THE STRAIN Season 2 Preview

Article originally published as TV Preview: 'The Strain' - Season 2 on Blogcritics.

FX’s The Strain intrigued and confused audiences last summer. This weekend, it returns for a second round on FX and hopefully it will continue to do more of the former and less of the latter. The first episode back, “BK, N.Y.,” isn’t the best hour of television I’ve seen lately, but for fans of the brand of horror that the series presents, it will likely be pretty satisfying.

Events in “BK, N.Y.” pick up just after the end of season one. Abraham (David Bradley) goes looking for The Master (Robin Atkin Downes), while Vasiliy (Kevin Durand) reinforces their defenses, and Ephraim (Corey Stoll) lets alcohol interfere with choosing the right path forward. There’s action and movement on a number of subplots, a frightening encounter with the dark minions, the unexpected return of a recurring character, and a longer look at the scarred face, hooded one.

My problem with this hour, though, is that it does seem to be tossing a lot of ingredients in and they aren’t all necessary. “BK, N.Y.” follows a big encounter, so Abraham’s plot is solid, building upon past progress. Vasiliy’s makes a sort of sense if they’re digging in for the long haul, but do any of them think that’s the best course of action? Ephraim is pretty much off the rails, reminding us of his job, which seems silly to bring back up now, and without a solid hero’s thrust until the very end of the hour. It makes the whole thing feel a little meandering, rather than hitting the ground running after last season’s build up. 

The Strain is stalled further by an extended, ten-minute prologue before we even get back to the familiar. We see a young Abraham being told a story by an old woman, so there’s flashback within flashback. The tale is interesting and does inform on current events, but it’s quite long and there doesn’t seem to be an immediate need for it to be, confusing the situation even more. Perhaps it would have been better to tease this out over multiple weeks, or at least present it as fact instead of legend, telling the audience whether or not they can really trust this version of events, the way it is told calling into question its legitimacy, even as it matches up with the main plot.

Another thing The Strain has to deal with in its second season, considering there’s no time jump, and this is an issue many series have to tackle at one time or another, is the character of Zach Goodweather. Being a kid, viewers would notice a huge growth spurt over the mere hours between seasons. Whether because of this or for another reason, young actor Ben Hyland has been let go and replaced with Max Charles (The Neighbors). Max doesn’t really look that much like Ben unless you squint real hard, so perhaps the series is hoping the different look will make us forget about the quick aging. It does not.

Overall, I do enjoy The Strain. It gets one’s adrenaline pumping, and while some of the makeup is hokey, the general look and feel of the show is pretty cool. The acting isn’t bad and the story doesn’t seem like it’s been done a million times before, as many other shows do. However, there are some very, very good programs on right now (Hannibal, Humans, Mr. Robot), and by comparison, The Strain pales. As a genre series catering to a specific audience, I think it works well. But in the larger television landscape, it’s likely to fail to appeal to the masses and really take off like The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones has, lacking something vital and hard to quantify. I’ll probably keep watching it, but it won’t make my must-see-as-soon-as-it-airs list.

The Strain returns Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

THE STRAIN Is Contagious

Article originally published as THE STRAIN Review on Seat42F.

FX has done it again with THE STRAIN. What I mean by that is they’ve got yet another well-developed series full of fascinating characters, engaging stories, and an original premise. THE STRAIN does feel like many vampire movies of a certain vein (think: Blade), but there is absolutely nothing like it currently on TV, meaning there is no pattern for it to follow as it unfurls. This makes for a rich, unpredictable mix of ingredients which already feel special before they’re fully cooked.

THE STRAIN is based on a trilogy of novels co-written by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy), who is working on the show, too, having directed the first episode and writing screenplays for it. His style, creepy and dark, is prevalent throughout the pilot, “Night Zero,” which takes place in a single night. There is definitely a clear voice behind the narrative, one infused with talent and flair, and that comes through right away. If this quality can be maintained, the series should easily find its audience.

THE STRAIN begins on a plane. Something is lurking in the cargo hold that should not be, and by the time the machine touches down on the tarmac, all is silent on board. The CDC, led by Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll, House of Cards), among other agencies, swarm to investigate. What they find is a horrific situation that baffles their greatest minds and has no clear cause or prevention. Will they be able to start to unravel the mysteries before the situation spirals out of hand? Hard to tell, since the plot rockets away in the first hour, already moving quite rapidly.

