The Last of Us (HBO, from Creator of Chernobyl) - No game spoilers please

So for my wife's benefit (because I was impatient on holiday and watched episode 5 on my laptop, whilst she had a lay-in) we re-watched episode 4 and watched episode 5 as a double bill tonight.

Those two episodes work very well together, almost like a mini movie.

On second viewing, the actor playing 'Kathleen' actually seemed to fit perfectly well. I think it was just used to her voice and realising not all people like that have to be a certain type of person. You don't necessarily need to project physical strength to lead.

But yeah, fantastic as a double bill and the ending still have me goosebumps on second viewing.
 
I've been mostly enjoying this so far, it's well made and well acted. But I'm less sure of the way the story arcs are being developed. No sooner do we get introduced to characters, learn a bit about them, warm to them (or not) then they're suddenly gone. I realise the clue is in the show's title, but the body count of main characters is already very high. It doesn't encourage getting invested in anyone that Joel & Ellie run into as it seems it's just for the duration of an episode or max two.

Is this the show's video game heritage rearing it's head? I've not played The Last Of Us, but I'm guessing it's much like most other story-based RPGs where you essentially follow a character around who you know is going to be immune to major consequence and always get out of situations, while all around characters are fed into the plot as narrative tools to be used disposably. This may work for a video game, I'm not so sure it does for TV. Obviously there needs to be some jeopardy in who will survive and who sticks around, but that seems to be sorely lacking 5 episodes in.
 
Cern said:
Is this the show's video game heritage rearing it's head? I've not played The Last Of Us, but I'm guessing it's much like most other story-based RPGs where you essentially follow a character around who you know is going to be immune to major consequence and always get out of situations, while all around characters are fed into the plot as narrative tools to be used disposably. This may work for a video game, I'm not so sure it does for TV. Obviously there needs to be some jeopardy in who will survive and who sticks around, but that seems to be sorely lacking 5 episodes in.
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How is that different from TV series from nearly 40 years ago like Star Trek: TNG etc.

It was mainly guest actors every week with the core cast surviving.
 
VincentHanna said:
How is that different from TV series from nearly 40 years ago like Star Trek: TNG etc.

It was mainly guest actors every week with the core cast surviving.
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At least Star Trek dressed anyone who wasn't going to make it to the end of an episode in a red shirt :)

Comparing anything to 40 year old TV is always going to be problematic because of the format those old shows had to follow. Modern TV is all about long seasons and episodes that give (or should give) the writers the luxury to explore characters and story arcs better and more deeply than of old. I'm just pondering if the lack of genuine continuity (other than the main duo's quest) from episode to episode is a result of the video game heritage.

Going to have to put the rest of this in a spoiler tag.

Besides, here we're not even getting the core cast surviving from episode to episode, which is why I'm feeling the lack of continuity might be because of how it's grown out of a game and then they made things worse by inventing new characters anyway to just use them disposably.

To be fair Episode 3 absolutely did explore the characters deeply. But it was still essentially a fully encapsulated episode with only very light continuity which took the form "main characters pop in for tea and cakes". And Ep 1 was essentially an origin prequel (video game style) that bore little real continuity other than Joel. We're just delaing with the wrench of that into Ep 2 when they throw in the (admittedly wonderful) Ep 3 and then back to scattergun storylines not properly explored in Ep 4 and 5. There was such a missed opportunity to really get into the stories and motivations of the characters like Kathleen and her henchman, Henry & Sam etc, and it's as if the writers went "You know what? Nah. Next!" and pulled the trapdoor lever.

Wonder how all the acting talent felt about getting hired for essentially a string of cameos?

Anyway, I am nit picking as it's still superior to a lot of the drivel that gets refreshed for season after season and suffers the opposite problem of character over-familiarity and perma immunity. Just wish there was some middle ground.
 
Decent sized spoiler.

Ive forgotten most of the details of the story. Just before the end of the episode I was thinking to myself how sad it is that Ellie becomes such a psycho and how it got to that stage, then it’s moments like the final few scenes that remind me. It’s a tough story.

They’re doing an excellent job.
 
I'm a little behind, just watched Episode 3 last night.

I was a little underwhelmed with Ep 1 and 2. It just felt like they were copying the game too closely, it was almost scene for scene a direct copy, and the lighting and ambience was sitting in a weird uncanny valley.

Episode 3 was ace though....I don't want to just watch a real-life version of the game, I want a really good TV series! It was just a great episode and such a refreshing take on the usual zombie apocalypse feel. Two brilliant performances too.

I hope they do more of this for the rest of the series, take deep dives into the lives and backstories of other characters in the game.
 
Watched episode 5....It's mostly good, but missing a lot of good dialogue from the game.... And Ellie is a lot more annoying, they had one relationship building episode and now they interact like they they've been together for years... It's weird and feels rushed, would feel better if there was another episode like episode 4 but I guess they had to get that gay stuff in there.... That was clearly more important then building a believable relationship between the two main characters.

Why did they make the boy deaf? Weird. Why? don't understand why they did that. Diversity and inclusively reasons probably.... :(
 
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ebilcake said:
Watched episode 5....It's mostly good, but missing a lot of good dialogue from the game.... And Ellie is a lot more annoying, they had one relationship building episode and now they interact like they they've been together for years... It's weird and feels rushed, would feel better if there was another episode like episode 4 but I guess they had to get that gay stuff in there.... That was clearly more important then building a believable relationship between the two main characters.

Why did they make the boy deaf? Weird. Why? don't understand why they did that. Diversity and inclusively reasons probably.... :(
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Yeah this is essentially my issue, the relationship between Joel and Ellie is all wrong, and they haven't shown any development between the 2 and instead keep focusing on other elements in an attempt to 'fill out the world' to the detriment of the actual main story in my opinion.

Show is ok to decent so far, but it could have been so much better.
 
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C Kent said:
Yeah this is essentially my issue, the relationship between Joel and Ellie is all wrong, and they haven't shown any development between the 2 and instead keep focusing on other elements in an attempt to 'fill out the world' to the detriment of the actual main story in my opinion.

Show is ok to decent so far, but it could have been so much better.
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I don't mind a little world building but there's too much focus on other characters, and it's definitely at the expense of the Ellie and Joel's relationship which doesn't feel like it's been given enough time, the dynamic between the two is very different to the game.
 
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