Support NeoGAF

[JDSN]

The people complaining about dumb choices done by characters remind me of the ones that always show up in threads saying that there is no such thing as the bystander effect and they would probably do something badass and suicidal to help some stranger. The taxi was fucking dumb and so are many dumb characters on this dumbass show, but Hassam is pretty much a way of saying that people that cant adapt to the rapid crumble of a "civilized" society will be the first to go, the guy's world is that small booth and the need to do continue asking for cash is him looking comfort in things familiar to him so he can continue denying reality.

The same can be said to Eph to some degree, a guy that is at the top of the game just cant deal with the fact the fact that not only he isnt #1 but that everything he knows has been made obsolete by this infection.

And yes, now that I complained about pedantry its my time to be a hypocrite and say this: Nora, cut that nonsense about food scarcity, you lived in Buenos Aires, not fucking Africa.

 

[WARP10CK]

I really enjoy this show though despite a few shortcomings and I am kinda hooked

 

[RatskyWatsky]

It really can't be overstated just how horrendous the writing is on this show.

In retrospect I don't get why FX bothered to greenlight this show.

The horror genre is among the least popular genres in books and film so taking on this genre on TV even with the success of the Walking Dead is a risk.

FX likes to take risks. Also, American Horror Story sez hi.

I still wonder how FX thought this would be a good idea

The show is entertaining and has some awesome moments

entertaining and awesome

Well there you go.

Looks like we are almost at the Walking Dead level on the craptacular-o-meter.

This show is significantly worse than The Walking Dead.

There's nothing else on Sundays on basic cable.

lol

 

[trinest]

I'm happy there are monsters running around now instead of like one or two in like different areas. Seems shit has hit the fan.

 

[Vert boil]

This show is significantly worse than The Walking Dead.

 

[Intheflorsh]

Glad I gave up on this show. It's way too easy to get caught up in the "maybe it will get better next week" cycle.

 

[Sojgat]

Really liked this episode.

The group stumbling into the same petrol station store as hacker lady seemed far too convenient though.

 

[Duallusion]

I'm trying to like it but compared to a whole bunch of quality TV these days writing just comes of as B or even C level.

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

I'm trying to like it but compared to a whole bunch of quality TV these days writing just comes of as B or even C level.

Not everything has to be AAA quality.

 

[Revolver]

I was ready to bail on this show but the last couple of episodes hooked me back in. The vampire extermination squad last week and Fet and Setrakian teaming up to kick butt this week will keep me around for a bit. It's still a dumb show with awful writing but at least now it seems to be getting fun.

 

[wildfire]

Your inability to handle the truth makes the characters in the Strain more believable.

 

[Krowley]

Not everything has to be AAA quality.

Exactly.

This show is basically 70's and 80s B-Movie horror directly translated to TV, and it's one of the funnest new shows of the year IMO.

For people who can appreciate cult cinema, this show is an absolute blast. The characters are wonderfully over the top. The suspense is real, the scares are genuine. Sometimes people do stupid things, sometimes the plot gets a little bit dumb, but this is the kind of horror where I just let stuff like that roll off my back. It would be like complaining about the acting in a porno movie.

 

[Paulee]

I thought the last episode was weak but I liked the last 2 - 3 ep

 

[Skinny Pete]

Who were those swat team vamps? Def has me intrigued.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

http://a.pomf.se/txibuh.webm

 

[Vert boil]

Your inability to handle the truth makes the characters in the Strain more believable.

http://a.pomf.se/txibuh.webm

 

[dead souls]

This show is significantly worse than The Walking Dead.

Love ya Rats but I couldn't disagree with you more here. The Strain is completely terrible but at least something is happening and there's some plot momentum. It's entertaining if you shut your brain off and just roll with it.

On the other hand, I literally have trouble making it through episodes of The Walking Dead due to how boring it is. It's almost painful to watch.

 

[Thatonemoor]

Now that Falling Skies is on it's year break (I don't know why I put myself through that crap) this show has me tied down for the rest of the summer. It's not the best show but I do indeed enjoy it, silly moments like that driver getting out of the car to fight vampires puts a smile on my face.

 

[PhoenixSFT]

Yes, the writing is awful. But damn, this show moves quickly and it has Fet. Team Fet forever!

 

[Deified Data]

I was on vacation last week so I had to get caught up this week, so two weeks of impressions:

+ Best scene of the series thus far: Eichorst's drunken rant in the Setrakian flashback.
+ They finally met Fet! And his interactions with the group so far have been amazing.
+ Jim finally died - this has been scheduled to happen for a while and when Eph fished the worm out of his face I thought he cheated death again, but no such luck for ol' Jim Cunt.
+

Spoiler

Quinlan

looks amazing. Glad to see they're introducing him early.

