Last week’s episode of “The Strain” was chock full of information via flashbacks on the history between our little Nazi Vamp and all time party pooper, Herr Eichorst (Richard Sammel) and our sword wielding concentration camp survivor, Abraham Setrakian (David Bradley). While Guz was stuck in jail with his infected friend, Neeva and the Luss children are saved by ninja vamps. All this action has made me thirsty. Let’s stop by the convenience store… we should be safe, right?
Looter
After Eichorst escapes from Setrakian and Ephraim, they figure out that besides being dark and dank, Grand Central’s tunnels are the perfect hide out for a Strigoi. It is night time and they need an edge. Ephraim, Jim, Setrakian and Nora break into a building to steal as many UV lamps as they can carry out when they bump into Fet the terminating exterminator.
Fet has already figured out that sunlight kills the vampires and now he’s collecting his own lamps. He joins Setrakian’s team and after loading his truck with UV lamps, they all head over to the corner convenience store for some snacks and lotto tickets. Hey, I know the world is ending, but you can still win.
Dutch
Surprise, surprise! Guess who’s in the convenience store? Yep, it’s Palmer’s Hacker friend, Dutch Velders (Ruta Gedmintus), and she’s thinking maybe she shouldn’t have crippled the internet especially when the convenience store is surrounded by hungry newbie Strigoi. I’m not sure if Dutch will betray our gang later on in the series, but right now she’s on their side.
While Fet and Setrakian discuss the different methods of killing a vampire, the bread salesman and Dutch make a break for the bread truck. Ephraim and Jim save Dutch, but Jim is scratched by one of the stingers. Will he be infected?
Shelter
I guess it really doesn’t matter if the monster you’re facing is a zombie or a Strigoi as long as you have a safe place to stay. The convenience store has enough food, water, and smokes to last until help can reach you, but the store also has too many windows. The newly turned vampires are a bit unorganized and clumsy, but that is changing as more mature ones begin to show up. Setrakian does his best cutting down their numbers with his silver sword, but more keep showing up. Setrakian is like the senior citizen version of Michonne with that sword.
Jim
In one of their attempts to flee the store and get to their truck, Nora notices something moving under Jim’s cheek. Yep, he’s infected, but it looks like there is only worm. While the vampires try to get in through the heating system and cut off the power to the store, Ephraim does a wormectomy on Jim with a box cutter.
Conclusion
Why do some of the vampires look like zombie extras from “The Walking Dead”? Except for the stinger, they can pass for your average run of the mill shuffling dead. I like the show, but there are certain things that drive me crazy like Stoll’s hair piece and Vasiliy Fet’s forced accent. Stoll is a good looking man with or without hair, but wardrobe needs to do a better job.
Ephraim’s constant doubting of the situation is irritating. They are surrounded by vampires and Eph doesn’t believe that the master vampire is aware of what’s going on? Come on, Ephraim haven’t you ever been to a creature double feature?
Jim didn’t make it; too many worms. That’s a shame because Sean Astin was the most believable character in this episode. He was frightened and you felt his fear and his hopelessness when he realized he had received a death sentence. While Ephraim talks about a medical cure, Fet takes matters into his own hand and kills Jim.
Dutch has hooked up with Setrakian and the gang and they’ve made their getaway in the bread truck. I did enjoy Fet’s waiting for a credit card authorization to pump gasoline as the Strigoi surrounded him. Things like that would happen in real life. I was kind of expecting the Ninja Strigoi to show up, but no luck. Maybe they’ll make an appearance next week.
See you next week, my little zombie snacks, and don’t forget to buy some UV lights.
I actually think when the creatures mouths open up and their weird tongues come out they look like the scientist zombie from resident evil or the altered vampires that the vampires and humans team up against from the blade sequel.
Hi Ronald, I’ll need to check those films out again. Thank you for your support of Biff Bam Pop and I hope you’re liking The Strain
That scene with the gas pump had me laughing way too much. End of the world, might as well pick premium 😀
So true, Tim. So true!!