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

[Knight of Ren 436]

Yeah, so far I think there only have been variations of two of the main themes of the games, plus some ambient and synth cues. And that music from the end of episode 2 is Allowed To Be Happy from the second game:

 

[Jay 30970]

On 22/01/2023 at 11:37 PM, Edmilson said:

How many episodes is season 1 going to have?

 

On 09/01/2023 at 3:18 PM, Jay said:

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)

 

 

On 22/01/2023 at 11:37 PM, Edmilson said:

I think I'm going to wait for them all to be released so that I may binge them. 

 

Oh man, that's a bad idea. You'll have so much more fun watching it week to week, and joining the discussion with us in between each episode! 

[Jay 30970]

On 23/01/2023 at 3:32 AM, JNHFan2000 said:

I've decided to not look at the 'next time' videos anymore, because I want to know as little as possible.

 

On 23/01/2023 at 10:10 AM, Toillion said:

I wish I didn't watch the preview for the next episode. I played the game but I feel like they are showing way too much in the previews. 

 

 

The previews give away too much, and the best way to enjoy this show is to not watch them.

[Mr. Who 633]

5 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

 

This is good advice.  The preview give away too much and the best way to enjoy this show is to not watch them.

I tend to think this is true for most quality shows. For GOT, Westworld  and HOTD I never watch previews or trailers either. I sadly saw some of the last of us trailer on YouTube as an ad but it didn’t show that much.

[Jay 30970]

Just now, Mr. Who said:

I tend to think this is true for most quality shows

 

Yes.

[Jay 30970]

‘The Last of Us’ Scores HBO’s Largest-Ever Viewership Growth for a Drama From Premiere to Episode 2

 

According to measurements by Nielsen combined with first-party data from Warner Bros. Discovery, Episode 2 brought in 5.7 million viewers across linear airings on HBO and streams on HBO Max. That marks a 22% increase from last week’s record-breaking 4.7 million, a number that Warner Bros. Discovery later reported had already jumped to 10 million after two days of availability.

 

Per HBO, the jump from the initial premiere viewership to Episode 2’s debut audience is the “largest week 2 audience growth for an HBO Original drama series in the history of the network.”

[Jay 30970]

On 23/01/2023 at 4:57 AM, crumbs said:

Shout out to whoever raised the flour theory, looks like they were spot on.

 

That was me (here), via this podcast episode originally.

 

 

On 23/01/2023 at 10:07 AM, Koray Savas said:

WARNING: There are slight game spoilers and what I think is a major spoiler for the show, even to those who have played the game.

 

Are you referring to the fact that in the interview, they state that

 

Spoiler

we'll see Ellie's mom, and that she's played by Ashley Johnson? 

 

If so, that's old news.

 

If you're referring to something else, what is it?

[Yavar Moradi 1689]

18 hours ago, Docteur Qui said:

 

I'm happy to agree to disagree, but I don't really feel the need to explain what's thematically important about the scene again when I clearly laid out my thoughts on it in my original post.

And here are the thoughts of the people who made it… personally I liked the change (and found it really disturbing):

Yavar

[Koray Savas 2188]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Are you referring to the fact that in the interview, they state that

 

  Reveal hidden contents

we'll see Ellie's mom, and that she's played by Ashley Johnson? 

 

If so, that's old news.

 

If you're referring to something else, what is it?

I didn’t realize it was old news, as I hadn’t seen it discussed anywhere.

 

Still seems like a huge spoiler to me to reveal that character will be portrayed in the show. Though I guess it’s not dissimilar to knowing Frank is in here as well. 

[Jay 30970]

The Last Of Us 1x02 Infected

 

I really liked the Jakarta cold open!  Since the game only told the story through what the small amount of characters that you control learns, it's neat that they are taking the opportunity to expand the storytelling for the show.  This was an effectively done mini-sequence that nicely sets up how the infection spread.  I like that it didn't specifically reveal precisely where it started - who "patient zero" is - and hope they never do; It doesn't matter!  I also like how chilling the final moment was where an expert on this fungus knows that bombing the city is the only hope of maybe containing it, and then immediately wants to go be with her family. Great stuff.

 

I loved the opening location, with Ellie sleeping bathed in beautiful sunlight, as Joel and Tess watch with guns trained on her.  They're right to be cautious about her immunity of course.  I wish the magazine Tess threw to her to use to wipe was instead a comic from the game!  I was a little disappointed in Ellie that she immediately tells them the entirely of what Marlene told her, which makes it all the more strange they kept it from the audience last week, but at least she couched it by saying outside she can't believe she's revealing it.