- God fucking dammit that 1337 haxxor grrrl needs to die. She's a unique character to the show and frankly I have no clue what they're going for with her. The whole "there's something wrong with the internet" thing has always bugged me, but it's been pretty easy to ignore so far. But now we have a walking, talking reminder. I love the show but my enjoyment will take a hit if she joins the regular cast.

 

[Dan]

I'll say this, I'm still watching The Strain while I quit The Walking Dead after seven episodes. The Strain at least appears to be settling in into being fun while being bad. The Walking Dead, at that point, chose only to be dumb and frustrating, despite having a phenomenal pilot.

Fucking lookout Dale having a mile of visibility and not noticing a zombie herd until they were 30 meters away was the final straw.

 

[Doc Holliday]

The Strain knows their show is about awesome looking vampires and people hunting them down. The Walking dead focuses on it's shitty characters.

Also part of the zombie fascination is seeing how how the world actually succumbed to the zombie apocalypse. Walking dead skips all the cool shit :/

 

[xenist]

The Walking Dead thinks it's a serious show when it clearly isn't. A trait it shares with the comic. This doesn't.

Point to The Strain.

 

[Lorcain]

Exactly.

This show is basically 70's and 80s B-Movie horror directly translated to TV, and it's one of the funnest new shows of the year IMO.

For people who can appreciate cult cinema, this show is an absolute blast. The characters are wonderfully over the top. The suspense is real, the scares are genuine. Sometimes people do stupid things, sometimes the plot gets a little bit dumb, but this is the kind of horror where I just let stuff like that roll off my back. It would be like complaining about the acting in a porno movie.

Well said. There's a No Fun Allowed vibe I'm getting from people expecting a television masterpiece with well crafted dialogue and direction. It's a goofy, fun show. I like that I get to yell at the TV in every episode.

 

[~Devil Trigger~]

Unbelievable

people actually comparing THIS show with The Walking Dead...

wow

 

[Funky Papa]

Ratsky pls.

Don't make me break out the Dickie Bennett jifs.

 

[BokehKing]

Just caught up, a big fan of the walking dead and this show, to see people pick apart the littlest things that I don't even give the time of day is hysterical, how do you enjoy any TV at all??

Anyway, great episode, I like that 90% of it was at the gas station, it's so crazy that no one else pulled up for gas, there isn't exactly a lot of gas stations around in a crowded area like Brooklyn. (but I'm not going to quit watching an awesome show over it)

Fet doing that 80's arcade, push both buttons, power move that consumes some of your life bar with those jump in the air rear smashes.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Unbelievable

people actually comparing THIS show with The Walking Dead...

wow

I'm now afraid to go into TWD threads.

Apparently, all of GAF is homicidal.

 

[Alpende]

Really liked the episode with the SWAT vamps, they were badass. Too bad they didn't come back in the latest episode. Vasili is still a badass, dude knows what to do. Eichorst is a great character imo, I loved how the sound of their surroundings cut off when Eichorst threatened Jim in Grand Central.

I need moar badass SWAT vampire hunters.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Love ya Rats but I couldn't disagree with you more here. The Strain is completely terrible but at least something is happening and there's some plot momentum. It's entertaining if you shut your brain off and just roll with it.

Eh, but just barely. It's constantly teetering between bad and entertainingly bad. It's mostly just bad though.

On the other hand, I literally have trouble making it through episodes of The Walking Dead due to how boring it is. It's almost painful to watch.

At least The Walking Dead strives to be more, even if it's not always successful. The Strain seems content with being shit.

Fucking lookout Dale having a mile of visibility and not noticing a zombie herd until they were 30 meters away was the final straw.

and that's worse than anything on The Strain? plz

Ratsky pls.

Don't make me break out the Dickie Bennett jifs.

papa pls

you know i have an arsenal of Ava gifs to combat you with

Unbelievable

people actually comparing THIS show with The Walking Dead...

wow

I know! The overblown TWD hate is strong.

 

[Beaulieu]

I love this show and I dont understand the hate it gets on here.

growing up on dumb horror movies from the 90s, this show is fuckin ace. cheesy as fuck and doesnt take itself to seriously = great entertainement value.

miles better than the walking dead and american horror story...

my theory is that people that dont like horror movies are into american horror story but this show is just so fuckin bad from an horror fan's perspective.

the strain is the other way around.

I wonder if there will be a second season tho, is the source material massive enough for a 2nd season ?

