'The Strain' – Season 4 (2017)



And with this last post, I need to find another TV show to talk about on a Saturday... I'm still saving my Doctor Who DVDs for after Lockdown finishes, whenever that might be, and I'm not quite ready for a 'Game of Thrones' re-watch (soon though...) so lets see what next Saturday brings us.
In the meantime though, we're onto the last season of 'The Strain' and it's kind of refreshing to see a TV show just tell it's story, and then come to a natural end, rather than drag it out for several seasons. This one could have gone on for at least a couple more seasons of humans fighting Strigoi but that would just been treading water Nope, the story is the important thing here and it's done now. Lets talk about it a bit, shall we?

It's been several months since the bomb went off and under overcast skies, humans and Strigoi are now living in an uneasy partnership, or are they? The resistance to the Strigoi is greatly diminished but still active and they are about to uncover the truth behind the Partnership. The Master's plan has finally come to fruition, is there any way back for humanity? There may be a way but it will require the biggest sacrifice of all.

We're in the endgame now and Season 4 sets about revealing the Master's plan and then tying up any loose ends on the the way to the Season (and Series) finale. The Master's plan has been pretty heavily signposted the whole way so it's no big surprise but to actually see it in action... That's some pretty heavy stuff and a little lesson that mankind really is doomed to repeat its mistakes if the right lies are told. We're also shown that people will do, and believe, anything, in order to justify their actions if it means their survival (I'm looking at you Mr Desai). Working with the Strigoi really does bring out the worst in people but the real life parallels mean you will have no sympathy for those who are 'only following orders'. If you're anything like me, you'll feel a little satisfaction when these people get what is coming to them. You will see some nasty things and there are no punches spared here, the way it should be if a message like this is to really get through.

The story itself is headed towards a conclusion that is fairly predictable but has one last twist in the tale that sees a leading character achieve some redemption and saw my heartstrings get tugged on, just a little bit. What is good is seeing the resistance keep plugging away, never giving up on finding a way to defeat the Master. What is just plain awesome is the final showdown between Setrakian and Eichorst. Again, you know how it will end but it's the way that it happens that had me on the edge of my seat and then doing a little cheer, even though this is a rewatch. What happens after that is inevitable but even though the war isn't over by that point, someone deserved to be able to rest and you can't begrudge them that.

After that point, it's a mad rush to the finale and everything gets tied up in a way that actually doesn't seem contrived at all. Everyone's story is told and while some people don't find what they are looking for, the fact that they're still able to look is conclusion enough for them. Their story has been told, it's time to leave our survivors to whatever comes next.

Season 4 then is a fitting conclusion to an original take on vampires and the evil that they can foster in humans. The whole series is on Amazon Prime and I really recommend you give it a go if you haven't already.


Here are my previous posts for previous seasons...

 Season 1
Season 2
Season 3

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