Topic: The Strain is Coming!

[Titi Camara]

Firstly, Nora is fit...like super fit!

I really enjoyed it, not exactly the tone I was expecting (thought it would be a bit darker, maybe that's to come) but it was well made and I like the look of head honcho vampire, very GDT, it was also a lot of fun too.
My only gripe is that it felt a bit rushed but that's probably a product of the system. GDT obviously felt presure to lay down as much as he could in that first episode to get people's attention. Personally I think that's a shame as a slow burn approach to it, working out what had happened on the plane over two episodes would've worked better but I suppose ratings are king and we need to keep the dullards entertained lol

plot hole filled nonsense

As a big fan boy I'm trying not to be precious but what do you mean?

[Redman0151]

Thought it was ok, good enough to keep me watching.

Spoiler

That monster was fucking hilarious though, was laughing to myself as he moon-walked away after killing that guy.

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[Titi Camara]

Spoiler

That monster was fucking hilarious though, was laughing to myself as he moon-walked away after killing that guy.

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Spoiler

You mean the bit where he scuttled backwards down that corridor lit in yellow? I thought that was ace too

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[Redman0151]

Spoiler

You mean the bit where he scuttled backwards down that corridor lit in yellow? I thought that was ace too

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Yep, it proper tickled me

[Macphisto80]

Firstly, Nora is fit...like super fit!

I really enjoyed it, not exactly the tone I was expecting (thought it would be a bit darker, maybe that's to come) but it was well made and I like the look of head honcho vampire, very GDT, it was also a lot of fun too.
My only gripe is that it felt a bit rushed but that's probably a product of the system. GDT obviously felt presure to lay down as much as he could in that first episode to get people's attention. Personally I think that's a shame as a slow burn approach to it, working out what had happened on the plane over two episodes would've worked better but I suppose ratings are king and we need to keep the dullards entertained lolAs a big fan boy I'm trying not to be precious but what do you mean?

Watched it last night. Thought it was really entertaining.

I agree with the pacing. I personally thought it was a bit of a mistake to reveal that actual creature first as it spoiled a lot of the intrigue and mystery regarding the events of the plane and what happened to it's passengers. There were also major scenes that happened that should have been the end sequence of the episode, but instead it carried on and sort of negated the impact that it should have had on the viewer. Hopefully that's not a continuing theme of the show as that's just either bad writing

Spoiler

the bit where the old man tries to inform the CDC in the airport with explicit details that no one else could have known, and thus he would have or should have been arrested and interrogated for knowing sensitive details over how an plane of people are dead, instead he was just looked at like a crazy loon and arrested for that. Weak.

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or bad directing or both. It was otherwise very good

[Pistolero]

Shite.

[Yiannis]

Shite.

Not yet imo but I can see the tendency towards being that in the future episodes.

[Redman0151]

Shite.

Judging a series on 1 episode is stupid

[Titi Camara]

Spoiler

the bit where the old man tries to inform the CDC in the airport with explicit details that no one else could have known, and thus he would have or should have been arrested and interrogated for knowing sensitive details over how an plane of people are dead, instead he was just looked at like a crazy loon and arrested for that. Weak.

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Been a while since I read the book but I think this is pretty much what happens.....that said GDT did co-write the book as well

Can't wait for Gus to get gangsta on these fangers homie

[dave 5516]

Shite.

Ring any bells?   

The comic book violence was ok...the comic book acting less so..unfortunately it was the unconvincing lead character (part Gareth Bale part Dick & Dom) that wouldnt allow me to suspend my disbelief long enough to accept the programme's ludicrous central premise..

it was underrated for a reason...it was fuckin shite

The strangest thing has happened...Ive actually starting looking forward to, and enjoying each epsiode


one of the most improved series on the box for me.......bit darker and at times slower paced than the first season but still keeping the B Movie/trash ethic going...shagging quota has reduced drastically though...sort it out Hood!

[Pistolero]

Ring any bells?   

The comic book violence was ok...the comic book acting less so..unfortunately it was the unconvincing lead character (part Gareth Bale part Dick & Dom) that wouldnt allow me to suspend my disbelief long enough to accept the programme's ludicrous central premise..

it was underrated for a reason...it was fuckin shite

The strangest thing has happened...Ive actually starting looking forward to, and enjoying each epsiode


one of the most improved series on the box for me.......bit darker and at times slower paced than the first season but still keeping the B Movie/trash ethic going...shagging quota has reduced drastically though...sort it out Hood!

distant bells maybe  ......if the second season of The Strain (yeah, like thats goanner happen) ...shows the same increase in quality that Banshee did...I'll revise my opinion.....as it stands, that first episode was a load of shite....corny, badly shot, poorly written and terribly acted.

Fangs can only get better.

[Mouth]

Production value wise, it was a bit cheap looking and very clichéd. In general it just wasn't very well written.

