The Last of Us 2023

As a huge fan of the source material, I have watched the entire season and formed an opinion on the series. Compared to other video game adaptations, the TV show is well-made. However, personally, I was a little disappointed. I had high expectations for the writing, given that Mazin and Druckmann were the showrunners. While the writing is to some extent comparable to the game, I find the videogame version to be miles better. This is mainly because it had the perfect balance of every storytelling element.

The pacing is the most unusual aspect of the show for me. One would expect that with Mazin, known for Chernobyl, and Druckmann himself, pacing would be a strength. However, the TV show has a significant pacing issue. In some instances, it spends too much time on side stories that are irrelevant to the main plot, such as the episode featuring Bill and Frank. Additionally, it focuses on the wrong parts of the game's adapted story, like the story of Henri and Sam, where the show prioritizes Kathleen and her group over the meaningful story of the people living in the underground tunnels in the game. The main plot points also feel rushed, diminishing the emotional impact of these same scenes that were so memorable in the game.

My second problem is the lack of violence. The game version was significantly more brutal, and it was necessary for world-building and character development. It was a chaotic, violent, and dark world where only the strongest and cruelest people could survive. However, the TV show felt much softer. It didn't have enough encounters with infected, raiders, or other people, making Joel and Ellie's journey feel less challenging than in the game. In the game, you could feel Joel's exact feelings in the last hour of the game because, like Joel, you fought through hell to get there. It was a long and difficult journey, and you too were questioning whether a cure was needed. However, in the show, this high difficulty of the journey isn't justified.

Furthermore, Joel isn't as dark a character as in the videogame, at least until the events of the last episode. In the game, he is a violent person with no sympathy for others and shows no emotion. Ellie changes that, but Joel is stubborn, and up until very late in the game, he shows no signs of change. In the show, however, he's tough, but it feels like he can be a nice person if you try hard enough. Because the storytelling is rushed, and there is very little violence up until the end, the audience can't see the changes in the character that he has gone through.

Lastly, although I liked Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, some of the scenes didn't feel as genuine as in the game version. Some scenes in the game had a significantly higher emotional level and felt more heartfelt, but that may be a matter of taste, and Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson did a phenomenal job.

Overall, the show is excellent for people who haven't played the game, and it can give them an idea of what videogames have become in terms of storytelling. However, the videogame version is a much better version of the story. Anyone who hasn't played the game and liked the show should definitely experience the game too.

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).

I'm not familiar with the game, just for context.

It seems a shame that the first episode, essentially the setup for the rest of the show, turned out to be the peak of the first season. The episodes that came after felt rushed, disjointed, shallow. As though we're merely passing through all of the main plot points of the game via this fragmented, episodic narrative without any devotion to fleshing out the story, the characters, or the larger apocalyptic world.

Nine episodes already feel too short, but become even more lacking when the series spends time going off on a tangent about things that have very little bearing on the main story (as in episode 3) or wasting its momentum when it feels like there's finally some progression (as with episode 7). Characters die too early, often within the same episode they are introduced. The story takes us to a new environment, just for Joel and Ellie to move on elsewhere by the next episode. There'll be an interesting conflict, but again, everything's wrapped up by the end of the episode.

The show tries so hard to deliver these big emotional moments but they never hit the way they should because of the messed-up pacing. Unfortunately, the most exemplary of all this is the season's finale, which doesn't manage to even feel like a finale, is instead some sort of hurried, anti-climactic dead-end. What am I supposed to take away from this, what am I supposed to walk away feeling, having watched this? I really don't know. It doesn't leave me with anything.

On a positive note, the acting has been terrific, especially from the main duo, the series' design is incredible, and the overarching story is still a gripping one. Here's to hoping for a better, more developed (longer!) second season.

As a huge fan of the game franchise, the first few episodes are a disappointment of course!
First thing, it's an adaptation, so characters and story may, to some extent, be different..
At first it's good, the atmosphere, the ost, the actors and the acting, even the cgi is great..
There are even some scene that are really similar to the game. So everything is here... Everything? no...
They removed one of the gameplay feature and major story point, the spores... No mask needed as far as it goes for now...
The other thing that bothered me was how all clothes are freaking new, not even dirty, just plain new, after 20 years smuggling shit in and out a QZ.. LOL!
But to be honest, these games really touched me, and one of the reason is Ellie, as she is, not as an over-weighted child with an emotionless face! Sadly, all scenes packed of emotion from the game were Ellie is involve doesn't work at all in this adaptation.
Ellie is, I think, the worst cast ever made, even more than the "uncharted" movie ! And with all the actor there are, it is a shame!
Without this horrible mistake, it would have been the best video game adaptation ever made !!

