On the season finale of The Strain, Eph and Fet stage an all-out assault against The Master in hopes of either driving him out of his lair and toward a trap or surprising him in his lair and taking him out there. While the group doesn’t have much in the way of resources and manpower, they have the advantages of daytime and critical thinking, as they can outsmart these creatures and use what advantages they do have to help them save the world. Yet heading into a situation like this is dangerous in and of itself, so even if Fet and Eph manage to get the jump on The Master and do some damage to his legion of strigoi, they still have to find a way to get out of the lair without incurring any injuries and further debilitating their already small band of warriors.

Elsewhere on The Strain, Gus aligns himself with a strange new force in a bid for survival in a dangerous world.

The season finale of The Strain airs tonight at 10:00 on FX.

Do you think Eph and Fet will do any damage to The Master during their latest mission? Where will the group settle now that the pawn shop has been overrun by the strigoi? Is Gus safe in aligning himself with the vampire hunters?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tNTp4OKNgw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOUqOuX5znk

The post The Strain 1.13 Preview: Eph and Fet Go After The Master appeared first on TVHackr.

On tonight’s episode of The Strain, Eichorst organizes and executes a blitzing of the pawn shop in response to the attempted hit on The Master. In order for Palmer’s plan to work and the strain to infect the world’s population, all threats have to be neutralized, meaning that no one at the shop is to be spared the wrath of the strigoi. Even though Setrakian wants nothing more than to follow The Master deeper into the lair and take the one shot he has at freeing himself, he must listen to the rest of the group and return to the pawn shop if there’s any hope at beating back Eichorst and scoring the victory they were earlier denied. If he lets his pride and desperation get in the way of reason, he could irrevocably damage his inner circle and, thus, the chances of finally emerging victorious over The Master.

Elsewhere on The Strain, Palmer receives a special visitor.

The Strain airs tonight at 10:00 on FX.

Do you think any of the group will be taken out in Eichorst’s attack? Did the attack on The Master prove to be more trouble than it was worth? Who do you think will pay Palmer a visit?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elkanp_jE30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDOcaDwP3b0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyhFOLdZpiE

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On tonight’s episode of The Strain, Eph, Nora, and Fet explore The Master’s lair in hopes of finding a weakness big enough to exploit and assessing the threat that they’re up against. While seeing the swarms of vampires populating the lair has to, on at least some level, be quite discouraging, the biggest thing that could come out of the journey is Eph embracing the reality of the situation after seeing empirical evidence of the outbreak’s impact. The strain impacting the city isn’t normal, nor is it human; it turns people into vicious killing machines capable of anything and the time that Eph’s wasted in clinging to his personal beliefs has undoubtedly cost many lives by this point. However, by finally coming on board the train of thought that Setrakian has laid out since the two of them met, Eph can right the wrongs that he’s committed and save the city from being consumed whole by the vampire threat. But first, he, Nora, and Fet are going to have to get out of the lair without being detected by The Master or his army of vampires.

Elsewhere on The Strain, Zack risks his safety for Mariela.

The Strain airs tonight at 10:00 on FX.

What do you think Eph and company will find while in The Master’s lair? Will this sojourn give them more confidence going forward or will seeing the swarm of vampires extinguish any hope they had of defeating The Master? For what reason will Zack put himself on the line for Mariela?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yVhWqukyPQ

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On the next episode of The Strain, Eph investigates Kelly’s disappearance, but it turns out to not be as simple a matter as he might have hoped. The best case scenario for Eph was that Kelly, upon seeing that Matt had turned into this savage creature, got out of the house and went somewhere safe until she could get back in contact with him; however, Eph ends up tracking Kelly’s phone and learns that she was separated from the device long ago, a bad sign for his ability to get in contact with her and possibly a bad sign for her safety. Eph has been hanging on by a thread and with Jim’s death already weighing heavily on him, he can’t take any type of bad news about Kelly, not when he’s on the front lines of controlling this epidemic. He needs her to be okay and the city of New York needs her to be okay, but is Kelly okay?

Elsewhere on The Strain, Dutch retaliates against Palmer for misleading her regarding the purpose of the tech blackout, while Eldritch’s caregiver Mr. Fitzwilliams makes a surprising choice.

The Strain airs Sundays at 10:00 on FX.

Where do you think Kelly went once she discovered that Matt was infected? How will Dutch get her revenge on Palmer for using her skills for nefarious means? Will Mr. Fitzwilliams’ choice negatively impact Palmer’s quest for immortality?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKOw3EMYxf8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkaYUj8inVQ

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“We’ve never had any doubts about The Strain,” said John Landgraf, CEO, FX Networks and FX Productions. “Working with Guillermo del Toro, Carlton Cuse, and the brilliant cast led by Corey Stoll has been everything we had hoped it would be and more.  It is thrilling when you have a show that is a creative and commercial hit, which is a rare accomplishment in this increasingly crowded marketplace. We look forward having it on FX for as long as Carlton, Guillermo and Chuck Hogan need to tell this epic tale.”

