Jump to content

THE LAST OF US (HBO TV) - spoilers allowed for aired episodes (game spoilers masked)


Edmilson

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

THR's cover story about the show:

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/the-last-of-us-hbo-pedro-pascal-bella-ramsey-interview-1235290103/

 

The most interesting part is this about the future of the show (and games):

 

Quote

Likewise, Druckmann cannot reveal whether a rumored Part III game from Naughty Dog is coming, but says: “I think there’s more story to tell.” Either way, Druckmann isn’t worried about falling into the same trap faced by Game of Thrones, when the HBO drama famously surpassed author George R.R. Martin’s source material. “We have no plans to tell any stories beyond adapting the games,” he says. “We won’t run into the same issue as Game of Thrones since Part II doesn’t end on a cliffhanger.”

 

Indeed, neither Mazin nor Druckmann want a show that’s season after season of weary survivors trudging endlessly through decaying buildings wary of mushroom zombies — that would be an undead fate all its own.

 

“I don’t have any interest in a spinning-plates-go-on-forever show,” Mazin says. (He doesn’t say “like The Walking Dead” here, but I do.) “When it becomes a perpetual motion machine, it just can’t help but get kind of … stupid. Endings mean everything to me.”

 

"Part II doesn’t end on a cliffhanger.”, well, that depends of what your definition of cliffhanger is... Lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’d say Part II leaves things quite open. So much so that a Part III is guaranteed to me. 

 

Part I could have ended and not continued.

 

Naughty Dog is generally great with giving satisfying endings while also leaving the possibility of continuing open. All the Uncharted games are like that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/1/2023 at 11:57 AM, Jay said:

Of course there are open storylines to pick back up on, but it's not a cliffhanger in any definition of the word

I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger, but it’s certainly an unfinished story.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Running time of the first 3 episodes revealed

 

Episode 1 "When You're Lost in the Darkness" (January 15) is 85 minutes

Episode 2 (January 22) is 55 minutes

Episode 3 (January 29) is 80 minutes

 

The whole season is 9 episodes, finishes up on March 12

 

(It was written and shot as 10 episodes, but turned into 9 in the editing booth)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wait what is going on with the score? Did Gustavo Santaolalla get replaced or he is just co-composing with David Fleming?

 

David Fleming is now listed on Zimmer's site as a co-composer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Koray Savas said:

Gustavo doesn’t write to picture, so I’m assuming his themes/some new music and then Fleming did the rest. 


This is wild.  You’d think a two-time Oscar winning film composer would have learned how to score for film by now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the show is getting great reviews. I only read one. But that one was promising.

I'm very excited for this. I haven't played the game, but this is already seeming like on of the best series of the last years

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, mstrox said:


This is wild.  You’d think a two-time Oscar winning film composer would have learned how to score for film by now!

 

Also consider Santaotalla lacks music theory knowledge, it won't be weird that he got assigned a "traditional" composer presumably with all the knowledge ready to facilitate a smooth experience (he had six orchestrators on Book of Life) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Koray Savas said:

Gustavo doesn’t write to picture, so I’m assuming his themes/some new music and then Fleming did the rest. 
 

Similar to Part II with Mac Quayle. 

 

According to RCP insider, Gustavo and his team did a chunk of the score, but Fleming was hired to do what they weren't comfortable doing, which was speculated to be "action" and "Tension" scenes. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was excited for the show, but after all these great reviews, I'm even more excited, and I think it's an early contender for best show of the year without a doubt.

 

I listened through the scores from the games again, and there's some great material in there, and I hope Santaolalla will develop all the different themes and ideas he crafted for the games, and perhaps compose some more. It's true that some parts are a bit more atmospheric and harsh, but they fit the atmosphere of the game, and I'm sure it will fit the show too. Cannot wait!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw an interview a while back where Gustavo was saying there would be more Latin elements in this version of the score considering that Joel’s character now has a Latino background to him. I’m pretty excited for this slight variation and take on the already established themes. Also considering Gustavo’s own background it makes sense stylistically.

 

The three scores he did for the games are among my favorites to listen to (Especially outside or road tripping) and in general I love instrumental guitar. This whole HBO project is a dream come true for me I can’t believe this is actually happening and it’s really good hallelujah.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, that makes perfect sense, good policy. I imagine the ratio of people who have played the game versus those new to the story will heavily favour the former, at least to begin with before the show picks up steam from a general audience, which means we can pick up on any potential spoilers quickly.