 

The hotel sequence was awesome, it really reminded me of a part from the game (but wasn't the big hotel scene in another city?).  I loved when Ellie starts imitating a guest and receptionist - that was SOOo Game Ellie, it was great!  I was a bit surprised they didn't spend too much time in this location since it looked so elaborate, but it was clever to touch on the swimming elements of the game  When they looked out at the infected writing on the ground outside, I thought it was interesting, they looked more like blades of grass rolling in the breeze than former people, really cool touch.  Also it looked they they were outside Faneuil Hall, which was neat.

 

The museum sequence was really good. I liked how Tess had to go climb to come back around and open a door, awesome game vibes there too.  The moment where Joel and Ellie just sit down and make some awkward small talk while she's doing that was really well done.  The arrival of the clickers was awesome, the tension was so good!  I loved how Joel had to silently explain to Ellie that they can't see, but can hear really well.  I was a bit surprised that the show's first portrayal of clickers involved them fighting TWO of them; Most other shows would start with just 1 and still show it as a massive threat, to be able to ramp up future encounters by having more of them to increase the stakes and tension.  Interesting choice!  As for the clickers themselves, I am a bit torn on their portrayal.  On the one hand yes, they did a fantastic job of replicating the game clickers, they looked JUST like them in design and movement.  But on the other hand.... there was some kind of reverse uncanny valley going on where it was SO obvious that it was just a dude in a costume with prosthetics on his head.  I don't know how to articulate exactly what I mean or why that took me out of the show a bit... because it's often the other way around, where characters that are all CGI take me out of something that practical effects does not.  But here the opposite effect happened and I'm not sure why.  Oh well.

 

After that sequence, I loved the bit on the roof where Ellie was basically like "that was scary, this is wood" about the plank between buildings  The statehouse sequence was interesting.  There was nice tension building outside with the empty truck (BTW, is that not a working truck they can take and use!?), and finding everyone dead inside.  I thought it was interesting that they introduced a mechanic where an active fungus in a human host can touch a tendril on the ground and have it VERY quickly send communication through that run of fungus and cause other infected humans touching it to move to their location.  I don't know how deep into sci-fi nonsense that goes vs how much is plausible in real life, but it will be a good tension-builder for the show I think.  I loved that Ellie realized Tess was infected before Joel did, that was interesting.  And I loved that Tess tried to instill some hope in Joel before sacrificing herself.  

 

I don't know why people are complaining about "the kiss", it makes perfect sense to me.  I viewed it as the infected humans are mostly fungus controlled but have some some semblances of humanity in them, so Tess is able to still flick the lighter even as she is succumbing to total fungus control, and the one that walked up to her has some memory of kissing as a way to form a connection, which is what the fungus wants to do to essential pro-create.  Sure she was going to be fully infected anyway, but the tendrils going into her mouth would likely speed it up I suppose.  I didn't think it was that out of place.

 

After the explosion, I liked the silent departure of Joel to end the episode.  But I liked that before that, Tess suggested he bring Ellie to Bill and Frank!

[MaxMovieMan 73]

9 hours ago, Knight of Ren said:

Yeah, so far I think there only have been variations of two of the main themes of the games, plus some ambient and synth cues. And that music from the end of episode 2 is Allowed To Be Happy from the second game:

 

Interesting that they’re using tracks from Part II for season 1.

[Jay 30970]

It's not like any of the music in the games is really all THAT scene or character specific.

[MaxMovieMan 73]

4 minutes ago, Jay said:

It's not like any of the music in the games is really all THAT scene or character specific.

True. Still though the soundtrack for Part II is much different than Part I so it’s cool to see these tracks put into the show.

[Jay 30970]

BTW, have actuals recordings from the games been used in the show, or just new recordings of game compositions?

[MaxMovieMan 73]

53 minutes ago, Jay said:

BTW, have actuals recordings from the games been used in the show, or just new recordings of game compositions?

I’m pretty positive “The Last of Us (You and Me)” from the first game has been used several times and it doesn’t sound any different than it did in-game. It plays right after Joel gets his sewage job in episode 1 and then when the trio are on the roof of the museum in episode 2. Also I think “Allowed to be Happy” was pulled straight from the game as well. The opening title sequence is a re-recording of the main theme though and also I forgot to point this out but Gustavo wrote a new versions of the “All Gone” theme for when Sarah dies in the show and when Ellie first sees Boston in the daytime.

[MaxMovieMan 73]

(!SPOILERS FOR BOTH VIDEO GAMES!)

