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S01.E01: Night Zero

Primetimer

By Primetimer
in The Strain [V]

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ottoDbusdriver

ottoDbusdriver

Plane lands at an airport with everyone dead on board -- I liked it the first time they did this on 'Fringe'.

 

Vampires.  Again ? Seriously ?

 

If I may quote from the movie 'Lost Boys':  "One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach, all the damn vampires."

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Valny

Valny

(edited)

Good lord, I thought the pilot was an hour, I didn't know it was an hour and a half...

  ok... back to watching. Those worm things are creepy.

Edited by Valny
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AimingforYoko

AimingforYoko

OK, the heart moving in time to "Sweet Caroline" was a pretty good touch. You win that round, del Toro. Of course having an evil German conglomerate named "The Stoneheart Group" kind of gives the point earned right back.

Overall, I like vampirism as a contagion that simply needs to be eradicated instead of a supernatural phenomenon.

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Milaxx

Milaxx

(edited)

I liked it. Cheesy summer fun with a hint of gore.

One thing; Papa at the end? If my thought was dead  minor child shows up at my house looking like Elphaba from Wicked, I will NOT be welcoming her back with open arms.

Edited by Milaxx
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hannah8976

hannah8976

I've liked Corey Stoll for years and I've seen a fair amount of his work (even his stint on L&OLA). Will even see him in bit parts in various movies and say - excitedly - "oh, I didn't Corey Stoll was in this" (looking at you, Bourne Legacy). But, DAMN did that hair render him so unrecognizable I had to IMDB it.

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Valny

Valny

(edited)

I liked it enough to keep watching and it's way more interesting than The Leftovers, so I'll watch this one live and that on  Demand.

Didn't think Sean Astin was involved, so I didn't see that coming. I have a feeling he's not going to be in it for the long haul.

Could have chopped some running time off with that scene with the wife and the counselor lady. Boy that dragged on way too long.

 I nodded off for a few minutes somewhere after the old man(who I dig) arrived at the airport and started talking to Sean Astin.  Then the next time I saw him, he was in a holding cell or something.  Can someone fill me in what went down? Did they think he was acting all erratic/suspicious or something? Or did Austin think he was going to give away something?

Edited by Valny
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Jordan27

Jordan27

I thought it was really good.  Scary, spooky and went by really quick.

 

But, if you saw some big black thing pulsating on the ground, would you bend down to examine it closer?

 

And why were two of the survivors jerks and the other an idiot?  All three acted nothing had happened even though they were being quarantined by CDC.

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SimoneS

SimoneS

(edited)

A bit labored, but not a bad start. I was surprised that Sam Gamgee was part of the plan. The vampires were not as scary as I thought they would be, but it is early days.

 

I kept wondering why the lead looked so familiar. What did they do to Corey Stoll's hair? So wrong.

Edited by SimoneS
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Rhetorica

Rhetorica

I'm interested. So the Pawn Shop owner is Buffy, a Nazi experiment from concentration camps... Didn't really need the B Story with 

marriage angst and gratuitous underwear scene from the CDC lovers. The main plot should be enough. Nice twist at the end with the CDC plant. I'm OK with Vampires but Zombies creep me out. 

OK, the heart moving in time to "Sweet Caroline" was a pretty good touch. You win that round, del Toro. Of course having an evil German conglomerate named "The Stoneheart Group" kind of gives the point earned right back.

Overall, I like vampirism as a contagion that simply needs to be eradicated instead of a supernatural phenomenon.

And again "Sweet Caroline" at the end during the attack of the coroner with "touching you" blaring!

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Gregg247

Gregg247

I liked it more than I thought I would.  I was really prepared to hate Corey Stoll, based on his role on House of Cards, but he was surprisingly okay here (wig and all).  The story with his soon-to-be-ex-wife and her apparent live-in lover was lame, as was the outraged family members and press at the press conference.  The CDC got to the plane 3 hours ago, people!  Give them some time!  Also, the grieving dad who slapped Corey Stoll was ridiculous.  He complained that all Corey did was talk and talk and talk, but did nothing worthwhile.  Dude, they guy uttered literally 2 sentences when you hit him!  I blame lazy writing on that one.