 

I kinda want to avoid reading the reviews... Some of those outlets give away way too much when they get multiple screeners in one go. I'm not so much concerned about what happens (as I've played the game), but more how it happens. Even knowing that episode 3 is something special will affect how I watch it; it's made my expectations skyrocket which isn't necessarily a good thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't watched this (maybe I will after the premiere, I dunno) but here's a video by Variety with Ramsey & Pascal

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/1/2023 at 8:46 AM, Jay said:

I don't think I've ever anticipated a new show more in my life

I was just about to say the same thing! I don’t play many games but I played these when they first came out and I love the story.
I hope it brings in a large audience of people that didn’t play the game or even know it was a game. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Last Of Us 1x01 When You're Lost in the Darkness

 

Wow, I wasn't expecting for the show to start with a whole new prologue that had no game equivalent at all!  And that it would feature freaking Big Head from Silicon Valley and that dude from the Mummy movies!  This was an interesting way to introduce how the fungal infection works, I figured we'd see something like this to explain it at some point in the show

 

 

It was nice the way they tied into global warming to explain how it can spread to humans in the game/show.  Overall a pretty nifty opening, I thought.

 

Then, wow, I was pretty shocked they changed the start of the outbreak to 2003!  In the game, the Joel/Sara prologue takes place the same year that the game came out (2013), which nicely let them make any pop culture references they wanted to in the rest of the game.  It was only Part II that they had to be careful not to reference things that came out in our world after 2013.  Changing it to 2003 seems so bizarre, since now wherever they film they have to make sure doesn't have any modern stuff, and they're stuck referencing music and movies and stuff from 2003 or earlier.  Why did they do this?  Just to have the main story take place in 2023 when the show airs?  I'll be curious to learn their reason for this change

 

The prologue largely hit as hard as it does in the game, and hopefully does so for viewers who never played the game.  Since I knew what was going to happen I found myself engaged a little less than I'd hoped for, though the numerous new touches like getting to know the neighbors a bit before they get infected, seeing Sara get Joel's watch fixed, and adding a plane crash was pretty cool.  The coolest part of the whole episode was probably the awesome shot of the neighbor changing in the background without Sara realizing it in the foreground. And I loved how the dog knew what was up before anyone else did!

 

The Boston QZ was realized pretty well.  I wish they did a little more world-building here about how the world is adapting to the outbreak.  Maybe some was cut when they combined the first 2 episodes together to keep the rundown down.  I'm sure we'll learn a lot more throughout the season, anyway.

 

Marlene was awesome!  I loved that Merle Dandridge was able to play Marlene in the show like she did in the game, and she was great here!  Anna Torv seems like a decent Tess, but she didn't do much in this episode from the game that I recall so maybe they changed her character a bit.  


Ellie's introduction was pretty good.  In one scene Bella Ramsey claims Show Ellie as her own, in a way Pedro Pascal didn't really do as Joel.  I don't know how to explain it better than that; Game Joel and Game Ellie are so incredibly iconic characters to me, and while both Pascal and Ramsey are great shows for their show versions, I guess I felt like Joel didn't get to do anything in this episode that really endeared me to him the way some scenes in the game did.  However with Ellie, as soon as Bella Ramsey was swearing up a storm and flipping Marlene off, I was instantly on board for her Ellie.  Fantastic!

 

I didn't really understand why they danced around with her immunity;  Her first scene with them asking her the questions they ask here completely telegraphs that she's infected but not showing any signs, then when they don't show us what Marlene's note says nor what Marlene says privately to Ellie, I was like "ok, I guess they don't want to reveal it yet". But then 10 minutes of screentime later, they are revealing that she's immune at the end of the episode, so what is the point of hiding it for such a short while?  Maybe this was another victim of the 10 to 9 episode rejiggering.

 

I really love that other than the one guy they found on a wall half turned into a plant, we didn't see any of the creatures in this episode.  I love a good slow burn.  I wish they hadn't already shown the creatures off in the trailers.  If I hadn't already played the games and just watched this episode cold, I'd be pissed at what they showed in the "in the coming weeks" preview.  It gave away too much, I thought - and so did the "behind the scenes" thing they played right after.  

 

Overall, I was not as blown away by this particular episode as I was expecting to me, but I blame that more on my expectations than what the episode actually delivered.  And I am very, very excited about what the whole season will bring, nothing here has lost my faith in that at all!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As someone playing Part II right now, I thought this first episode was excellent. The longer prologue really added depth to the character's anguish and punched in the fact that everything we know of will cease to exist: schools, planes, neighbors, television, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First off, I'm not a gamer, so I know nothing about it.

