The Strain
Season 2 Episode 3: “Fort Defiance”
Directed by Guy Ferland
Written by Regina Corrado
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, Rita Gedmintas, Jack Kesy, Ben Hyland, Robin Atkin Downes, Robert Maillet
FX
Air Date: Sunday July 26th, 2015, 10pm

Last week on The Strain, Eph (Corey Stoll) and Nora (Mia Maestro) get the infected couple to be test subjects for their new vampire virus – one that infects the infected. Newly concious vampire Kelly (Natalie Brown), sets the vampire children sniffing for Zach. Bolivar (Jack Kesy) was also awakened, and is helping Eichorst (Richard Sammel) find a new body for The Master (Robin Atkin Downes, Robert Maillet). Palmer’s (Jonathan Hyde) new assistant, Coco (Lizzie Brocheré), wrote a speech for him which at first seems inappropriate, but riles up the crowd. Somehow though, Setrakian (David Bradley) gets near him. He’s only trying to suss out if he knows where the Occido Lumen is. We are shown the backstory for Palmer and Abraham. Fet (Kevin Durand) and Dutch (Rita Gedmintas) start taking back their block.

The Strain 2.3 “Fort Defiance” review: Two cops confront Bolivar, so you can imagine how that turned out. Nora and Eph have figured out how to kill the vampire virus, but it’s happening too fast. They want the vamps to infect each other. The woman dies. Now they only have the man left. Zach tries to get to his mom. Eph decides to show him the lab. That was a mistake in every single aspect it could be.

Eichorst brings Bolivar to watch over Palmer. He’s none too happy. But, maybe he does need watching. Gus (Miguel Gomez) is in training with the vamp army. The plan is to kidnap Palmer. And it looks like they just might make it. But Palmer has something up his sleeve. I’m just not really sure where they go from here.

Setrakian starts doing his own experiments with beakers and bunsen burners. And then he puts the concoction in his eyes! Nora finds him with no heartbeat, blood coming out of his eyes, and saves him in the shortest CPR session ever. He confesses. Abraham Setrakian is 94 years old. The worm solution keeps him healthy. He won’t go until The Master does. Now I’m really confused. Why isn’t he a vampire? Is it the same reason Palmer doesn’t seem to be a vampire?

Staten Island is declared a plague free zone, with decapitated vampires at the gate. The mayor of NYC now asks the SI rep to clean out the rest of the city.

I had a little trouble believing the opening scene, where the cops confront a scary stranger at night. By now, nobody should be outside at night, unless they are in newly clean Staten Island. The time jumps are also a little disconcerting because it’s not a lot of time in between, but in one episode the SI rep is saying she’s going to clean Staten Island, and the next episode she declares it vampire free. Luckily, the Setrakian plot movement and the confrontation in Palmer’s office, are enough entertainment for the things that were bothering me.

Corey Stoll’s dry humor is really funny.

Dutch: “I thought you were gonna sit and have a “kiki” with me.”
Eph: “I might if I had any idea what that meant.”

Dutch: (about Fet’s drawing) “His talent is sexy, don’t ya think?”
Eph: “Super sexy.”

I watched that part four times to write the dialogue down and laughed every time.

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

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Videos

The Strain – Next On: Fort Defiance

Gus and Vaun wage an attack on Palmer as Eph struggles to connect with Zack. Councilwomen Justine Faraldo vows to bring her extermination policies to the other boroughs.

The Strain – Inside The Strain: A Girl Named Coco

There’s a great aura around this forbidden woman. Go Inside The Strain with the cast and crew to see how Coco makes Palmer feel anew.