The Strain
Season 2 Episode 12: “Fallen Light”
Directed by Vincenzo Natali
Written by Bradley Thompson, David Weddle
Created by Chuck Hogan, Guillermo del Toro
Starring Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Mia Maestro, Kevin Durand, Richard Sammel, Jonathan Hyde, Miguel Gomez, Natalie Brown, Ruta Gedmintas, Jack Kesy, Max Charles, Lizzie Brocheré, Joaquín Cosio, Rupert Penry-Jones
FX
Air Date: Sunday September 27th, 2015, 10pm

Last week on The Strain gave me more gray hair, and I named one strand Eichorst (Richard Sammel). He and Dutch (Ruta Gedmintas) shared some of the most intensely fearful scenes of the show to date. As a captor, I felt like he was psychologically torturing me. What was the deal with the pineapple? I thought he was kidding about seasoning, but I guess not. I felt triumphant when Dutch saved herself from rape by stinger, and my heart was racing as she went from brick wall to brick wall, hope dwindling with every step. I thought she was a dead woman, when the camera tricked us into thinking Fet, Eph, and Nora (Kevin Durand, Corey Stoll, and Mia Maestro) were traveling in the same stairwell. And then we knew. But nothing could keep him from getting to Dutch. That leap then despairing cry in Fet’s arms really got me. Other stuff happened too: Eichorst as a human nazi, Gus (Miguel Gomez) and Angel (Joaquín Cosio) see the Gupta family to safety, and Setrakian (David Bradley) tries to convince the guy that knocked him out not to sell the Occido Lumen though.

The Strain 2.12 “Fallen Light” review: Aw! A flashback brings Sean Astin back on the screen, when they were colleagues and friends in 2005. Eph is speaking on SARS – remember SARS? No, me either. It was when he and Nora met. Back in the present, they get a call from Justine’s headquarters – Kelly’s parents are alive. Eph struggles with keeping Zach close or sending him to “safety.” We all know there’s no place safe… not really.

Dutch is all messed up after her Eichorst encounter. But she still leaves Fet for Nicky. I knew what half of that result would be, but not all. And how could you leave your literal hero?

The mayor tries to fire Justine. Meanwhile, she’s the only one doing something. She kicks him out. He turns up dead. What do you think?

Gus and Angel break his jailbird friends out, in exchange for joining the fight. Things get messy, as they usually do. Just get on the bus. I’m happy to see the Gus storyline gain a little more traction.

Palmer and Coco (Jonathan Hyde and Lizzie Brocheré) find out the truth about the worm juice – its effects are only temporary. So Palmer had to back down against Eichorst and his insistence on going to the Lumen auction. Palmer is going to turn on The Master and Eichorst, no question. The only question is… when?

Also gunning for the Lumen are the ancients with their Quinlan (Rupert Penry-Jones) spokesman.

The episode was a nice cleanup one getting ready for the finale. Eveyone had purpose and followed a believable scripted path. I know next week is going to be so crazy with a burst of satisfying, while introducing us to one or more of the plots of season 3.

The season finale of The Strain airs next Sunday night, October 4th at 10pm ET on FX.

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The Strain – Next On: Fallen Light

Eph must choose between Zack’s safety and the safety of the citizens of NYC. Meanwhile, his relationship with Nora reaches a critical impasse, and Gus and Angel assemble an unlikely gang of Sun-hunters.