Based on the novels by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) and adapted for television by del Toro, Chuck Hogan (The Town), and Carlton Cuse (Lost), The Strain tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll), head of the CDC Canary Team in New York and one of the first to discover a deadly outbreak after an unusual incident on an airplane. Tasked with containing the outbreak, which bears similarities to an ancient strain of vampirism, Ephraim and the rest of his team must save humanity from being devoured from within.

In addition to Stoll, The Strain stars David Bradley (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), Mia Maestro (Frida), Miguel Gomez (Louie), Natalie Brown (Sophie), and Richard Sammel (Inglorious Basterds). The show’s renewal is the first decision FX has made about its current summer slate, which also includes crime drama The Bridge and comedies Married and You’re the Worst.

The Strain airs Sundays at 10:00 on FX. The second season of the show is said to incorporate elements of the second Strain novel by del Toro.

Have you been watching The Strain? If you’re a fan of the novels, which plot points are you most looking forward to seeing next season? Do you think the show should quicken its pace or are you okay with the slow burn of the first half of the season?

The post The Strain Renewed for Season 2 by FX appeared first on TVHackr.

Based on the series of novels by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) and executive produced by Carlton Cuse (Lost), The Strain follows Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll), the head of the CDC Canary Team in New York City. After being called in to investigate a viral outbreak, Goodweather and his team discover that said outbreak has hallmarks of an ancient strain of vampirism, a finding that will forever change the course of human history. Ephraim and the rest of the Canary Team must now work to locate the cause of the outbreak, figure out a cure while saving as many lives as they can, and save the city before it’s completely taken over by the infected.

In addition to Stoll, The Strain stars David Bradley (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) as Professor Abraham Setrakian, a Holocaust survivor turned pawn shop owner who may possess important answers concerning the outbreak; Mia Maestro (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2) as biochemist Dr. Nora Martinez, who becomes a fearless warrior when encountered with the reality of the outbreak; Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) as CDC Administrator Jim Kent, a man who works alongside Ephraim and helps contain the outbreak; Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) as Vasiliy Fet, a Ukrainian rat exterminator who joins the war against the vampires; and Robert Maillet (Sherlock Holmes) as the Master, one of the seven ancient vampires.

The series premiere of The Strain is set to air Sunday, July 13th at 10:00 on FX. You can check out a full list of FX and FXX summer premiere dates here.

Will you be watching The Strain? Do the teasers released thus far match the vibe of the source novels? Is FX wise in putting this show on Sundays against a heavy onslaught of cable competition?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62308hr2–0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1urSZlAwOyI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik-xoo-sKR4

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNYKYdA5ADU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXhJwQZec4M

The post The Strain Teasers: A Whole New World appeared first on TVHackr.

FX will be premiering two new dramas this coming summer in Tyrant and The Strain. The former, to bow Tuesday, June 24th at 10:00, comes from Howard Gordon (24) and Gideon Raff (Homeland) and tells the story of Bassam “Barry” Al Fayeed (Adam Rayner), the younger son of the dictator of a war-torn nation. He decides to end a self-imposed 20-year exile from his home country and returns, this time with his wife and children, only to find that the culture clash his family experiences threatens to swallow them whole. The latter, set to become FX’s first Sunday drama with a July 13th premiere, is based on the best-selling trilogy of the same name and follows Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll), the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. When his team gets called in to investigate a viral outbreak with the hallmarks of vampirism, nothing will ever be the same.

In addition to Rayner, Tyrant stars Jennifer Finnigan (Monday Mornings), Justin Kirk (Weeds), Jordana Spiro (My Boys), Moran Atias (The Next Three Days), and Ashraf Barhom (The Kingdom). The Strain, which was created by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) and will be ran by Carlton Cuse (Lost), stars David Bradley (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Mia Maestro (Frida), Regina King (Southland), and Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers).

Additionally, FX will be returning one drama this summer in the form of The Bridge, which underwent some upheaval behind the scenes with the departure of co-creator Meredith Stiehm. To debut Wednesday, July 9th at 10:00, the second season of The Bridge finds Marco reeling from the death of his son, Sonya encountering a mysterious man who threatens to come between her and Hank, and Daniel and Adriana continuing to follow the Millie Quintana Money House.

