The Strain
Created by Carlton Cuse, Guillermo del Toro
On FX
A sustained apocalyptic horror thriller that treats vampirism as a viral plague, maintaining high tension and paranoia across four seasons of escalating urban collapse.
A high concept thriller that tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. As the strain spreads, Eph, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers, wage war for the fate of humanity itself.
Clusters
Where to watch
- StreamHulu, Spectrum On Demand, Philo, AMC+, Shudder
- BuyApple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Questions people ask
Is The Strain violent? Yes, very. More violent than 94% of series.
Is The Strain scary? Yes, very. More frightening than 93% of series.
Is The Strain sad? Yes. More sad than 79% of series.
Is The Strain easy watching? Barely. Less comforting than 75% of series.
Does The Strain leave you hopeful? Not especially. Less hopeful than 73% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- Whose Show Is It?Finding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like The Strain, and what each one shares →
Like The Strain
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as The Strain
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like The Strain, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like The Strain, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like The Strain, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
