Currently in the midst of its third year on the airwaves, FX has confirmed plans to close the book on The Strain with a fourth and final season in 2017.
The horror series, initially created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan and based on their novel trilogy, was said to be originally pitched as a three-season story, but during the throes of development, del Toro, Hogan and showrunner Carlton Cuse, chose to extend the arc a little further. And so, we arrive at news of the admittedly bittersweet season 4 renewal. At the very least, viewers can take solace in the knowledge that all involved now have a clear finish line in sight, meaning they can fan the flames of the vampire apocalypse organically ahead of a fitting conclusion. That’s the ‘glass half-full’ perspective, anyway.
Per IGN:
“We sincerely thank Carlton Cuse, Guillermo del Toro, Chuck Hogan, and their creative team as well as the fantastic cast for three exciting seasons of The Strain,” FX original programming president Nick Grad said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Though we’re sad to see it go, we fully support the way in which they are crafting the fourth season’s dramatic conclusion.”
Headlined by House of Cards veteran Corey Stoll, The Strain imagines a horrific scenario in which Stoll’s Ephraim Goodweather valiantly attempts (and fails) to stop a vampire plague from destroying New York via viral parasitic worms. Apocalyptic chaos ensues. David Bradley, Kevin Durand, Ruta Gedmintas and Richard Sammel are among the core cast.
In light of today’s confirmation, The Strain will bow out in 2017 with a fourth and final season. It’s currently mid-way through season 3 on FX, and you can find our early impressions of those thrilling new episodes here.