The Strain (FX) [** Spoilers **]

left_behind

As a big fan of the books im really looking forward to this.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/guillermo-del-toro-strain-carlton-cuse-fx-372624

JP Liz V1

FX orders 13 episodes and the series is scheduled to premiere in July of 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svTAVsX3X_c

Patty O Furniture

Just days after FX ordered ‘The Strain’ for 13 episodes, the horror vampire series has secured one of its more important roles. With John Hurt vacating, the Guillermo del Toro-led thriller was in need of casting the mysterious and perhaps brilliant Professor Abraham Setrakian, a key player in a massive viral outbreak.

.

David Bradley, an alum of ‘Game of Thrones’ and the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, among scores of other films, has been selected for the role of Setrakian. A survivor of the Holocaust and former pawn shop owner in New York City, the character has been described as someone who "may be the only one with answers – if anyone will listen." So, basically he will be an old kook who is ignored until it’s too late, and yes, he has answers (the "maybe" means yes).

Bit of a coincidence, one Doctor Who replacing another one

Skerries

whoa! I didn't even cop that it was him as Hartnell

Lovely Bloke

A summer post-apocalyptic TV Show.

I certainly hope this is not another Under The Dome.

Agent Coulson

New teaser

I'll watch it, but stopped reading the series after book 2.

JP Liz V1

Well the poster certainly is eye popping

mafaa

Premiere on July 13

mafaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbl2NYY8Cso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRFggv89uNM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFzB5Ghb1Fk

mafaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9aw-eTfvdo

pixelburp

The first novel was a fairly effective, perfunctory chiller mixed with CSI-stylings; I did think at the time of reading it would work well as a series. The second and third parts of the trilogy are pretty dreadful though, the last part being particularly terrible and a classic case of a mystery ruined by its explanation.

It’ll be interesting to see how faithful they stay to the book: while the broad plot rollicks along at a decent pace and should keep things exciting, the vampires themselves were written to be utterly repulsive, right down to how they would defecate as they feed. Might be a bit too much for TV audiences

Birneybau

Having perservered through all 3 books, I'll give it a go, no more than that.

mafaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knb_k9UUido

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcO4xVYRmIs

Thargor

Birneybau wrote: »

Having perservered through all 3 books, I'll give it a go, no more than that.

My thoughts exactly.

TheIrishGrover

I struggled through the books. Didn't think much of them at all really. I got the impression that GdT's input was limited to the design of the vampires: "Have you seen Blade 2? Kinda like them with a parasite tongue thingie"

micar

pixelburp wrote: »

The first novel was a fairly effective, perfunctory chiller mixed with CSI-stylings; I did think at the time of reading it would work well as a series. The second and third parts of the trilogy are pretty dreadful though, the last part being particularly terrible and a classic case of a mystery ruined by its explanation.

Thought the same thing. Never finished the third book. Just lost interest in the characters and did not care for their eventual outcome.

I enjoyed the books, they were unashamedly light weight and the kind you read once, enjoy and never think about again. There was nothing strikingly original in them but there were a number of nice ideas and a few twists on ideas as old as the hills.

Footoo

I always felt with the books that they were only written with the sole aim of adaptation. I felt like I was reading a fleshed out script rather than an actual novel.

Like some above, I didn't even finish the second book. It's really just fluff tbh but I'd be more optimistic about its chance of being a decent series.

Initial opinion seem to be positive.

mafaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdUS_vi4Hzc

mafaa

FX’s ‘The Strain’: Guillermo del Toro Confirms Five Season Length?

The first season is the first book, we have enough anecdotes in the second book to do two seasons, and I think that by the end of the third season, we’ll have enough threads of story to do another two seasons.

But then it ends. We will not go beyond the fifth season. I don’t want this to be a show that stays on until it’s not successful. I would like it to end the way the books are mapped. I don’t want to spoil, but we are going to do what we do at the end of the second book at the end of the second season — we will do that big finale. We know where we’re going and it’s exciting.

wayne040576

Footoo wrote: »

I always felt with the books that they were only written with the sole aim of adaptation. I felt like I was reading a fleshed out script rather than an actual novel.

