The Strain‘s second episode picks up where the first left off, and also does not hold back at all when it comes to the gore, having the CDC and Dr. Goodweather attempting to figure out what crushed a man’s head. Then there’s an issue with the quarantined individuals being let loose.

The second episode is still setting up what’s to come, and the various players involved. The comic, and story, was very much an ensemble cast and we’re still just meeting, and getting to know everyone. No one person saves the world in this story, it’s a group effort, and a lot of those people aren’t exactly likeable.

One thing that plays out solidly in this second episode is Goodweather and how his personal life’s issues affect his work life. He has a family melting down, a son he’s trying to not let down. Goodweather is actually not super likeable, there’s something very grating about him. But, he has his moments, especially when dealing with his son. And then there’s something towards the end of the episode, that really opens Eph up a lot. This is a perfect example of the slow reveal of the show.

And that’s the show as a whole so far. This isn’t a quick show at all. Reveals come slowly and calculated. If you need a horror story with lots of quick scares, this isn’t it… yet. The show is as much about the virus, the terror that causes society to melt down, as it is about someone’s personal life melting down. And that goes for everyone whose life is explored.

What’s interesting for me watching the show is knowing a lot of what’s coming, but how it plays out on television is really interesting, especially since we’re seeing personalities come to life.

The show has been slow so far, but the payoffs are coming.

Overall Score: 7.75

The Strain is a horror thriller that tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. As the strain spreads, Eph, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers, wage war for the fate of humanity itself. The first episode kicks off when a commercial airliner lands and stands silent, Goodweather investigates the plane to find that the passengers are infected by a vile plague, setting up the chaos that is to come.

The television show is based on the 2009 vampire horror novel by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan which has three volumes released. Its been since adapted into comic books released by Dark Horse Comics. While I haven’t read the books it’s all based on, I have read everything Dark Horse has released so far, which is nice to compare it all to, as both that and the television series have a visual component. While they share a lot, the comic fans will have something to enjoy as the television’s pilot episode expands a bit upon what was in the comic, but is familiar enough.

The series, which airs on FX, is pretty brutal, with some gruesome scenes that I was shocked to see even on the channel. That’s great, as it tells me the viewer to not expect the series to hold anything back. What’s interesting though is seeing these characters, who I’ve only read their dialogue, play out on the screen. The personalities I envisioned were there, with some characters I thought being dicks, being portrayed exactly that way.

What the series really does well is handle the viral aspect of it all. The idea of vampire as virus has been handled in numerous stories before, but this one really does it well, especially with the use of the CDC as one of the driving forces. The idea of the virus, and terror of one spreading unforeseen is present throughout much of the episode, it’s a dread that works beyond well ramping up the tension with each passing minute.

What’s also nice is the series basically lays it out there as to what’s going on. The big bad is seen, how this particular pathogen is spread is somewhat explained. There are some dots that need to be connected, but overall, it’s there for us from almost the beginning. While we know what’s going on, part of the fun, and entertainment, is seeing how Goodweather and his team figure it out for themselves…. as well as seeing the greater conspiracy.

Much like a virus the episode sets up the seeds to grow and expand with a few plot lines and enough characters to keep us entertained and looking forward to where the series goes. As a debut goes, there’s more than enough to get me to come back for more.

Overall Score: 8