The Strain - S1E5 - Runaways

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Previously on The Strain, ‘It’s Not For Everyone’

Mine, Mine, Mine

Dickless Bolivar is not doing too well and his manager, Regina King, has called in another doctor to take a look at him. I’m guessing Regina hasn’t had a gander at him herself because if she had, she would know this doctor is not the answer. The doctor is alone with Bolivar when Regina hears an odd noise and goes to investigate. Bolivar’s stinger is in the doctor’s neck, pumping her blood into his system. When he sees Regina, he starts to drag the doctor into the bathroom growling, “Mine, mine, mine.” Regina takes all of five seconds to start running. She wanted no parts of that shit, despite the doctor’s pleas for help. Unfortunately, Regina didn’t kick off her heels first so she twists her ankle on the stairs. Still, she hobbles her black ass up outta there and calls someone to help clean up Bolivar’s mess.

The cleaner comes creeping in like The Pink Panther. He starts cleaning up the blood and explaining to Bolivar what his alibi will be and I’m wondering how come he can’t hear that Bolivar is fucking purring like a lion who just ate, but might have room for dessert. Bolivar attacks, but the cleaner knocks him on his ass and then puts two in his chest. Now, wouldn’t you just leave? I mean. You just shot and killed a famous rock star after he just murdered someone and has blood all around his mouth. You would leave, right? Not the cleaner. He investigates and gets Bolivar’s stinger around his neck for his troubles. This wouldn’t have happened to Harvey Keitel.

Bolivar won’t need to leave his apartment to infect or feed. He has delivery.

No Place Like Home

Nora spends the entire episode visiting her mother at a nursing home. Her mother has Alzheimer’s and insists that she doesn’t want to be there. She wants to go home. Nora tells her this is her home. Then they witness an infected creature killing people in the halls and all of sudden, Nora is taking her mother home.

So, That’s Where They Went

Remember I wondered on last week’s podcast where the other 206 dead bodies went after they walked out the morgue? Fet has found them. He decides to investigate the sewers after all the rat sightings and complaints keep coming and there they are. They’re purring, growling, and hissing and Fet takes the fuck off. They give chase, but stop short of following him up the ladder because of the sunlight.

Lady Lawyer Luss

Luss isn’t doing so well, but her nanny and her children just think she has some kind of flu. That is until the nanny catches Luss staring at her daughter’s carotid artery. Later, the nanny witnesses Luss’ eyes doing that horizontal blinking shit and, like so many others before her in this episode, she decides to get.the.fuck.out.

She packs bags for the kids and is hustling them out the door when Luss stops her. She quickly lies that she’s taking the kids to the movies. After Luss does this creepy sniffing bit around her daughter, she allows them to leave.

Abraham’s Story

As a young man, Abraham arrives at a concentration camp with his elderly mother. They are separated and a fellow prisoner tells the guards that he and Abraham are carpenters to ensure they’re needed and not killed. Guess who’s running the joint? Yup. Creepy-ass Thomas Eichorst.

At night, The Master enters their sleeping quarters and kills a young man. Abraham tells his friend, who doesn’t believe him. Abraham has heard stories and he knows that silver can kill monsters such as the Master. Abraham does nothing and then the Master comes in the night and kills his friend.

The Master’s Plan

Abraham and Eph are just chilling in Arnot’s house like they didn’t just cut off heads and burn bodies. Have they been there all night? Apparently, so. As Abraham whips up a breakfast of eggs and toast, he explains to Eph what they’re dealing with. The Master infects people with the parasites in his blood to turn them. He let four people live because he knew the authorities would focus on the survivors, giving the dead time to turn, return home, and spread the virus. This also allowed Thomas time to frame the airline head.

I don’t know how Eph could eat his eggs after hearing all this, but Abraham manages to grub just fine.

Abraham gives Eph a modified nail gun that shoots silver nails and they head to Ansel’s house. Eph wants video footage of a live infected person to prompt his bosses to order a quarantine. Abraham is okay with that, but lets Eph know that if he gets infected while playing Spielberg, Abraham will take his ass out.

When they get to Ansel’s they find his wife has killed herself. According to her note, she couldn’t deal with a life without Ansel. We learn an important bit of info in this scene: The reflection of an infected person will vibrate in a silver mirror. They hear a noise coming from the shed and go to investigate. Eph gets his footage and Abraham puts Ansel out of his misery, finally. He also takes care of the dog-beating neighbor who was still alive, but infected.

Abraham announces that it’s time they part ways. Eph can try to convince the CDC to quarantine the city, but he has more heads to chop off.

Eph shows his boss, Everett, the video of Ansel in the shed, but he barely glances at it before looking away. He has apparently seen enough and agrees to do as Eph says. When left alone with Jim, Eph learns that they have video of Eph dragging the pilot’s body into the room where they performed the autopsy so things aren’t looking so good for Eph. They’re probably calling some cops right now. To make amends for being a dumbass before, Jim uses his security card to get Eph out of the building. Jim wants Eph’s phone with the evidence, but Eph hesitates when he realizes he can’t email himself the footage first due to Ke$ha fucking up the internet. He settles for ditching the SIM card so they can’t track him. Jim gives him a hat so no one can recognize him by his bad hairpiece.

Other Bits Worth Noting: 

• While Nora sips coffee and stands around a street corner for no good reason, there’s a radio report of an upcoming eclipse. Eclipses are never good in TV and movies.
• Mr. Palmer has had his liver transplant and his doctor makes it clear that his body can’t handle another operation. Perhaps it’s best to just give in. Either way, the doc ain’t tryna lose his license so he’s officially done. Mr. Palmer isn’t concerned. He’s waiting for his miracle.