They may get some help from a seasoned veteran of the ancient battle, Abraham Setrakian (David Bradley, Harry Potter, Broadchurch). Abraham appears to be a Holocaust survivor who has known his war isn’t over, but has been satisfied with the long cease-fire. He is compelled to come out of retirement when he senses the game is once more afoot, but since he is a grizzled old man with a thick accent, it might be hard for him to get the attention of anyone that cares.

Ephraim and Abraham seem to be our two primary heroes, and they could not be any more different, making it unlikely they’ll become fast partners, but that’s OK. This isn’t your typical two-people-stop-a-baddie formula. Instead, it appears a massive war is being teed up in the heart of New York City, a very populous place, making Abraham and Ephraim but two players in a larger plot, the focus in a vast scope. They may not even spend all that much time together, though both will probably be needed in whatever solution emerges in the end.

Both men are introduced in very telling scenes, showing different sides of their personas. We first see Ephraim rushing, perpetually late, to a custody meeting with his wife, Kelly (Natalie Brown, Bitten), whom he doesn’t want to let go, but whom he’s already lost. Abraham, meanwhile, takes down two thugs (one of whom is played by Veronica Mars’ Francis Capra, a recurring player here) who seek to rob him. Both of these show the men in ways we probably won’t always see them throughout the series, but tell us something inherent to their personalities, so is a cool way to begin with them.

The villains are complex, too, though less fleshed out from the start. Eldritch Palmer (Jonathan Hyde, Titanic) is the wealthy benefactor who lures the danger towards the Big Apple. He is assisted by the cold Thomas Eichhorst (Richard Sammel, Inglorious Basterds) and, strangely enough, a Latino street gang. They have a plan and have had time to carefully enact it, meaning the good guys are starting a few steps behind, so it may just be too late to stop Palmer.

With a terrific cast that also includes Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings), Mia Maestro (Alias), Kevin Durand (Lost), Ben Hyland (House of Cards), Jack Kesy (Morgan), and Miguel Gomez, it’s one of the most intriguing pilots I’ve seen this summer. The mythology is obviously carefully mapped out and it is genuinely scary, with major characters and countless extras sure to die in the coming weeks in this incredibly dangerous world. Watching THE STRAIN feels like viewing a grand film, rather than a TV show, with great visual effects and a large sense of purpose and drive. The story is finite and it’s going somewhere. I’m excited to see what that destination is.

THE STRAIN airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on FX beginning July 13^th.

Blu-ray Review: An Adventure in Space and Time

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘An Adventure in Space and Time’ on Blogcritics.

As part of Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary celebration, BBC America aired a made-for-TV movie called An Adventure in Space and Time. This two-hour film gives us a piece of the story of the early days at the BBC when Doctor Who was first being made, with a focus on the show’s first titular star, William Hartnell (David Bradley, Harry Potter, Broadchurch), and producer Verity Lambert (Jessica Raine, Call the Midwife).

This project is a huge one to tackle. Not only does An Adventure in Space and Time reveal the origins of a legendary show, which is one of the longest-running series ever, but it also represents a bold, brave era for the network, an important tale to tell. Talk about groundbreaking, Doctor Who was the BBC’s first real attempt at science fiction and Lambert was the youngest producer at the network, the only female producer at the time. An important tale of this magnitude deserves better than this TV movie, unfortunately.

Now, let me preface my opinion by saying An Adventure in Space and Time is pretty good, definitely enjoyable. I think the acting is terrific, and I am excited to learn new things about this show and era. It is well-paced and the production looks good.

But it feels like a TV movie, rather than an epic film, not a good choice for such an iconic moment in history. Much of the story is told in small vignettes, stand-alone occurrences, rather than a cohesive narrative. Either Verity or Hartnell could easily rate their own full movie, but instead, each part is cut down so that there’s room for them both in one production. By combining them, both are under-served, without much exploration as to what Verity herself did to help the show along. Hartnell’s plot is bit more complete, with a clear beginning, middle, and end, but still, I would like a few more details, including a slower descent at the end. Not to mention, the film starts at the end then flashes back to the beginning, a tired trope that comes across as quite cheesy.

Bradley and Raine could pull off more complex versions of the roles, I’m sure. They both manage to get a lot into their parts, conveying beyond what’s on the page. We see Hartnell’s rise and fall, and what it costs him. We see Verity coming into her own. Were they given more time, or if this were made into a miniseries rather than confined to two hours, these actors could have absolutely risen to an award-bait level.

