‘The Strain’ Recap: S3E5 ‘Madness’

Eph and Dutch Make A Medical Discovery

Even though the show has spent a lot of time shooting and hacking at Strigoi, remember this started as an epidemic that the CDC was first tasks to stop. Even though Eph can hold his own against them, he’s a medical scientist first. He can clearly shoot one down, but he believes that the way to defeat them is on a cellular level. Today’s episode he spends much of the time in his makeshift lab where’s he’s experimenting on them and he makes a few discoveries.

One discovery is that their brains are almost completely worm-based. It makes sense since so much of their biology has been re-routed due to the infection of the worms. In doing so he discovers that the telepathic nature of the Strigoi is not limited to The Master. When he injures one Strigoi, the other one close by it also feels the pain. The other discovery is made when he is examining the “worm brain” and Dutch goes to reheat some coffee. Turns out the microwave radiation disrupts their telepathy. If there is a strong enough burst of microwave radiation, it could make them stop coordinating and being able to problem solve and turn them back into mindless creatures.

Of course, lab tests are one thing, field tests are another. After doing a lap test, the best way to see if it really works is to let a Strigoi loose and turn up the radiation. Unfortunately, the experiment is a failure and they are almost killed by the Strigoi they free. However, if they are able to build a more powerful microwave transmitter, it might be able to do the job.

Also, Dutch is turning into Eph’s new Fet. She and he seem to work well together. And since she and Fet are no longer together, who know’s if Eph and she might become an item.