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The Strain S4 |OT| ZaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAACH
- Thread starter IronRinn
- Start date
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
AV Club what are you doing
bitbydeath
Member
Was going to say all that plus
- Fet failed to mention to Dutch he already has a girlfriend waiting for him in a cabin somewhere
- Zack going out on his own terms was really disappointing
- No confession was made about Zack killing Nora
- The master was completely over Zack after he shot him and then did a 180 right after just so Zack could hit the button
- And more emphasis needed on why the master went in the first place after stating he never wanted to be around the bomb.
- oh and stupid plan, why wasn't someone just waiting by the bomb before the master arrived instead of being knocked out using a lift?
Greigor The Fellhand
Member
Strain 4th season was bad
I wanted eph to kill his child before detonating the nuke.
final fight with the master and quinlin was shit.
I wanted eph to kill his child before detonating the nuke.
final fight with the master and quinlin was shit.
I liked how Setrakian's revelation that he had been wrong the whole time and it wasn't about the nuke was wrong and it actually was about the nuke.
One of the worst reviews I've read on that site.AV Club what are you doing
DeviantBoi
Member
I was expecting
Did not like how it ended.
The Master to take Zack as a new host and Eph blowing the nuke.
Did not like how it ended.
This season was an achievement. I'm amazed that they were able to make something simultaneously boring and nonsensical, rushed and listlessand that not even the series finale could jump start the show and bring it to life. So much of what happened over 4 years turned out to be pointless, no confrontation was satisfying, the action was garbage, the master basically killed himself for no reason, and the garbage coda made it seem like nothing had ever happened.
Also, in Fet's speech he talks about how nobody knows what actually happened...why??? What the fuck do people think? That the threat just disappeared?? There's no evidence somehow of a nuke going off in the water tunnel? Why would our team even keep it secret? What a piece of shit this show was.
Also, in Fet's speech he talks about how nobody knows what actually happened...why??? What the fuck do people think? That the threat just disappeared?? There's no evidence somehow of a nuke going off in the water tunnel? Why would our team even keep it secret? What a piece of shit this show was.
This finale was about 30 minutes too long. I felt like fast forwarding it the whole way through. Really boring and uninteresting. It wasn't even bad in a fun way like other episodes this season. A shit ton of filler in this last episode. Flashback was pointless. All the time dedicated to that relationship was built on nothing.
Didn't get any payoff for shithead zach. Why didn't Eph just go to the nuke as soon as he got up? I know he was knocked out , but there was no sense of urgency to get to the nuke. I also thought it was remote controlled? Didn't think he actually had to get to the nuke physically to set it off. Why wasn't the remote on him? That way he could just set it off without much chance of confrontation.
Or make a plan that he was down there already ready to set the nuke off when Quinlan/the master fell down?
Didn't get any payoff for shithead zach. Why didn't Eph just go to the nuke as soon as he got up? I know he was knocked out , but there was no sense of urgency to get to the nuke. I also thought it was remote controlled? Didn't think he actually had to get to the nuke physically to set it off. Why wasn't the remote on him? That way he could just set it off without much chance of confrontation.
Or make a plan that he was down there already ready to set the nuke off when Quinlan/the master fell down?
Well that just kind of fizzled out. The writers did no justice to Setrakian's storyline, his work to decode the Lumen, and his final breakthrough about killing the master. I liked where that plot twist was going. I wanted to see Eph and team under pressure trying to put the last clues together to figure out the Lumen. Instead, we get the nuke in the tunnel. It could have been so much more interesting.
Who approved that ending for Quinlen? Wtf. He got curb-stomped by the master without much effort.
The master transferring to Eph was a setup for Zach's redemption, which makes the whole series really about Zach's character arc and not Eph. It would have been much more interesting if the master transferred to Zach, and Eph had to detonate the bomb.
Who approved that ending for Quinlen? Wtf. He got curb-stomped by the master without much effort.
The master transferring to Eph was a setup for Zach's redemption, which makes the whole series really about Zach's character arc and not Eph. It would have been much more interesting if the master transferred to Zach, and Eph had to detonate the bomb.
The Driver
Member
It's like they stopped giving a fuck these last two seasons to have the show make sense even within its own universe.