 

Security was certainly lax around the airport, wasn't it?  That one guy got his head bashed to a pulp right in the middle of the aisle of luggage (aka "evidence"), yet 4 hours later, he's yet to be noticed.

 

Why was the old guy arrested?  He talked his way through the police line to meet with the doctors, but was considered a flake.  How does that translate into an arrest?  Especially since he's not exactly a vagrant or a criminal or a lunatic; just an old guy who owns his own NYC business and has some weird ideas about mysterious events.

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MrHufflepuff

MrHufflepuff

(edited)

Things I learned during this show:

 

1.  If you think you might be dealing with a virus, possibly of terrorist origin, then by all means, open a big box that was potentially exposed to the virus without any protection whatsoever.  Bonus points if you root around in possibly contaminated soil as well without any protection.

 

2.  Also, make sure that nobody guards the big box of unknown origin that is potentially linked to a terrorist attack.

 

3.  If an old man shows up with knowledge about your virus investigation that is non-public, you should definitely treat him like a crazy old man and send him away.  Because you certainly don't do interviews of people when trying to determine viral origins.

 

4.  If you find a bunch of unknown squiggly organisms, you should stand around holding them in a glass box instead of rushing them to the lab for immediate analysis.

 

Also, I really wanted one of the dissected corpses to swallow its own heart, like Zoidberg did when they were dissecting him at Area 51.

Edited by MrHufflepuff
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SimoneS

SimoneS

(edited)

It just occurred to me: Are the four people who survived resistant to this "vampire" virus and can provide a clue to cure? Or are they infected and are now carriers? I am thinking the latter.

Edited by SimoneS
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thuganomics85

thuganomics85

Oh, Walder Frey.  You host one bad wedding reception, and suddenly nobody trusts you!

 

So, I know that The Strain is based of material from Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, but with names like "Abraham Setrakian" and "Ephraim Goodweather", I was seriously wondering if J.R. Rowling secretly named some of these characters.  Those would fit right into the Harry Potter universe.

 

Too early to fully form an opinion, but my early reaction is that it was fine enough to keep watching for a couple of more episodes.  I actually found it more entertaining then the more praised, The Leftovers.  David Bradley is awesome and I didn't know Sean Astin was in this, so that's an added bonus (but he's working for the shady company?!  Dammit, Samwise!  You're suppose to be the loyal one!)  I usually love Cory Stoll, but that wig was so bad, it really distracted me in all of his scenes.  Plus, his character seems to be hitting all the annoying, cliched story-lines, like the custody battle, dealing with his ex and her new boyfriend, and being involved with his co-worker/Mia Maestro.  Not exactly gripping stuff there.

 

So, from what I can tell, we're basically dealing with some kind of vampire, whose victims turn into zombies?  Not bad; cashing in on both the vampire and zombie hype!  And, is Jonathan Hyde's character and the shady organization, suppose to consist of vampires too?  

 

I knew this show was shot in Canada, as soon as Roger Cross appeared as Hyde's butler.  I'm starting to think Roger has a contract of some kind, that requires him to be in every show shot in Canada ever.

 

Saw Kevin Durand's name in the credits, but I don't think he was in this episode.  I guess his character will be appearing later on.

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Josette

Josette

 

Why was the old guy arrested?  He talked his way through the police line to meet with the doctors, but was considered a flake.  How does that translate into an arrest? 

 

I think he was arrested because of the sword. 

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annlaw78

annlaw78

If you think you might be dealing with a virus, possibly of terrorist origin, then by all means, open a big box that was potentially exposed to the virus without any protection whatsoever. Bonus points if you root around in possibly contaminated soil as well without any protection.

Seriously. If the hypothesis is something in the cargo hold contaminated and killed the passengers, why on earth is the CDC not following hazmat/quarantine procedures with the cargo??? I get for show purposes it is hard for viewers, especially in a pilot when character introduction is happening, to ID characters when they are in full suit-and-mask, but write around that, then. Just have the sarcophagus and other stuff in a room behind glass with lab rats examinig it, and our main characters expositing from the camera-side of the glass. As it is, I fear for the continuity of the human race with these idiots in charge.

