HBO's The Last of Us

[AlexanderMBush]

Damn, last episode setting Pedro Pascal up for a Best Actor nom, this one setting Ellie 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.

Same. Hoping as it seems to be a F2P that it hits PC too; because I'd love to see more people get a chance to do Factions.

 

[Nick]

Same. Hoping as it seems to be a F2P that it hits PC too; because I'd love to see more people get a chance to do Factions.

I don't believe the whole thing will be F2P. Possibly a component of it, but they have said this isn't just any other multiplayer game, this is Naughty Dog's first attempt at a narrative driven multiplayer. I have The Division in mind as a potential comparison in my mind right now, but hopefully better. I also wonder if there's going to be anything in this particular game that can be translated to the show or not.

Either way, we know the multiplayer is coming, so the one thing that would get me more excited is if they announced work on TLOU Part 3 has begun.

 

[TheGentTrent]

So, how long until we can expect the review bombs for this one?

 

[Nick]

So, how long until we can expect the review bombs for this one?

I mean…. we know it will happen to a degree, but like, it literally translated the video game word for word more than any other episode (hence why Druckmann wrote it) and scene for scene for the VAST majority. This isn’t a deviation like Bill & Frank. This is straight up adaptation.

If you don’t like it, tough crap.

 

[SeventyOne]

Another terrific episode. One of the things I love about this show is its commitment to showing the world in shades of grey. (Non-plot spoilers)

Spoiler

In the Bill episode, Bill may be a gun-crazy survivalist, but he also has excellent taste in wine. And a wry sense of humor. 99% of media would portray him as a caricature, but here he's a fully realized human character. And also the episode lampshades the fact that he was absolutely correct about the government being jack-booted thugs.

Last night, the FEDRA guidance counselor/C.O. is actually a decent guy who cares about Ella. He "gets" her, avoiding punishment he knows won't work to try a course he realizes probably will. Later we learn FEDRA is bringing power to vacant neighborhoods to reclaim them, and you realize Ella actually had a pretty decent life at school. After a half season talking about how cruel they are, we see how people could also support them.

I'll be honest, I didn't expect this level of nuance (or acting) in a video game adaptation. It's been great to watch. I dug a little too hard and got high-level spoiled on why everyone hates the second game so much, but at this point, the way the show has handled everything else, I could see that working as well.

 

[Nick]

The music in the episode was great as well and I love that they showed Ellie having “Take On Me” by A-Ha in her Walkman.

This show complements the game so well and imo it enhances the overall experience.

I'll be honest, I didn't expect this level of nuance (or acting) in a video game adaptation. It's been great to watch. I dug a little too hard and got high-level spoiled on why everyone hates the second game so much, but at this point, the way the show has handled everything else, I could see that working as well.

There isn’t this level of nuance in any other video game imo. We’re getting a great show because Craig Mazin knows what he’s doing and Druckmann’s story for the games are the best in video game media.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Yeah the last few episodes have been great

not much to add really besides this is the best adaptation of a game ever

can’t believe this and uncharted came out within the same 12 months

 

[Nick]

Yeah the last few episodes have been great

not much to add really besides this is the best adaptation of a game ever

can’t believe this and uncharted came out within the same 12 months

Uncharted has always had that Fast & Furious flair though. But also Druckmann wasn’t nearly as involved with that as he is here.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Uncharted has always had that Fast & Furious flair though. But also Druckmann wasn’t nearly as involved with that as he is here.

I know and it shows

Uncharted could have been wayyyy more Indy but decided to be a generic film over having any kinda identity

 

[Nick]

I know and it shows

Uncharted could have been wayyyy more Indy but decided to be a generic film over having any kinda identity

Even worse, they did the best Uncharted story first and botched it.

It’s likely Uncharted gets a sequel though and if it does, hopefully Sony looks at TLOU and decides to bring on Neil for more creative control.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Even worse, they did the best Uncharted story first and botched it.

