The Strain
Season 2 Episode 9: “The Battle For Red Hook”
Directed by Kevin Dowling
Written by Regina Corrado
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, Ben Hyland, Lizzie Brocheré, Joaquín Cosio, Rupert Penry-Jones
FX
Air Date: Sunday September 6th, 2015, 10pm

Last week on The Strain, Eichorst (Richard Sammel) gave Kelly Goodweather (Natalie Brown) some makeup tips, designed to fool Zach. She fools a cop too, well enough to get into “vampire free” Red Hook. The tentacle that flashed out of the car behind her, helped too. She managed to get her creepy “feeler” adopted children sniffing around the neighborhood for Zach. Eph (Corey Stoll) finally made some headway with his relationship with Zach, by letting him assist in an impromptu surgery on a gun dealer (dealer of everything, but guns were Eph’s purpose). Kelly and Eph finally have that literal fight over Zach, with Eph the victor, thanks to Nora’s (Mia Maestro) help. Palmer (Jonathan Hyde), although now intimate with Coco (Lizzie Brocheré), still won’t share details. We know why, but this is what happens when you have a relationship, Palmer. New daylight vamp, Quinlan (Rupert Penry-Jones) comes to town with a Master vendetta, and seeks out Gus (Miguel Gomez). Remember, he’s soured on Setrakian (David Bradley) after he and Fet (Kevin Durand) fouled up that last showdown with explosives.

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 Returned
Season 1 Episode 4: “Victor”
Directed by Charles Martin
Written by Regina Corrado
Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kevin Alejandro, India Ennenga, Sandrine Holt, Mark Pellegrino, Mat Vairo, Tandi Wright, Dylan Kingwell, Sophie Lowe, India Ennenga, Agnes Bruckner, and Jeremy Sisto
A&E
Air Date: Monday, March 30, 2015, 10pm

Beware! Spoilers!

Last week on The Returned 1.3 “Julie”, Simon (Mat Vairo) sweetly pretended to be the ghost Rowan (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) thought he was, but Lena (Sophie Lowe) soon dispelled that notion when she came looking for him. Tony (Aaron Douglas) gets dragged down for questioning about the attack on Lucy (Leah Gibson), but they got nothing. What he got was to exchange shovel blows to the head with his returned son Adam (Rhys Ward). Camille (India Ennenga) masquerades as a long lost cousin to come out of hiding. Julie (Sandrine Holt) gets an unpleasant visit.

The Strain
Season 1 Episode 4: “It’s Not For Everyone”
Directed by Keith Gordon
Written by Regina Corrado, Guillermo del Toro, and Chuck Hogan
Starring Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Mia Maestro, Sean Astin, Kevin Durand, Richard Sammel, Jonathan Hyde, Miguel Gomez, Natalie Brown, Jack Kesy, Ben Hyland, and Robin Atkin Downes
FX
Air Date: Sunday August 3, 2014, 10pm

Today’s review of Episode 4 of The Strain, Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan‘s new unpretty vampire series, is preceded by last week’s recap.

Beware! Spoiler alert in effect!

Previously, on The Strain 1.3 “Gone Smooth”, the episode opens with the true face (or parts of a face) of Thomas Eichorst (Richard Sammel) putting his visage on carefully like a young girl on her first date. He has a busy day, you know. First he has to meet with a guilt-ridden Jim (Sean Astin) to pull him into the mess even more, by getting his dying wife into a cancer trial. Then he has to force the CEO of Regis Airlines to shoot himself. Ephraim (Corey Stoll) goes to the dead little girl’s house and finds nothing except a bloody bathtub with clumps of hair in it, but something is lurking in the shadows. Ansel, one of the survivors, gets caught by his loving wife sipping blood from raw meat. Vasilly (Kevin Durand) answers one of his newly numerous rat calls at the mayor’s house, scaring the selfish mayor in the process to the delight of his bitten daughter, and sees hundreds of rats pouring out from the sewer when he steps outside. Bolivar (Jack Kesy), loses much of his hair, and we discover the meaning of “Gone Smooth” when he turns around from two splashes into the toilet, unbothered by his lost manhood. Setrakian (David Bradley) gets off in court by playing an old man with slight dementia. Nora (Mia Maestro) meets him outside wanting answers, but he says she’s not ready. He has his own agenda as he is delivered the plane’s manifest. He’s going to pay a visit to the entire list. Eph is not so lucky in court as he loses joint custody of his son because his son says that’s what’s best for his dad’s important job. Captain Redfern seems at his end. He whispers, “He is here!” and worms are revealed wriggling under his chest skin. Then he disappears. After a frantic search, Jim, Eph, and Nora find him guzzling blood bank bags. He attacks, throwing them around and projecting his giant tentacle at them until Eph crushes his head with a fire extinguisher. They are finally caught up, folks!