My opinion on The newest episode of The Strain.
As you’ll soon find out, I fucking love this series. I love the books, the comics and crappy spin off comics. I also love the show.. As hard as its been in its last season.. I told you guys I would have rambles about things. So, I’m starting here.. with this episode “Tainted Love”.. (I’ll circle back to last weeks episode too... don’t get me started on that mess).(I don’t plan to explain any characters to new people.. this is a rant specifically for the fans of the strain.. so.. skip this post if you have no interest in this show.. comics.. books.. cause you’re in for a long post.. also SPOILERS)
The Strain is a good series.. Good.. not great.. Its a good TV show if you like vampires, moderately cheesy dialog and a fun cast who all seem to blend together well. This episode was chalk full of humor between characters like Quinlan and Fet.. Eichorst(who is my favorite character) does things.. like being a bad ass and driving a truck shooting at a plane..(which also comes off cheesy in some ways). The main things I wanted to touch on though for this episode of scenes related to Quinlan and Zach.(I hear your groans already. but hear me out..)
Zach this season is more bratty and horrible and we’re starting to see him break down in some ways.. Which is actually pretty awesome.. When Abby is being killed he is seen holding his head and trying to block out what is happening. The books mention him having OCD rituals and anxiety problems due to The Master’s care.. Seeing that part of him freaking out was a nice touch. But it was also a nice touch seeing something so real happen in the series.. I told friends why the scene was hard to watch.. But in a not cringy way.. in a “This hurts on levels only some people will understand”. Its a very real scene of what happens to many people now and days. Zach reacts to rejection like many people have lately.. Abby becoming the victim to that reaction.. I can not tell you how many times I or friends have heard the lines.. “I was nice to you. You were nice to me. I gave you things. Why can’t I be you significant other? You better like me or else”. While.. we all saw her character’s death from a mile a way.. It still stuck out to me. Its one death that will probably stick with me for some time. I’ve been in a dangerous situation where being nice to someone got me hurt because they thought something simple like holding their hand so i don’t fall meant.. “Take me now”.. We hear lots of things on the news or social media of victims being hurt due to someone “rejecting” their love. Abby herself even says “I don’t owe you anything. Thats not how this works”. I loved it.. It was a great scene. So if there’s some one you’re crushing on hard.. If they don’t feel the same way.. please don’t murder them or hurt them..
Now on to Quinlan. This character is drastically different from his other counter parts in the comics and books. Quinlan pretty much doesn’t talk till book 3.. I expect changes to the TV show version. They have to make him super cool and stand out from the others.. They want him to seem mysterious and cold.. Which.. I know that show writers.. stop hammering that into my head. Last week’s episode and this week we learned more about his back story.. Which.. I will literally rant about this for hours on end about why the changes to his background just fall flat and don’t work.. Last week we were introduced to Louisa and daughter. The TV show counter part to Tasa and her daughter.. Like many book fans.. I didn’t like this... (I’m expecting a visit from a certain “critic” for writing this). Louisa is seeking out Quinlan.. because he brother is dying or now dead.. and its the stupidest shit show ever.. (I told you.. i hate it). The flash backs are written like a bad fanfic.. Like.. a bad knock off fanfic. I know I’m suppose to care about this cute child set in a time period I love so much.. But I don’t.. She’s not mentioned or hinted at like Quinlan’s family in the books and comics. She has no tragic back story like Tasa and her daughter.. There’s no real drama or conflict to make me care for them. Tasa was a slave like Quinlan and something they had in common. In the spin off comics we see Quinlan rescuing Tasa and her child while his people are raiding her village.. We’re pretty much set up to care about these characters from the get go. Louisa and her child are well to do. Their story isn’t tragic or set up to make me care about them. She paints Quinlan up(don’t get me going on this make up and wig...) to look human and they... Umm.. I guess have sex? I don’t know what to call the love scene really.. It made me feel.. embarrassed.. I was embarrassed for watching one of my favorite show. Maybe if I wasn’t watching with other people.. I’d feel less embarrassed.. I doubt it.
Anywhoo.. Quinlan fights Papa Master and doesn’t win.. Papa kills not wife and child and Quinlan just sighs and releases his “family”. There’s no heart or soul to these scenes. There’s no drama or heart ache.. It falls flat. In the comics Quinlan is tricked and runs home to Tasa and their child who are now turned and attack him. He’s taunted and has to slay his family.. Its more heart breaking because there’s more of a build up. We grow to like these characters for a few brief moments and really get to see Quinlan grow more as a character. We get to see him “act “ human with out having to be painted human. He is loved for himself and has earned this family. We see them act like a family and Tasa sings to him. We see him being taken care of in the comics by her(the spin off comic).. Louisa’s daughter is seen playing with Quinlan in this episode but It feels stiff. I don’t get the sense of this being a family. We aren’t showed a montage of them being more family like.. or them growing more.. We don’t get to see how close they have gotten. When he says “I have to go fight the master”. Louisa is upset and slaps him.. “What about us” I eye rolled faster than Eichorst dodging bullets. Nothing really feels at sake.. she guilt trips him into her death.. I don’t feel a sadness for these characters.. The only thing that will keep their memories alive is fans going, “You guys remember that awful sex scene?”. I understand many show watchers may not feel this way due to the fact they’ve never read the books. But those who have.. (the many I’ve talked too) do feel that way,
Also, can we talk about what a bad ass Charlotte is? She’s in my new top favorites for the show. She’s a strong female character who can actually defend herself and handles people like a champ. She’s not mean or cold towards Quinlan. She’s the reason they get out of there because she stuck around to fight off Eichorst. She’s not stupid and knows what she wants and how shes going to survive. I’m sad we probably wont see her ever again. But I really did enjoy the character. Her explaining to Fet she wasn’t coming with was one of my favorite parts of the episode. The Strain doesn’t have very many strong female characters at this point.. I don’t count Dutch, her character is awful.. (I have a rant about that later). Sorry let a person gush about a new refreshing character.
Also, when did Eichorst have time to heal from being burned? Gentlemen, I do believe he was on fire.. I know he’s a vampire and all.. but I don’t feel like he had time to heal that fast and go find Quinlan and company out in no where land. I know he had some burn marks.. but.. like.. We skipping where he was ON FIRE?
Welp, I’m going to wrap up this post here. I already know people are going to hate this a lot. But, I welcome the discussion and hate.I know there’s a certain “critic” making her rounds to these things.. So I’m expecting her to appear.
TL/DR:
I rant about shit.. and say stuff i like.