It’s likely Uncharted gets a sequel though and if it does, hopefully Sony looks at TLOU and decides to bring on Neil for more creative control.

Yeah
I hope they redo it. I hope most video game projects are watching how great a show can be with effort

 

[Nick]

So I mentioned "Take On Me" earlier. Here's what I was referencing in how it relates to the games. They've now canonized that she had that tape while in FEDRA school so when this moment comes later it'll be even more impactful.

This 100% will play out in future seasons (I say future seasons as i'm not sure if this would be in Season 2 or 3... Part 2 can go two seasons for sure). I'd say it's very minor spoilers and there's more of a character spoiler more than anything, although said character was in the episode last week for a brief moment.

Spoiler

Yeah
I hope they redo it. I hope most video game projects are watching how great a show can be with effort

I'm interested in how good the Borderlands movie is. Craig Mazin is on that project as well.

 

[Nick]

Great interview with Troy Baker:

 

[Nick]

This is the first episode I feel didn’t match the quality of the games. It was so rushed. Sure all the main ingredients were there, but with Joel severely injured, in the game….

Spoiler

…David seems like a worthy replacement of Joel for awhile if absolutely needed, especially since you play as Ellie during this part. Ellie even comes around on him a bit for awhile. There’s also a huge clicker/bloater battle.

I just feel we could’ve extended this season by an episode and bathed in Ellie being with David for a bit, but instead we rushed through it because of budget constraints.

 

[SeventyOne]

This is the first episode I feel didn’t match the quality of the games. It was so rushed. Sure all the main ingredients were there, but with Joel severely injured, in the game….

Spoiler

…David seems like a worthy replacement of Joel for awhile if absolutely needed, especially since you play as Ellie during this part. Ellie even comes around on him a bit for awhile. There’s also a huge clicker/bloater battle.

I just feel we could’ve extended this season by an episode and bathed in Ellie being with David for a bit, but instead we rushed through it because of budget constraints.

Not sure if it was the actor or the direction ...

Spoiler

but show didn't do a good job hiding its two big spoilers (people as food, David is evil) at all.

But I could see how being rushed did not help the latter at all. While probably the weakest episode so far, still good enough I'll be glued to HBO Max at 9pm next Sunday.

 

[Nick]

Not sure if it was the actor or the direction ...

Spoiler

but show didn't do a good job hiding its two big spoilers (people as food, David is evil) at all.

But I could see how being rushed did not help the latter at all. While probably the weakest episode so far, still good enough I'll be glued to HBO Max at 9pm next Sunday.

Yeah, my mom guess the food thing within seconds of seeing the first hint. After the episode she said she knew for sure because they did it on TWD. But they also weren’t too subtle about it, either.

I really can’t wait to see what people think of the finale since I’m expecting people to have OPINIONS on the ending.

 

[Legacy]

Every zombie story in the past fifteen years has included a cannibal side-story. Shoot… Z-nation it a lot of the same beats this episode did.

Honestly, not lingering on this episode was smart because it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. Everyone kinda anticipates that storyline at some point. No sense in slow-burning a story (or character) that a media-savvy audience will see immediately.

 

[Jake S]

I also didn’t get the impression they were trying to surprise you with the cannibalism. it seemed the idea was to tip you off to the idea that something was amiss right off the bat.

 

[Allison]

Every zombie story in the past fifteen years has included a cannibal side-story. Shoot… Z-nation it a lot of the same beats this episode did.

Honestly, not lingering on this episode was smart because it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. Everyone kinda anticipates that storyline at some point. No sense in slow-burning a story (or character) that a media-savvy audience will see immediately.

Yep, having never played the game I absolutely did not need to see a second more of that kid being in the captivity of a predator.

 

[Jerroddragon]

So episode 8 is great but.....I think it being a two part episode could have made it better like in the game.

David gets to show who he is but I miss some lines in the game overheard that could have been done over some of the lines that straight up tell you what his intentions are but overall they did well enough with this story and excited to see how they end it.