They are joined by Sacha Dhawan (Outsourced, Chuggington) as director Waris Hussein, another part that feels like it didn’t get is due. While playing a smaller role in the history, and thus confined to only a portion of the movie, Dhawan makes an impact. Sadly, he is not developed much beyond filling a vital, but small, position.

Other than those three, most of the rest of the cast are merely on the sidelines, with only a couple that sort of stand out a bit. Brian Cox’s (Bob Servant Independent, Deadwood) Sydney Newman is overblown and cartoonish, in a good way, fitting for someone of his temperament in his position. Claudia Grant seems to capture Carole Ann Ford perfectly. Lesley Manville, Jeff Rawle, Jemma Powell, and Jamie Glover all play parts that should matter, but are largely forgettable, likely more because of a lack of focus from the script than the performers themselves.

Luckily, this release is flush with extras. The very first Doctor Who serial, “An Unearthly Child,” is included in its entirety (with its own bonus features) so fans can compare the look of An Adventure in Space and Time to the actual episodes. There’s a “Making Of” narrated by Carole Ann Ford herself, as well as a featurette on William Hartnell, delete scenes, and reconstructions. Best of all (in my mind) is a comedy sketch about the creation of Doctor Who starring producer Mark Gatiss and David Walliams. These help make the set feel worth it, and as I said, the film itself isn’t bad, if you can get past the squandered potential.

An Adventure in Space and Time is available now on Blu-ray and DVD.

An Adventure in Space and Time

Article first published as TV Review: 'An Adventure in Space and Time' on Blogcritics.

As part of Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary celebration, which was in full swing last week, BBC America aired a made-for-TV movie called An Adventure in Space and Time. This two-hour film takes us back to the early days at the BBC, when Doctor Who was first being made, and gives us a piece of that story, with a focus on the show’s first titular star, William Hartnell (David Bradley, Harry Potter, Broadchurch), and producer Verity Lambert (Jessica Raine, Call the Midwife).

An Adventure in Space and Time is an important tale. Not only does it reveal the origins of a legendary series which is one of the longest-running shows ever, but it also represents a bold, brave era for the network. It was the BBC’s first real attempt at science fiction. Lambert was the youngest producer there, and the only female producer at the time. Because of this, it deserves better.

I won’t say I didn’t enjoy An Adventure in Space and Time. It was actually pretty good. I thought the acting was terrific, and I was excited to learn new things about this show and era. It was well-paced and the production looked good.

But it felt like a TV movie, rather than an epic film. Much of the story was told in small vignettes, stand-alone occurrences, rather than a cohesive tale. Either Verity or Hartnell could rate their own full movie, but instead, each part is cut down so that there’s room for them both here. I felt like both were under served in this way, without much exploration as to what Verity herself did to help the show along. Hartnell’s plot is bit more complete, with a clear beginning, middle, and end, but still, I would have liked a few more details, including a slower descent at the end, and the cheesiness of starting at the end then flashing back should not have been allowed.

Bradley and Raine could pull off more complex versions of the roles, I’m sure. They both manage to get a lot into their parts, conveying beyond what’s on the page. We see Hartnell’s rise and fall, and what it costs him. We see Verity coming into her own. Were they given more time, or if this were made into a miniseries, rather than confined to two hours, these actors could have absolutely risen to an award-bait level.

They are joined by Sacha Dhawan (Outsourced, Chuggington) as director Waris Hussein. Waris is another part that feels like it didn’t get is due. While playing a smaller role in the history, and thus confined to only a portion of the movie, Dhawan makes an impact. Sadly, he is not developed much beyond filling a vital, but small, position.

Other than those three, most of the rest of the cast are merely on the sidelines, with only a couple that sort of stand out a bit. Brian Cox’s (Bob Servant Independent, Deadwood) Sydney Newman is overblown and cartoonish, in a good way, fitting for someone of his temperament in his position. Claudia Grant seems to capture Carole Ann Ford perfectly. Lesley Manville, Jeff Rawle, Jemma Powell, and Jamie Glover all play parts that should matter, but are largely forgettable, likely more because of a lack of focus from the script than the performers themselves.