 

Spoiler

I have a feeling that when Joel sees Abby’s dad (AKA the surgeon with the knife) blocking him from Ellie that he will imagine the dad as the soldier who killed Sarah, just like what happened with the Fedra soldier. Then Joel will go crazy on the surgeon. If this is the case that’s awesome foreshadowing with the Fedra soldier and also makes the scene so much more powerful because of it’s implications.

 

I know people dislike “The Last of Us Part II” but I think it has one of the greatest stories ever told in video games. It rivals the first game. People just don’t like depressing stories that have a sad ending. The problem with the game was that it was a game. The story was spectacular but it was hard to play as Abby after she pummeled Joel, shot Jessie’s face off, and has a gun to Ellie and Tommy immediately before playing as her. That story told in a different medium like a TV show could work so much better and be easier to digest (Also because the average TV viewer won’t get as attached to Joel as the gamer did simply because the gamer played as Joel the entire time).

 

They might even introduce Abby in the last episode and show her dad talking to Marlene so season 2 is set up better.

 

[Jay 30970]

Spoiler

I'd prefer if season 1 makes no reference to Abby or her father at all and that's entirely saved for a future season

 

And along those lines it makes no sense to me that they might adapt game 2 as season 2, because it only works if both Abby and Ellie are 5 years older than they are at the end of season 1.  Not to mention all the other world changes that happen 5 years further into the outbreak.  I think it could work if season 2 is a bridging season that covers some of the stuff seen in game 2 as flashbacks, mixed with new original content for the show, and then season 3 is the main game 2 storyline.

 

And yes game 2 is is amazing in every way

 

[Koray Savas 2188]

I imagine Season 1 will end exactly as the game did. Shot for shot with the same dialogue.

[Toillion 91]

 

[Mr. Who 633]

Here is my collection of covers for the first season's score:

[Jay 30970]

Already two days away from another new episode... Sweet

[Toillion 91]

An 80 minute episode 

[JNHFan2000 1365]

 

[Knight of Ren 436]

Nice! After the success of the first couple of episodes I thought a second season was a given, but it's great to see it officially confirmed specially after all the unexpected cancelations last year.

[Toillion 91]

Think they will split the second game into two seasons?

[Jay 30970]

On 27/01/2023 at 1:49 PM, Toillion said:

Think they will split the second game into two seasons?

 

I shared my thoughts on this question up above in a spoiler tag. Though there's no plot spoilers or anything, so it's safe to read if you haven't played it

 

On 25/01/2023 at 11:27 AM, Jay said:

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It makes no sense to me that they might adapt game 2 as season 2, because it only works if both Abby and Ellie are 5 years older than they are at the end of season 1.  Not to mention all the other world changes that happen 5 years further into the outbreak.  I think it could work if season 2 is a bridging season that covers some of the stuff seen in game 2 as flashbacks, mixed with new original content for the show, and then season 3 is the main game 2 storyline.

 

 

[SpaceCoyote 110]

I don't think they're going to hold off on adapting the second game as the second season. This is from the Hollywood Reporter cover story on season one.

 

Spoiler

As for this show’s ending, expect the debut season to cover the entirety of the Last of Us game. Druckmann and Mazin hint — but don’t outright say — that their second season will cover the table-flipping narrative of Naughty Dog’s bold Part II sequel (“I don’t like filler,” Mazin says).

 

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.”

 

EDIT: Also, leakers have been claiming lately that a third Last of Us game is in development despite recent comments from Neil Druckmann that he doesn't know what Naughty Dog will do next. I suspect that we'll be getting The Last of Us 3 within the next few years. I also think the second game will probably translate into two seasons, so it might time out nicely where a third game comes out around the same time they've finished adapting the second game for TV.

[crumbs 12605]

Very sad news. Annie Wersching, the original actress who portrayed Tess in the video game, has passed away at 45 years old. She had cancer

 

I've been a fan ever since her multi-season appearance in 24.

 

Quote

Wersching died on Sunday morning in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer, her publicist told the Associated Press. The type of cancer was not specified.

 

Neil Druckmann, who created the video game The Last of Us on which Wersching provided the voice for Tess, wrote on Twitter: “We just lost a beautiful artist and human being. My heart is shattered. Thoughts are with her loved ones.”

 

 

It would've been wonderful to see her reprise the role of Tess in the TV show, but I guess this explains why the role was recast with Anna Torv (she was likely too ill when production started).

[Jay 30970]

Wow that was a drastic departure from the game! 