I'm the first to point out wokeness when I see it and I can say that, after watching this show, it's really not that much at all. Sure, there's a little perhaps, but I think it's tastefully done, as it should be if it's going to be there, and not over the top like so many TV shows are today. Believe me, there are FAR more woke shows out there to dislike than The Last of Us. There is one element of this show that can get super woke super quick, and HBO is just the network to do it so I'm expecting that change in future seasons, but so far it's pretty tame.

I'm a huge fan of post-apocalyptic movies and shows, not so much zombie shows. Zombie shows are always post-apocalyptic so I deal with the often overdone gore for the sake of gore, and some scenes in this show go that route, but overall this is a story of survival and perseverance more than it is about "zombies".

I also didn't like Pedro Pascal, until this. I love The Mandalorian, but that's not really the same as watching HIM. Pedro redeemed himself, in my mind, with this show and truly does a fantastic job in this role. I intentionally let this sit on my Plex until long after the last episode aired because I was so torn between loving the genre and hating the actor (and HBO in general). Once I pulled the trigger I binged the entire season in just a few evenings - it is that good.

My advice: if you are concerned about agenda driven TV then take those goggles off to watch this show for a few episodes if you are into this genre, it's done quite well. Yes, there's a little bit of stuff you might not like but it's one full episode (tastefully done and balanced well with anti-agenda) and one little scene of another and that's basically it. This is to say that it's balanced and not just 100% in your face. You can't avoid it without tuning into to 80's and 90's shows for your exclusive entertainment, so pick your battles.

I never played this game, but played many like it, and the show really plays out like a video game: one boss to another, one zone to another, one encounter to another - when they are done they move on with whatever loot they acquired. I actually like that in this show, it adds to my enjoyment of it, I feel like I actually played the game - almost like Fallout.

I don't know what to expect in season two, but there are a lot of ways to go: be like Walking Dead where it just gets aimless and repetitive and has to lean heavily on back stories to make it interesting, or keep the same style but with a new objective. I was certainly surprised at the ending because it's not at all what I expected from the end (perhaps this is just a chapter?) boss.

Half of all the comments here were published and made before the series was out, or even without watching the series completely. Be aware of what you read.

I have watched all of the episodes, i have played the game... and it is a good show. Just good. For 9 episodes it explains and details some of the history told in the game. It even expands some of it, but in the 4-5 episode until the end the show just go down. They have to do every so quickly to complete the 9 episodes framework that you feel the rush of finishing the plot.

If you have played the game you know that it has its times to adecuate and solidify all of the feelings and plots. I loved the show but the Ellie-Joel relation is just too unnatural, they work so hard to craft a relationship in 1-2 episodes that it is crafted along all the game. At the end is just crazy how the change the characters to make them more "human" to speed the relationship.

And the end... I cried while i was playing it, it is a moments of deep connection, an understanding of the situation of a lost-recovered child and the love of a father while also has all of the selfish interest and bad feelings. In the show they just jump to the hospital thing, Joel become John Wick and thats it, no feeling, no sense of good/wrong choice to think all is served to prevent you from thinking so the show don't keep the games "tempos" and feelings.

All things said, my wife and i loved the show, while it has some flaws the actors are AMAZING all of them, and they create a (more or less) equilibrated world.

(761-word review) This show was, albeit surprisingly, decent in the beginning, as in the first episode. It had the markings of a show you'd expect from HBO/HBO Max, making me think that's what it would be overall; a reasonable expectation, given the level of the source material, aka the first game.

The premiere was a fitting introduction to this world, and it did well to build up the desire for more/of what's to come through the subsequent episodes. But with every following episode, it began shining brighter and brighter as the peak, as it became clear the show was declining rather than getting even better.

Issues started arising. They began at the beginning, with one possibly festering, at the time, as I had hoped that would change because it was only the beginning. But then that never happened: both the individual performances of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, but especially the chemistry they NEED to have because of their characters.

The individual performances were more mediocre than anything, Pedro's in particular. And their "chemistry" with each other was severely lacking. Pedro and Gabriel Luna had more chemistry. I was also more interested in Gabriel, performance-wise, than Pedro (especially) and Bella, yet he was only in two episodes. I'd much rather see him on screen. At least there'll be way more of him from this point forward.

