It’s fucking me up how good this is
All I ever want on mainstream tv is good writing — good acting, good photography, good pacing, those are all necessary too, but they’re now common. But this show has great writing — nuanced writing, thoughtful writing, snide writing, knowing writing, frank writing, etc etc etc — and it makes me so fucking happy.
A near-perfect season of television, and dare I say one that sets a new standard, not just for video game adaptations, but for adaptations in general.
The Last of Us is a breath of fresh air in this oversaturated genre. While many may take issue with the fact that the infected in this show are relegated to the back seats, I think it's a brilliant and welcome change. The Last of Us is not a 'zombie show', it's a show about love and loss; a show that aims to display a brutal, bleak, and heartbreaking world where these characters are forced to cling onto whatever they can get hold of to justify their continued fight to survive. The relationship between Joel and Ellie is brilliant, and their chemistry as a father/daughter type duo is second-to-none.
I've seen a lot of fans of the game complain that there's not enough action, and while it's certainly true that there's very little action in comparison to the game, I don't think that's a bad thing. This is not an action show, and video game fights do not translate well on screen. The game version of The Last of Us often sees the player (controlling Joel) mow down dozens of enemies at a time, and as a game, that works. It's necessary to have all those enemies, as action is a big part of the experience when playing a video game. But for a show, fewer action sequences make much more sense. The show feels much more grounded and realistic than the game ever did, and that's in part due to the action sequences being both far fewer, and also much more of a struggle for the characters involved. In this show, Joel is not a superhero, not like he is in the game. He can't take three gunshots and still take down five armed men, three runners, and a clicker. No, in this show, Joel is very much human; when he gets in a tussle with even one opponent, he struggles; and when he gets stabbed, he goes down and spends a long time recovering back to full health.
As far as the plot goes, the show hits every major beat that the video game did, and almost all of the major scenes are word-for-word identical to the video game counterpart. This was fantastic to see, as the game had already done a perfect job of hitting certain emotional scenes out of the park, and the show is no different. However, there are a bunch of times when the show does make some plot changes. One of the main changes is the entirety of episode three, 'Long, Long Time', which details the story of Bill and Frank's relationship. While this episode might be one of the most beautiful love stories ever told on television and was an easy 10/10 for me, it was also a huge departure from the game's plot. In the game, we never get to meet Frank; we only meet Bill. We meet Bill while playing as Joel, accompanied by Ellie. Bill is a bitter man who hates pretty much everything in the world, and his 'partner', Frank, is already gone. The show making the decision to never have Bill meet Joel and Ellie in the present timeline was a huge change, and while I was disappointed that we never got to hear the banter between Bill and Ellie in live-action, I actually think it was a very smart, and well-executed change; and one that gave us what will likely be considered by many to be the best episode of television this year.
There were other, much smaller changes throughout the show too. One example is that in the game, we never went to Jackson to find Tommy, in fact, we never get to see inside Jackson until the second game. Instead, Joel and Ellie meet up with Tommy and Maria at the hydroelectric dam. Another, even smaller change, would be how in episode eight when Ellie is hacking David to pieces with that knife, the game's equivalent scene actually has Joel find her during that, and he physically pulls her off of David to comfort her. Whether or not you like these changes is obviously going to be entirely subjective, but I will say that I found almost all of the changes to work well and make a lot of sense considering the change in medium.
