The Strain: Season 1, Episode 5

The Strain
Episode Title: "Runaways"
Channel: FX
Director: Peter Weller
Writer: Gennifer Hutchison
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Horror
Runtime: 60 min
Rated: TV-MA
Original Air Date: August 10, 2014

Finally some answers! This episode was jam packed with story and action, something that can be tough to balance well in a sixty minute episode. The audience finally gets an answer for the question of why there were 'survivors' and 'victims.' We also learn something about the creatures' weaknesses and witness some mayhem perpetrated by both sides. Vasiliy made some discoveries of his own and it looks like the city is going to have a big problem. With reports of an impending eclipse there is a high likelihood of impending disaster.

Eph made several fruitless attempts to get into contact with Nora throughout the show, and we find that her mother is in a home suffering from some level of dementia. I might be naive, but it seems like the main characters have been dealt just horrible hands in their personal life. Divorce, dementia and cancer seem like a glut of subplots, I hope it proves a useful device moving forward. Setrakian's single-mindedness helps the viewer recognize that if the opponents of the Master waver they will fall, it just isn't clear if he'll be able to convince anyone else of that fact.

The weakest parts of this episode were definitely the flashbacks. The acting was stiff, and the accents seemed weak. I recognize that Setrakian's past experiences are important to convey to the audience in some way; but if there's going to be significant time spent in these flashbacks, going forward the showrunners would've been better served by finding either actual Romanian actors or going with a different storytelling method. If the flashbacks are here to stay then hopefully the prominent actors will grow into their roles as the other members of the cast seem to have done.

Conclusion: Another quality episode, “Runaways” answered some of the questions I had been asking and supplied a good balance of exposition and violence. With luck the younger Setrakian will improve, and Nora's family life will either be important or fade into the background. There are enough things going on as it is, I'm not sure it's in the show's best interests to add another subplot.

Rating: 7.25/10