The Last of Us

[Rico444]

Anyone check this out? It got great reviews and so far through two episodes I've really enjoyed it. This might be the first time they adapt a video game into a TV show and it's legitimately good.

Spoiler: Episode 2 spoiler

The scene with the clickers (the infected that can't see) was really well done. They did a great job building tension, although they skipped the part from the game where Joel dies 15 times before finally taking them out

 

[ZooCougar]

This is an awesome show. There really isn’t anything better at this point.

 

[Rico444]

This is an awesome show. There really isn’t anything better at this point.

Yeah I'm not surprised considering the creator of the original game is an EP along with the show runner from Chernobyl.

 

[ZooCougar]

Yeah I'm not surprised considering the creator of the original game is an EP along with the show runner from Chernobyl.

If you aren’t already then you should listen to the Official HBO Last of Us podcast. It has both of them on there.

I really need to get the game when the season is over, although the show has deviated from the game some from what I have heard.

Last night’s episode was so good that I think Nick and Murray should win all the rewards.

How about that scene in the beginning of episode 2 which is really episode 3. That scene in Indonesia was very much like a scene from Chernobyl.

 

[Rico444]

If you aren’t already then you should listen to the Official HBO Last of Us podcast. It has both of them on there.

I really need to get the game when the season is over, although the show has deviated from the game some from what I have heard.

Last night’s episode was so good that I think Nick and Murray should win all the rewards.

How about that scene in the beginning of episode 2 which is really episode 3. That scene in Indonesia was very much like a scene from Chernobyl.

Yeah I've been listening to the podcast the last two weeks. The game is also fantastic, and there's been some deviation but it follows most of the main beats.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It's a good show. It also produced loads of memes thanks to it's "10 miles outside of Boston" moment in episode 3. That was hilariously bad. This is evidently Newton, MA. I see a distinct lack of dense, expensive homes or Dunkin Donuts.

 

[Dove]

Episode 3 was outstanding.

 

[ZooCougar]

Oh Kathleen. You would have been a good villain.

 

[Dove]

Oh Kathleen. You would have been a good villain.

I could never buy as as badass with that voice. Plus, I just saw her in Lady of the Manor and that was dumb. But my wife says, "But Yellowjackets!!"

 

[HuskyHawk]

Oh Kathleen. You would have been a good villain.

She was a good villain. Seems most episodes kill everyone but the two leads. I think they used one actual (CGI modified) shot of KC, when they were looking out of the window. Better than their 10 miles outside of Boston effort.

 

[ZooCougar]

She was a good villain. Seems most episodes kill everyone but the two leads. I think they used one actual (CGI modified) shot of KC, when they were looking out of the window. Better than their 10 miles outside of Boston effort.

Yeah she was good. I would have liked her to continue but I am sure they have bigger plans.

 

[HuskyHawk]

So episode 6 was good, we finally see Joel open up a bit and begin to accept his situation and build a relationship with Ellie. The writing is good. Ellie is clever and funny and Bella does a good job with her. I liked the subtle bits where he explains football.

 

[ZooCougar]

 

[ZooCougar]

I thought Episode 7 was kind of mediocre compared to the others.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I thought Episode 7 was kind of mediocre compared to the others.

Honestly, thought it was boring. I get what they tried to do, explaining her need to connect with Joel, plus her general backstory and they emotional hell she would have endured being bitten, and then surviving. Probably how she ended up with the Fireflies. But they could have done that in 20 minutes, not 45.

 

[ZooCougar]

Honestly, thought it was boring. I get what they tried to do, explaining her need to connect with Joel, plus her general backstory and they emotional hell she would have endured being bitten, and then surviving. Probably how she ended up with the Fireflies. But they could have done that in 20 minutes, not 45.

I say the same thing. Maybe 30 minutes. It just seems too late in the season for backstory. They need to pushing the plot forward not get bogged down.