Nothing will ever be an exact 1:1 adaptation of source material, that's just how things are. It doesn't matter if it's a book, a video game, or a comic book - there have to be some changes to make it work better for television. I don't agree with people who want as many changes as possible and who think that a 1:1 adaptation would be boring - I think that's silly. But I also don't agree with people who complain about every time there's a slight change to something and who then go on and complain about the show not being true to the source. This show is objectively one of the greatest adaptations ever put to screen, and I think we have the involvement of the game's original writer, Neil Druckman, to thank for that. The show hits all of the major story beats and character moments that the game does, while also expanding on various points in order to flesh things out a little more than they did in the game. If you genuinely think that this is a bad adaptation, then you must never have seen any other adaptations of other materials. You must never have read a book that was made into a movie, or any other game that was made into a show. Take 'The Witcher', for example, a show that received a lot of praise, especially for its first season. That show is literally one of the worst adaptations of source material that has ever been put to screen. The main plots literally changed and were abandoned in favour of the showrunner's own original content. Characters literally behave in ways that they never would in books or games. How about the recent Halo show? That was a bad adaptation. The Uncharted movie? Awful adaptation. But The Last of Us... this show is the furthest thing from being a 'bad' adaptation. The characters are true to themselves, the tone is a match, the plot is a match, the emotional impact is very, very close too.
I think the only thing that comes to mind when I think of things I didn't like about this season, was probably the stuff with Melanie Lynskey's character of Kathleen in episodes four and five. It wasn't that she was poor in the role or anything, but her entire character just felt entirely unnecessary, and it felt as though we spent too much time with her when we could have been spending it with Sam and Henry.
For me, the weakest episode of the season was probably episode seven, 'Left Behind'. It was still a good episode, and Bella Ramsay was great in it, but I felt as though the time spent in that episode would have been better suited elsewhere, maybe giving us more time with David's group to help flesh that plot out a little more.
Overall, this was a damn near-perfect season of television. The pacing is fantastic, the characters are compelling, the tension is fantastic, and the emotional payoff is brutal. Season two will no doubt be controversial, just as the second game was. Though, from what I read, it seems that they're planning on splitting the second game across two seasons rather than just one, so that will be interesting to see.
Overall: 9.4/10
(543-word review) What an underwhelming, somewhat disappointing first season. And I say "somewhat disappointing" because I wasn't necessarily going in with high hopes, expecting something phenomenal. I never do. I dive into a show or film, feeling how I feel about it by the end. At the very least, there was an expectation that there would be something more decent and competent than the result.
For one, most of the budget must've gone to Pedro Pascal, and the rest went to some of the production design; there were hardly any Infected. Making sure to have a prominent enough focus on them must've been on the back-burner to where, when they remembered and "intended" to get around to doing that, they didn't have enough money left. Or, worst case scenario, they thought putting them on the back-burner in a post-apocalyptic setting was a fantastic idea.
Showcasing the state of the world through that aspect is vital for the premise regarding Ellie and what her existence could bring. And while the fruition of that is questionable, it's the idea: the possibility/hope. Failing to include a sufficient amount of Infected undermines that premise, adding a sense of pointlessness to the whole thing.
Secondly, there was a massive disconnect, from the outside looking in, concerning Joel and Ellie. There's this reality we're supposed to buy into and see; that's the point. We're supposed to feel their connection, subsequently being connected to that connection, these characters, and their relationship. Except to accomplish that, two things need to be present: good writing and good chemistry between the actors. The former was subpar: skipping essential development, and, in their stead, was so-called development far from accomplishing its intent; the latter, contrary to whatever most people saw, wasn't there, which dragged that whole aspect of Joel and Ellie down even further due to the lack of it.
The supposed tension and excitement, things most people talked about, episode by episode, especially the former, regarding their prominence, weren't there for me. I never felt any of this tension throughout the season. Most of the season nearly felt the opposite. No stakes or deep immersion and no significant attachment to any of the characters or the things happening, just a calm stroll through the countryside with the sunset and beautiful horizon, munching sundaes, then going back home to watch football. That's not exciting, either.
Then, there was the third episode, raved about by practically everyone; this across-the-board award-winning love story (according to them) that could've hit the mark with a shorter duration. It wasn't THAT excellent, not to mention it was the second-longest one, with the finale being the shortest one. But it does seem slightly better now, given the gradual decline with each episode to the end.
What did the vast majority watch? I don't know. But what I know is what I did: something that, with the first episode, was at its best. And that still wasn't as phenomenal as how that vast majority consider the whole season, specifically the third episode alone. It was decent at best and borderline mediocre at its worst, and there was more of the former after the first episode to where, by the end, you almost forget that the season was moderately decent in the beginning.