The Lumen was POINTLESS. The answer was the fucking nuke all along, which no shit, that's like the most obvious answer to jump to if you're gonna kill some annoying worm that keeps regenerating. Why even introduce the damn thing if you aren't gonna get into the vampire's origin story or the master's weakness. So many goddamn flashbacks in this show and so much time spent on Sertrakian losing his mind trying to find the Lumen and then decipher it only to get basically jack shit from it. His death really was in vain practically. I would have been more satisfied in the book's use if they had used it to literally bludgeon the Master to death considering it was made out of silver than the big nothing they did here.
The master's sudden power to control all strigoi, granted this shit has been around since the first season when we knew he could see through all the infected, if he knew these guys where a threat why wouldn't he just swarm them every single time he found them? Or why would he ever bother showing up in person considering he basically has millions of doombots at his disposal? They should have shown he has the power to do that but it takes a significant toll on him and he is vulnerable while controlling that many, it really makes him look incompetent as shit if he could have done that all along.
The love defeating evil thing at the end was so corny, just a reverse engineered callback to the first season finale that was unearned considering Zack was such a shit, and the Master shouldn't have gave a fuck and murdered him as soon as he tooks Eph's body considering he already had a new host and Zack just got done unloading a full clip into him.
Quinlan has spent centuries preparing to confront his dad and his plan always boils down to "I'm gonna find him and beat my dad's ass" which as we saw in multiple flashbacks, he never even came close smh. Dude also veered from being able to slay an army to nearly getting owned by lone bdsm strigs.
I agree with the poster who said Sertrakian killing Eichorst was the real finale, that was the closest this show has ever come to good TV and that was mostly because Eichorst was a slippery fuck who had plot armor outside of season finales.
Man, I just can't believe this show could be so much less than the sum of its parts. The characters didn't get much to work with and their arcs sucked but the actors where good and likeable in their parts mostly, they really deserved better.
The Lumen was POINTLESS. The answer was the fucking nuke all along, which no shit, that's like the most obvious answer to jump to if you're gonna kill some annoying worm that keeps regenerating. Why even introduce the damn thing if you aren't gonna get into the vampire's origin story or the master's weakness. So many goddamn flashbacks in this show and so much time spent on Sertrakian losing his mind trying to find the Lumen and then decipher it only to get basically jack shit from it. His death really was in vain practically. I would have been more satisfied in the book's use if they had used it to literally bludgeon the Master to death considering it was made out of silver than the big nothing they did here.
The master's sudden power to control all strigoi, granted this shit has been around since the first season when we knew he could see through all the infected, if he knew these guys where a threat why wouldn't he just swarm them every single time he found them? Or why would he ever bother showing up in person considering he basically has millions of doombots at his disposal? They should have shown he has the power to do that but it takes a significant toll on him and he is vulnerable while controlling that many, it really makes him look incompetent as shit if he could have done that all along.
The love defeating evil thing at the end was so corny, just a reverse engineered callback to the first season finale that was unearned considering Zack was such a shit, and the Master shouldn't have gave a fuck and murdered him as soon as he tooks Eph's body considering he already had a new host and Zack just got done unloading a full clip into him.
Quinlan has spent centuries preparing to confront his dad and his plan always boils down to "I'm gonna find him and beat my dad's ass" which as we saw in multiple flashbacks, he never even came close smh. Dude also veered from being able to slay an army to nearly getting owned by lone bdsm strigs.
I agree with the poster who said Sertrakian killing Eichorst was the real finale, that was the closest this show has ever come to good TV and that was mostly because Eichorst was a slippery fuck who had plot armor outside of season finales.
Man, I just can't believe this show could be so much less than the sum of its parts. The characters didn't get much to work with and their arcs sucked but the actors where good and likeable in their parts mostly, they really deserved better.
DrCheese
Member
I just don't get why the Master would be stupid enough to go himself to kill off the group, pride be damned. The stupid idiot should have flown out the second he knew they were in New York & just laughed at them being ripped to pieces remotely.
and as for humanity just getting back on it's feet after... Nope - It would be an all out mess as people jockeyed for power. No way would it all be happy within 5 years.
and as for humanity just getting back on it's feet after... Nope - It would be an all out mess as people jockeyed for power. No way would it all be happy within 5 years.
Ultra Numb
Member
LOL @ Zach
Yeah, the master could have ended this whole thing at any time. He has super speed/strength. Don't overcomplicate things. Get a sword or whatever, kill them in a second and move on.
