HBO's The Last of Us

[Nick]

It’s a set up episode for sure but it was dam good at setting up the next episode, I'm pretty excited for next week. Also it comes out Friday to avoid the superbowl

I have money on Bloaters coming in the next episode. The room that Kathleen & Perry looked into and the concrete on the floor was moving seemed to ominously suggest that imo.

 

[Nick]

TLOU ratings keep going up despite huge competition. Last week the show faced against the AFC Championship game, which was watched by 53M, and this week against the Grammy’s which saw 12.5M.

Most shows would’ve gotten lost in the shuffle of all it has had to go up against schedule wise and yet the audience is still growing which is incredibly impressive.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

 

[Nick]

Loved this episode. So tense, that infected scene was bonkers, and I felt all of the weight of what transpires in the episode even though I knew it was going to happen.

Spoiler

FIRST OF ALL, this episode popped off. Going all out zombie including a freaking bloater during the sniper scene hits so much harder when the use of the infected/clickers is more on the minimal side like this show has done. The show always has you on the edge of your seat, but with the lack of use of infected the past few episodes, it hit much harder when they all came at once. That Sam and Henry scene at the end.... hats off to everyone there. So intense.

Also, I like how in the sneak peak at episode six they’ve clearly made the design of Jackson look like how it does in TLOU 2, setting up for a seamless transition for Season 2 when the journey starts in Jackson.

I’m gonna guess the rest of the series is gonna play out something like this. Guessing the Ellie/Riley flashback will happen in either episode 7 or 8.

Episode 6: Tommy's Dam
Ep 7: University/Lakeside
Ep 8: Lakeside/Bus Depot
Ep 9: The Firefly Lab/Jackson

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Loved this episode. So tense, that infected scene was bonkers, and I felt all of the weight of what transpires in the episode even though I knew it was going to happen.

Spoiler

FIRST OF ALL, this episode popped off. Going all out zombie including a freaking bloater during the sniper scene hits so much harder when the use of the infected/clickers is more on the minimal side like this show has done. The show always has you on the edge of your seat, but with the lack of use of infected the past few episodes, it hit much harder when they all came at once. That Sam and Henry scene at the end.... hats off to everyone there. So intense.

Also, I like how in the sneak peak at episode six they’ve clearly made the design of Jackson look like how it does in TLOU 2, setting up for a seamless transition for Season 2 when the journey starts in Jackson.

I’m gonna guess the rest of the series is gonna play out something like this. Guessing the Ellie/Riley flashback will happen in either episode 7 or 8.

Episode 6: Tommy's Dam
Ep 7: University/Lakeside
Ep 8: Lakeside/Bus Depot
Ep 9: The Firefly Lab/Jackson

Spoiler

I think it's this.
Episode 6: Jackson County/University
Episode 7: Anna and Left Behind
Episode 8: Lakeside
Episode 9: Salt Lake City

 

[Nick]

Spoiler

I think it's this.
Episode 6: Jackson County/University
Episode 7: Anna and Left Behind
Episode 8: Lakeside
Episode 9: Salt Lake City

Spoiler

Is Anna Ellie's mom (who Ashley Johnson is playing)? If so, I can see an entire episode just about devoted to that Ellie, her mom, Riley and Marlene. I can't imagine for the show they're just gonna wait until the finale for Marlene to show up again considering she plays a large role in the finale and we've only seen her in episode one as the audience.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Spoiler

Is Anna Ellie's mom (who Ashley Johnson is playing)? If so, I can see an entire episode just about devoted to that Ellie, her mom, Riley and Marlene. I can't imagine for the show they're just gonna wait until the finale for Marlene to show up again considering she plays a large role in the finale and we've only seen her in episode one as the audience.

Spoiler

Yup to the first. And why I think it could make sense to have Anna be present more in Left Behind is due to the fact that it'd be an Ellie centric episode focusing on her relationship and love with Riley; to then allow us to see Anna love Ellie.

