Air date: Sunday, August 10, 2014 at 10PM on FX
Rating:
“You wanna help? Do your job.” – Dr. Ephraim Goodweather
“Runaways” grabs you and doesn’t let go until the very last second. And even though there are many moments when you wish you could turn away and hide from the fiendishly scary scenes, you can’t help but look through your fingers to watch the chaos and darkness unfold.
Eph (Corey Stoll) and Abraham (David Bradley) are still inside the Arnot household after beheading both Gary (Steven McCarthy) and his daughter Emma (Isabelle Nélisse). I guess lopping off the heads of “strigoi” takes a lot out of you and you need eggs and toast to refuel. I found this scene very realistic and comforting in a way. Sometimes, after a strenuous day, you just need to unwind with a little grub and glass of cold milk. And the fact that Abraham washes dishes after he’s done is just icing on this freaky cake.
As Eph and Abraham move on to the next home – Ansel Barbour’s home – they find more than they bargained for.
“Runaways” dispels the myth of the virus being vampiric. It is, but in a different way. The term ‘strigoi’ is used by Abraham when he tells Eph the differences between a strigoi and a vampire. While both are blood drinkers and have similar aversions to silver and sunlight, the strigoi move and operate in a different manner. Either way you slice it, all puns intended, these creatures are nasty and beyond terrifying. Through Abraham’s flashback to WWII Poland, we learn how he became acquainted with both “The Master” strigoi (Robin Atkin Downes/Robert Maillet) and his minion, the über creepy Thomas Eichorst (Richard Sammel). There is a scene in the flashback when a young Abraham (Jim Watson) witnesses The Master draining his friend, a fellow concentration camp prisoner. It is a very intense and horrifying scene. Peter Weller directed “Runaways,” and his use of camera angles really lends a hand in magnifying the suspense as The Master lashes out his fierce tongue to drain his unsuspecting victim.
“Runaways” also sheds light on the other two of the four original survivors. Joan (Leslie Hope), the stubborn attorney, is at home resting but her housekeeper/nanny Neeva (Kim Roberts) knows something isn’t quite right. There is a moment when Joan ‘sniffs’ her kids and I found myself holding my breath. It’s moments like this that make you appreciate the true suspense found in certain TV shows.. It takes great timing, great acting, and precise camera movements to capture such an intense moment. As soon as Neeva drives away, I let out my breath.
Vasiliy knows something is very wrong and after what he sees down in the sewers, he knows it’s gonna take more than rat poison to get rid of these pests.
Next up is Gabriel Bolivar (Jack Kesy). We haven’t seen much of him, pun intended, since he started losing body parts in “Gone Smooth.” Still donning his long wig and black robe, Gabriel is unable to stop himself when he takes a visiting doctor for himself. “Mine!” I was reminded of how Golum in Lord of the Rings says, “Precious!” when Gabriel drags the woman deeper into his lair. I don’t blame his manager Ruby (Regina King) one bit for taking off like a bat out of hell. That’s some scary shit that just happened. As an aside, King is too good of an actress for this less than meaty role. I hope she’ll have some juicy back story we can sink our teeth into. Did you hear what she said on the phone? There is a tale to tell for sure!
But these survivors aren’t the only ones making appearances. Vasiliy (Kevin Durand) gets a shock of his own when he investigates why the rats are coming topside. You couldn’t pay me enough to go down into those sewers; that chase scene had my heart racing! I found myself clawing at an invisible ladder as Vasiliy scurries up. This scene provides a vital clue about these sewer dwellers – sunlight is not their friend.
Overall
“Runaways” progresses the story lines, moving along the plot of the other 206 passengers who are slowly creeping back into society. When Nora (Mia Maestro) sees one of the infected persons sucking the life out of someone at the nursing home where her mother resides, I think she realizes Abraham’s idea of beheading isn’t so bad. The Strain continues to freak me out and keep me on my toes — not to mention my heart pounding, and jaw dropping. I’m anxious for Vasiliy to connect with the CDC for this investigation. I’d love to see Eph and Vasiliy brainstorm over these creatures and how best to exterminate them.
What did you think of “Runaways?” I’d love to hear from you. Tweet me @judybopp or leave a comment below.
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Judy Manning
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