"Save who you can save."
I've been a PlayStation loyalist since the PS2 days, and yet The Last Of Us as a whole has always teased me. Back when I played it in 2013 (and replayed it in 2019), I personally didn't understand the hype around it. The game is notably the stepping stone for cinematic, narrative-driven adventures in the medium sure, but it didn't necessarily feel like a step up after Uncharted. It wasn't until I played The Last Of Us: Part II in 2020 that I started to truly realize what makes this series truly unique, especially compared to other post-apocalyptic stories.
This is where the HBO adaptation comes in. Even after the 2022 Uncharted movie, I become more skeptic about this retelling of a game that I didn't necessarily interesting until several years and replays later. I was very wrong. Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann truly accomplished the impossible, and particular easy, task of making the perfect video game adaptation... and arguably BETTER than its original material at times!
I understand this isn't a review of the video game, but I often argue that the weakest point of The Last Of Us as a video game was its generic stealth-action combat, which can often hold back what is otherwise a simple, yet deep story about surviving in a world with the ambiguity of human morality. With no gameplay involved here, Craig Mazin and crew were able to fit much more in its 9-episode recreation to fully realize the post-apocalyptic infected world. What is typically found through hidden/optional notes and collectibles are embedded into this show through use of cold openers, side character scenarios, and moments of breathe between action. The few changes that were made this time around almost always improved the story, with certain setpieces and characters (unknowingly to newcomers) setting the stage for the inevitable themes presented in "Part II". This is what I imagine Neil Druckmann and crew originally wanted to present in the story, but couldn't due to limitations, as well as what would flow better into a sequel unexpected by the team by the unexpected success in 2013. And to showcase how excellent the dialogue and writing was in the original game, this adaptation often remakes certain scenes line-by-line, creating what is essentially the perfect telling of the story; a "director's cut", to put it lightly.
The actors all around were perfectly cast! Pedro Pascal makes for a perfectly gritty and somber Joel, Bella Ramsey is absolutely excellent as the strong and comedic Ellie, and other members like Nick Offerman, Lamar Johnson, and Scott Shephered really nailed their iconic characters from the video game's narrative. Even the cameos for fans of the games were a welcome surprise, from Troy and Ashley themselves, to the remarkable Merle Dandridge reprising her role as Marlene. Everything is tied together splendidly with music from returning composer Gustavo Santaolalla, as well as David Fleming, making for a near-identical replica of the source.
The Last Of Us on HBO successfully adapts and, often times, polishes the original story that ultimately kickstarted generations of experiences in a medium that's still premature to cinema. Its first season fully goes through the events of "Part I", and I'm sure as hell excited to see how the showrunners tackle the controversial "Part II" next season. Truly a perfect example of bringing this thought-provoking narrative to the large audience incapable of experiencing what video games have to offer, as well as an excellent companion to longtime fans of the first game.
The only gripe I have with it is that the PlayStation Productions logo isn't plastered on the front like in Uncharted; a missed opportunity.
Overall I really liked the show, it was a great representation of the game and managed to capture the essence of it really well. Bella Ramsey was absolutely the best part for me, absolutely killed it as Ellie and gave the best performance in my opinion.
I will say I feel like the pacing was kinda off throughout the series, some parts went way to fast and others were too slow. I feel like if we got just like 30 more minutes of building the relationship between Joel and Ellie it would’ve been a bit more impactful overall, the montage after leaving Tommy’s place just didn’t really do it for me.
Hopefully with the success of season 1 they’ll get much more time/episodes for season 2. I’d really love to get more new Joel and Ellie scenes there.
Just to remind myself, if I ever rewatch this, to skip episodes 3 and 7.