It shouldn't have even come to that. With the amount of Strigoi the main characters have been exposed to, the worms would have got into contact with them at some point. I remember how big of a deal they were in the first season. The biggest threat to the team was basically forgotten about halfway through the show.
The lumen, which the show dedicated a ton of time to was indeed completely worthless. They could have come up with something interesting... but the writers love nukes apparently.
I'm glad it is over. Was tough to hold on through this last episode.
Baroquemantic
Member
Quinlan being curbstomped to death really was the worst (next to Zack redemption), as well as a metaphor for the season.
dead souls
Member
Yeah, I saw that pop up in my RSS reader and was just like WTF.
I disagree with television critics quite often but that's a whole other level of baffling. I literally can't even comprehend how someone could feel that way about this season.
bitbydeath
Member
Was Zack really redeemed though? He's still the asshole that killed Nora, not to mention the millions he killed with the first nuke, it didn't even make sense why he chose now to turn on the Master as opposed to say when he was last with Eph.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Oh lord, I totally forgot about the Lumen. SO much time was dedicated to that damn book and in the end it served no purpose whatsoever.
lol
lol
bitbydeath
Member
They also didn't explain what they did with the humans who sided with the master.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
LOVE TRUMPS HATE
Baroquemantic
Member
No, I don't think he was redeemed, but I think the writers tried to redeem him with that BS.
ronaldthump
Member
I like corey stoll. He's a good looking, fine acting gent but man does the show waste his talent.
The finale was... something. There was no urgency in the finale - especially once Eph gets up and he doesn't leap to try to get to the bomb control. Nothing suggesting some sort of urgency. The master getting his wattle ripped out also had no bearing as it happens so late in the show and he couldn't really use it anyhow - and Quinlan just died.
At least they killed Zach but the redemption arc is really really stupid. Like amazingly stupid. This is a kid who just 2 episodes got a woman turned because. And also tried to betray his dad an episode ago.
The finale was... something. There was no urgency in the finale - especially once Eph gets up and he doesn't leap to try to get to the bomb control. Nothing suggesting some sort of urgency. The master getting his wattle ripped out also had no bearing as it happens so late in the show and he couldn't really use it anyhow - and Quinlan just died.
At least they killed Zach but the redemption arc is really really stupid. Like amazingly stupid. This is a kid who just 2 episodes got a woman turned because. And also tried to betray his dad an episode ago.
Sigh.
At least it's over, and both Zach and the Worm Master were incinerated.
As said already, the plan was dumb. There was no reason for the Master to come in person.
And the attempt at redeeming Zach was so weak, after so many character assassination moments... What's the point?
I would have had more respect for the writers if the last scene of ther fight would have been:
Zach has Eph at gunpoint, the master behind him, choking without his throat.
Eph attempts to bluff Zach, and gets shot, falls.
The Master then compliments Zach, and tells him this body having taken too much damage, it's time...
He then pukes all his worms on Zach, who screams.
Guetting back up, his eyes flare, and he says something like "Too bad you can't see this, Dr Goodweather".
Then close up on a mortally wounded Eph lying on the nuke, finger on the trigger, "I see it."
Master, looking as if pleading: "Dad?"
Eph: "Fuck You Zach!"
before activating the trigger, and both he and the Master end up dying in a flash of light.
At least it's over, and both Zach and the Worm Master were incinerated.
As said already, the plan was dumb. There was no reason for the Master to come in person.
And the attempt at redeeming Zach was so weak, after so many character assassination moments... What's the point?
I would have had more respect for the writers if the last scene of ther fight would have been:
Zach has Eph at gunpoint, the master behind him, choking without his throat.
Eph attempts to bluff Zach, and gets shot, falls.
The Master then compliments Zach, and tells him this body having taken too much damage, it's time...
He then pukes all his worms on Zach, who screams.
Guetting back up, his eyes flare, and he says something like "Too bad you can't see this, Dr Goodweather".
Then close up on a mortally wounded Eph lying on the nuke, finger on the trigger, "I see it."
Master, looking as if pleading: "Dad?"
Eph: "Fuck You Zach!"
before activating the trigger, and both he and the Master end up dying in a flash of light.
Baroquemantic
Member
^ If only it ended that way.
rainking187
Member
I don't really understand why Eph tried to sacrifice himself for Zach at the end. The plan would have killled all of them anyways, why does it matter if the Master took over Zach?