FX will also be debuting three comedies during the summer months, starting with Andrew Gurland’s Married on Thursday, July 17th at 10:00. Starring Nat Faxon (Ben & Kate) and Judy Greer (Archer), the series follows a married couple drowning in kids, debt, and suburbia, who are sometimes reminded of just how deep a connection they share. Following the premiere of Married is You’re the Worst, which debuts Thursday, July 17th at 10:30. From Stephen Falk (Weeds), the comedy tells the story of two self-destructive people (Aya Cash, Chris Geere) who fall in love despite themselves and attempt the impossible—a relationship. Finally, the network will be debuting its next 10/90 comedy, Partners, on Monday, August 4th at 9:00. Airing its first 10 episodes in 5 weeks, the series stars Martin Lawrence (Martin) and Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) as two Chicago lawyers from vastly different backgrounds who unexpectedly meet in court as they each face a personal crisis.

Meanwhile, at FXX, the final season of Wilfred is set to premiere Wednesday, June 25th at 10:00 with back-to-back episodes. The series, which barely managed to scrape a fourth season renewal after a third season collapse, will have 10 episodes in its final season and will serve as FXX’s lone summer scripted entry.

You can check out teasers for The Strain and Tyrant below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik-xoo-sKR4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBfjA-oU7KE

The post FX and FXX Announce Summer 2014 Premiere Dates appeared first on TVHackr.

From Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, The Strain tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll), the head of the CDC Canary Team in New York. When he and the team are called in to investigate an unusual occurrence at JFK Airport, they find a mysterious viral outbreak that has the hallmarks of an ancient strain of vampirism that could threaten humanity as they know it. Soon enough, they’re leading the fight to eradicate the strain, but do they have the type of personnel and weaponry necessary to eliminate the strain and defeat the hoards of undead that are left in its wake?

Based on a trilogy of novels by del Toro and to be showran by Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel), The Strain stars the likes of David Bradley (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Leslie Hope (The River), Robert Maillet (Dark Rising: Warrior of Worlds), and Richard Sammel (Alone Against the Time).

In addition to her role as Detective Lydia Adams on the TNT drama, cancelled earlier this year, King has appeared on the likes of The Big Bang Theory, 24, and Leap of Faith. She joins Melanie Merkosky (Continuum) in recurring on the next FX original series, with Merkosky lined up to portray the cancer-afflicted wife of a CDC administrator.

The Strain will premiere sometime in July 2014. You can check out the cryptic first promo for the series here.

Will you be watching The Strain? Do you think that the show will be able to convey the heart of the novel series it’s based on while still becoming its own animal? Are you happy to have King back on television so soon after Southland‘s cancellation?

The post The Strain: Southland Alum Regina King to Recur appeared first on TVHackr.

In addition to Stoll, The Strain stars the likes of David Bradley (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) as Professor Abraham Setrakian, a Holocaust survivor turned pawn shop owner; Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) as Ukrainian rat exterminator Vasilly Fet, who joins the war against the vampires; Mia Maestro (Frida) as biochemist-turned-fierce-warrior Dr. Nora Martinez; Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers) as Jim Kelly, a CDC administrator who works closely with Goodweather and Martinez; and Jonathan Hyde (Titanic) as Eldritch Palmer, a billionaire looking to become immortal by any means necessary.

The Strain is set to premiere July 2014 on FX. The series is said to be on track to run anywhere from 3-5 seasons, provided that ratings hold up enough for at least two renewals.

Will you be watching The Strain? Does the first promo for the show intrigue you at all? How would you like the advertising campaign for The Strain to look?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svTAVsX3X_c

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This week on TVHackr, we talked about the latest addition to the Homeland writing staff, when to expect a return to Dallas, and a renewal for Witches of East End, while the internet touched on Iranian TV, the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination, and how television has impacted Christmas music.

Betrayal 1.08 Preview: Jack and Sara Deal with Their New Family Dynamics
On the most recent episode of Betrayal, Jack and Sara dealt with their affair being exposed, while TJ becomes reckless after what happened to Brandy.

Ravenswood Midseason Finale Sneak Peeks: Is Miranda in Danger?
On the midseason finale of Ravenswood, Caleb sensed that Miranda was in danger, while Remy uncovered a major clue and a dangerous connection was revealed.

Witches of East End 1.07 “Unburied” Recap
While the identity of the shifter was revealed on Witches of East End, a novelist moves to East End to research his novel and Freya tries to change her dreams.

Dallas: TNT Sets Season 3 Premiere Dates
The third season of Dallas is set to premiere Monday, February 24th at 9:00 on TNT.

Castle Review: “Disciple”
When Castle and Beckett investigate a murder in which the victim resembles Lanie, the team believes that the members of the 12th Precinct at the next targets.

Russell T. Davies to explore gay life with Channel 4 shows
Queer as Folk creator Russell T. Davies has two new gay-themed series in development – Cucumber, about a 40-something man and his boyfriend, and Banana, which will focus on many different shades of gay love/life.

