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Celebrating 1,000 NCIS-franchise episodes

S01.E11: The Third Rail

Tara Ariano

By Tara Ariano
in The Strain [V]

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xaxat

xaxat

 

Zack risks his safety for Mariela. Meanwhile, Eph, Fet and Nora search for the Master's lair.

 

I read that as "Zack risks his safety for Mariela. Meanwhile, Eph, Fet and Nora search for the Master's hair."

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lulee

lulee

If Zach is on the case to save Nora's mom, he will risk his safety in the most bland, boring way possible -- because that kid can't act.

On the contrary, it may be an action-packed sequence, hopefully without any dialogue.

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Enero

Enero

(edited)

The Master. Looks absolutely ridiculous. LOL There's nothing scary about him. They should've left him mysterious and in the dark.

 

I’ve had about enough of Ephraim and his kid. The former deserves to die. I was hoping the Master would've taken him out. Anyway, aren’t there some relatives he can send his son to be with in another state? Also, why after telling him to stay in the basement, does he leave the pawn shop with his son standing outside in plain view? I thought that was rather stupid.  Speaking of stupid (well the kid kind of gets a pass, because he is a kid), but couldn’t he have pretended to go buy cigarettes, instead of actually going out to try and find cigarettes for Nora’s mom? After he told her he was going to go get her some cigarettes, she went back down stairs. Perhaps he could’ve stayed upstairs until his dad returned that might’ve bought him some time with Nora’s mom wanting to get out. It all worked out, but still, next time he might not be so lucky.

 

The same goes for Nora and her mom. I know it can’t be helped that she’s suffering from dementia/Alzheimer’s or whatever, but I’ve had about enough of her.

 

Did anyone else think their trip into the subway tunnels was a suicide mission and don’t even get me started on Ephraim crawling through a narrow tunnel to try and get to the vamps and running off after his ex-wife calling to him in the tunnels? I mean there are only four of them  and they were deep into the tunnels. It’s not like they could make a quick escape to daylight if things went south.

 

Poor Gus. I hate he lost his family, but he is so bad-assed. He cried for about two seconds then he manned up and doing what he had to do, taking out vamps.

Edited by Enero
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lulee

lulee

(edited)

I felt like I was having a full-body panic attack during the scenes with Gus and his brother and mother.
 

Yet another convenience store convergence for named characters. I wonder when Gus will meet up with someone other than Zach.

 

So many stupid choice: Eph wandering after Kelly's voice. Abe trying to step into the sea of strigoi to get to the master, Zach going on the run for smokes; the looters just wandering around the store, etc.

 

And I can't take the Master. There are more convincing monster faces at the Halloween Express that popped up in the strip mall nearby. He looks ridiculous when he talks.

Edited by lulee
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fliptopbox

fliptopbox

The Master reminds me of BatBoy from the National Inquirer, with a dash of a cheap mask and gloves from Halloween Adventure. I mean, couldn't Del Toro and crew afford a decent special effects makeup team? Maybe *anyone* who has been on Face Off? The vombies look scarier than their leader, for Christ's sake.

 

Tonight's episode was ok. I agree with whoever said Eph and family gotta go. In fact I'd be fine with wiping out everyone except Fet and Setrakian. Maybe Gus too, if he ever seems to find the rest of them.

 

Also...again....where is my vombie death squad?!

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Ellaria

Ellaria

(edited)

I love Corey Stoll but Eph is becoming insufferable. He's still citing the "do no harm" mantra, after all he has seen?

I need to see Fet and Gus together. Great characters! No nonsense guys adjusting to the new world order. However, it is taking much too long to get Gus into the main story line.

Was not particularly interested in Zack and Nora's mom.

What has happened to the rock star? And to the nanny and the two kids? Will the vampire assassin squad reappear for the finale? Perhaps we could have checked in with some of these characters instead of Zack and his cigarette run.

Don't know about anyone else but I am having loads of trouble understanding the Master when he speaks. The Master isn't particularly scary...or maybe it's that he isn't uniquely scary. Some odd choices by the make-up department.

Edited by Ellaria Sand
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lulee

lulee

(edited)

Don't know about anyone else but I am having loads of trouble understanding the Master when he speaks.