 

I'm glad they said in the after thingy that it's the biggest departure 

[MaxMovieMan 73]

Whaaaaaattttt. Didn’t expect this to have one of the best love stories I’ve seen on TV in a while. Was a little caught off guard but was still enthralled with the whole thing. Best episode of the series so far and honestly as a stand-alone short film it’s one of the best I’ve seen as well. The music from Part II being used in the strawberry scene genuinely gave me chills. Bummed we didn’t get to see Ellie mess with Bill because I think he would’ve nailed that but still, god damn. I was brought to tears.

[JNHFan2000 1365]

Episode 3 absolutely wrecked me. I don't think I ever cried this much over a film or series.

I loved everything about it.

Nick Offerman & Murray Bartlet were absolutely amazing. Emmy's for both!!

The writing was incredible. I just finished and I'm really so blown away by it that I'm not sure what else to say 

[crumbs 12605]

Likewise, that episode absolutely wrecked me. Probably the most affecting episode of television I've watched in a long, long time. Screamed "Emmy submission episode" in flashing neon lights.

 

I'm more than happy for them to depart from the game if it means storytelling on this level. This has always been the greatest strength of the first game; it's not about the infected, it's about humanity. TV provides an opportunity to explore that with characters who were mere footnotes in the game. What they explored with Bill was frankly (no pun intended) a far more interesting character study than what the game did. Not surprised to see people whining (not here but elsewhere) about the lack of action and zombies; obviously some people missed the entire point of the game.

 

Also reassuring to know that season two can spend more time exploring stories like this before diving into the main plot of TLOU2, which mostly abandons the humanity of the first game.

[MaxMovieMan 73]

1 hour ago, crumbs said:

Also reassuring to know that season two can spend more time exploring stories like this before diving into the main plot of TLOU2, which mostly abandons the humanity of the first game.

Yeah, Part II is tonally the polar opposite of Part I. Druckmann said it best; if Part I is about love then Part II is about hate.

[Koray Savas 2188]

The Max Richter needle drop took me out of it a bit. I recognized it from the first notes.

 

Could have been more impactful with an original score cue, or even a lesser known classical piece. 

 

[Not Mr. Big 4047]

19 hours ago, crumbs said:

Likewise, that episode absolutely wrecked me. Probably the most affecting episode of television I've watched in a long, long time. Screamed "Emmy submission episode" in flashing neon lights.

 

I'm more than happy for them to depart from the game if it means storytelling on this level. This has always been the greatest strength of the first game; it's not about the infected, it's about humanity. TV provides an opportunity to explore that with characters who were mere footnotes in the game. What they explored with Bill was frankly (no pun intended) a far more interesting character study than what the game did. Not surprised to see people whining (not here but elsewhere) about the lack of action and zombies; obviously some people missed the entire point of the game.

 

Also reassuring to know that season two can spend more time exploring stories like this before diving into the main plot of TLOU2, which mostly abandons the humanity of the first game.

I thought it was more moving than anything in either game.  Even the more optimistic parts of the games have this cynical undercurrent where anyone who does something nice is secretly serving themselves or will end up paying for it later.  Showing two people fall in love and living full lives it is really uplifting to see in the TLOU universe.  

 

One possible criticism I have is that 

Spoiler

Bill was originally supposed to be a foil for Joel in the story.  A warning of what he could end up being should he stay emotionally closed off.  This is a different interpretation but the old one might end up being better in the span of the overall story.  

 

[crumbs 12605]

2 hours ago, Not Mr. Big said:

Showing two people fall in love and living full lives it is really uplifting to see in the TLOU universe.  

 

And it's important to have some light to balance out the dark, because events only become increasingly nihilistic as the game(s) continue. 

 

You can't fill the entire show with misery and bitterness without alienating audiences, and showing these more optimistic moments will make the decent into despair even more devastating. 

[MaxMovieMan 73]

The use of “Vanishing Grace” as Bill pushes Frank to bed was insanely effective.

[Thor 5793]

It was a good Romeo & Juliet-type episode -- with Ron Swanson taking a left turn from prepper (which one would expect) to gay lover. Yeah, I know, Offerman is more than Ron Swanson, but he's so indelibly tied to that role for me.  It obviously halts forward momentum, and I'm not a fan of all the flashbacks that are so prevalent these days, but in the beginning of a series, it's also a world builder. Worked well, and totally engrossing.

