So one of the most anticipated new shows of 2023 debuted in January and HBO definitely has another hit on their roster. They needed something to replace succession after all. The Last of Us is based on a video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony. Through the gameplay, you follow Joel (played by Pedro Pascal in the show), a smuggler tasked with escorting a teen girl Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey), across a zombie-ridden America. The show follows the same general plotline, with Joel given an extremely important task to courier mankind’s seemingly last hope.
Let me just start by saying, I’ve never played The Last of Us. I knew it was about zombies and that’s pretty much all I knew. Video game adaptations are always difficult and to my knowledge, the only other game franchise that’s been able to pull it off so far is League of Legends with Arcane. That being said, even though I’ve never played it, I’m not surprised people who have are raving about its accuracy because there are certain scenes that really do look and feel like they’re ripped straight out of a video game.
That truck scene in episode 1 and the scene where the commune was burning and the camera panned to Ellie after her rampage in episode 8… Pure creative genius. Episodes 1, 3, 5, and 8 are my favorites of the season. All beautifully written. The first episode was so good I was hooked from the jump. I usually don’t get into new shows until like episode 3 but this one was so well crafted and entertaining with the right amount of every emotional note that I watched it twice. That is a very rare occurrence for me these days.
The story of Bill and Frank in episode 3 was so moving and emotional yet happy in a strange way. They both got to live a full and happy life, they found love in the middle of an apocalypse and they got to go out on their own terms. I guess that’s all any of us can really ask of life anyways. Amidst the everyday turmoil, they found their happiness.
Episodes 5 and 8 caught my attention because it’s easy to see how leaders of these various outlier groups control their group largely through fear. It’s also easy to see how their selfishness always leads to the destruction of their settlement/commune. Being a leader is about making an ongoing series of dispassionate decisions. A job many people are not truly prepared for under these circumstances. Throughout the series, we’re shown various versions of what humanity has become. Some who cling to hope still and their desperate means to survive and others who’ve given up hope completely.
For Joel, Ellie becomes his motivation and reason to keep on living. He believes that if he can save her and keep her safe, he can maybe shed some of the guilt he’s carried for the past 20 years over what happened with his daughter. While it does give him purpose, it’s also a dangerous thing. His emotional attachment to Ellie may not necessarily always be a good thing… Joel is also given the chance to look at the world anew, from the eyes of a child.
The acting of both Pascal and Ramsey is top notch. A class effort by both really. Pascal has truly blossomed into a leading man. He’s the guy you call when you want the job done. Whether he’s Prince Oberyn on Game of Thrones, Agent Pena on Narcos or the Mandalorian, he brings a certain level of technical skill, stunt coordination and suave that the camera simply adores.
Ramsey has always been a favourite of mine from her own Game of Thrones days portraying Lyanna Mormont and Mildred Hubble on The Worst Witch. I’m glad that she’s been given further opportunities to showcase her rare talent and mastery at such a young age. Very few young actors possess her level of refinement. I can definitely see an Emmy nomination for both in their work on The Last of Us.
The setting and scenery offers us glimpses into what the world would look like if humans started going extent. Nature has retaken it’s territory with its many leafy attempts to cover what remains of one of the most feared civilizations in human history.
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The makeup and SFX are great. The cordyceps depiction is truly disgusting. Especially those tentacle like things that shoot out of their mouths. The pacing was even and I genuinely looked forward to every episode. Some were slower than others but that balance is needed in order to build the right amount of character history in order to hit the right emotional notes. The Last of Us was honestly an emotionally charged ride. I keep going over it in my head to see if I can find fault with it but I honestly can’t and that’s why I believe it deserves the full rating. I can’t wait to see what the producers have in store for us next season!
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