'The Strain' – Season 1 (2014)



So you're probably wondering what happened to the 'Doctor Who' post for today. Or maybe you're not wondering that at all, maybe that's the worst thing about this blog for you, I don't know... ;o)
Either way, the bottom line is that I'm running low on classic Doctor Who DVDs (I've got maybe two left...) and I don't know when I'll be able to get any more so I've got to make what I have last for a bit longer.
What's a chap to do in the meantime though...?

Well, I do watch other stuff :o) One of my favourite shows, of the last few years, has been 'The Strain' and last year I treated myself to the complete box set (only after a thorough search on eBay though, for some reason getting hold of 'The Strain' on DVD can be hellishly expensive). Now seemed like as a good a time as any to do a rewatch so that's what I've been up to these last few days. Well, for Season One anyway. There will be more posts to follow but for now, lets take a look at Season One, shall we...?

A plane lands on the tarmac at JFK airport which wouldn't really be a big deal at all if it wasn't for the fact that everyone on board is dead. Or are they...?
The CDC's Canary Team are scrambled and find survivors on board the plane. Something is seriously wrong with these survivors though and if that wasn't bad enough, the dead bodies aren't staying dead either. As Doctor Goodweather and his team race to find the cause of the disease, they may already be too late if they don't listen to the warnings of an elderly pawnbroker. Abraham Setrakian has seen this happen before but this time, his arch-enemy has enlisted the help of the world's richest man to help his darkest dream become a reality...

I'm a sucker for a televised apocalypse where humanity's inability to either see what is coming or to work together in order to stop it is the cause of much ensuing chaos and death. Having just said that, I've looked out of the window and realised maybe that wasn't the best thing to say right now... Look, I'm talking about TV. It's ok when it's on TV, you can turn off the TV when it all gets a bit much. But anyway...

What I love about this season in particular is that it is all driven by either people's stupidity, greed or inability to look past the rational to see what is really happening in the sewers and in the dark places of Manhattan. Every time something happens to give you a little bit of hope, someone does something to destroy that, either for money or the promise of a reward to come, or even by doing what they think is the right thing for their family. Even the approach of treating the outbreak like a disease to be counterproductive as it's not a disease at all. And all the while, the enemy grows in power because the people of this rational age cannot believe the possibility that he might exist. It makes for TV that is incredibly easy to keep watching, a constant drip feed of hope that is washed away almost immediately. You want to keep watching in the hope that it all turns out ok but you also know that this won't happen so you keep watching to see how bad things can get. And it gets pretty bad, just in one season.

The characters may not be likeable but they are relatable and react to the growing crisis in ways that you could see happening in real life. Having said that, I'm not sure how easily I'd take to chopping heads off and certain characters are a little too ready to indulge in that behaviour; I can see it with Setrakian as he's had to do it for most of his life, others though... I'm not too sure (I'm looking at you Fet). It does make for some great action scenes though so I can't complain too much and the examination of Goodweather and Martinez' reactions at having to kill (people who they would normally try to save) make up for the excesses of others. Special 'villain mention' goes to Richard Sammel's Thomas Eichorst, who practically chews the scenery (and supporting cast...) and is just the kind of villain that a show like this needs.

On the whole, Season One of 'The Strain' is a detailed look at how an outbreak of the supernatural would be tackled in today's rational society, and how this would be entirely the wrong approach to take. 'The Strain' only ran for four seasons so you're not signing up for a particularly long haul either. I'll be starting on Season Two tonight.

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