The Strain

The confrontation with the Master last episode was terrible. They set everything up for a throwdown between 4 major characters and then failed to deliver a single blow. Instead, Ratman’s skill with demolitions suddenly deserts him, and the only effect destroying the factory’s support pillars has is to drop a convenient wall of masonry between the antagonists. This show, man. It’s often quite enjoyable, but then they’ll throw in a scene like that one where we’re just supposed to ignore the ridiculousness and move uncritically on.

What you said, Dave, not to mention the utter creepiness of Palmer and Coco’s dalliance. I mean, I know that Hollywood loves to do “babes and geezers” but COME ON.

This.

That.

Yeah, usually it’s a remotely plausible 20-25 year age difference between a 20 year old and a super-ripped and great-looking 40-45 year old, not a 40-45 year age difference between a pretty young woman and some 70-year old whose only virtues are that he’s loaded and doesn’t have a huge gut.

I mean, obviously she’s got to be playing him, but why? To gain his confidence so he’ll divulge his Master plan so she can then report it to the authorities somehow? But in the meantime, EWWW.

Are Coco Chanel and Eldritch Arcane a thing in the books?

Yes, this last episode was bursting at the seems with terrible writing. As mentioned above, the “demolition” scene which resulted in nothing more then dislodging a few blocks of masonry from the ceiling was ridiculous. The Coco woos Eldritch scene was nearly as gross as the scenes when the Master inhabits a new host body. Then there was Ephraim, who somehow managed to travel back from DC with a bullet wound in his shoulder AND get back into Manhattan, which is supposed to be under quarantine. Seriously? By the way, bald Eph is not an improvement, I actually want to punch him MORE now than I did before. Let’s not even talk about the girlfriend who has apparently been hiding behind a sheet in a closet in her apartment for like 2 weeks with a sprained ankle. That was so contrived, and now poor Rat Man can’t have nice things (and is suddenly acting like a complete idiot jerk despite being totally cool about the apocalypse and stuff).

This show is not Emmy award winning television, but man, this last episode managed to sink to some new lows. I like the character and backstory of “The Born”, half human, half vamp, all hate for the Master (who I am guessing is his father). I suspect they will waste the opportunity the character provides though, because that’s what this show does. It wasted the opportunity of Vampire Rainbow Six, it wasted the opportunity of Eldritch’s former assistant guy, it wasted the opportunity of Gus (the awesome Hispanic character) who is currently languishing away in some alternate plotline that makes no sense at all (speaking of contrived, how about the doting Indian father who is so concerned for his daughter’s welfare that he sends her out to deliver take-out in the middle of the fucking apocalypse?!).

I totally agree with you but this did make me giggle.

CGI for the demolition was also horrible. :)

And yeah Coco and Eldritch… At first I was like omg he will stop her, he has some sort of decency, then she goes nope you can’t stop this train… :(

Ratman should have been all like, so how about a threesome… With a 4th wall breaking turn to the camera and a wink. :D
Instead he looks like a big baby being jealous.

What decency? Older man with a younger mistress is an old “oh, hey, this dude has a lot of power” trope. It’s arguably a pretty banal one, granted.

It’s complicated here because I think Eldritch is supposed to look younger and reinvigorated. Not so much young, mind you, just younger. But the actor playing him is 67, so there are limits to what they can do with makeup. And of course Eldritch will eventually be younger and better looking still. By “younger and better looking still”, I mean “he will look like a wrinkly monster with balls for a throat”. You know Eldritch’s plan isn’t really all that clear to me, beyond “live until the heat death of the universe”.

Old geezer with much, much younger woman. Well, to be honest, us Lakers fans were used to it: Jerry Buss, who would constantly run around with women young enough to be his daughter’s daughter (who in turn was running around with someone old enough to be her father).

Yeah, it’s incongruous for him to act that way. He’s always been confident, cynical, and competent. Now he’s none of those things. Like you, I thought pushing for a threeway would have been completely in character. Instead, we got whining. Bleah.

How could you leave F’s kid out of this otherwise excellent list? I really want to see f become vampire chow.

I swear I’m only watching this show now because it feels like foreshadowing for playing The Division.

I don’t remember Coco Chanel in the book, so pretty sure this is a Show-specific Thing

It’s Coco Marchand, guys, and I was surprised to find out that she’s played by a French actress.

Oh, hey, that looks much more interesting than The Strain.

No shit, Chet.

Ugh, the scene where Eichhorst is showing whatshername vampire camouflage just gave me the willies in a major way. If nothing else this series has succeeded in making vampires scary, creepy and alien again (not sexy or emo etc.).
BTW it looks like it’s been a while since Palmer had a relationship with a woman.

Yeah, that’s one reason I enjoy it despite the inconsistency. No Twilight sparklepires here, thank the Master. And the last episode was solid–I especially enjoyed the book shenanigans. If Mom had killed F or f, it would have been perfect. I keep hoping.

We were so close. They could have been one big happy vampire family that Setrakian riddled with silver nails. Alas.

Also, it’s nice to know that the blockades that prevent travel between different parts of the city as so well designed and run.