What They Say:
The Disappeared – Eph learns that KElly is missing; Dutch reveals her role in Palmer’s plan; Gus is force to make a difficult decision about Felix.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
The Strain really had a good episode for me last week as it shifted from the numerous subplots across several character groups to give us a single location story for the majority of it. Bringing together the core group with Fet and Dutch, the computer hacker, helped to give us a few different elements that could make for some neat connections to be formed. What I really liked is the way that Fet ended up really taking to Setrakian in a way as he understands exactly what Setrakian is and what he’s capable of. But more so in that he makes it clear that he wants all the knowledge he can get from him, right down to the simplicity of asking for what the rules are. This is Setrakian’s chance to pass on the knowledge to the right kind of person that could carry on the torch in dealing with what’s coming. While I like Eph, he’s not really going to be the one to take up the mantle for Setrakian where it’s needed.
While we had that singular focus for the most part with its decent reveals, this one goes across a few different areas to touch on several characters and their arcs, which is certainly important to the overall storyline. The story convergences do continue here as well as we see Eph heading to his old home to check on Kelly and Zack. Zack had just been left there by the mother of a friend but things have gone south there with one of the infected inside and Kelly nowhere to be found. It’s a lucky moment to be sure with Eph showing up in time, though it involved him taking a shovel to Matt’s head and breaking him pretty much into bloody pieces. It’s not something that he really takes pleasure in, but there’s just that below the surface sense of satisfaction that he has in saving his son at the least.
Knowing what they do know of events, Eph is intent on finding Kelly at this point but smartly sets Zack to head back with Setrakian to his place as it’s likely one of the mildly safe places out there. There’s some time dealt with what had happened to Jim, but a lot of it comes down to Fet being called less than human since he just killed him cold and outright. With a plan to regroup a bit at Setrakians, we see Fet dropping Dutch off at her place, but it looks like Nikki has flown the coop here in order to protect herself after all that’s gone down. This ends up hitting Dutch a lot harder than one might think, but it’s amusing watching the way that Fet handles the time with her. Similarly, we get some time with Setrakian and Zack waiting in the truck and that has its own moments as we see Setrakian trying to provide a little calm and comfort for the kid after all that he’s seen.
The personal side of events for Eph is decently handled as he and Nora deal with wrapping up and burning Matt’s body. That has him going on a bit about not letting his son grow up without a mother, reaffirming his resolve to find her. Dealing with Matt’s body also helps the two of them commiserate about Jim and what happened with him, to the point where it’s not even about Matt, which has its amusing moments. Dutch and Setrakian also have a little time commiserating about events as she reveals her role in things that happened when it comes to the internet. It’s a good admission to have at this stage rather than later, since it provides Setrakian with clues as to where The Master may be. Putting together a look at those that may be involved in seeking greater power or life through The Master and serving him as a human is key and putting together Eldritch Palmer and then Eichorst gives Setrakian with all the right clues.
Gus’ storyline continues to deal with the fallout from the fight that he and Felix had gotten in with the doctor from the morgue as Felix is falling hard and fast to illness. There’s little in the way in help out there these days with doctors as the city is largely overwhelmed with all sorts of cases. What Gus has to hold out hope for is that they’ll get Felix looked at by a doctor when they’re taken to Rikers. That’s not something that goes well though as the ride there has Felix letting loose with one of the things inside of him and causing a whole lot of nasty trouble for everyone. You knew it was coming but it’s fun to watch unfold here with the kind of chaos it creates. It’s a pivotal moment for Gus as he has to deal with what Felix has become without really giving it time to get worse. It’s not a surprise to see him follow through, but it has the right amount of angst over it without it falling into something overly melodramatic.
In Summary:
The Strain has a more restrained feeling here as it’s more about the gathering of forces a bit, a touch of clean-up and some good old fashioned sex and Eph and Nora get to it on his old bed after dumping Matt in the fire. There’s a lot of smaller movements across the episode that brings some small closures while adding new information to the group as a whole. We also get more of Setrakian’s flashback to the WWII camp as we see how he was trying to survive The Master back then and then making his escape amid an allied bombing of the camp just as he was about to be executed. It’s a decent piece overall that adds a little more closure to that time period and Setrakian’s relationship with Eichorst. Eichorst at least gets a little time in the present, but it again shows us just how dangerous he truly is.
Grade: B+