 

This was spectacular!!!

Pedro Pascal is truly fantastic. And I'm a fan of Bella Ramsey and I thought she was great, as was their chemistry. All the supporting cast was wonderful as well!

 

The talk show prologue creeped me out a bit. The way they explained how something like this could happen, made we realize that (especially after covid) something like this could maybe be possible in the real world. And that is the first time I felt that way after watching a series/show that has to do with a virus or something.

 

Than the whole opening in 2003 shocked me. I was not prepared for that.

The scene with the neighbour in the background was very creepy and than later with the dog already knowing what was going was very well done.

The moment Sarah found the neighbours was truly disturbing and the whole thing in the car after that I thought was incredible.

Especially the long shot in the town before the plane crashed.

And I did not think I would be crying that early in the show when Sarah died (I thought she would die because she got infected so this was quite the gutpunch). Pascal really nailed that scene.

 

I'm very much a Last Of Us fan now and so excited to what the whole story will bring!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven’t seen The Road, but I’d say it’s more like Children of Men: The Series, which was a pretty obvious influence for the original game, but even bleaker. 
 

Strong first episode, though it got a bit slow in the second half. I haven’t played the game in around 6 years but I was surprised at how faithful it was…. Almost to the point where I was a little disengaged. I hope there’s a bit more to differentiate the series because at certain points it was like watching a movie-length cutscene. I did enjoy all the subtle references though, like the dust streaming through Joel’s bedroom window which echoes the main menu of the game. The performances are all great, and I love seeing Anna Torv in genre stuff again, she’s a natural fit.

 

Looking forward to seeing some more infected. The stretches of the game with human antagonists were always my least favourite. Let’s get to that fireworks factory already!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just watched the first episode and was blown away! I haven't played the games but I know some plot points from both games. But even if I knew what was gonna happen in those first 30 minutes, I was constantly on the edge of my seat. The talk-show prologue helps to set the mood and give a realistic background (which partially sounds too familiar, which makes it more scary), and then the outbreak is insane in how it slowly builds up tension, until that stunning car sequence. And Pedro Pascarl delivered on all the emotions for Sarah's death scene, and I think he's really good as Joel, as was Bella Ramsay as Ellie.

 

The last half is a bit slower, but I guess it was needed since they have to set up the proper conflict of the main story, and I think they did a great job with the mysterious group called the Fireflies, and the apparent inmunity of Ellie, which I'm sure hides more than it seems. Also, cool design for the main titles!

 

Overall, really great episode, and I'm already looking forward to the next episode!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, the score was mostly variations on the main theme and the All Gone theme, plus some atmospheric and action cues. Nice, but not really different from what's heard in the game, so I hope that as the season goes on we get to hear interesting variations on all those themes, or even some new ones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

David Fleming (Zimmer’s latest protege to be promoted to a regular co-composer) is also contributing to this series’ score, so there will definitely be some new material at some point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I loved the moment where Joel is standing with Ellie behind him as the guard was pointing his gun at him, and he has the flashback to what happened to Sarah.  That was a well-done moment!

 

I was confused about how the scene started though; did Joel & Tess not notice the guard was there?  Or did Joel think he'd let them through because of their earlier discussion?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That scene was indeed well done.

 

I thought it was either that they didn't see the guard.

Or that they thought they could pass because he was peeing and not looking around him.

 

I don't think it was the earlier discussion thing, because it wasn't until he removed his helmet that Joel recognised hi 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The game’s prologue is perfectly realized here.

 

Not a fan of some of the little changes to the plot, but otherwise an excellent first episode.

 

We finally get a faithful video game adaptation, and some are saying it resembles the game too closely?

 

I didn’t like how it ended with the sounds of clickers in the distance, since the audience has no reference to them yet if you haven’t played the game. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Jay said:

I didn't really understand why they danced around with her immunity;  Her first scene with them asking her the questions they ask here completely telegraphs that she's infected but not showing any signs, then when they don't show us what Marlene's note says nor what Marlene says privately to Ellie, I was like "ok, I guess they don't want to reveal it yet". But then 10 minutes of screentime later, they are revealing that she's immune at the end of the episode, so what is the point of hiding it for such a short while?  Maybe this was another victim of the 10 to 9 episode rejiggering.

Yeah this was oddly truncated compared to how drawn out it is the game. This is a small change I wasn’t a fan of. I thought the intro to Ellie and them agreeing to smuggle her happened way too quickly, considering Joel is supposed to be strongly opposed to the idea of having another child in his care. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.