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The Strain TV Show Discussion Thread

Started by siro123,

689 posts in this topic

CongoBill

CongoBill

Posted
Posted
Just joining this thread here. The show is kind of fun but it is really bad. I mean how much suspension of belief do we have to extend here?

 

- A gigantic ornate coffin filled with dirt and worms is found on a plane where all but four of the passengers have died in flight and then the coffin is allowed to be stolen from the scene because one guy lets a van past a checkpoint. I think they'd be keeping a closer eye on it than that and would probably be able to track it.

 

- The CDC investigators find the worms on the plane and examine them in the lab where they see they are ravenous for human blood. Nobody other than main characters at all concerned.

 

- The doctor doing autopsies on the dead passengers is killed by the reanimated dead passengers and nobody seems to notice he's missing.

 

- The 200 dead passengers disappear and nobody is concerned (again, other than the main characters)

 

- The four survivors (or their loved ones) can't think to call a doctor or the CDC once they start exhibiting some pretty terrifying and disgusting symptoms of their infection.

 

- The manager of the rock star sees him kill a doctor she brings to him -- yes, finally somebody does think to call a doctor! -- yet she doesn't call the cops.

 

Sorry, don't mean to rain on the parade but the show is one forehead slapping scene after another. It's not a good show at all! I haven't read the novels or the comics so I have to think this is a poor adaption of the source material as I find it hard to believe Guillermo del Toro would come up with something so silly.

 

But I am still watching it because I do want to see where they take it. I just wish it was better! A TV show with a plot that advances only because every character is clueless and does stupid things does not make for a well-written show. It's also not very well-paced as there have been several scenes in each episode that do nothing to progress the story.

 

I hope I can come back here after a few more episodes and have a different opinion. I really want to like it, but thus far it's mostly just trying my patience.

 

 

I understand the frustration, but very rarely do the characters in a horror movie or tv series demonstrate sound judgment or make good decisions.

 

 

I've watched plenty of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery movies and TV shows from the '40s to modern day and, yes, there is always some suspension of disbelief required, but some handle it well and others stumble all over themselves. That's what separates a good movie/show from a bad one. Yes, there are plenty of areas in between -- movies or TV shows that have poor moments or are just inconsistent -- that we still enjoy. I cautiously put "The Strain" in this category, but it's really pushing it. I thought episodes 6 and 7 were quite good but last night's episode (episode #8) went right back into the ridiculously stupid category.

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Hulk44

Hulk44

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I agree, starting to move past the Walking Dead for me too. I like the fact that the Vampires are much quicker instead of walking with no speed at all like those Zombies.

 

I like watching the Walking Dead, but this movie is really cool, old style cool.

 

 

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natevegas

natevegas

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I agree, starting to move past the Walking Dead for me too. I like the fact that the Vampires are much quicker instead of walking with no speed at all like those Zombies.

 

I like watching the Walking Dead, but this movie is really cool, old style cool.

 

+1 At Least some of these monsters adapt and begin to think making them much more challenging than mindless gimping zombies IMO. (thumbs u

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the authority

the authority

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I've tried to avoid the spoilers. I have the entire season on DVR as I enjoy stuff like this in bunches. The wife and I are going to start watching next week. I'm excited because here and elsewhere, the reviews have been strongly positive overall.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2654620/

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Hulk44

Hulk44

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I've tried to avoid the spoilers. I have the entire season on DVR as I enjoy stuff like this in bunches. The wife and I are going to start watching next week. I'm excited because here and elsewhere, the reviews have been strongly positive overall.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2654620/

 

 

The wife and I watch it too, she's not like me with these movies but I got her into the Walking Dead, and now she likes the Strain, it's cool man, like I said, that old style cool.

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natevegas

natevegas

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I've tried to avoid the spoilers. I have the entire season on DVR as I enjoy stuff like this in bunches. The wife and I are going to start watching next week. I'm excited because here and elsewhere, the reviews have been strongly positive overall.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2654620/

 

 

The wife and I watch it too, she's not like me with these movies but I got her into the Walking Dead, and now she likes the Strain, it's cool man, like I said, that old style cool.

I tired getting mom to watch walking dead several times and she doesn't care for it but really is digging the strain and she is not a horror fan. She likes Setrakian and Fet.

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Vikingreed

Vikingreed

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Yes, adapt, did you hear when the old man said once they fully adapt they can take human form, was it me or was I hearing things.

 

They take on more developed characteristics (thinking, using tools, etc.), but they do not take human forms.

 

That is how I understood it, anyway.

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CongoBill

CongoBill

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a plot that advances only because every character is clueless and does stupid things does not make for a well-written show.

 

That statement describes nearly every hollywood movie and tv show on for the last 35 plus years. Its called escapism and entertainment. Novels and comic books are the same way its a place for people to escape real life for a while.

Spoiler Alert..........Vampires are not real shhhh its a secret. :roflmao:

 

Don't be a doosh. There are plenty of well-written TV shows from the last couple of decades in both the sci-fi and the supernatural genres that don't require the insane suspension of disbelief that this particular show commands.

 

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed all the books - the TV show, however, magnifies elements that flew under the radar when you're simply reading the story & shines a big fat spotlight on the fact that they're sacrificing any sense of realism to push the story forward. It's fairly glaring if you've read the books and most certainly why I'm not enjoying the show as much as I'd like to.

 

 

THANK YOU!

 

I'm glad some of you enjoyed last night's episode (#8), but I thought it was atrocious from a writing standpoint. Here are some "prime moments" to ponder:

 

Oh, SPOILER ALERT!!! If you haven't watched Episde #8 yet, then don't read anything below here.