Was a tad bit worried watching this as TV Shows based on Video Games tend to fall a little flat and seeing as I am a huge fan of The Last of Us I had some extra worries... but so far so good! Season One was fantastic!! Both Pedro and Bella performed phenomenally, they stuck true to the game and only added new things when necessary, I am highly impressed. Plus, those Zombies look dope! 10/10
Fantastic albeit slightly slow. I loved the juxtaposition between current events and flashbacks — very effective narrative strategy to lend context and even more weight to the current events.
There were some contrived video game moments like Ellie running up the building asking you to follow eventually finding a Giraffe at the top, but those were quite charming if you play video games.
Got to hand it to Pedro Pascal. He seems to have become the poster child of ride-along with a kid style shows (The Mandalorian). Of course, Bella Ramsay kills it too. Fantastic show overall. I hope the next season comes before too long.
This is a show about someone who lost their life when their world ended. Something that seems to be affecting many today. But it's also about someone who finds their life in spite of the world ending. While the action and visuals are tantalizing, concentrate on these two people and learn what they are learning.
I never played the video game, but to suggest fewer action scenes brings more reality to the show is false. This is an apocalyptic event, that could not be controlled due to the infection causing violent behavior. Logically it would only get worse with time which according to the show itself is exactly what’s happened. So the idea that roaming around freely without much consequence is ridiculous, especially in the cities.
That being said, the show was still good. Episode 7 was terribly written, acted and directed. I didnt enjoy the way the season ended, and I hope that’s how it ended in the first game. The zoo scene was a bit too far fetched but otherwise it was an interesting way to end the season. My thoughts are that Joel is having a mental breakdown. And hopefully that’s what the writers are trying to portray. We will see! Look forward to the next season and I hope it beats the poor reviews of the 2nd game!
An absolutely phenomenal show. Comes straight out the gate with all the heart and beauty in a very hostile world that made the games so special. The characters are played really well and the CGI and world building are exceptional. And the episode with Bill's story was effortlessly one of the best episodes of TV of all time.
This show, so far, is one of the greats. It will definitely go down as yet another master stroke from HBO and Jerry too. Exceptional.
This is how you do a videogame adaptation! My favorite TV show of all time! :hearts:
The Last of Us is my favorite video game franchise of all time. I don’t actually have a ton of criticisms, only that the last episode felt rushed. I think Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey both do a fantastic job as Joel and Ellie, and they both bring a unique aspect to this version of those characters compared to the game. And the show-only episode 3 is maybe the best episode of the season. I also like how they start to build the seeds for various themes that would be explored more in season 2. I guess just having a visual version of the story in the original game means this adaptation will be less special for me.
Honestly, I'm surprised. Two episodes in and it was a live action computer game. The third episode with the performance by Offerman is what set the new standard and the entire series ascended a level. Still some moments that had the sound, visuals and dramaturgy, but no longer ridiculously so. Also damn Lynskey does a good character. The suburban mum gone fucked up, it is her forte isn't it. Pascal does well too through out the series, but damn I'm jelly how well groomed he manages to keep his facial hair throughout seasons in the apocalypse.
Ignoring some inconsistencies, slightly too computer gamey monsters and poorly assembled backstory, it's still sorta plausible scenario. Well, except all the roads in prime condition despite no maintenance - but at least people are not drinking out of tin cans and jars.
After a few episodes I got over it and actually enjoyed how Ellie actually is a really annoying teenager, as most of us were and most of you are. And damn it hit hard when it hit the hard that is only suggested. Ramsey done solid acting too but here she brought out some genuinely painful scenes of vulnerability and vengeance.
All in all it's a good story of anti heroes. Nobody is binary good, plenty of scalps to be judged from high horses, but hey we do what we must to survive.
10/10
All Gold
The GOAT
TLOU Part I
'Game' is a flawless Masterpiece and has
been from 2013
on all PS consoles,
Is this t.v adaptation
better than the Game
No it is not, the show
was softened and missed
some really really
important content from
the game that would have
put this show on a
Different Level than
any other.
That being said
why I give this show
Maximum points is because
it absolutely nailed and
then some what it did take
from the source martial.