"Ok let's put it to a vote; who wants to stay here and die?" = awesome

 

[More_Badass]

I love this show and I dont understand the hate it gets on here.

growing up on dumb horror movies from the 90s, this show is fuckin ace. cheesy as fuck and doesnt take itself to seriously = great entertainement value.

miles better than the walking dead and american horror story...

my theory is that people that dont like horror movies are into american horror story but this show is just so fuckin bad from an horror fan's perspective.

the strain is the other way around.

I wonder if there will be a second season tho, is the source material massive enough for a 2nd season ?

"Ok let's put it to a vote; who wants to stay here and die?" = awesome

Show already got renewed for a season 2 and yeah they have three books worth of material

 

[Beaulieu]

Show already got renewed for a season 2 and yeah they have three books worth of material

but arent they already into book 2 ? i thought ive read that on here somewhere... maybe I misremember...

 

[spwolf]

Exactly.

This show is basically 70's and 80s B-Movie horror directly translated to TV, and it's one of the funnest new shows of the year IMO.

For people who can appreciate cult cinema, this show is an absolute blast. The characters are wonderfully over the top. The suspense is real, the scares are genuine. Sometimes people do stupid things, sometimes the plot gets a little bit dumb, but this is the kind of horror where I just let stuff like that roll off my back. It would be like complaining about the acting in a porno movie.

It is not supposed to be like this though... B-movie horror was good because it was meant to be bad. This was not. There is quite large difference between a cheesy horror flick and simply bad writing.

But i have learned to ignore the bad points and just enjoy the show.

 

[wildfire]

It is not supposed to be like this though... B-movie horror was good because it was meant to be bad. This was not.

Actually it was meant to be bad. Someone posted an interview of GDT saying he wanted to bring back some of the charm of the horror shlock. The reason you and originally I thought this was supposed to be serious is due to the fact it is on the FX Network who don't have shows having severe writing flaws like this one does for the first 3 seasons.

I could only imagine the hate this show would get if it was on HBO.

 

[Beaulieu]

It is not supposed to be like this though... B-movie horror was good because it was meant to be bad. This was not. There is quite large difference between a cheesy horror flick and simply bad writing.

But i have learned to ignore the bad points and just enjoy the show.

lol... not sure if serious.
this is clearly meant to be cheesy and an hommage to 80s-90s movies.

and do you really think directors of 80s B movies wanted their movies to be bad ??

 

[bomb]

The Strain knows their show is about awesome looking vampires and people hunting them down. The Walking dead focuses on it's shitty characters.

Also part of the zombie fascination is seeing how how the world actually succumbed to the zombie apocalypse. Walking dead skips all the cool shit :/

Exactly. The Stain knows its campy. Thats why its fun. Walking Dead takes itself far too serious and is stuck with low grade actors that have a very hard time convincing me.

 

[Carbonox]

I was hoping the vampire hit squad would appear to take down all the vampires but then I guess it's too early to introduce them to the main cast given they only just appeared in the episode before.

It was an alright episode. Fet is boss though.

 

[Whide]

Should I watch this show if i liked TWD?

 

[Alpende]

Should I watch this show if i liked TWD?

Sure. Give the first couple of episodes a go.

 

[spwolf]

lol... not sure if serious.
this is clearly meant to be cheesy and an hommage to 80s-90s movies.

and do you really think directors of 80s B movies wanted their movies to be bad ??

nope, this just feels like bad writing, period. Not cute bad, simply bad.

But they you could always spin it that they meant for it to be bad...

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

nope, this just feels like bad writing, period. Not cute bad, simply bad.

But they you could always spin it that they meant for it to be bad...

So bad it's good only works when it's unintentional.
I can't tell if the level of stupid is intentional, or if they thought it was actually logical in the face of danger to react like some of these people.

Either way I'm enjoying it for what it is, and that is big budget B-Horror movie in episodic TV format.

 

[TheOddOne]

New episode today:

Season 1: episode 9 "The Disappeared"

Spoiler

Eph races to protect his family. Meanwhile, Gus is forced to make a difficult decision about Felix.

 

[SniperHunter]

New episode today:

Cant wait.

 

[Jarrod38]

New episode in a few.

 

[Draconian]

Glad I gave up on this show. It's way too easy to get caught up in the "maybe it will get better next week" cycle.

And we're oh so glad you came in here just to tell us you stopped watching.

 

[Jarrod38]

Well at least the kid has some smarts.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

Fucck yea

 

[Baroquemantic]

Must have felt good in some way doing that to the boyfriend. Also, that hair looks like it's about to slip right on off his head, haha.

 

[Draconian]

Hahaha we need a gif of that bologna.