Then, the third episode: a supposed phenomenal piece of television concerning love and so on, with unparalleled writing and performances according to the majority; they probably consider it the show's peak/their favorite one. It was decent; when 'On the Nature of Daylight' by Max Richter began playing, I felt some way: not emotional, but I "felt."

However, the duration/focused screen time was too long, making me wonder if it would cause future issues easily avoided if there was a more powerful air of competence at the forefront. Now that the first season is over, it's become more unmistakable that the third episode should've been shorter/less focused on that love story for there to be more screen time to build Joel and Ellie's relationship.

Another aspect, further confirming that, was the second issue, not only because of itself; the first one with the third episode would've remained. It was the second instance of using ("wasting") precious screen time: this time was through the show-exclusive character of Kathleen and her faction. That screen time would've been better put to use developing/building and SHOWING development with Joel and Ellie or giving us some more of Henry and Sam.

Between the first issue and the second, specifically regarding how a different avenue could've helped, as long as the writers carried their weight afterward, scrapping Kathleen and her faction would've done the trick: possibly condensing the love story as well. But leaving that alone may've ended up okay if the scrapping happened; they were a gigantic waste of time. (Oh, but what about the parallels? Which those who aren't familiar will the games will also parrot down the line? Not needed, and two episodes of that just for that isn't justifiable.)

To top that off, with the blandest dessert you'll ever have the misfortune of having, the post-apocalyptic, Infected-filled setting ends up undermined by the lack of a sufficient amount of them, also connected with the lack of tension/suspense/thrill. Including the understanding of the world: it's supposed to be this horrific world consumed with Infected, giving more nuance and relevance to the point of Ellie's character even if there isn't any fruition to that particular element of her character. That intention falls short because there are barely any Infected, nor does the world seem as cruel and horrid as it should. It's a mildly exciting day-long walk ending with an unenthusiastic plopping unto a recliner to watch the riveting television program, 'Paint Drying.'

On the plus side, the iconic, memorable, and "energetic" theme song by Gustavo Santaolalla was always awesome to hear each episode, even though his overall score for the show didn't seem/feel "there." Not to mention, some of the cinematography (especially concerning the scenery) was great, even though the structuring of the show keeps slinging us back and forth like a yo-yo, placing us in one place, then to the next, making it feel short-lived.

Other than that, the premiere was the peak, then came a gradual decline that continued for the whole first season. This show is decent at best, and it'll, more likely than unlikely, stay that way for me, even with the second season/the rest of it.

So far, so great. As a huge fan of the game series which I've played numerous times, Season 1 is bound to be the greatest video game to screen adaptation ever. Mazin and Druckman are bringing it all, remaining faithful to the source but expanded it in the best ways while adding some new touches to keep it fresh, even for gamers who know how things play out. Pascal and Ramsey are perfection as Joel and Ellie, the whole cast so far is excellent to their video game counterparts, including Ann Torval as Tess, Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett as Bill and Frank, respectively, whose one episode is one of the best ever, and with Melanie Lynskey in the mix now I can't wait where they take her character. The set-design is also perfection in matching the atmosphere and environments of the game. Plus, having Gustavo Santaolalla come back to do the original score for the series makes me happy. Obviously everyone involved as put so much care and passion into the project and it really shows. Even if you've never played either the game or any game, don't miss out on The Last of Us, it's one of the greatest pieces of storytelling no matter what the medium, and you have no idea what you're in for and where the story goes. So far it's a 9.5/10 for me.

As a preface, I HATE zombie shows. They[re so formulaic, a waste of time with predictable B horror (a top 3 never genre for me unless it's an obvious spoof). It's fair to say that there's more similarities to this than not despite the amazeballs CGI Armageddon opening that wasted no time in S1E1 (MAJOR points already--never waste my time); however the treatment of the spectrum of the human situation is AMAZING and stands on its own. I learned later it's based off of a video game so even more kudos to the collective talent of the makers of this turning what could have been a mass market FPS adaptation and adding what I know couldn't have been in the gameplay at such an artistic level. I think it was E3-4 with Nick Offerman--that's an Emmy-winner on its own if there's any justice in the world.