Not the only one. I don't know if the voice/accent is unintelligible or if I just mentally tune out as I watch the rubber gums flap.

 

I wish they would have had Gus's mom reach out for him and get sizzled by the sunlight.

Edited by lulee
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fliptopbox

fliptopbox

(edited)

Yeah, if there's a vombie apocalypse brewing I don't want to see footage of some kid running out to loot a couple packs of cigs for some lady with dementia. It's just not quality entertainment. And honestly, who cares? Completely lame bullshit filler footage. Those scenes added absolutely nothing to the storyline.

Edited by fliptopbox
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Auntie Anxiety

Auntie Anxiety

I'm kicking myself for watching this drekky show.  It had tons of potential but it just kinda sucks.  I've found it more watchable if I imagine each scene to be like a page in a comic book or a graphic novel.  The acting is atrocious and silly.  Is the Master supposed to look like a genie?  Was I the least bit surprised about Gus' mother and brother?  Mariela is so boring and predictable and such an insult to our intelligence.  The kid who plays Zack is interchangeable with every other tween boy bad actor in Hollywood.  And Eph's toupee is the star of the show.  Go figure.

 

Is it over next week?  I want my Sunday nights back.

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ottoDbusdriver

ottoDbusdriver

Was not particularly interested in Zack and Nora's mom.

 

So no Vamp hit squad, no followup on Gabriel Bolivar, and no Dutch (well, that's not a huge loss) but we have oodles of quality time with Zach and Nora's mom.  That's exactly what everyone was demanding on the message boards. </sarcasm>

 

The Master reminds me of BatBoy from the National Inquirer, with a dash of a cheap mask and gloves from Halloween Adventure. I mean, couldn't Del Toro and crew afford a decent special effects makeup team? Maybe *anyone* who has been on Face Off? The vombies look scarier than their leader, for Christ's sake.

 

It's like they blew the budget on Eph's hairpiece, and that's all that could come up with.  The Master looks cheap and terrible.

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Sofie Fatale

Sofie Fatale

Ok so the mission was unbelievable. I don't see how they thought they were coming back from that. Anyway it also seems like the master has some way of hurting Satrakian mentally, like a human dog whistle. He winced when the Master threw some high pitched frequency bullshit his way. What could it be? Hmmm

As for the couple in the convenience store. What do you care is there's someone else looting? Get your shit and gtfo.

They can get rid of Mariella now.

Gus is hot.

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Milaxx

Milaxx

Zack risks his safety for Mariela.

 

And brings back 2 lousy packs of cigs. This old lady is jonesing like a fiend and this daft kid can't think to grab a carton?

 

Love the show, but man did they fall down on the job with the Master's look. It looks so fake it takes you right out of the story.

Next week we finally get the return of vompTeam 6. cant wait!

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steelyis

steelyis

I couldn't quite place it before, but after tonight I figured out why The Master looked familiar - he's a descendant of the villains from that lame 80s horror film "Killer Klowns From Outer Space"

15130784108_97c923e20c_o.jpg

 

 

Yes! Thank you! Every time I saw the Master I knew he reminded me of a monster I'd seen before but I couldn't think of which one it was!

 

When the Master had Eph I thought Eph was finally getting off my teevee, but no such luck.

 

I think the son was dumb to get Nora's mom cigs, but Mariela was being, understandably, annoying so I get why he'd do anything to shut her up for a while.

 

I feel bad for Gus. He lost his best friend and his whole family overnight. I'm glad he didn't have to release his mom, because I wouldn't wish that on anybody, not even Eph.

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thuganomics85

thuganomics85

Never would have predicted that Nora would be the MVP of the group, but between her taking out vamps (plus, saving Vasiliy), Abraham letting his emotions and lust for revenge get the better of him, and Eph and Vasiliy decided this was a good time to get into a dick-measuring contest, she was pretty much the normal one tonight.

