The Last of Us (SPOILERS) (MAY ALSO CONTAIN HINTS AND SPOILERS FOR PART 2)

[Jimaroid]

Well. Obviously it’s all fiction and it doesn’t need to make whole sense in its senseless world. But it’s essentially asking us to flip the moral conundrum of trading one life for many on its head. It’s not very clever but it’s well delivered, the story is really just about the redemption of Joel in protecting and freeing Ellie to grow and live her own life in the face of hopeless destiny.

I think the story has been done better elsewhere. It owes a lot to Cormac Macarthy’s The Road, which does the post apocalypse parent/sibling story better in every way and is one of the greatest books ever written IMHO. But as The Road has proved near impossible to translate to the screen successfully I think The Last Of Us deserves credit for its portrayal of some of the same ideas.

It’s not the best TV series ever for me but for showing what love and paternal relationships could look like in a world with no values it’s done something right.

Season 2 might answer some of the logical gaps but I don’t think it should. I know the games very well and admire how well they’ve translated the story to screen without getting tangled up in introspective credibility and exposition which it was in danger of doing. It’s just well made and enjoyable entertainment.

 

[Hobbit]

As said previously, I thought episode 7 wasn’t great. 8 picked up the pace and 9 was excellent all the way through but left me with questions which, I guess means there’s an option for a 2nd series.

I’ll rewatch the final episode to try and pick up what I missed but looking forward to the next series.

 

[Beezerk]

As said previously, I thought episode 7 wasn’t great. 8 picked up the pace and 9 was excellent all the way through but left me with questions which, I guess means there’s an option for a 2nd series.

I’ll rewatch the final episode to try and pick up what I missed but looking forward to the next series.

There's a second, epic game so a second series is a banker. TLOU2 took gameplay and story telling to another level IMO, one of the best games I've ever played.
Can't say too much but the story...wow.

 

[Swango1980]

Still not reading any of these, as not seen it all. But, just watched episode 3, following Bill. Amazing episode, could almost be a film in it's own right, in amongst a trilogy of films.

Reminds me how I much prefer TV and films that work on character building, rather than just action and special effects

 

[Aztecs27]

Still not reading any of these, as not seen it all. But, just watched episode 3, following Bill. Amazing episode, could almost be a film in it's own right, in amongst a trilogy of films.

Reminds me how I much prefer TV and films that work on character building, rather than just action and special effects

Episode 3 was one of the best, single, TV drama episodes I've ever watched. Perfectly shot and acted. Was a nice surprise too, as that story arc isn't played out in the game, but I think it was the correct choice to put it in to emphasise the types of people Joel and Bill are ("protectors") and the sacrifices made.

Just (finally) finished the series and have to say, it was excellent overall. A few episodes weren't as good as the rest, but still solid TV all round. Joel and Ellie are perfectly portrayed by Ramsey and Pascal. They really nailed the pace too. They could have made it twice as long with other key scenes from the game, but they weren't really missed and they rounded it off perfectly. I was worried about the ending after a colleague complained it was disappointing, but it kind of ends the way the first game does and it's fine. Leaves plenty of scope for Season 2 (and 3).

Not Chernobyl levels of good, but still a really great series that compliments the game well.

 

[Reemul]

I really didn't enjoy the few episodes I watched with my son at all. For whatever reason it just did not click. Didn't really like the game either.

 

[Tashyboy]

Watched it and I enjoyed it, Missis T gave it a miss.

 

[PJ87]

What I will say is Pedro Pascal is a cracking actor

Narcos
The mandalorian
Last of us

Seriously good actor

 

[Aztecs27]

What I will say is Pedro Pascal is a cracking actor

Narcos
The mandalorian
Last of us

Seriously good actor

Yea, really top drawer.

 

[spongebob59]

What I will say is Pedro Pascal is a cracking actor

Narcos
The mandalorian
Last of us

Seriously good actor

And Game.of Thrones

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Knowing nothing of the game or plot before watching I did enjoy it. That said I found the final episode very discombobulating as our hero didn’t do what heroes are supposed to do. And I hadn’t twigged what would have to be done with Ellie when they got to the Fireflies.

One question…Marlene in the final episode…was she not in there at the outset getting Joel to take Ellie out West? Or was that a different character.

Anyway. I did enjoy it for the human relationships aspects and it not being just another ‘zombie apocalypse’ series.

 

[GB72]

Knowing nothing of the game or plot before watching I did enjoy it. That said I found the final episode very discombobulating as our hero didn’t do what heroes are supposed to do. And I hadn’t twigged what would have to be done with Ellie when they got to the Fireflies.

One question…Marlene in the final episode…was she not in there at the outset getting Joel to take Ellie out West? Or was that a different character.

Anyway. I did enjoy it for the human relationships aspects and it not being just another ‘zombie apocalypse’ series.

Same character but she was wounded at the end of that episode and in no state to make what was, at that point, just a short journey to a handover point.

 

[Piece]

I think I need to re-watch again as half of this thread, I just haven't picked up!!

 

[Jimaroid]

I thought it was a really nice touch that in the finale Ellie’s mother is played by Ashley Johnson who plays Ellie in the games. Created a sense of deja vu and recognisable, almost genetic, association. At one point early on I’d thought they’d CGI’d Bella Ramsey to look older until I twigged who it actually was.

 

[Beezerk]

I thought it was a really nice touch that in the finale Ellie’s mother is played by Ashley Johnson who plays Ellie in the games. Created a sense of deja vu and recognisable, almost genetic, association. At one point early on I’d thought they’d CGI’d Bella Ramsey to look older until I twigged who it actually was.

Didn’t realise that

 

[GB72]

I thought it was a really nice touch that in the finale Ellie’s mother is played by Ashley Johnson who plays Ellie in the games. Created a sense of deja vu and recognisable, almost genetic, association. At one point early on I’d thought they’d CGI’d Bella Ramsey to look older until I twigged who it actually was.

Agreed, a nice touch. Then again, most of the main characters were in there somewhere. The voice actor for Joel was in episode 8, Marlene was played by the voice actor etc.

 

[Jimaroid]

Agreed, a nice touch. Then again, most of the main characters were in there somewhere. The voice actor for Joel was in episode 8, Marlene was played by the voice actor etc.

Yep, to give them proper credit it’s more than just voice acting as it’s the whole performance capture. Anyway, I just completely failed to see it with Ellie’s mum at first which I felt really dumb about!

Did you notice who one of the nurses in the finale was? edit: don’t want it to be too spoilery, just a rhetorical question

 

[GB72]

Yep, to give them proper credit it’s more than just voice acting as it’s the whole performance capture. Anyway, I just completely failed to see it with Ellie’s mum at first which I felt really dumb about!

Did you notice who one of the nurses in the finale was?

Yes (well after it was pointed out to me). Nice to have that in place already rather than film and drop in a scene later on.

Agree. more than just voice acting. Good to see that Troy Baker got to appear in live action versions both in this and also getting to play Batman in a couple of Episodes of The Flash.

 

[Jimaroid]

Agree. more than just voice acting. Good to see that Troy Baker got to appear in live action versions both in this and also getting to play Batman in a couple of Episodes of The Flash.

I thought Troy deserved slightly more prominence to be honest but it was a good call to have him in that role, ever the professional!

 

[AmandaJR]

I thought it was a really nice touch that in the finale Ellie’s mother is played by Ashley Johnson who plays Ellie in the games. Created a sense of deja vu and recognisable, almost genetic, association. At one point early on I’d thought they’d CGI’d Bella Ramsey to look older until I twigged who it actually was.

I was really taken by how much she looked like Ellie. Something in the eyes.