Like some above, I didn't even finish the second book. It's really just fluff tbh but I'd be more optimistic about its chance of being a decent series.

Initial opinion seem to be positive.

I think that was the way he intended it. Didn't he originally pitch it as a TV show years back. And when it got rejected he wrote the books? Would seem like he was trying to renew interest in a show.
I wasn't a big fan of them. The first was a bit slow to start but it wasn't too bad. It had the typical dark middle chapter with the second book. Then spent too much of the third explaining the origins of everything.

I'd be surprised if a show based on this would manage to last five years.

sydthebeat

Read the books, enjoyable enough I suppose seeing as i finished them.

Long forward to this tv show, going gdt will have some impact in either design or production.

mafaa

The Strain Season 2: Guillermo del Toro On Plotting The Future

Agent Coulson

Just a friendly bump to remind anyone wanting to see this that it starts tonight Stateside.

Agent Coulson

A top notch pilot creepy suspenseful well paced a very good mix of horror and drama and some very gory scenes

pixelburp

That premier was very faithful to the novel's own opening chapters, so it was enjoyable to see the sinister, creepy (and occasionally gory) events portrayed on-screen with some degree of relish and accuracy.

The protagonists are still flat stereotypes, so anyone tuning in expecting depth and uniqueness in their characters may find another show. The cast give it their all, but the material's extremely familiar, to a fault. Still though, I read the books for the adventure & scenario, so I'll do the same with the TV adaptation. This is B-movie television, no question.

One thing I did like & thought noteworthy though was how rich and attractive the palette was; it made for a nice change from the lazier, fashionable choice of a saturated colour scheme in these sorts of grittier, darker TV shows. The use of red throughout was a little on the nose, but otherwise everything felt quite vibrant - shame Guillermo Del Toro won't be directing the rest of the episodes.

FlyingIrishMan

I thought it was alright, nothing to get too excited about yet. I'll keep watching it, but hasn't hooked me yet.

Skerries

tricksy Hobbitses!!

krustydoyle

I enjoyed it, never heard of the books or anything so im gonna give it a go.
makes a difference from most of the vampire crap elsewhere

And im assuming the old fella in the pawnshop

is some kind of slayer??

sydthebeat

The opener was extremely faithful to the Books, and that i liked, hophowpeit stays like that.

As it was the opener it has to set the characters and setting so i expected out to be slower than it was, the pace was good and the action came at the right times.

I watched it with two others who hadnt read the books and they watched the creepy parts through their fingers. .. sign of a success to me.

I'm going to keep watching anyway

gazzer

I really really enjoyed this. Some looking through parts with my fingers too (mainly because I have a tendancy to go "Oh F**KIN HELL" when I get a fright)

Got a real Salems Lot vibe from it as well with the whole

Transporting the coffin to a new location as well as the morgue scene and then the little girl at the patio door at the end

Birneybau

Pretty lame to be honest, the production values left a lot to be desired.

CastorTroy

I thought it was a good start, having not read the books. Though they killed the djinn.

Was surprised to see Lance Henrikssen credited as narrator as I just assumed it was David Bradley.

Think the only niggle I had was I thought the effects weren't the best. I know it's a tv show, but seeing what Del Toro has done with creaures in the likes of Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth, I expected them to be better. Also the main cloaked creature reminded me of the bad ghost from the Frighteners.

sydthebeat

CastorTroy wrote: »

Think the only niggle I had was I thought the effects weren't the best. I know it's a tv show, but seeing what Del Toro has done with creaures in the likes of Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth, I expected them to be better. Also the main cloaked creature reminded me of the bad ghost from the Frighteners.

We haven't yet seen the fully mature vampires. ... all we saw so far in the morgue were newborns...

Where the story is going, there will have to be huge production values used to be successful

While I've yet to watch the first episode I can understand why it may look a little cheap. Considering where the story goes and some of the imagery, this isn't going to be a cheap one to produce. I'd much rather them keep production values decent if not altogether mind blowing for the less visually out there episodes than do employ the old Stargate trick of having one of the latter episodes nothing more than some people around a table and lots of flashbacks so as to save money for that series finale CGI fest.