 

- Cell phones are out, the internet is barely working, and blood-thirsty creatures are prowling the streets of NYC and the mayor gets on the radio to "assure" the citizens of NYC that everything is under control and there is no need to bring in the National Guard or any other help. WHAAAAT????

 

- Jim is scraped on his face by one of the creatures and Eph sees a worm crawling around under the skin on Jim's cheek. He tells him he's going to operate and then spends time gathering up supplies (including a box cutter!) for the operation. They take Jim into another room for the procedure and as they lay Jim down he says, "What are you going to do????". doh! Eph just told you in the last scene what he was going to do!!!! I know, it's a fairly minor quibble but last night's episode was riddled with bad dialog like this.

 

- They are trapped in the convenience store/service station and the woman decides to make a run for it. The creatures don't really pursue her. Our heroes decide it's because the creatures are there only for them. But then the bread truck driver makes a break for it and is instantly taken down by the creatures. Why???? Did the woman just get lucky?

 

- The operation to remove the worm from Jim's face doesn't work as they find out later he's completely infected. This happened in a matter of an hour? Two? Didn't it take at least a day or two for the infection to manifest itself to this degree in the earlier episodes? If the infection shows that obviously after such a short time then no way the original survivors from the plane would ever have been allowed to leave quarantine, right? Speaking of the original survivors form the plane, where is the rock star and the lawyer Mom? Are they even part of the story anymore?

 

- The vampires are smart enough to climb a telephone pole to knock out power to the service station but not smart enough to realize they can overrun the gas station and take out everybody in there in a matter of minutes. They clearly had the numbers to do so, despite the UV lights and other weapons our heroes had.

 

- Oh, and I loved it when they realize Jim is still infected after the operation and they lift up his shirt to show many worms squirming around under his skin. When they do this you hear squishy slimy worm sounds. Then they lower his shirt and the sounds are gone. Priceless! Is this an Ed Wood movie?

 

I'm sure there are other moments I could list but I'm sure this enough for now. I'm sorry if these critiques rub some of you the wrong way, but it's clear some of the writers on this show are really bad. And the frustrating part is that a lot of these gaffes or breakdowns in logic could have been easily fixed. As mschmidt said, it's detracting from my enjoyment of the show. It really could be so much better!!!

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natevegas

natevegas

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Wow you are trying to sherlock holmes this to death. The reason they didn't run after the girl with the hat was because they are getting directions from the Master. He can see thru their eyes which if you would have been watching carefully confuses the heck out of Eph because he thinks they would follow her aka prey yet they didn't. This further backs up what Setrakian has been saying all along. Now do you really think if something was going on the authorities would spill all the details to incite more riots and robberies? If all the criminals in New York knew the police were busy fighting these things they would have no fear to loot everything they could get their hands on.

The internet / cell phones were hacked by the English Dutch lady who was paid to do so. And finally on the vampires thinking...they are evolving as they stay alive. Some are chosen like Eichorst to fully retain memories and personalities of their former selves and others remain basic foot soldiers.

I'm not trying to belittle your comments but if you have been critically watching this show week after week they would be easy to answer.

 

 

Yes its so bad its awful. That is why its averaging 11 million viewers combined weekly live and on demand. Also Guillermo Del Toro, Chuck Hogan, and Carlton Cuse are all horrible too. :jokealert:

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siro123

siro123

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Wow you are trying to sherlock holmes this to death. The reason they didn't run after the girl with the hat was because they are getting directions from the Master. He can see thru their eyes which if you would have been watching carefully confuses the heck out of Eph because he thinks they would follow her aka prey yet they didn't. This further backs up what Setrakian has been saying all along. Now do you really think if something was going on the authorities would spill all the details to incite more riots and robberies? If all the criminals in New York knew the police were busy fighting these things they would have no fear to loot everything they could get their hands on.

The internet / cell phones were hacked by the English Dutch lady who was paid to do so. And finally on the vampires thinking...they are evolving as they stay alive. Some are chosen like Eichorst to fully retain memories and personalities of their former selves and others remain basic foot soldiers.

I'm not trying to belittle your comments but if you have been critically watching this show week after week they would be easy to answer.

 

 

Yes its so bad its awful. That is why its averaging 11 million viewers combined weekly live and on demand. Also Guillermo Del Toro, Chuck Hogan, and Carlton Cuse are all horrible too. :jokealert:

 

 

:applause: I agree with you sir.

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Hulk44

Hulk44

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Posted

Wow you are trying to sherlock holmes this to death. The reason they didn't run after the girl with the hat was because they are getting directions from the Master. He can see thru their eyes which if you would have been watching carefully confuses the heck out of Eph because he thinks they would follow her aka prey yet they didn't. This further backs up what Setrakian has been saying all along. Now do you really think if something was going on the authorities would spill all the details to incite more riots and robberies? If all the criminals in New York knew the police were busy fighting these things they would have no fear to loot everything they could get their hands on.

The internet / cell phones were hacked by the English Dutch lady who was paid to do so. And finally on the vampires thinking...they are evolving as they stay alive. Some are chosen like Eichorst to fully retain memories and personalities of their former selves and others remain basic foot soldiers.

I'm not trying to belittle your comments but if you have been critically watching this show week after week they would be easy to answer.

 

 

Yes its so bad its awful. That is why its averaging 11 million viewers combined weekly live and on demand. Also Guillermo Del Toro, Chuck Hogan, and Carlton Cuse are all horrible too. :jokealert:

 

 

(thumbs u

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