Spoiler

Court appointed therapy session, at 8.30pm, no nine to five for these people. Lets just kill this dude and mash his head in, leave him in a puddle of body fluid where he drops and no one will find the body in a busy airport in the middle of a security alert. I'll just do this autopsy in the morgue with all the lights turned off and a blue light on, because it will look spooky oooooh.

Corey Stoll wasn't great, which is a surprise as he is an ok actor, possibly the quality of the writing and direction more than him, it was weird seeing him with hair as well.

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One thing that really pissed me off was the way it was lit. It was straight out of the Michael Bay school of music video shite. Obviously meant to make it atmospheric and moody, but it didn't, it just looked cheap and fake. Everything was dark and wet down, then lit with weird colours, like loads of fucking yellow, red and blue from weird angles. Hey welcome to our baggage warehouse, that pretty much runs 24 hours a day, but at night we turn on yellow lights or work in the dark.

Since I've bothered to watch the first one, I'll give it a chance, but I don't hold out much hope for improvement.

[Macphisto80]

It reminds me of a Steven King straight to TV adaptation. That's not to say it's a bad thing, but shite acting, screenplay et al are all par for the course. The Strain comes across like a production from another era, late 80's early 90's. Not sure if that's intentional or not.

[Red_Irishman]

God the acting was pretty much awful all around in this one.

Not bad premise and I did sort of enjoy it but it's littered with stupid shit throughout. For example, the fella in the airport with the picture frame of his daughter, the incident had only happened about an hour earlier. it's like he said "oh, I'm off the the airport.  better bring this picture frame with me, just incase" really annoys me that shit.

[Yiannis]

For example, the fella in the airport with the picture frame of his daughter, the incident had only happened about an hour earlier. it's like he said "oh, I'm off the the airport.  better bring this picture frame with me, just incase" really annoys me that shit.

 

[Mouth]

It reminds me of a Steven King straight to TV adaptation. That's not to say it's a bad thing, but shite acting, screenplay et al are all par for the course. The Strain comes across like a production from another era, late 80's early 90's. Not sure if that's intentional or not.

Hahaha I actually thought that as well and went to check the source on it to see if it was his.

God the acting was pretty much awful all around in this one.

Not bad premise and I did sort of enjoy it but it's littered with stupid shit throughout. For example, the fella in the airport with the picture frame of his daughter, the incident had only happened about an hour earlier. it's like he said "oh, I'm off the the airport.  better bring this picture frame with me, just incase" really annoys me that shit.

Its not even the 'just in case' its like hello, wouldn't he have been there to meet the plane when it was arriving? Or did he wait until he heard there was a problem and went oh yeah my kid is on that plane, better go collect her, I'll need this framed picture or I wont recognise her. Oh god and the slap as well, what the fuck was that, just terrible, terrible writing.

Saw that its based on books by Del Toro, that he had tried to get it made as a tv show, but it got knocked back so he made it into a book. I can fucking see why it was knocked back.

[Titi Camara]

Saw that its based on books by Del Toro, that he had tried to get it made as a tv show, but it got knocked back so he made it into a book. I can fucking see why it was knocked back.

The books are great, imho, which is why I want this show to be quality!

It does read a touch like a fleshed out screen play though!

[dave 5516]

I so wanted this to be three films as I thought tv wouldn't do the books justice...looks like I was right.
 
Too much information shoved into one episode..was it really necessary.

It looked awful..it's an hd world we live in and it looked like it was shot by the same crew that did Salem's Lot.

I'm not impressed at all,and I wanted this to be a success as I thought the most interesting part of the books was the vampire physiology..the apparent evolution,a retractible proboscis along with the worms is a new slant on vampires as leeches.

I'll watch it until....

[Spongebob Redpants]

Ha - getting quite the mixed bag of opinions !

Thought it was OK but a bit hit and miss . The lead male was more wooden than a fuckin Woodentop . Maybe he was just a bit stressed what with it being a frightfull situation .

[Yiannis]

Didn't know Del Toro directed it. He has directed the next two as well.
 
Hope it gets better in the next episodes. Del Toro has created some lofty standards since his excellent work at Pan's Labyrinth. I know... different things but there are some expectations.
He must love the supernatural elements in his projects, doesn't he?

[Titi Camara]

Didn't know Del Toro directed it. He has directed the next two as well.
 
Hope it gets better in the next episodes. Del Toro has created some lofty standards since his excellent work at Pan's Labyrinth. I know... different things but there are some expectations.
He must love the supernatural elements in his projects, doesn't he?

GDT was only on board to do the first episode, David Semel (who directs single/double/triple episodes of stuff like Hannibal and American Horror Story) is in the chair for the next two, then the buck is passed again.

