slyc_willie
Captain Crash
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2006
- Posts
- 17,732
I finally had a chance to watch the pilot episode of The Strain, Guillermo del Toro's TV series finally come to life. I haven't read the books, and I'm tempted not to, because I either don't want to be privy to potential upcoming developments, or because I don't want to rail at the TV at things the show has decided not to include. I remind myself that del Toro initially wanted this story to be a TV series, and the book series that initially came out was a result of taking what he could get. At least, that's my take.
Anyway . . . .
I love that The Strain blurs the lines between the conventional science drama, in which the story is about the intricacies of biology and so forth, and the supernatural. This show is both Andromeda Strain and Dracula, without giving too much precedence to either side of the coin. On the one hand is the main character and his CDC team trying to figure out why 206 out of 210 passengers on an international flight wound up dead and the other four apparently fine and dandy. On the other is the presence of a mysterious group that has engineered the smuggling of a nine-foot-long coffin, filled with decrepit earth and aggressive, worm-like creatures, onto the same plane and into Manhattan.
There are definitely two stories melding into one with this series, and two outlooks that will, supposedly, come together. One is the strictly scientific way, the other is the superstitious, "old school" way.
Fans of Bram Stoker and conventional vampiric lore will recognize certain elements to the storyline. The coffin filled with earth, for example. The fact that said coffin needs to be transported across a river by vehicle (because vampires, as we know, cannot cross moving water on their own). The supposed death and rebirth of the victims on the plane, and their predatory tendencies once they awaken.
Thankfully, these "vampires" don't seem to be invisible in a mirror, nor are they pretty, rich, and basically indestructible while lamenting about their immortal status and how they could wipe out humanity if they didn't need humans as a food source.
Thank God for that.
Instead, there's a blending of vampiric convention with modern realism. These "vampires" both are and are not what popular media has depicted. They certainly depend on spreading their presence through close contact -- injecting the wormlike parasite into a victim's neck -- but don't do so in a pretty way. The last few minutes of the first episode, if you've seen it, makes the viewer cringe.
At the same time, there is some deliberate interjection of vampiric lore. One of the central characters, an old man who runs a pawn shop and is apparently a Jew who survived the WWII concentration camps, possesses knowledge of these creatures and insists that those infected must not only be burned, but beheaded as well. He even carries a sword cane with an intricate serpentine hilt, leading us to believe his sword will come into use throughout the series.
All in all, The Strain seems to be doing a pretty good job of transposing the usual vampire shtick into a modern, scientific, frame. Admittedly, the scientific aspects have been "Hollywoodized," but the jargon and settings are adequate enough. The viewer gets the sense that there are two different viewpoints being expressed with this show.
And I'm liking how they're doing it.
For me, personally, it's refreshing to see someone break away from the "hot, young, hip, eternally gorgeous and rich" vampire crap as hashed out by Rice, Hamilton, and Tatopoulos (of the Underworld movies). I never liked that take on vampires, who were originally viewed and described as little more than parasites in the cultures of the world. And I have to admit that a show like The Strain is something of a smack in the face of those who prefer such prettied-up vampire fare.
Highlights:
The old pawn broker (and concentration camp survivor) getting the better of a couple of thieves, before descending to his "secret lair" in the basement and giving attention to his serpentine-handled sword cane.
Ephraim Goodweather (the main character) and his relationship with an apparently self-motivated wife, her boyfriend, and his son. I love that the son remains devoted to his real dad and his estranged wife is still interested in what "Ef" is doing.
Sean Astin as Goodweather's team captain. I've always liked Astin, from way back in his "Goonie" days. Now he plays a straight-laced, commanding, in-charge king of guy . . . except he seems to be on the payroll of the shadowy organization that wants the main vamp trekked int the city.
Okay, I've gone on long enough. Suffice to say, The Strain, in my estimation, is a pretty damn good show, benefiting from both a long gestation period and an alternate interpretation in literary form. I'm hoping del Toro, the producers, and the writers have learned from what works and what doesn't regarding the printed version and are going to impress us with the TV version.
Anyway . . . .
I love that The Strain blurs the lines between the conventional science drama, in which the story is about the intricacies of biology and so forth, and the supernatural. This show is both Andromeda Strain and Dracula, without giving too much precedence to either side of the coin. On the one hand is the main character and his CDC team trying to figure out why 206 out of 210 passengers on an international flight wound up dead and the other four apparently fine and dandy. On the other is the presence of a mysterious group that has engineered the smuggling of a nine-foot-long coffin, filled with decrepit earth and aggressive, worm-like creatures, onto the same plane and into Manhattan.
There are definitely two stories melding into one with this series, and two outlooks that will, supposedly, come together. One is the strictly scientific way, the other is the superstitious, "old school" way.
Fans of Bram Stoker and conventional vampiric lore will recognize certain elements to the storyline. The coffin filled with earth, for example. The fact that said coffin needs to be transported across a river by vehicle (because vampires, as we know, cannot cross moving water on their own). The supposed death and rebirth of the victims on the plane, and their predatory tendencies once they awaken.
Thankfully, these "vampires" don't seem to be invisible in a mirror, nor are they pretty, rich, and basically indestructible while lamenting about their immortal status and how they could wipe out humanity if they didn't need humans as a food source.
Thank God for that.
Instead, there's a blending of vampiric convention with modern realism. These "vampires" both are and are not what popular media has depicted. They certainly depend on spreading their presence through close contact -- injecting the wormlike parasite into a victim's neck -- but don't do so in a pretty way. The last few minutes of the first episode, if you've seen it, makes the viewer cringe.
At the same time, there is some deliberate interjection of vampiric lore. One of the central characters, an old man who runs a pawn shop and is apparently a Jew who survived the WWII concentration camps, possesses knowledge of these creatures and insists that those infected must not only be burned, but beheaded as well. He even carries a sword cane with an intricate serpentine hilt, leading us to believe his sword will come into use throughout the series.
All in all, The Strain seems to be doing a pretty good job of transposing the usual vampire shtick into a modern, scientific, frame. Admittedly, the scientific aspects have been "Hollywoodized," but the jargon and settings are adequate enough. The viewer gets the sense that there are two different viewpoints being expressed with this show.
And I'm liking how they're doing it.
For me, personally, it's refreshing to see someone break away from the "hot, young, hip, eternally gorgeous and rich" vampire crap as hashed out by Rice, Hamilton, and Tatopoulos (of the Underworld movies). I never liked that take on vampires, who were originally viewed and described as little more than parasites in the cultures of the world. And I have to admit that a show like The Strain is something of a smack in the face of those who prefer such prettied-up vampire fare.
Highlights:
The old pawn broker (and concentration camp survivor) getting the better of a couple of thieves, before descending to his "secret lair" in the basement and giving attention to his serpentine-handled sword cane.
Ephraim Goodweather (the main character) and his relationship with an apparently self-motivated wife, her boyfriend, and his son. I love that the son remains devoted to his real dad and his estranged wife is still interested in what "Ef" is doing.
Sean Astin as Goodweather's team captain. I've always liked Astin, from way back in his "Goonie" days. Now he plays a straight-laced, commanding, in-charge king of guy . . . except he seems to be on the payroll of the shadowy organization that wants the main vamp trekked int the city.
Okay, I've gone on long enough. Suffice to say, The Strain, in my estimation, is a pretty damn good show, benefiting from both a long gestation period and an alternate interpretation in literary form. I'm hoping del Toro, the producers, and the writers have learned from what works and what doesn't regarding the printed version and are going to impress us with the TV version.