I do think An Adventure in Space and Time is worth watching; as I said, I enjoyed it. I just mourn for the potential that hasn’t been reached, especially when there is never a more opportune time for a project such as this.

BROADCHURCH Not Warm, But Welcome

Article first published as BROADCHURCH Not Warm, But Welcome on TheTVKing.

BBC America viewers are halfway through the first series of the British show Broadchurch as of this past week. The hour-long drama is similar to The Killing, revolving around a single murder of a young boy over the course of the eight episode run, and depicting his family as well as the police looking into the death. At this point, the list of suspects is long, but the number of important clues are sparse.

Broadchurch is an excellent entry to the crime genre. It boasts strong storytelling, with natural twists, and numerous threads intertwined. The acting, done by a roster that includes several familiar faces, is fantastic, and the series lets us dwell on characters as appropriate. However, it also avoids the slow pacing that turned some (not including myself) off of The Killing, and will almost certainly solve the case at the end of hour eight.

The lead detective is DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant, Doctor Who), a man with a past. It is clear that whatever demons dwell within him, owing to an old case he screwed up, are catching up now, as he falls and hits his head, which is presumably connected to pills he is taking, mixed with alcohol. The question we're faced with is, will he self-destruct before he can finish the job? Tennant very rarely lets Who slip into the role, showing fans something new with this part.

Alec is assisted by DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman, Twenty Twelve), who is inexperienced in such grisly murders, but is intelligent and capable. This week, Ellie invites Alec over for dinner, which he awkwardly agrees to. This not only allows them to bond a bit, but we see a lighter side of Alec as he drinks with Ellie's husband, Joe (Matthew Gravelle, The Bible). Alec and Ellie are a bit of an odd couple, but are likely to succeed together, both being beneficial to the other.

Of course, Ellie is distracted by her very personal connection to the small town scandal, her son, Tom (Adam Wilson, Mr Selfridge), being the dead boy's best friend, leaving her in an awkward position when talking to the victim's mother, Beth (Jodie Whittaker, Wired). It's an interesting dynamic, when the police, by virtue of the size of the village, have feelings about those involved, and it's part of what makes Broadchurch so good.

Another thing the show does well is deal with the aspects of this type of murder. For instance, this week Beth finally agrees to talk to Karen White (Vicky McClure, Line of Duty), a big-paper journalist who is working with the local press. Karen isn't pushy, and seems sincere when pleading with Beth to do the interview, pointing out that press attention could help motivate witnesses to come forward and the truth to come out, and she's not getting that support now. But are Karen's motivations merely selfish? The pack of pushy reporters who follow behind her aren't so kind to the family, and Karen doesn't do a good job of preparing Beth for that backlash. It's a tricky business.

There is also a fake psychic who convinces Beth he wants to help, but whom Ellie reveals as a charlatan. It's a shame such jerks prey on those who are grieving, but this is a fact of life, not often seen in standard cop procedurals, so it's interesting to be brought in here. Plus, the psychic character is fairly convincing, even for those skeptical, so it's easy to see how a desperate Beth would fall for his charade.

I also love the way Alec goes to church just to spy on the locals, hoping to figure out who is responsible. It's a smart, though cynical, viewpoint, aided by the other characters' treatment of religion in general, attitudes that are just now catching on on this side of the pond.

Among the prime suspects right now are: Mark (Andrew Buchan), the victim's father, who was having an affair with hotel manager, Becca (Simone McAullay, Blue Heelers); Jack (David Bradley, the Harry Potter films), the victim's newspaper delivery boss, who claims his recently uncovered past as a sex offender isn't what it appears to be; Susan (Pauline Quirker), the scary owner of the cabin that is likely the crime scene, and who goes by a different name than she used to; and Rev. Coates (Arthur Darvill, Doctor Who), who doesn't have an alibi, and just feels slightly creepy.

It likely isn't any of these people, since we're still only halfway through. Anyone who has read or watched a few murder mysteries know that the killer isn't unmasked until late in the game, with plenty of red herrings along the way. My wife has theorized that Joe Miller could be the culprit, appearing the least likely at this time, but that seems too much of a stretch to me. However, I don't mind waiting to find out when the journey getting there is this good.

Something some people misunderstand about a good series such as this is that who is guilty is not the point. If it were, we'd learn who they are early on, and the rest of the tale would be about proving it. Instead, the draw is the process of putting together the clues, as that is what most of the plot concerns. In this, Broadchurch is doing a spectacular job with a complex, well-thought-out arc. This is definitely one of my favorite shows of the summer.