 

Eph, though, continues to be the worst.  It sucks, since I really like Corey Stoll, but when hes not being wishy-washy, he's just being an arrogant, humorless prick, who thinks his word is better then everyone else.  Even though Vasiliy was silly to be getting pissy with him during the raid, I think he was right that it probably eats Eph up that people like Vasiliy and Abraham are on his level (or, IMO, above him), when it comes to fighting this.  He probably really does think that a pawn broker and a pest control guy are no match for Captain CDC, and hates being proven wrong.  He really has become an unlikable lead.

 

All the stuff with Zach was just a waste of time.  Pure filler.

 

Gus is still by himself, but I continue to love how he quickly gets it.  He obvious is shaken up and his reactions are realistic, but he knows when a cause is hopeless, and, more importantly, knows how to kick ass.  I do hope he joins the group soon.

 

Agree that The Master just isn't working.  He was much scarier underneath the hood.  I've seen better effects on shows like Farscape and maybe even Doctor Who.

 

Yay, to the Vampire Hit-squad sighting in next week's previews! 

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lulee

lulee

One more thing I remembered: boo to the show for the lame takeout with Zach approaching Mariela with her back turned. They didn't actually wan us to be concerned that she'd gotten infected, did they? That would have made no sense.

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LVmom

LVmom

(edited)

Eph has to be the least likable lead since Andrea on TWD. His kid is at least a little better than Carl was at a similar age. I presume having a genius doctor for a dad means the kid has a brain in his head. Although a lot of geniuses have zero survival skills, so there's that.

 

I still watch primarily for Fet and Abraham. I have to say even Gus the hoodrat works better as a slayer than Eph.

 

Eph would look a lot better without the wig and the constant tantrums. I guess we have to have hair ala Brenden Frasier in the Mummy movies. Looks more "romantic lead". I'd take capable Bruce Willis bald over mopey mop any day. 

Edited by LVmom
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gaPeach

gaPeach

This was a waste of an episode.  The Scooby crew going into the tunnels you knew was going to be a waste of time and nothing would come of it.  And I don't Strain is willing to kill off a main character like TWD has done.  So I knew going in pretty much what would happen so that ruined it for me.

 

The kid and Nora's mom was boring but at least we got a glimpse of what life was like outside.  I liked the drugstore scene and agree with the poster that mentioned the two looters.  Why would that guy care he came across a kid?  Why go check out a noise in a the back of a store you are LOOTING?  Was the clerk still laying behind the counter when the kid swiped the cigarettes and took off?  When I saw Gus I thought for sure he would take the kid home and see it was the pawn shop and stay until the Scooby crew came back.  Guess not but at least he is not far from there.

 

Still love the show but it needs to pick up the action and less Eph family drama.  I don't care.

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bobbyjoe

bobbyjoe

The weird thing about the appearance of The Master is that his robe looks great and is animated really well.

 

Then you see the face. . .

 

I think the way the Master looks is a metaphor for the whole show.  It's like the glimpses you see in the previews look fun and wild and scary...

 

...and then you see an actual episode.

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Portia

Portia

(edited)
Is it over next week?  I want my Sunday nights back.

There are two more episodes left . . . and then I can get back to some proper Sunday evening entertainment: The Walking Dead!

Edited by Portia
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islandgal140

islandgal140

(edited)

One positive tonight: Nora was proactive and independent, took out some strigoi, saved Fet, etc.

The only thing that annoyed me about Nora was more of a wardrobe/behind the scenes thing. When they were initially going down into the subway entrance, the camera panned downed and I got a glimpse of her footwear. She was wearing platform boots with a stacked heel.  It fucking annoys me so damn much that the vast majority of times on these types of damn shows, no matter what a female character is doing she has to be wearing some type of heel. Hello vampire apocalypse!! Your ass may have to haul and book ass out of a spot right quick. Appropriate footwear in a such situations are sneakers or military/Doc Marten type boots with reinforced steel toe box if you can get 'em.  

 

Gus had me a tither in those apartment scenes. This show has me just as terrified about getting a worm from vamp 'blood spray' as an actual bite/scratch.  I was afraid Gus would step in the vamp ooze and it would worm its way into his boot or while fighting it would get on his skin somehow. 

 

That was one narrow ass tunnel. I guess your more well fed vamps are shit out of luck.  