HIMYM spinoff: ‘How I Met Your Dad’ pilot ordered by CBS
CBS has ordered a pilot for How I Met Your Dad, to be developed by How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and former Up All Night showrunner Emily Spivey.

ABC Announces Midseason Premiere Dates, Time Change for Revenge
Among the moves ABC made for midseason are pushing Revenge back an hour, moving Suburgatory back to 8:30, and splitting Tuesdays at 10:00 between two dramas.

FX Orders Drama Series The Strain, Sets a July Debut
FX has ordered a 13-episode first season of The Strain, a series based on a trilogy of vampire novels from director Guillermo del Toro.

The Tomorrow People 1.07 Sneak Peek: Has Stephen Become a Liability?
On the most recent episode of The Tomorrow People, John sensed a tension between himself and Cara, while Stephen had a moment of clarity regarding his father.

The Tomorrow People: Queer as Folk Alum Robert Gant to Guest Star
Queer as Folk alum Robert Gant will be guest starring on two episodes of The Tomorrow People as a love interest for Stephen’s mother Marla.

Witches of East End 1.08 Preview: Wendy Discovers Joanna Hid the Key
On the next episode of Witches of East End, Wendy finds out that Joanna buried the key, while Ingrid suspects that Mike has ulterior motives and the shifter targets Freya.

The Bridge Showrunner Meredith Stiehm Departs for Homeland
The Bridge showrunner Meredith Stiehm has departed the FX drama and returned to Homeland, where she wrote several episodes during the first two seasons.

Ravenswood Winter Premiere Preview: Eternity is Right Now
On the winter premiere of Ravenswood, Caleb deals with his encounter with Miranda on the other side and the group’s progress in unraveling the mystery gets derailed by Dillon.

World-Renowned Dancers Join Starz Ballet Drama Flesh and Bone
Star drama Flesh and Bone, about a dancer who joins a New York company, has added a choreographer and a slew of dancers.

Pretty Little Liars and Ravenswood Winter Premiere Spoilers
ABC Family has released the episode descriptions for the Pretty Little Liars season premiere and the Ravenswood winter premiere.

HBO to Premiere Toxic Hot Seat Documentary Monday, November 25th
HBO will be premiering a new documentary, this one about the chemical industry, on Monday, November 25th.

Black Sails to Premiere Saturday, January 25th on Starz
The eight-episode first season of Black Sails is set to premiere Saturday, January 25th at 9:00 on Starz.

Showrunner Shonda Rhimes to release memoir in 2015
Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes has signed a book deal that will see a memoir published in 2015.

Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles to Premiere November 23rd on HBO
HBO will be premiering a Sarah Silverman comedy special on Saturday, November 23rd.

The Sound of Music Live!: NBC Releases Full Trailer Featuring Cast
Get a look at upcoming NBC television event The Sound of Music Live!, which had a full trailer released this week.

FOX Announces Midseason Schedule Changes
Among the changes to FOX’s midseason schedule are a move for Glee, a hiatus for The Mindy Project, and a special airing of The Following.

How I Met Your Mother 9.10 Review – Mom and Dad
While Barney wants to see his parents back together, Ted is blamed for the mess-up of a wedding-related duty.

Syfy Announces 2014 Premiere Dates for Lost Girl, Bitten, Being Human, and More
Syfy has announced premiere dates for Lost Girl, Bitten, Face Off, Being Human, and Opposite Worlds.

Starz Drama Power Begins Production, Adds to Cast
Crime drama Power, about a nightclub owner whose other life is as the kingpin of a drug ring, has began production in New York.

Reign 1.07 Preview: The Castle Comes Under Siege
On the next episode of Reign, the castle comes under siege and Francis is taken hostage, while Diane tells Bash of her plan to have him declare legitimate.

Witches of East End Renewed for Season 2 by Lifetime
Supernatural drama Witches of East End has been renewed for a second 13-episode season by Lifetime, which will premiere in late 2014.

Need a little Christmas? TV trots out top holiday music (USA Today)
Don’t look now, but several of the year’s top holiday music releases are artists who have strong ties to television.

How Live TV Helped America Mourn The Loss Of JFK (NPR)
NPR’s Fresh Air takes a look at how live television made it possible for the United States to mourn the assassination of JFK.

Iran’s state TV tries ‘soft power’ to win hearts and minds (The Guardian)
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting has expended vast financial resources to compete with Persian-language satellite programs beamed into the country from abroad.

The World’s Most Jaw-Dropping Reality TV Shows (Foreign Policy)
Foreign Policy brings you several reality television series from around the world that are different from what people think of when they hear the term “reality TV”.

For So Long Deemed So Lowly, Television Is Now Officially an Artform (PopMatters)
PopMatters reviews How to Watch Television by Jason Mittell and Ethan Thompson, a book that was released this past August.

The post The Week in Television Wrap November 16-22 appeared first on TVHackr.