GDT does have lofty standards but he's also massively fucking busy juggling loads of different projects, maybe that's why the pilot felt rushed and muddled or maybe the fact that he never got to do a Jackson and turn this into a trilogy meant he didn't give this the attention it deserved.

Either way there's no doubting it's not what fans were hoping for but maybe, just maybe the next couple of episodes will establish better pacing, acting, lighting, directing and mood (not much of an ask then). Only a few days till we start to know which way this is going to go....

[Macphisto80]

The second episode is pretty solid. It was better directed, slower paced with better acting and writing. Hopefully it retains that throughout.

[Titi Camara]

The second episode is pretty solid. It was better directed, slower paced with better acting and writing. Hopefully it retains that throughout.

My thoughts exactly. I thought the little one on one between the Nazi and the Jew was the highlight!

[Titi Camara]

Did anyone else make it to episode 2 or is it just me and Mac lol

[dave 5516]

Enjoyed last nights ep.

Pacing was much better and the new character intro was better than the rushed effort from last week.

[Titi Camara]

Enjoyed last nights ep.

Pacing was much better and the new character intro was better than the rushed effort from last week.

I think in hindsight GDT should've stepped back from this and just been an exec, as he's probably done more harm than good. I know no one likes giving up one of their pets but he should've known he didn't have the time or attention to spare to do it justice.

That said his involvement obviously got this off the floor.

Hopefully the improvements continue! Vasiliy's the boss in the books and his introduction was fantastic. Can't wait for him and Gus to start busting heads!

[dave 5516]

I think in hindsight GDT should've stepped back from this and just been an exec, as he's probably done more harm than good. I know no one likes giving up one of their pets but he should've known he didn't have the time or attention to spare to do it justice.

That said his involvement obviously got this off the floor.

Hopefully the improvements continue! Vasiliy's the boss in the books and his introduction was fantastic. Can't wait for him and Gus to start busting heads!

I think you called it right last week..it was to to keep people entertained... that amount of info takes a long time to develop in the book as you know.....people need tv to be simple I find.

The little story during the prison visit takes place 2/3 rds of the way into the book iirc.

The problem is fitting the book into 13 episodes whilst entertaining viewers and keeping the book readers happy and making quality tv.

I'm enjoying the ride.

I might re-read the books soon..it's been a while.

[Titi Camara]

I might re-read the books soon..it's been a while.

I bought The Passage and The Twelve today, and no, not the porno versions!

[dave 5516]

I bought The Passage and The Twelve today, and no, not the porno versions!

]The Passage has a passage were nowt happens for chapters and you're tempted to put it down...don't.

I loved both books and the finale is my most anticipated release for this year.

[Redman0151]

Thought it was ok

Spoiler

I struggled to understand what the monster thing was saying though, and a couple things seemed a bit far fetched. For example not a single person reporting to the news that the 200 people pronounced dead had showed up home in a 24 hour period, or the CDC being overruled to allow the survivors to go home, or nobody else showing up at the mortuary for a full day.

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Still, it's interesting enough to stay with it

[Titi Camara]

I loved both books and the finale is my most anticipated release for this year.

That's why I bought them you clown

A clown on a bike full of EPO you may be but you do have good taste

[dave 5516]

That's why I bought them you clown

A clown on a bike full of EPO you may be but you do have good taste

The point of post was that after the opening to the book it feels like the story is drifting aimlessly(bit like you  ) and you'll think this is going nowhere...but it's really worth with sticking with.

Coco...out.

[Red_Irishman]

They should have just called it 'The Stain'

[dave 5516]

Developing nicely....boss ending.

Rob...you start the Cronin books yet,little brother?

[Titi Camara]

Developing nicely....boss ending.

Rob...you start the Cronin books yet,little brother?

Nope I'm about 1/4 through another book I've just started, I've also bought One Three One...not sure what I'll pick up next but it'll be read before the end of the summer! When's the finale coming out?

On the Strain....feel like I've been spoilt with all this hour long HBO shizzle of late...when today's episode finished I was like "no way was that a fucking hour" and I was right lol

[dave 5516]

Nope I'm about 1/4 through another book I've just started, I've also bought One Three One...not sure what I'll pick up next but it'll be read before the end of the summer! When's the finale coming out?

On the Strain....feel like I've been spoilt with all this hour long HBO shizzle of late...when today's episode finished I was like "no way was that a fucking hour" and I was right lol

Cope?

I  remember him from Erics and Probe...crank.

October 23.

[Redman0151]

Best episode so far IMO

[Titi Camara]

Cope?

I  remember him from Erics and Probe...crank.

Yep, spotted it in this thread and it sounded right up my street! First time I've heard of him in any capacity though....
http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=314596.msg12898854#msg12898854

Best episode so far IMO

Hopefully the upward trajectory continues for ther rest of the season

[RedSince86]

Awesome episode,loving this show.

[Spongebob Redpants]

Pretty decent - seems to have settled down .