The Strain‘s fifth episode quickly gets us caught up on Abraham’s history, and how he knows so much about what’s going on. We’re also shown some of the survivors, and how they’re handling their transformation, which is to say… not well.

The episode dances around the various forces gathering, both good and evil, but it’s success and strength lays with the interactions and learning more about everyone. This is the first episode where Eph and Abraham team up, learning from each other about what’s going on. It’s interesting mixing a man of science and the other who has seen horrors first hand. There’s also Dr. Martinez who we learn a bit more about her mother.

As a whole, the episode has a nice mix of action and scares. What it has a ton of also is heart. The center and strength of the story is the individuals and their lives. That what keeps the show going, and sets it apart from just being another show with vampires.

Five episodes in, and this is the strongest episode so far of a series that’s getting better as it goes along.

Overall Score: 8