PadWarrior
Member
Did quinlan get punked like that in the book? Too bad we never got to the masters origin.
bitbydeath
Member
I can only hope it was because Eph wanted to end him.
Yeah. Wiki'd the book, apparently the Lumen supposed to reveal The Master's origin and actually did end up relevant in defeating him. But I guess the budget wouldn't allow it.
PadWarrior
Member
Yea sucks was looking forward to that
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
I'm reading through the wiki for the book right now, and, ummm...WHAT
the fuck
the fuck
bitbydeath
Member
Clearly Setrakian ripping up the book symbolised the mess of using a nuke.
Mystery solved.
PadWarrior
Member
I wanted to see this visually. I find it interesting.
bitbydeath
Member
No time, must put in a Fet and Dutch love story instead.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
I mean, it also explains why The Master was so desperate to get a hold of the Occido Lumen - ALL SERIES LONG - and where the vampires ultimately came from, in addition to explaining their weaknesses. Not to mention providing a much better use/plan for the nuke.
What we got instead in the show is immeasurably worse.
What we got instead in the show is immeasurably worse.
Baroquemantic
Member
Well shit, that sounds pretty awesome. Would have loved to see that on screen.
It was 800 FT down! Dunno how they survive the elevator dropping down like that.
Or at least I think they said it was 800ft.
Anyway, yeah, the book ending was something I sort of expected. But after a few eps and this being the final season, they threw out like the whole book and did their own shit.
BLOODED_hands
Member
The fuck indeed...... That would have been awesome to see, but look what we got instead, lol.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
Yeah, book three retconned the first book hardcore.
DrCheese
Member
Yeah that was ultra stupid, kids gonna die regardless so why bother trying to save him?
GreySquirrel
Member
I don't think I've ever watched a show that's made me scratch my head so much. Just a few of my thoughts, I'm sure there have been many more
- what was the point in the Lumen?
- The Master making a point of not going near the nuke then doing it anyway
- they made a point of taking all of the silver from the bank then nothing
- Zack, having seen all the shit going down since season 1, now decides that this particular cull of humans may not be cool
- Fet seemingly forgetting about his girlfriend
- Fet reconnecting with Dutch, to then not speak to her for 5 years?
- I'm no nuclear expert, but wouldn't 2 lift shafts directly above a nuke explosion kind of negate a lot of the fact it's underground
- Zack straight up shooting the Master, then when the Master takes Eph as a host, he is still cool about it and hugs Zack next to the armed nuke
- why did it even need to be a nuke, watching the show as far as I am aware what made the Master special was the red worm thing. Just chuck him in an incinerator or step on the damn thing. Book spoilers:
- not finale related, but I lost count of the amount of times there was a showdown with the Strigoi, a bunch of people get killed and only then do the protagonists decide to act on their plan. Biggest culprit when Eph was hanging out with his new fling, Strigoi attack, there's a final showdown feel, a bunch of people die and only then they retreat. Like, if that was an option maybe you should have done that to begin with rather than waste your time with cannon fodder
- what was the point in the Lumen?
- The Master making a point of not going near the nuke then doing it anyway
- they made a point of taking all of the silver from the bank then nothing
- Zack, having seen all the shit going down since season 1, now decides that this particular cull of humans may not be cool
- Fet seemingly forgetting about his girlfriend
- Fet reconnecting with Dutch, to then not speak to her for 5 years?
- I'm no nuclear expert, but wouldn't 2 lift shafts directly above a nuke explosion kind of negate a lot of the fact it's underground
- Zack straight up shooting the Master, then when the Master takes Eph as a host, he is still cool about it and hugs Zack next to the armed nuke
- why did it even need to be a nuke, watching the show as far as I am aware what made the Master special was the red worm thing. Just chuck him in an incinerator or step on the damn thing. Book spoilers:
since watching the show I've read up on the book and am now aware of the whole face of god angle thing,
but this wasn't explained in the show. Maybe they should have done that rather than doing Eph's adventures into the obvious fact Strigs were farming humans
but this wasn't explained in the show. Maybe they should have done that rather than doing Eph's adventures into the obvious fact Strigs were farming humans
lol the tv producers and writers must have been like, fuck this really cool story from the books, let's go with something more mundane and basic and create a world where nothing ties together.