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Bruinsfan

Bruinsfan

Would the authorities really have waited around all that time for the CDC to open up the plane, rather than assuming that everyone going silent a few minutes after a flight landed might more plausibly be caused by terrorists or some sort of fire/chemical leak that would knock out/kill everyone at once? I know I sure wouldn't be thinking extremely punctual Ebola virus as the likeliest explanation.

 

Or maybe in this setting the CDC takes over every situation thanks to Jackass McToupee? "Ferry's running ten minutes late—must be a bubonic plague outbreak. Quarrantine Staten Island immediately!"

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picklesprite

picklesprite

If you're someone who loved the show, skip this comment, because I promise I will do nothing but gripe as the parade goes by.

 

Loved Pan's Lab, grabbed The Strain novel with gusto, tossed it aside as soon as it was clear that the book was just a slightly enhanced synopsis for a future movie, doing nothing but raising money and getting attention.  Even so, thinking that maybe it is film that springs Del Toro's imagination looser than a novel does, I had hopes for this. But, oh God, the cliches.

 

* Handsome hero whose demanding-but-noble job drives his family away.

* Hero has, of course, two women, one who wants to own him, one who wants to stone him. (Thank you, Jackson Browne.)

* Antagonistic, untrustworthy boss.

* Wise and magical old man to whom hero won't listen at first.

* Black guy who is sure to get killed soon.

 

Ugh, I'll stop. The cliches, the simply terrible choices of survivors, not a one of whom seems like a real person, the stilted dialogue that no real human would ever say. (Hmm, maybe there *are* no humans in this. Ah ha!) I see the corporate bad guys from "Angel," I see the dead child coming home again from "The Returned," and "The Master" from Buffy, and. . .it's  pastiche of dozens of other works.

 

Oh, and people-in-charge-of-show? If you're going to make your "Watson" the smart one to whom the hero doesn't listen when he should, then that automatically makes your hero the dumb one. I kept thinking *she* should be in charge, because he's an idiot. Dammit. I loved Cory in HoC.

 

It had some points of good atmosphere, I'll give it that.

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Princess Sparkle

Princess Sparkle

(edited)

I really, really don't understand why they saddled poor Corey Stoll with that terrible wig (I can't even call it a toupee because it's practically swallowing his head).  Is it a holdover from the novel to make him look more like the character?  Because everyone knows the guy is bald and IM(admittedly shallow)O a very good looking man, so I do not understand why they decided to put him in a god-awful wig.  I'm going to have to rewatch this tonight, because I started watching last night and got so distracted by the wig that I had to turn it off and watch House of Cards just to remind myself of what it looks like when Corey Stoll is doing great acting.

Edited by Princess Sparkle
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car54

car54

Too much explanation.   They telegraphed too many things way ahead of time.    Too much showing what happened on the plane during the takeover.

Grateful for hazmat suit because the hood/helmet covered that hair piece.     Perhaps Corey's character can have some kind of stress that makes him want to shave his head?  It really is distracting--and he's such a good actor.

Note to producers--I don't care if they are walking dead there is something inherently silly about naked people zombie walking--I know they had to be naked because they were at the morgue but maybe do some kind of lighting effect or something--it was not pretty.   Makes me happy that most of the walking dead keep their clothes on.

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Bruinsfan

Bruinsfan

Well, they're probably not casting from a pool that includes Oscar winners when looking for extras willing to play Naked Autopsy Vampire #3. Though I'm now imagining Dame Judi Dench and Sir Anthony Hoplins doing quick cameos as such...

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beedub

beedub

I'm finding this interesting and stylish enough to keep watching, overlooking the occasional bit of frustration and moments of campiness, and in spite of Mrs. beedub being apprehensive that we might be getting ourselves into another Helix. @picklesprite, good points about the cliches, some of those in particular were what reminded us of Helix, particularly the noble hero with the two women, one an Ex and one a colleague.