 

Interesting to see Abe lose all his common sense and rationality when getting within striking distance of the Master so I guess they all have their foibles. 

 

For a minute there I thought the Master was going to give Eff one of his special orgasmic worms. 

 

The Master takes me completely out of the show, which is terrible since he is the big bad. After the reveal, I now find the recently turned vamps and his German henchman scarier (speaking of which where the hell did he go?). I wish they had gone the more traditional Nosferatu route i.e. the movie of the same name of Salem's Lot. 

 

So I guess Dutch really did leave?

 

I really need someone to head butt Eph. Hearing your wife's voice in what you now know is vamp HQ is not a good sign and isn't something you should be running towards.

 

One more thing I remembered: boo to the show for the lame takeout with Zach approaching Mariela with her back turned. They didn't actually wan us to be concerned that she'd gotten infected, did they? That would have made no sense.

I am Not here for low budget Rita Morena. I was getting a very Psycho Nora Bates mom reveal moment in that scene which I immediately knew was a fucking fakeout because how the hell would she have gotten infected? The kid had locked all the doors and it was daylight so even if she had gone out to stand at the metal gate there weren't any vampires around. Just a ridiculous time waster and dumb! They might as well have had a shrieking cat jump out. 

 

The cigarette plotline was infuriating but I get it. You need at least one dumb kid moment a la Carl of Walking Dead to make it all official. 

 

That kid playing Zach continues to bring his Saturday morning kid commercial style acting to the role. Seriously, he acts like a kid in a pop tart or cereal commercial while delivering his lines. He is a cute kid that was cast in the wrong role. I can see him on a Disney show with a laugh track, getting slimed on Nickelodeon but the boy ain't primetime drama material. NO. WAY. NO. HOW.

Edited by islandgal140
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Bruinsfan

Bruinsfan

The only thing that annoyed me about Nora was more of a wardrobe/behind the scenes thing. When they were initially going down into the subway entrance, the camera panned downed and I got a glimpse of her footwear. She was wearing platform boots with a stacked heel.  It fucking annoys me so damn much that the vast majority of times on these types of damn shows, no matter what a female character is doing she has to be wearing some type of heel. Hello vampire apocalypse!! Your ass may have to haul and book ass out of a spot right quick. Appropriate footwear in a such situations are sneakers or military/Doc Marten type boots with reinforced steel toe box if you can get 'em.

I noticed that too - clearly when you're going to be walking for miles in subway tunnels on unpredictable footing and possibly having to flee for your life, 6 inch platform heels are the way to go. Folks, Buffy can make these kinds of fashion choices because she has superhuman strength and agility, not because they actually make any sort of practical sense!

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Artesia

Artesia

When Eph was rummaging earth in Master's coffin while wearing just thin gloves, and then Setrakian started banging on that coffin with a hammer, the only thing I could think was "THIS SOIL IS FULL OF WORMS, YOU IDIOTS!!!".

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futurechemist

futurechemist

This episode frustrated me.  The first 30 minutes were so slow, with nothing much happening.  The Gus sideplot seemed inconsequential, while the Zach/Mariela subplot annoyed me.  Yes Zach is young, but I initially hoped he just lied to Mariela about going for cigs to get her to calm down.  And then he actually left.  Didn't he realize that by the time he got back, she'd probably have forgotten that he even left in the first place.  I was a bit surprised she was just sitting calmly in the basement instead of trying to escape again.  Hmm, I just realized what I wrote might be insensitive to those people with relatives suffering from mental illnesses.  Though this is what the show is giving us.

 

Doesn't Setrakian have an infected heart in his basement?  I figured Mariela might open it for some reason and infect herself.

 

Finally next week we get back to the vampire soldiers.  Though on the subject of actual soldiers, has there been no military/national guard response?   Our gang can't be the only ones who have figured out what's going on and how to kill the vampires/worms.

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LVmom

LVmom

That is one thing that bugs (or worms) in this show. We see attacks, crazy ones, in broad daylight. There's no military response, no real effort to fight these things off. If they want to argue "the internet is down" well, WTF did we do before the internet and cell phones? You know, the dark ages like WW1, WW2, or shoot, the entire 70's when there was any disaster? People are just looting and hiding away? I mean, Gus's mom worked somewhere where they answered the phone and presumed she was sick or stuck in traffic. Seriously?