The attention to detail
was off the charts,
the high value production,
then we have an all
star cast giving
Outstanding Performances
and knocking it clean out the Ball Park.
More than often the
show went scene to scene
of the game which I
absolutely
Frickin Loved, but still
adding brand new scenes
and lore not in the game
along the way.
The effort this show
put into season one
to get it right
must be Acknowledged
and applauded and that's
what firmly puts this
show straight into the
Category of
"The GOAT Game
to T.V Show Adaptation"
Theme- 9.5/10
Rewatchibility- 10/10
Acting- 10/10
Kinematography- 10/10
Time- 9.5/10
Total - 49/5 = 9.8
A video game masterpiece from Naughty Dog is adapted into an HBO series. When that premise was brought to my attention, two things entered my mind: I'm glad this is gonna be a series rather than a movie and this has a very high bar to reach. Thankfully after the first season, I can safely say..., mission accomplished. This did everything an adaptation should: hit all the major story beats and recreate some; provide positive alterations and additions; omit the filler or the content that doesn't translate across mediums; and don't alienate an audience that didn't partake in the source material. Pedro & Bella do such an amazing job as Joel and Ellie that I am both excited and dreading Season 2, the pitfalls of knowing the source material. If anything, it could have done with a touch more action and one more episode. But that's really me grasping for straws though. An absolute recommendation.
"Top" 3 Episodes:
1. When You're Lost in the Darkness
2. When We Are in Need
3. Long, Long Time
Although I haven't played the game(s), I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It's surprising because I usually like to avoid the overdone trope of infected/zombies in both series and games. However, it feels to me that this series takes a more interesting approach compared to some others.
That being said, there were a few scenes or whole episodes that felt out of place, to the point of being unwatchable. Episode 7, in particular, stands out negatively for me. Ellie's background story with Riley is interesting, but not 55 minutes worth of interesting. Had that episode been laced with 50% other material from current day, I might have stayed interested. I understand the purpose of this sort of episode in the overall narrative, but I just didn't enjoy watching it. Additionally, the series occasionally relies on deus ex machina. I noticed it, but it didn't bother me too much.
I'm eager to continue to watch this series, as I feel it effectively portrays a sense of adventure and an unlikely story about bonding in a scary world.
Bella Ramsey and her character are the best thing about this show. It has been an absolute pleasure watching her consistently stellar performance and loving and rooting for her amazing character.
Season 1 Ranked: 4.9/5
Episode 1: When You're Lost in the Darkness 4.5/5
Episode 2: Infected 5/5
Episode 3: Long, Long Time 5/5
Episode 4: Please Hold to My Hand 5/5
Episode 5: Endure and Survive 5/5
Episode 6: Kin 5/5
Episode 7: Left Behind 5/5
Episode 8: When We Are in Need 5/5
Episode 9: Look for the Light 5/5
more like 8.5.
a very good first season but sometimes the pace feels "off".
hbo really knows how to make a quality show.
Season 1 was quite good. Not a very exciting finale, but generally really well done. A nice reminder that zombie/apocalypse movies/shows do not have to reiterate boring stereotypes the way they used to previously :smile:
i didnt expect this is the same actor in narcos as javier, the makeup team is amazing, wth
I enjoyed this and I'm someone who is hit or miss on blockbuster TV shows (I just recently cut the chord on Perry Mason and The Mandalorian, I also won't watch House of the Dragon or The Rings of Power unless I hear it gets into excellent territory). Anyways, I wouldn't go as far as to say this is one of HBO's Best shows, that's something that could change as the series goes on but I'd say in regards to the big TV stuff like Game of Thrones or Battlestar Galactica, this is definitely up there. I think Bella Ramsey deserves some awards attention and my man Pedro is badass as always. There are some special episodes here and there but I think if the show has something amazing to give, it'll come later in its run which I wonder how long that will be considering this covered the first game and there only one other game. I'm assuming we're gonna get drastic changes. We'll see.