Broadchurch airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on BBC America.

Doctor Who back for more

For those who missed the scant five episode of Doctor Who that aired this fall, you're in luck. The BBC has just been released on a two-disc Blu-ray and DVD set, Doctor Who Series Seven, Part One. And for those who didn't miss the season, you already know that these are five fantastic installments, so you might be interested as well. It will be something to tide fans over until the series returns for a longer run next year.

As series seven begins, Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) are getting a divorce. That's right; the man who waited two thousand years for his love has been tossed out of the house. The Doctor (Matt Smith) is concerned when he notices, but he has other concerns, as the three have been swept up by the Daleks, who are asking for the trio's help with their prison planet.

"Asylum of the Daleks," the season opener, is one of the best hours of Who ever made. Not only do we get to see the Doctor's archnemesis in a slightly different light, and get a glimpse of another aspect of their society, but we also have the Amy/Rory breakup mystery to sustain us. Toss in the introduction of Oswin (Jenna-Louise Coleman, Captain America: The First Avenger, Emmerdale), who will take over as the Doctor's companion beginning this Christmas, and some wonderful twists, progress on a major arc involving the Doctor's identity, and action sequences, and the season begins with a bang!

From there we move to "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship," which is a truly fun romp. There is some danger, with a space pirate (David Bradley, the Harry Potter films) having hijacked a ship full of dinosaurs, which a future version of UNIT is ready to blow out of the sky. But the meat of this episode lies in the humor created when the Doctor brings together not only Rory and Amy for the outing, but also Rory's father, Brian Williams (Mark Williams, also Harry Potter), Queen Nefertiti (Riann Steele, Holby City) from ancient Egypt, and John Riddell (Rupert Graves, borrowed from Steven Moffat's other series, Sherlock), a big game hunter from the early twentieth century. It's these clashing personalities set among such fantastical creatures that really make this episode memorable. Plus, the most adorable triceratops ever!

Then there's " A Town Called Mercy," an interesting little morality tale, that happens to be set in the Old West, and involves a cyborg. This one is arguably the least of the five episode in the set, and yet, the care with which the town is designed, and the Western genre influence, combine to make it worthy of the collection. As the Doctor would say, Stetsons are cool.

In "The Power of Three," Brian is back (yay!). Taking place over a very long span of time, the world is slowly invaded by cubes, while Amy and Rory try to build a more normal life on Earth, and the Doctor struggles with letting them go. The highlights of this episode include seeing how much the Doctor cares for his companions, and how well he does not adapt to the type of lifestyle that they the married couple are considering. It's a "take stock" episode, and it's narration makes it a departure from the norm, if Doctor Who has a norm.

Finally, in "The Angels Take Manhattan," the central trio is drawn to a noir version of New York City, and River Song (Alex Kingston) makes her, sadly, only appearance in this batch. The Angels, Doctor Who's scariest villains, have built themselves a farm in the middle of the metropolis, and catch Rory in their trap. Can the Doctor change time to save him, or will he lose both of his best friends in one swoop? It's a moving love story with high stakes danger and some huge developments.

Not only are these episode incredible, but the special features are pretty great, too. There's the hour-long special, "The Science of Doctor Who," which recently aired on BBC America. "Ayslum of the Daleks" gets a prequel, "A Town Called Mercy" has a bit of back story, and a series of minisodes called "Pond Life" seem to set up the series as a whole. Plus, there's a feature following the cast as they visit Comic Con earlier this year. It may fall slightly short of a "Making Of," but all the additional scenes included on this set, not appearing in the episodes, are very satisfying.

The Blu-ray itself is amazing. There are rich colors in every landscape, whether characters are on a dark spaceship, the dusty Old West, or the grey of the city. Each setting is vibrant and life-like. This isn't even including the special effects, which are often pretty darn neat, and showcased brilliantly in HD. Sound is high quality, with the base stepping in exactly where you want it to, and overall providing an immersive experience, without pops or static that will ruin the moment.

Fantastic episodes, great extras, and a stunning visual and auditory experience, I have no complaints at all about Doctor Who Season Seven, Part One other than that I wish it went on longer. The Blu-ray and DVD are available now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Doctor Who Series Seven, Part One on Blogcritics.