Pablo Pascal is hitting nearing GOAT levels in the last few years between GOT (accompanied by Ellie's character as fellow alumna) Mandalorian, and others,, now this. (I'm both a native Texan and have lived in Guadalajara for years, so admitted bias there ;) )

I'm a research biophysicist with a medical school (though I do not practice-just loved real science more, yes you can call me an idjit but it was right for me so I can't help but love the mythological and epidemiological basis and tidbits peppered through the show so far. But in that same context is also the rich nuances of the psychology and understanding of the co-evolution with far more ancient microbial life, and to likewise survive to likewise instinctively fulfill out genetic mandate whatever the cost as well. The "slow" episodes, shouldn't be criticized; timing and pacing is important in writing but if you take the time to let go, that[s the beauty in the simplest things that reminds us we're humans with a special gift of free will with all of our emotions that separate us from the enormity of the frightening mycelia in this apocalyptic wonder we've been treated to weekly,

Okay, here we go:
The show was good, but it was too close to the game I guess (based on the let’s play I watched partially and the lot of comparison videos between cut scene and tv show).
I never played the game, so I rate like someone who is not overhyped by the memories of the game.

It felt like a game-script, and without being part of it and playing, it is just not that capturing.
I’m not trying to talk this show down, it was good and did a lot of things right, the cast is great. But I’ve seen a lot of things coming from a mile away, because that’s how game scripts work.
Also, the level based storytelling, the non-build up of the villains and the “ here he is, now he’s gone” way of meeting characters, there’s no time to build personality or connect with them. I don’t care if he dies, I didn’t even have time to learn his name.

This is a different medium, so you got to write different. This was mostly fight-checkpoint-fight, and the filler episode was the best one, except for the premiere episode maybe.
There’s not much happening, and while I like the exploring part, because it is normally time spent to learn more, here I’m not the one checking for loot, solving riddles, fighting monsters, so I need a bit more to get into it.

The first couple of seasons walking dead (I know, say what you will, but they got it) did such a great job building up characters and ripping your heart out when they died. Here, it just felt like checking boxes.
As I said, the show is good, and there were a couple episodes I really enjoyed.
The main cast is superb, it looks fantastic, the first episode was excellent, as was the additional episode with Ron Swanson. Episode eight should have been good, but didn’t quite capture me and was quickly over. And then boom, the finale, rushed to it and done. Why not make two seasons out of it? I guess because there barely happens enough for one season.
Make it 12 to 15, give me a bit more time to breathe, suffer, stay somewhere, explore.
I wish they would flesh it out a bit more, there’s so much potential compared to a video game, storywise. And as mad as the “true” game fans would be, I think secretly they wouldn’t mind getting a bit more out of it.

The Last of Us has been my favorite game for the last 10 years, and after the pilot of this series, I thought the same could potentially happen for this show as well, and it seemed that way all the way through episode 5. It felt like it just kept getting better and better, but the second half of the season felt weaker, and I think I know the main reason for this: The infected are almost entirely absent from the second half of the season. It's as if once they leave Kansas City, there's just no more infected in the country west of that, which just feels weird. Here we have this story of two people traveling across the country to try to stop this universally recognized threat of the infected, and then all of a sudden, it's as if that threat no longer exists once you go west enough. It just doesn't sit right, and I think it makes the second half of the season feel a lot weaker.

The performances are kind of hard to judge for me. In scenes were the show mirrors the game almost exactly, every single time the game performances are just SO much better than what we see in this show, but then in scenes where the show is doing something different, I find myself constantly in love with what Pedro and Bella are doing, so it's possible my bias from having played the game 15x+ is impacting my ability to view those adapted scenes objectively. As far as visuals go though, absolutely flawless. The music is pretty much copied 1:1 from the game, but just utilized differently. They didn't seem to create any new songs for the show, or even change up any arrangement of the music aside from the title sequence, but they just kind of threw completed songs from TLOU1 and TLOU2 into the show in different spots. While the music is great, I don't think it was the most inspired way to make use of it.

I can't wait to see what they do with Season 2 though. From recent comments, it sounds like Craig Mazin is hoping to fit TLOU2 into 3 seasons, with some seasons being longer and some being shorter. If that's the case, I imagine season 4 would be the shortest, as it would likely represent the epilogue sequences from TLOU2. However, 4 seasons means they probably wouldn't be done adapting TLOU2 until 2027 at the absolute earliest, with 2028 or 2029 more likely. I think there is a very high probability of TLOU3 being out by the time they're done adapting TLOU2, which would mean they'd have the source material for even more seasons.