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ottoDbusdriver

ottoDbusdriver

Finally next week we get back to the vampire soldiers.  Though on the subject of actual soldiers, has there been no military/national guard response?   Our gang can't be the only ones who have figured out what's going on and how to kill the vampires/worms.

 

The only thing I noticed was that on a radio broadcast you heard about something happening on George Washington Bridge involving vigilantism.  You would think something like that would at least get the cops or National Guard involved.

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easypeasy

easypeasy

It finally felt like things were moving in the right direction with the appearance of the vampire death squad. The show peaked with the gas station episode and it's been downhill since then, starting with The Master's reveal. I feel like I've been catfished; I was promised terrifying and revolting, but got goofy and ugly instead. I just cannot take him seriously.

 

Too much screentime for Zach and Nora's mother. I echo everyone's sentiments that the boy is wooden, which would be more tolerable if they didn't give him so many lines all of a sudden. Nora's mother (Mariela? who knew) is pointless and annoying. I can only assume that they're keeping her around for the season finale when she's killed off in some touching, heartrending fashion. Except that I don't care about the character, so I will be relieved.

 

My most hated horror movie trope is people running off to follow the disembodied voices of loved ones they know are dead/possessed/infected etc. What did expect to find Eph? 

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NotChu

NotChu

I thought the Master looked more like Pennywise the Clown from It.  Otherwise, I've nothing to add. You all hit the nail on the head.  This show did a serious divebomb in one episode.  I want them all dead but Gus.  

 

tumblr_m0tl6w1KgY1qcga5ro1_500.gif

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bluebonnet

bluebonnet

I was enjoying this show before all this extra focus on Zach.  His custody battle scenes in the first few episodes weren't so bad because he was just this background thing with a line or two.  Now, it's agony when he's on scene.  I don't know that I've ever seen a worse child actor outside of a cough syrup commercial or one of those churchy jesus plays.  Zach might actually be worse than that.  I cringe to think of how many takes it must require to even get what they are able to show on tv.  I also wanted to smack him for getting the wrong cigarettes.  Menthol is a very specific taste.  Maybe this will give Nora's mom incentive to quit.  If she even remembers that she doesn't smoke menthol.  Why didn't the little annoying punk take a picture of the cig box before he went to the store?  What was the point of taking the phone if he wasn't going to use it to ensure his mission was successful?  Grr, I hate menthol cigs.  

 

Of course, Zach's shit wasn't even necessary for the episode.  Nothing was added to his characterisation and everything we saw of the city could have and should have been shown to us via Gus.  We didn't need Zach and Gus to have their little meet cute if nothing was going to come of it, especially since Gus has already met Setrakian.  This meet up with Zach and Gus didn't even provide a reason for Gus purposely returning to Abe's pawn shop.  I'm hoping all the leads die so that this can become the Gus show.  

 

Also, they need to get rid of that bread in the back of their truck.  It's going to spoil and it will just be a massive waste of supplies.  Throw a handful or two of loaves in the freezer and give the rest away.  I'm sick of seeing that bread just sitting there.  Even if they aren't concerned about basic survival, at least they could get the crates out of the truck so that they can really deck their vamp killer mobile into something awesome.  

 

This show no longer feels like a b-movie horror.  It's lost the fun it had at the start.  

 

The only thing that annoyed me about Nora was more of a wardrobe/behind the scenes thing. When they were initially going down into the subway entrance, the camera panned downed and I got a glimpse of her footwear. She was wearing platform boots with a stacked heel.  It fucking annoys me so damn much that the vast majority of times on these types of damn shows, no matter what a female character is doing she has to be wearing some type of heel. Hello vampire apocalypse!! Your ass may have to haul and book ass out of a spot right quick. Appropriate footwear in a such situations are sneakers or military/Doc Marten type boots with reinforced steel toe box if you can get 'em.  

