The Strain
Season 3 Episode 1: “New York Strong”
Directed by J. Miles Dale
Written by Carlton Cuse
Created by Chuck Hogan, Guillermo del Toro
Starring Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Kevin Durand, Richard Sammel, Jonathan Hyde, Miguel Gomez, Natalie Brown, Ruta Gedmintas, Jack Kesy, Max Charles, Joaquín Cosio, Rupert Penry-Jones, Samantha Mathis
FX
Air Date: Sunday August 28th, 2016, 10pm

Spoilers if you are not all caught up…

At the end of season 2 of The Strain, our gang had split in various heartbreaking ways. Setrakian (David Bradley) had succeeded in obtaining the Lumen from Eichorst (Richard Sammel), after Palmer (Jonathan Hyde) pulled the funding. As punishment, The Master (Jack Kesy) took Coco’s (Lizzie Brocheré) eternal life, destroying Palmer. Quinlan, Gus, Setrakian, and Fet (Rupert Penry-Jones, Miguel Gomez, Bradley, and Kevin Durand) joined forces. Nora (Mia Maestro) got infected by Kelly (Natalie Brown) while defending Zach, who ended up leaving with his mom. Eph (Corey Stoll) showed up heartbroken, and Nora decided to end it instead of letting the Master use her.

More spoilers ahead for episode 3.1 “New York Strong.”

The Strain 3.1 “New York Strong” review: “23 days.” The 3 seasons have been 23 days. Teams are systematically wiping out the strigoi – “New York Strong.”

Eph is dreaming of his strigoi son. Wakes up drunk when the team bursts in. He is waiting for Zach to come to him. New York is in complete tatters. He goes to his lab and gets to work. A knock at the door… it’s Geraldine trying to convince him that she needs him. He is the definition of crazy scientist. He goes out to the post apocalyptic street, and trades asthma meds for a taser and food and a fifth. He goes to gas shopping in a Manhattan garage to siphon some gas and of course gets attacked – worms flying. How does he not get worms on and in him? Gunshot, knife, death by sunlight – one-two-three.

Setrakian is reading the Lumen with Quinlan. He does not want to rush, but Quinlan is worried.

Gus is feeding his chained up mother his own blood which is all kinds of messed up. I get why he;s doing it. his pal Quinlan walks around halfway normal.

Quinlan goes to the elders: “What became of the rest of the seven? Fortunately for you – your enemy and mine is the same.”

Fet reports to Geraldine about the Navy Seals: “Took out 2 big nests in Chinatown. These munchers are getting faster.” He then goes to see Setrakian, who is so enmeshed in his book. He really hates Quinlan, even though it makes him “a racist, a creaturist, an anti-strigoi.” The old man tries to get Fet to understand Quinlan’s value. Fet is not quite buying it, and heads out to find the Master.

Fet: “If I see him, I’ll tell him you said hello.” Every line he delivers is perfection.

The Seals will only be here for 2 more days, then they write New York off. They find a nest, but Fet is not allowed to come. It’s a trap! They are so dead. It’s Eichorst they are following to a church. Do NOT go in there.

Fet: “They’re not hunting him anymore. He’s hunting you.” Now Fet is going down there – don’t go!!!! A flash of Bolivar. Intestines and death with Eichhorst smiles.

Kelly is playing loving mom to Zach: “Will you help me? The Master is going to let us be together.”

“Why?”

“Because I am going to do something for him.”

We all know what. You do too Zach!!! Don’t listen to your creepy mom!

Eph sits there and waits with a sword, but not for long. Kelly and her strigoi kids visit Eph, and propose a trade. Zach for the Lumen. You can see the tears in Kelly’s eyes mirroring Eph’s. How sentient is she? It is definitely not just blank sadness.

This episode was a heart attack a minute. I was happy for the commercials to breathe. The show is complete fantasy – nothing is really believable, but I enjoy it show much.

My question is…

Where is my Dutch?

The Strain returns next Sunday night at 10pm ET on FX.