Apocalypses.”

Still a giant fan of Vasiliy. Kevin Durand could probably have NO dialogue and still be mesmerizing. The layers they build for him are compelling. I’m liking Dutch more and more. Nora still irritates me a bit.

I can’t tell if that real estate agent is going to be Palmer’s (Jonathan Hyde) lunch or bride.

The Strain airs Sunday nights at 10pm ET on FX.

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The Strain – Hunt The Master: OFFICIAL Season Two Trailer

This Summer, fight or die. Watch the OFFICIAL TRAILER for the all new season of FX’s hit original series, The Strain. The Strain premieres Sunday July 12th at 10pm on FX.