Adamocovic

Haven't read the books and normally not my kind of show but I quite enjoyed it.
Sometimes the acting and lines weren't the smoothest but for the first episode of a show thats expected. Main reason I decided to watch it was because Guillermo del Toro was involved.
Going to keep going with it, hopefully it doesn't turn out to be one of those shows that do well among viewers but don't get enough views to keep the show going longer.....damn you FlashForward!!!

Skerries

CastorTroy wrote: »

Though they killed the djinn.

yeah! I thought the Wishmaster was going to be a recurring character but then the Vamp went full Mountain on the Viper

CastorTroy

Was kinda funny how they killed Andrew Divoff. Drink him dry - Ah he's dead. Break his neck - Nowww he's dead. Squish his head - Alright he's had enough!

Adamocovic

CastorTroy wrote: »

Was kinda funny how they killed Andrew Divoff. Drink him dry - Ah he's dead. Break his neck - Nowww he's head. Squish his head - Alright he's had enough!

The fact Andrew Divoff was in it continues my theory that nearly every show has an actor with someone who has been in Lost! They're everywhere!!

Ha was disappointed he didnt have a bigger role. Was truly expecting him to be a big character.

Mc Love

Adamocovic wrote: »

damn you FlashForward!!!

I'm still sore about that too - it had legs

pixelburp

Still fairly enjoyable, despite the show's best attempts to derail things with its poor characterisation (though this is also the novel's problem as well so can the adaptation be truly blamed?). The clichés aren't that well handled, particularly Eph's custody battle & failed marriage , but there's still enough energy within the show to keep things interesting - especially as the threat begun to assert itself for real. The final scene in the bathroom was creepy and effective, with the other survivors' deteriorating health equally compelling.

Oh and I never fail to laugh at the decision to name the omnipotent corporation 'Stoneheart'. Oooh, was Evil Co. already taken that day in the patent office?

Adamocovic

Adamocovic wrote: »

The fact Andrew Divoff was in it continues my theory that nearly every show has an actor with someone who has been in Lost! They're everywhere!!

Ha was disappointed he didnt have a bigger role. Was truly expecting him to be a big character.

Haha and when one Lost character is killed off another is introduced with Kevin Durand (the eastern european guy with the cat). Im telling ya those guys are everywhere!

Another episode that was ok, still not too sure what I feel about it, so far enjoyable but at times like others have said the dialogue is a tad cheesy and doesn't feel right. Still sticking with it as early days yet!

gandalf

That little girl is totally freaking the wife out here, she is watching her scenes from behind her hands

MagicMarker

Awful 2nd episode, simply awful.

mafaa

Guillermo del Toro's ‘The Strain’ Will Take Major Detours From the Books

Skerries

Eph's wig is very distracting

Mc Love

MagicMarker wrote: »

Awful 2nd episode, simply awful.

What??? I thought it was brilliant

Next weeks preview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmd2JIVYacc

red dave

Mc Love wrote: »

What??? I thought it was brilliant

Next weeks preview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmd2JIVYacc

Yeah I'm really enjoying this show also

adox

Watched the first episode last night and really wanted to like it but I just didnt.

The script is really atrocious and the acting isnt great either, although they dont have a lot to work with script wise. Some of the one liners were cringe worthy.

Dont think Im gonna bother with it which is a shame as I like the idea of the show and there were some set pieces that should have been gripping but from the first few minutes the script just ruined everything and cheapened the show.

Even the air stewards exchanges at the start were the stuff of cringe.

Adamocovic

adox wrote: »

Watched the first episode last night and really wanted to like it but I just didnt.

The script is really atrocious and the acting isnt great either, although they dont have a lot to work with script wise. Some of the one liners were cringe worthy.

Dont think Im gonna bother with it which is a shame as I like the idea of the show and there were some set pieces that should have been gripping but from the first few minutes the script just ruined everything and cheapened the show.

Even the air stewards exchanges at the start were the stuff of cringe.

In fairness I understand your point. I'm sticking with it and hoping after time the acting improves a bit when the cast become familiar with each other. Some moments of dialogue are quite cringey but Im going to ride through it and hope for the best!