FX announced yesterday that the second season of The Strain, its hit vampire thriller, will premiere July 12 at 10 p.m.
The series, from showrunner Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel) and co-creators Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Crimson Peak) and Chuck Hogan (Prince of Thieves – which was adapted into The Town), centers on the efforts of a ragtag band of heroes led by a CDC scientist (Corey Stoll) to defeat a vampire epidemic spreading through New York City. In the second season, the team’s attempt to defeat the all-powerful Master has failed, and the epidemic continues to spread. With no backup and a limited amount of time to end the madness once and for all, it’s up to the citizens of NYC to fight or die.
Last summer, The Strain became the most-watched new scripted series on all basic and pay cable networks in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic. I had the pleasure of reviewing it throughout its first season, and despite a few issues in the scripting, I found the show to be pretty perfect summer viewing – fast-paced, exciting and packed with some genuinely creepy horror moments.
Stoll, who’s about to break into the big time with the lead villainous role in this summer’s Ant-Man, served as a sturdy protagonist (despite some questionable hair) during the freshman run, and with supporting cast members Mia Maestro, David Bradley, Kevin Durand and Ruta Gedmintas all reprising their roles, there’s no reason that The Strain can’t hit the ground running when it returns.