 

Call me Captain Obvious (no really, please do, I already have the costume), but what struck me most about this is that it's essentially an update of the Bram Stoker Dracula novel: at the outset, there was the derelict ship arriving on the shores of England; no one alive aboard, until a large creature (in the novel, a wolf) escapes the ship and goes missing; puzzling "boxes" of earth discovered in the cargo hold; aged fighter-of-evil Van Helsing, and so on. The CDC guy (don't make me say his name) passes as Jonathan Harker, the Ex will no doubt end up as Lucy, the local assistance to the Master is provided by both Samwise and the German ghouls, probably serving as a composite version of the Renfield character.

 

This parallel may be maintained, or left by the wayside as the series progresses, but it's been very firmly established so far.

 

All that's left to say is, Medical Examiners take note: if you open up a cadaver and discover a "new organ" inside, don't treat it as your new pet.

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Anela

Anela

(edited)

I'm only just getting the Walder Frey comments (I saw a few last night).  I'm only semi-into Game of Thrones.

 

I liked this show in ways, and will watch again, but it wasn't gripping. I don't really know of Corey Stoll, although I recognize him from somewhere - I googled him, and bald, he looks like a thinner version of a tow truck driver who once towed us home).

 

I didn't like the setup of trouble with the wife, who is suddenly going to realize that his job is so very important, and will want him back (?). She spoke of the new boyfriend being there all the time, praised him for that, and then proceeded to ignore him and his lame attempts at shooting down her husband, all the while, focusing on the husband on her computer screen.

 

"Oh, look at the parasite trying to attack you. Isn't it precious?" Just put it in the box! That made me cringe.

 

Was that a heart in the large jar? that the old man fed his blood?

 

I wonder why Sean Astin's character owes the people who wanted the coffin out of there, and why nobody missed the German man who had his head pummelled. (Ew.)

Edited by Anela
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Jordan27

Jordan27

Well, they're probably not casting from a pool that includes Oscar winners when looking for extras willing to play Naked Autopsy Vampire #3. Though I'm now imagining Dame Judi Dench and Sir Anthony Hoplins doing quick cameos as such...

Now that would be scary.

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Tippi Blevins

Tippi Blevins

Was that a heart in the large jar? that the old man fed his blood?

He seemed pretty affectionate towards it. Maybe it belonged to someone he lost to the "disease" before.

 

It reminded me of those pictures they show in the veterinarian's office, a dog's heart riddled with stringy heart worms. 

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car54

car54

I found it hard to believe that one guy CDC or not would be able to get that van out ---it seems like if there were 200+ people dead in an airport that place would have the military sealing it off and you'd have to get through multiple check points to get in and out of there.  I thought most of the security pretty much everywhere was kind of loose--it seems like New York of all places would be able to lock things down in a few minutes after what they've been through.  I'm in Boston and I know here they practice for it so that they can take control of things if need be.

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GaiusB

GaiusB

I knew i am not going to watch a second episode after exactly 17 minutes.  That was enough time for the show to deliver three atrocious monologues/dialogues no real person would ever give. Nothing in rest of the episode changed my mind. It was prime example of bad sci-fi writing. Good writing would be to use a fictional setting to create original characters and stories that can not be created in the realistic setting. The Strain writers are typical bad sci-fi writers who think their basic idea is so cool, they can get away with cliche characters and horrible dialogues.

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candall

candall

I count half a dozen supernatural life forms and at least that many subplots.  PLUS a supersecret uberwealthy organization of German bad guys?

 

Too much, show; you exhaust me.

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bosawks

bosawks

I'm in.

I'm hoping this is the crappy over the top yet enjoyable summer entertainment I wanted Under the Dome to be.

Anyone else complete the phrase "Eff you!" Every time someone says Eph.

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shrewd.buddha

shrewd.buddha

It was prime example of bad sci-fi writing.

Yeah, it had moments but  seemed to lumber along as if it knew it had 10 weeks to get to its destination. 

 

del Toro excels at visuals, but can get pretty cheesy with character names, stereotypical character types, routine horror tropes, etc. I thought Pacific Rim kicked ass as a two hour movie -- but if it were stretched out to a 10 hour mini-series ..? No way. 

 

..But it's better than anything else that's on at 10pm on Sundays, so I'll be back next week. 

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