The Last of Us (HBO)

some people get paid to do just that

DUH

hover round cowboy

 

both

 

At least we now know why Elli was so PO'd at Joel. Glad they're doing flashbacks.

 

Being really old school - had no clue (other than discussion herein) that this series was an outgrowth of a video game. Regardless, still pretty well done and Pedro Pascal is great in whatever he plays in. I'm glad I have no idea what to expect and where the show will venture. I'd rather be surprised and lured in so to speak. I don't mind movies/series based on books, previous movies/TV series etc (i.e. Mission Impossible, Fargo, Naked Gun etc) but not a big fan generally of shows/movies based on comic books and video games. I'm sure there are many that I watch and enjoy that I have no idea of their origin. Also, some books should always remain simply as books. Read (devoured) every HP Lovecraft and Ray Bradbury book but somehow they don't seem to translate well on the big or little screen IMHO. That's why jeh and I enjoyed the Flintstones so much because we were really there in the early Bedrock days.

 

Wasn't it just implied in the game? They spent an entire episode focused on their relationship. It was a fantastic episode, but I know it triggered some folks.

Neil Druckmann has said that the show is about love, especially the consequences of it. Joel's love makes him selfish. Don't get me wrong. I would make the same choice he did at the end of Season 1 to protect my daughter. I wouldn't even have to think twice about it. That doesn't mean Joel made a choice that was morally correct, especially knowing that Ellie would have been fine with dying to save the world.

 

That's what I thought, though I've only seen references to it. I thought Frank wrote some very unkind things about Bill in the letter in the game, but I may be remembering that wrong. I didn't play the game, but I found out a lot through YouTube clips about it.

 

Pedro wasn't that great in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. LoL. Anyone seen him in that???

 

Did a little binging and put a wrap on season two last weekend.

Non-Twitter length thoughts behind the spoiler tag. I never got a chance to play the games (regrettably), so my reaction is almost exclusively tied to what happens in the show (thanks to the internet I've unintentionally happened across the occasional detail before I could avert my eyes).

Spoiler: Season 2 review

Whether you played the games or not, S2 drew a tall task from the outset by having to follow up a sterling first season (IMO) two years removed. Adding to that were some events early on that markedly shifted the course of things (and was almost spoiled for me by the internet - I was vaguely aware of what happened in the game, but not the when, why, and how). These will undoubtedly alter the course of the series, but naturally had a significant impact on the season - for good and bad.
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One one hand, you've got the first two episodes. IMO, they represent some of what the show can be when it's at its best. Kaitlyn Dever and her portrayal of Abby is scarily good for me. There's some controversy in her casting amongst the gamers, but for me she nails some the traits that make for the best antagonists: charismatic and intelligent, with an uncompromising rage just under the surface that fuels a determination to punish (with prejudice) anyone that's done them wrong.

Played right, t's an intimidating presence - here, you realize that the brutality an antagonist like Abby's is capable of transcending the protections commonly afforded to lead characters. That makes her unpredictable by normal conventions, as she establishes quickly that she can take anybody out at any time. The aftermath of her appearance in Ep.2 was a gut-punch that got several emotions in me all riled up, and was very well done for that alone.
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On the other hand, the fallout from Abby exposes one of the show's weakest links: the writing of its younger characters. The narrative focus changes, and while Bella Ramsey does some good work as Ellie, the character just isn't likable as the central focus (I've seen a divide in the gaming community with her casting as well). Joel's absence leaves a huge void that Dina falls well short of covering, which continues to create issues as the two progress along their journey of Revenge Tour: Seattle.

As it is, Ellie's social awkwardness - warranted considering her past - makes it difficult to sense the chemistry between her and her love interests. The clunky scripting in the interactions between her and Dina only makes it worse and gives things a synthetic feel. It gets bad enough at times that it disrupts the suspension of disbelief in the events going on around them - when you're calling BS on realism because of how clean Dina and Ellie's hair appears after climbing through a grungy subway tunnel in a show about zombies, something's gone wrong.
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Much of this season seemed like a prelude of things to come - unfortunately, not much of that came by the time it drew to a close. It felt like we should've gotten more backgrounding on the WLF and Seraphite factions, or on things like the self-reproach that flashed when Ellie realized her own barbarity in her dealings with Nora, Owen, and Mel (the latter of whom left an especially haunting reminder of the horrors being inflicted by the brutality currently infecting the inhabitants of this world as well).

These are the powerful themes the show has been fantastic at presenting, but seemed to divert from for stretches here. With a world that can draw you in as easily as this one can (I still have unresolved feelings over Ep.2) limiting this season by slashing its length, and yielding too much of the time that remained to a dynamic they've been the least effective at handling, left that unresolved feeling that too much had been left on the table. Not good for a world we likely won't be seeing again for another two years.

S1: 4.5/5
S2: 2.5/5

Tweaked slightly after a couple of days. Interested to hear what those like @Ray D thought, who have happened to play through the games.