Oh god, this pisses me off so much, too.  And it's like they purposely need to show us the shows.  It's cool if they have an actor in stacked heels if it helps with filming and camera angles and shit like that and if there's a slight glimpse, it happens.  But to focus the camera specifically on the shoes is so fucking stupid.  They could have showed us the vampire poop on the stairs before or after they went down, or while the guys with their appropriate footwear were walking down the steps.  But nope, it had to be a focus on the chick wearing heels because apparently our lack of respect for Nora wasn't lacking enough.  

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Tippi Blevins

Tippi Blevins

When they were walking through that first tunnel and found all the shoes and purses and wallets, I was hoping there would also be a bunch of shed genitals. Like they'd be ankle-deep in a bunch of sloughed-off wangs. Ah, if only this were premium cable.

 

The kid doesn't bug me too much, I think because I'm too busy being annoyed by most of the adults on the show.

 

The Master's face is like if Janice the Muppet became a vampire.

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hardy har

hardy har

(edited)

Heh. Pennywise actually creeps me the fuck out. The Master on the other hand.....is about as scary as a handful of Play-doh.

 

I still manitain that this show would be so much better if Vassily was the lead character and the group was just him, Walder Frey, Hot Gus, and possibly the hacker chick and hot guy who is looking after the Rich Old Guy. I kind of just spend most of the episodes hoping Eph, Nora, Low Budget Rita Moreno (nice one, islandgal140!), and Eph's annoying kid get turned. Walder Frey shouldv'e cut Eph's head off for following Kelly's voice.

 

Speaking of Eph and Nora. . . . it will never not be funny when Eph waxes poetic about Kelly right to Nora's face......who he very recently fucked in Kelly's bed . . . while waiting for Kelly to come home. Hahahahaha. He's an asshole and she's an idiot and they deserve each other.

 

I am Not here for low budget Rita Morena. I was getting a very Psycho Nora Bates mom reveal moment in that scene which I immediately knew was a fucking fakeout because how the hell would she have gotten infected? The kid had locked all the doors and it was daylight so even if she had gone out to stand at the metal gate there weren't any vampires around. Just a ridiculous time waster and dumb! They might as well have had a shrieking cat jump out.

Thank you. I just kept thinking, "Kid, just leave her there and she'll get tired. Go back into the basement and play with all the knives and stuff. Or, better yet, go find  that magical internet connection again." Then, when he did venture out for smokes we didn't even get anything scary, which made it doubly annoying.

 

That is one thing that bugs (or worms) in this show. We see attacks, crazy ones, in broad daylight. There's no military response, no real effort to fight these things off. If they want to argue "the internet is down" well, WTF did we do before the internet and cell phones? You know, the dark ages like WW1, WW2, or shoot, the entire 70's when there was any disaster? People are just looting and hiding away? I mean, Gus's mom worked somewhere where they answered the phone and presumed she was sick or stuck in traffic. Seriously?

 

Aside from not finding this show even remotely scary and wanting to constantly punch Eph in the face, this is what really bugs me about the infestation. When we are shown the streets, people don't seem all that freaked out. Hell, news footage of cities having (for lack of a more eloquent description) celebratory riots and looting after a major sports team win have shown more urgency than the New Yorkers have on this show. I know they keep saying it's awful and fucked up, but outside of our Scooby Gang (I just insulted the real Scooby Gang, didn't I?) it just seems like a minor inconvenience to others. Maybe it's just that everything seems too clean? I don't know.

Edited by hardy har
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Enero

Enero

I noticed that too - clearly when you're going to be walking for miles in subway tunnels on unpredictable footing and possibly having to flee for your life, 6 inch platform heels are the way to go. Folks, Buffy can make these kinds of fashion choices because she has superhuman strength and agility, not because they actually make any sort of practical sense!

I was annoyed by this, but also how her hair was in her face. If I'm going into a dark cave to fight vampires I want to be able to see without the risk of any possible obstructions to my view. It irked me to no end that she didn't have her hair practically nailed to her scalp with no lose bangs etc. flinging about to potentially get in her eyes and obstruct her view.

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xaxat

xaxat

This show no longer feels like a b-movie horror.  It's lost the fun it had at the start.  

 

This is so true. It looked like they were building up something that was going to be really fun after the gas station episode, but it's been downhill since. 

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