Your probably right that it might be for when we get to Salt Lake City, but I think there's a valid reason to be made to have it be a present aspect for Left Behind.

 

[Nick]

Spoiler

Yup to the first. And why I think it could make sense to have Anna be present more in Left Behind is due to the fact that it'd be an Ellie centric episode focusing on her relationship and love with Riley; to then allow us to see Anna love Ellie.

Your probably right that it might be for when we get to Salt Lake City, but I think there's a valid reason to be made to have it be a present aspect for Left Behind.

Spoiler

No, I worded it improperly in the post you replied to. Like I said in my original post last night, I think the Left Behind stuff is episode 7 or 8 and I agree with you that Anna will likely be in that. My only point was it would be a great time to bring Marlene back though as well before the finale as Marlene was friend's with Ellie's mom and while this has never been confirmed in either the game or show yet, I feel like episode one was trying to hint that Marlene is Riley's mom and if so, it would make perfect sense for her to be in such an episode.

 

[Jaden]

Best episode yet. I knew what would happen but yet it still broke me. Well done HBO.

 

[Nick]

Best episode yet. I knew what would happen but yet it still broke me. Well done HBO.

Bella Ramsey was sooooo great in this episode in general (I think her best yet as Ellie), but the end of the episode in particular conveying so many different kinds of emotions within just a short period of time.

Spoiler

From the happiness her and Sam shared, to the instant "older sister superhero" vibes she gave off when Sam showed he got bit, to her being scared for her being sad that her blood couldn't help Sam, to being afraid for her life, to screeching in horror at Henry killing himself. That was pretty much all in about the final 5-7 minutes and she did it flawlessly. This was the episode where we see Ellie grow up and the first time Ellie turns from being cargo to Joel now in full dad mode.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I’m not the target audience for a Zombie show as I have mentioned so episode 2/5 were a lot on that front, but wow. I think this will win best drama at the Emmy’s for sure. This is so well done, so well written and acted, it’s honestly perfect.

The fact that both die hard fans of the game, and the unfamiliar are giving raves to this show speaks volumes.

 

[Nick]

I’m not the target audience for a Zombie show as I have mentioned so episode 2/5 were a lot on that front, but wow. I think this will win best drama at the Emmy’s for sure. This is so well done, so well written and acted, it’s honestly perfect.

The fact that both die hard fans of the game, and the unfamiliar are giving raves to this show speaks volumes.

This season is (mostly) kumbaya. Once Season 2 comes around though, I can tell you there's gonna be a lot of "fans" of the games making a stink simply because they hate choices the game made.

I'm a bit more worried about Season 2 for other reasons, but we'll wait to discuss that until after this season as it's potentially spoilery for this season but would have no bearing on a Season 2.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

This season is (mostly) kumbaya. Once Season 2 comes around though, I can tell you there's gonna be a lot of "fans" of the games making a stink simply because they hate choices the game made.

I'm a bit more worried about Season 2 for other reasons, but we'll wait to discuss that until after this season as it's potentially spoilery for this season but would have no bearing on a Season 2.

Well I’m here for this, haven’t seen a new show explode like this in a minute that isn’t a spin-off or second season of another show. Pedro Pascal on SNL too was amazing and is exploding online more than other episodes too. This show is the moment.

 

[GAcoaster]

Bella Ramsey was sooooo great in this episode in general (I think her best yet as Ellie), but the end of the episode in particular conveying so many different kinds of emotions within just a short period of time.

Spoiler

From the happiness her and Sam shared, to the instant "older sister superhero" vibes she gave off when Sam showed he got bit, to her being scared for her being sad that her blood couldn't help Sam, to being afraid for her life, to screeching in horror at Henry killing himself. That was pretty much all in about the final 5-7 minutes and she did it flawlessly. This was the episode where we see Ellie grow up and the first time Ellie turns from being cargo to Joel now in full dad mode.