Although there’s no doubt “The Last of Us” has been a milestone in raising the bar for narrative in video games, the plot itself was not that memorable. It had a massive impact because it was a video game, but the same exact script used for another medium would get you yet another generic post-apocalyptic show. The hype for this HBO adaptation was minimum, but I have to say that the series managed to adapt the source material perfectly and, to some extent, also raised the bar for mainstream TV shows in the same way the video games did. Direction, cinematography, and performances rank amongst some of the finest I’ve witnessed in a TV show. There are times the sophisticated take of the direction takes away from the grittiness of the setting, but at least you will hardly find the camp or soapy cheese these series usually deliver (except for the quite terrible eighth episode). I also liked how they tried to give a convincing cinematic counterpart to classic gameplay dynamics such as stealth and exploration.
Then, what’s the matter? Shouldn’t this deserve at least an 8/10? I thought so too, and the hype was undeniable after the first few episodes. However, the same problems of the source materials felt more and more noticeable with each new episode. Without the interactive component, we’re left with what’s essentially yet another post-apocalyptic show with mushrooms instead of zombies. Character depth is what should make the difference in these cases, but we got so little time to spend with each one of them that anyone except the two leads felt essentially wasted. Story arcs that could have been fleshed out over whole seasons open and close within single episodes, ending up being perceived as fillers. You can feel the overarching plot being written in self-contained chunks, as if we’re going through new “levels” of the game each time. This is quite absurd considering the recent trend of bloated TV shows where everything is stretched to the impossible. The same budget stretched over twice the number of episodes would have reduced the overall quality, but I think there was no need to rush the plot of the first game in one season. The lack of momentum resulted in an anticlimactic final, as we hardly got time to perceive how bumpy and exhausting the journey has been to that point (it’s all literally resolved within 20 minutes). We need more time to let the characters breathe and the audience get emotionally attached to them, adding plot elements that were only hinted at in the games. It’s not that there was no time, but it looks like the writers preferred to lose precious minutes by expanding the backstories that have close to no impact on the main narrative (episode 3), or by letting the characters play with giraffes.
Hopefully, this season's success will result in a bigger budget for the second, with possibilities to go slowly and expand the narrative of the second game (which is, in my view, vastly superior and more layered than the first).
Overall it was good, the pacing is a little weird. It feels both short as a season and some of the episodes drag and feel drawn out too long. Maybe a little more of the fighting and survival from a series based on a combat and survival game. But the main characters are well acted and feel real with real motivations.
2023 TV Shows Ranked list on my profile --> https://trakt.tv/users/justinnumerick/lists/2023-tv-shows-ranked?sort=rank,asc
The Last of Us Episodes Ranked list --> https://trakt.tv/users/justinnumerick/lists/the-last-of-us-episodes-ranked?sort=rank,asc
Season 1 Review:
Absolutely adore what this show did. This is some of the best story-telling and character work that I've seen out of a single season of TV for sure. I think it helped that I haven't played the game because I didn't know what was coming and was able to fully experience this story for the first time. I went in expecting a zombie show more or less, but my expectations were undermined in a good way when I realized early on that this is a story about two characters and their relationship. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are equally fantastic in their respective roles and do so much to make you buy into their relationship and how it evolves throughout the season. I do think the narrative pacing of their relationship was a bit rushed throughout and I could have spent more time watching their relationship unfold and develop, but I get that you can't really have them just walking around for entire episodes so I see why the time jumps were needed. And the performances do enough to make up for those time jumps as I was able to fully buy into their developing relationship thanks to their chemistry and believable portrayals. When we did get scenes with the infected, those were executed very well with a lot of good tension, visuals, and excitement. I even loved the more standalone stories like episode 3 and episode 7 where we spend time away from Joel and Ellie together. They were both beautiful and heartbreaking. Episode 1 also does a fantastic job of showing you day 1 of the outbreak and providing the background for Joel's character and the type of man he is for the rest of the season, including how and why Ellie is able to be the catalyst for his arc. The writing and character work is so, so good each and every episode, and had me either tearing up, on the edge of my seat, or pumping my fists in excitement each week. Not to mention the production design was phenomenal. The season isn't perfect, but it comes close and the only thing holding it back slightly for me is that it felt a little too quick at times. Multiple Emmy nominations better be given to this. Show of the year so far for me and it will be hard to beat.
