Hadi Darbani

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.

So, Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland create this particular animated series, that gets quite famous.
They need a ridicolous amount of time writing new episodes despite a 70 episode deal they got at one point and I am sure they will never be able to deliver upon just by how much time they need for ten episodes. Then Justin has the "idea" of doing his own animated series that's copying Rick and Morty basically, just without Rick and Morty and without multiverse? Timeline is important here, Wikipedia says, the series was shelved but not for how long.
The art style is the exact same, the randomness and over the top stories are the same, several voices are the same, all that this is lacking is good writing. Solar Opposites, funny name considering the not so much "opposites", is airing on another network. In other words going into competition to R&M. Is this a very elaborate prank from DH and/or JR, even though DH isn't mentioned? Or does Justin want to piss of DH? How's this even legal from a business standpoint?

SO does scratch the R&M itch. But it's nowhere near the greatness of R&M. SO doesn't try as hard, though.
There's almost no continuity. The stories of the main characters are so random, as random as any interdimensional cable episode, there's no point in watching. You could watch any episode in any order you wish, without losing or missing anything regarding the main characters. That makes this series incredibly boring for me personally.
The most interesting subplot, with actual continuity so far that needs a certain episode order, is "The Wall". That part is the best part of this whole season 1 and really a good idea with actual fun, consistent characters. If Cherie survives for revenge in S2 it would make me gladly come back. Other than that I don't particularly care for this to get a second season.

If JR wants to do R&M, he should focus on R&M and push Harmon (and all the other writers) to do more, instead of half-assing his own stuff. Other than that I simply fail to understand why this exists other than to leech off of the success of R&M. Creating an instance of "you like R&M? You must like this, too. It's from one of the creators". But no. I do not like this. I don't hate it, but I certainly do not like it. Would this not rely on so many similarities or be a direct and open spin-off I wouldn't mind, though.

Kristen Schaal should have been cast as the voice of Jesse as well. Mary Mack sounds way too much like her and Schaal's voice would fit that character very well.

Season 2 edit:
Season 2, which is more like S1 Pt 2, has improved on a lot of the early issues.
It's still very episodic without consequences but the stories and the chaotic energy of Roiland seem to fit and work a lot better in these 8 episodes. Korvo, the most unlikable of the aliens, tones down his Jerry-ness by not being constantly obnoxious. Glad they do go forward with evolving Pupa and the Wall substory was - again - the best part of these episodes with S02E07 the best episode of this show so far. Absolutely great how that turned out. Going to bump this from a 4 to 5. First 8 episodes are meh at best (excluding anything Wall related, those parts are a 7 at worst and 9 at best), later 8 episodes are okay and overal more entertaining.