She is amazing and I keep forgetting she's a Brit until the behind the scenes at the end of the show. I also forget she's 19-- she's very convincing as a younger teen. Even the speech pattern is perfect 13/14/15 year old (she sounds like my nieces who are that age).

 

[Fedic]

Spoiler

No, I worded it improperly in the post you replied to. Like I said in my original post last night, I think the Left Behind stuff is episode 7 or 8 and I agree with you that Anna will likely be in that. My only point was it would be a great time to bring Marlene back though as well before the finale as Marlene was friend's with Ellie's mom and while this has never been confirmed in either the game or show yet, I feel like episode one was trying to hint that Marlene is Riley's mom and if so, it would make perfect sense for her to be in such an episode.

Spoiler

Episode 7 is titled "Left Behind", so I think you nailed that one. :grin:

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Really liked the episode--probably the weakest but it had a lot of really good stuff going for it (Pedros performance in particular) but I am not going to beat around the bush.

Spoiler

Dina's actress has been made present in the episode, when Joel and Ellie eat. With Dina's actress secured, the obvious question now comes: Who is playing Abby. If they casted Dina, who is a critical element of Part 2's storyline, then they have to of found their Abby.

Also, Tommy having a kid is going to be a really fascinating deviation; and if anything it might strengthen the element of Loss in S2.

 

[Nick]

I actually really enjoyed this episode. I don't know if i'd call it the weakest (a weak episode for this show is still a really great episode of TV), but we finally fully see Joel's walls come down this episode. Seeing Jackson the way it looks in Part 2 is great and I like that they've already cast a key character going forward and was in this episode.

The scene at the end with Joel leading to Joel bleeding out essentially wasn't as impactful as the game I felt, but I knew they were going to have to change that as the game goes a bit crazy with it and it's probably the most unrealistic part of the game.

Spoiler: Season 2 spoilers

I like the way they've been laying the groundwork subtly for Joel's impending death in S2. They keep throwing dialogue in about how his health is deteriorating, he's getting older, etc, etc and other things that weren't in the game so that when we meet Abby and Joel does die, it's more believable at that point since they've already laid all of this groundwork. Take away a bit of the games lazy character writing on Joel write before he dies and replace it with something a bit smarter and it should work flawlessly.

 

[Nick]

This is how this should be done as opposed to the way Disney and other studios have adopted with the Volume. It’s not something that can really be explained, the Volume simply doesn’t allow for background environments to look real in many cases in my experience watching. Especially close up shots.

I just feel like using The Volume is pretty much making many movies and shows feel like the VFX is bad and you know it when you see it.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Spoiler: Left Behind

10/10

Left Behind holds a very special place for me for gaming memories, so this episode did everything I wanted from it and more. Riley and Ellie's love relationship and how Neil wrote and expanded their dynamics was genuinely fantastic. I know some may consider this a "filler" episode as it doesn't progress the narrative, but it does a lot for me. Genuinely happy by this episode even though it's a genuine heartbreak of an episode.

10/10, this is gonna be the episode that sets Bella Ramsey up to be nominated like how Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett will.

 

[Nick]

Damn, last episode setting Pedro Pascal up for a Best Actor nom, this one setting Bella Ramsey up for Best Actress nom, episode three setting up both Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman for Outstanding Guest Actor, and this episode potentially setting up Storm Reid for an Outstanding Guest Actress nom.

This show does not miss. This episode was sooooooo good. Even though it was almost beat for beat what the Left Behind DLC is and I knew what was going to happen, it still got me emotional at the end. I don't know how this show does it. Sad that there's only two episodes left in the season and can't wait to see how people react to the ending. I'm highly anticipating Season 2 already and while I personally liked Part 2, it was divisive and that's a kind way of phrasing it. However, whenever this show has deviated from the game, they've done it better 90% of the time, so I have faith.

Also, after the show ends March 12th, i'm on the lookout for the TLOU: Factions to be announced to come out in June to coincide with the 10 year anniversary of the game.