9.5/10 -- Outstanding
So, after watching the whole season, I stick to my initial thoughts. This may very well be the best adaptation of a video game ever. Amazing acting from Pedro and Bella. Amazing sets. Attention to detail. Great mood. A must watch! Can't wait for S02!
8.3 for this seasons opening credit scene
Rated Season 1 with an 8 out of 10 stars, but only for episodes 1 to 8. If I include episode 9 (season finale), it will drastically go down to a 6, even a 5 at that.
So as not to discourage people watching the season just because of the season finale, I'm making it clear that my rating for Season 1 is for episodes 1 to 8 only. Yes, it's a good season except for episode 9.
I jumped on the hype train and it didn’t disappoint. Zombie shows are generally not my thing, but this is so much more than that. This is what you expect from HBO. The quality and storytelling are of the charts and the casting is amazing. Season 1 is one of the best I’ve ever seen… With, I think, one of the best episodes of all time.
Sure, a few things are a bit hard to swallow (like how sudden Joel recovered from being shot when it was necessary) but overall, I enjoyed every second of it.
What a great adaptation of the game!!! they really have done great job and they really made u feel the hype of the game once again, Everything were perfect, Storyline, Graphics, Soundtracks and for sure the acting was really great, I'm soooo lucky to watch this after playing the game by years so they can take me back to the masterpiece mood, Sooo yup they really have done awesome work, although i didn't like the story of the second part but I'm gonna wait it anyway and definitely watch it
On the other hand, I wish they could make more episodes in this season, like I'm sure there were a lot of details they could still focus with it, like brooooooo u could have done at least 15-20 episodes of the first part but still okay, I liked and for sure gonna play the game once again and rewatch this once again
great job guys
This was not just a video game adaptation. This a lot more. This was probably one of the best stories told on a tv show, with amazing acting, incredible cinematography. A combination of great tv genius and the story telling of Neil generated this. I hope this show lives long and steals all the awards, including the golden globes in one year time. There is nothing more to say to team behind HBO the last of us tv show then just: Thank you!!
Average episode rating for this season: 8.1111…
Fantastic adaptation. Truly captures the characters we grew to know and love through the first game, while also bringing so many of the game's locations to life and sprinkling in word-for-word reenactments of cutscenes throughout that show why the game was already a prime candidate for this kind of medium shift.
I only question why HBO gave it such an odd-length (nine??) and short season. A few story beats could have used some extra space to breathe.
This is what you get when you stick to the source material, a good freaking show. Pedro is absolutely perfect for Joel, and while Bella was a miss in the beginning, she's really starting to shine in the later episodes and grows on me, I love them both and I love the show.
I like where it’s going. Each episode is a location in the game and many of the scenes are from the game.
Ellie’s personality is abrasive like the game, and she swears a lot but not as much as the show.
The visuals are great and it seems that CGI isn’t used just to use it. It seems carefully used. The story is flowing well. I hope there is a second season.
I want to know if I get an achievement if I hear all of Ellie’s puns/jokes? :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
Shout by Alma KarlinBlockedParent2023-01-30T20:21:05Z— updated 2023-03-13T20:49:48Z
Just watched the first three episodes, but so far I'm loving this series. It brings an emotional side to the zombie apocalypse genre in a very lovely and impactful way. Episode three is one of the best episodes of television ever, pretty much up there with Castle Rock's Season 1 episode 7 "The Queen". Very powerful mini story with wonderful acting.
EDIT AFTER THE END OF THE SEASON:
I'm staying by my initial reaction - this show is really worth watching. It's visceral, emotional and most of all - human. Highly recommend.