 

[Rico444]

Based on what game events haven't been shown yet, I agree, it's going to be tough to fit it all into two episodes, especially since the finale is only around 40 minutes.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Based on what game events haven't been shown yet, I agree, it's going to be tough to fit it all into two episodes, especially since the finale is only around 40 minutes.

I don't expect them to wrap it up this season.

 

[Rico444]

I don't expect them to wrap it up this season.

They kind of have to at this point. There's not nearly enough story from the first game for them to drag this out another season, and without spoiling anything, it just wouldn't make sense to show the events of the ending of game 1 anytime except at the end of a season.

 

[HuskyHawk]

They kind of have to at this point. There's not nearly enough story from the first game for them to drag this out another season, and without spoiling anything, it just wouldn't make sense to show the events of the ending of game 1 anytime except at the end of a season.

I'm an XBox guy, so never played it.

 

[iri10]

Based on what game events haven't been shown yet, I agree, it's going to be tough to fit it all into two episodes, especially since the finale is only around 40 minutes.

Of what's left, there's not actually a great deal of pure story stuff - a lot of what remains in the game is gameplay. They can fit it, AND have room for even more added content, which from what I understand there will be some. I think the next ep will be devoted to the "winter" part of the game.

Spoiler: Casting spoiler 1

Next episode we get to see the original game voice actor for Joel, playing a side role

Spoiler: Casting spoiler 2

At some point the game's voice actress for Ellie also plays a role this season

Spoiler: What Casting Spoiler 2's role is (actual moderate spoiler, even for those who played the game)

She plays Ellie's mother, presumably in a flashback

 

[HuskyGooner124]

They came back strong for episode 8. That ending Sad that next week is already the season finale (but definitely excited for it)

 

[HuskyHawk]

They came back strong for episode 8. That ending Sad that next week is already the season finale (but definitely excited for it)

Ellie. Damn. That girl is spirited and has a hell of a survival instinct. Joel was pretty damned ruthless too. Made up for the snooze fest last week.

 

[Deepster]

Finale thoughts? I just watched it and feel conflicted and like I feel the need to process it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Finale thoughts? I just watched it and feel conflicted and like I feel the need to process it.

Lying to her is BS. He needed to give her the choice. So did the fireflies. That said. The Doctor’s reasoning is crap. It wasn’t going to work and brain surgery wasn’t needed. They need to simply know that the placenta protected her. It’s information Marlene should have figured out. Hence the birth scene. From that they can devise something. Now Joel killed everyone who might know.

 

[Deepster]

Yeah, I'm conflicted with all of it. On the flip side, he saw her as a kid with the puns, the silliness and wanted to give her a "real life". And, in the end, maybe he didn't care about a cure. He's a wanderer. So save her, give her a life and let the smart people left figure something else out? I don't know, all that said....I do feel like he shouldn't have lied either though.

 

[iri10]

Yeah, I'm conflicted with all of it. On the flip side, he saw her as a kid with the puns, the silliness and wanted to give her a "real life". And, in the end, maybe he didn't care about a cure. He's a wanderer. So save her, give her a life and let the smart people left figure something else out? I don't know, all that said....I do feel like he shouldn't have lied either though.

The Joel at the beginning of the story had never gotten over the trauma of losing his daughter. He essentially became heartless, unable to love, or really care about anything much beyond his own basic survival.

Ellie changed that. By the end of this story, he didn't see her as just as a kid who deserved a decent life - he saw her as another daughter. And he was determined to not let this one die. It was an utterly selfish decision because he didn't care any more than the Fireflies about what Ellie wanted. The Fireflies would have killed her even if she didn't want it, and Joel wouldn't have let her sacrifice herself even though she may have wanted it.

The wrinkle, of course, is that it's the kind of selfishness that a great many people have. A great many would not sacrifice their beloved child for the sake of a cure. Even if there was a very high (90%) chance of that sacrifice actually leading to the cure.