[Alex 2387]

A wonderful love story between Ron Swanson and Armond from The White Lotus

[Docteur Qui 1418]

That was a phenomenal 75 minutes of television. It's taken me a few days to process. I can't find any fault in it and just about everything worked, from Bartlett and Offerman's beautiful performances to the gorgeous cinematography and direction. Tremendous to see a queer story told that ends not in tragedy but in bittersweet reflection. And to bring it all together, the way that this very simple story about life and love exists to contextualise Joel's journey and what he has lost but has the chance to regain. It was a massive risk considering the radical departure from the source material, but they knocked it out of the park. Consider all of my fears about the adaptation of this story well and truly quashed.

 

Please, more stories like this, more shows like this.

[Yavar Moradi 1689]

I agree with everything positive said about episode 3, the best of three (great!) episodes so far IMO. My wife was crying like I’ve never seen her cry when watching something.

 

I looked at IMDb less than 24 hours after the episode aired and it was a 9.6/10 on IMDb, and I thought that was about right compared to the first two episodes in the lower 9s. But now I see it’s in the low 8s thanks to a lot of haters review-bombing it with 1s.

 

Sad. And I think we know why most of these people are rating it THAT low…

 

Yavar

[Mephariel 309]

An excellent episode. I was somewhat bummed out that they didn't show any of the sequences from the game, but in a vacuum this was a wonderfully told love story. This one episode is better than the entirety of many romantic movies. 

[Yavar Moradi 1689]

Wow, since my post it’s dropped even further to a 7.9 now, compared to 9.2 for the first two episodes.

 

And Ms. Marvel, one of the best Disney+ MCU shows, is sitting at a 6.2.

 

Really sad how much bigotry exists, isn’t it?

 

Yavar

[Not Mr. Big 4047]

7 minutes ago, Yavar Moradi said:

Wow, since my post it’s dropped even further to a 7.9 now, compared to 9.2 for the first two episodes.

 

And Ms. Marvel, one of the best Disney+ MCU shows, is sitting at a 6.2.

 

Really sad how much bigotry exists, isn’t it?

 

Yavar

Never trust ANY user rating system.  

[Koray Savas 2188]

Unfortunately review bombing is commonplace for everything these days. 

[Docteur Qui 1418]

I've never trusted IMDB's or any other site's user-generated ratings systems. Too easily manipulated with targeted attacks from miserable basement-dwellers, not to mention culturally homogenous - like many online spaces it skews heavily male, white and American. The sample pool for IMDB reviewers has never traditionally been a cross-section of mainstream society, so it's hardly an accurate indicator of what people actually like in the real world.

[Yavar Moradi 1689]

Yeah, but what alternate indicators do we have available?

 

Yavar

[Docteur Qui 1418]

I don't think it's terribly important to have a mass rating/opinion system at all  to be honest, at least when it comes to art. I'm quite happy listening to the communities that I'm involved with that have similar interests, and reviewers whose critiques I find compelling and well-argued.

 

Too many people put stock in populist ratings when they tell you absolutely nothing about what is being rated. 97% on Rotten Tomatoes doesn't mean something is better than 97% of what else is out there, just that the majority of the reviews are "positive"; not necessarily glowing or outstanding, just "not bad". A film or show that is incredibly influential and meaningful to a specific audience may only get a score of 50%, which isn't at all indicative of the quality of the art in question. IMDB is even worse; on one hand you have sycophants rating everything 10/10 and on the other you've got trolls bombing things for political reasons with nary a nod to nuance.

[enderdrag64 311]

2 hours ago, Docteur Qui said:

I've never trusted IMDB's or any other site's user-generated ratings systems. Too easily manipulated with targeted attacks from miserable basement-dwellers, not to mention culturally homogenous - like many online spaces it skews heavily male, white and American. The sample pool for IMDB reviewers has never traditionally been a cross-section of mainstream society, so it's hardly an accurate indicator of what people actually like in the real world.

 

While they may not be a great indicator of the actual quality of a work, I do think that user review systems give people an important voice against the powers at be when they make shitty decisions.

 

Steam's user review system is notorious for this, but it happens all the time:

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Review_bomb

 

In a world where the average person doesn't have much influence over the direction of corporate decisions, I think that user reviews can be an important form of protest, similar in value to what the YouTube dislike button used to have

[HunterTech 684]

But you can't trust the protests to always be in good faith, which is the main argument against it here. Given that it is a recent phenomenon, I don't think the "it's inevitable with a system like that" counterpoint works at all if this never has been an issue in the past. So I figure something like how RT did it after it happened to them in a few instances would be ideal, but the big issue is that these companies in essence hate actual moderation, so it probably isn't on their radar for now (though this being a notable case might turn that around).