Horror 'The Last of Us' HBO Series

[DarkKnight88]

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.”

Thank. God. This makes me more excited for this.

Too many shows - and my problem with TV in general - go on and on when the story is long over, or just drop filler episodes. Glad this is just getting to the point.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

If the game series ends at Part III and each season were to only adapt one game I wouldn't necessarily call that a bad thing. I wouldn't want to see it become a Walking Dead type of show where they keep milking it for years after it's past its prime.

I get you but I wouldn't mind 4/5 seasons out of this rather than just the 3. Season 2 could concentrate on the flashbacks and relationship between the two main characters with the season ending on THAT moment.

 

[Drizzle]

I get you but I wouldn't mind 4/5 seasons out of this rather than just the 3. Season 2 could concentrate on the flashbacks and relationship between the two main characters with the season ending on THAT moment.

Agreed on that. I'd be cool with a bridge season between Part I and Part II.

 

[obredaan]

Just jumping straight to the fan favorite sequel, I see. Smart move.

It is also good to see that Mazin has his head up his ass just as much as Druckman.

Always discouraging to see how some gamers have their heads up their own ass so far as to not understand why the sequel works so well.

 

[Pennywise]

 

[Man in the Suit]

Wow, that video has spoilers for people who don't know the story. I'm surprised HBO released that.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Agreed on that. I'd be cool with a bridge season between Part I and Part II.

Yeah definitely. They would need to add some set pieces into the flashbacks but Ellie's birthday etc could be an episode itself. You could have the penultimate episode

Spoiler: Game spoilers!

where Ellie learns the Truth then literally end the season in the next episode with Joel's death. Season 3 would then write itself with Ellie out in a revenge mission.

 

[Slick]

Wow, that video has spoilers for people who don't know the story. I'm surprised HBO released that.

Yeah me too. It’s pretty bold of them but I figure the general audience doesn’t watch bts features on the web like us so they’ll still probably be surprised and shocked.

 

[Still Wynning]

Just jumping straight to the fan favorite sequel, I see. Smart move.

It is also good to see that Mazin has his head up his ass just as much as Druckman.

Just asking, what’s up with the dismissiveness from you and DarthSkywalker towards this and TLOU on the boards as of late? Does it have something to do with the time crunch on the last game and Craig Mazin’s comment about death not meaning anything in games “because it’s just pixels”?

Admittedly, that last one did sort of rub me the wrong way, at least initially. But, I think, with the context of his full quote, it kind of makes more sense. He said that once characters die in the game, you get sent back to the last checkpoint and they’re alive again. Hence, his comment about death in video games not having as much impact as in other forms of media where they are permanently dead and can’t be brought back. No do over or reset. They die and that’s it. After multiple times of dying over and over again in a game, it can kind of take away the wind out of certain emotional moments, because you’re having to experiencing it over and over again, which can diminish it’s impact.

I do get the time crunch thing. That definitely needs to change.

Either way, doesn’t take away from my excitement for this. Everything I’ve seen and read points to something really high-quality.

 

[Slick]

 

[Kane52630]

Yeah Part II is 2 seasons at least.

Also I wonder if they'll recast Ellie because of the time jump.

 

[Drizzle]

Yeah Part II is 2 seasons at least.

Also I wonder if they'll recast Ellie because of the time jump.

I don't think they would since Bella Ramsey is 19, same age as Ellie in Part II and she'd be even older once they get around to filming anyway.

 

[Slick]

 

[Sithborg]

Just asking, what’s up with the dismissiveness from you and DarthSkywalker towards this and TLOU on the boards as of late? Does it have something to do with the time crunch on the last game and Craig Mazin’s comment about death not meaning anything in games “because it’s just pixels”?

Admittedly, that last one did sort of rub me the wrong way, at least initially. But, I think, with the context of his full quote, it kind of makes more sense. He said that once characters die in the game, you get sent back to the last checkpoint and they’re alive again. Hence, his comment about death in video games not having as much impact as in other forms of media where they are permanently dead and can’t be brought back. No do over or reset. They die and that’s it. After multiple times of dying over and over again in a game, it can kind of take away the wind out of certain emotional moments, because you’re having to experiencing it over and over again, which can diminish it’s impact.

I do get the time crunch thing. That definitely needs to change.

Either way, doesn’t take away from my excitement for this. Everything I’ve seen and read points to something really high-quality.

My impression is that Druckmann doesn't handle criticism well. From what I've observed, the reaction from fans is overblown. But on the other hand, that type of story is always going to piss people off. I love Bayonetta 3, but I am not going to get upset over someone hating it because of how the story plays out. And that is a series where they can fix it with a lol.

As for emotional moments in games, it is dismissive no matter how you try to prop it up. Rewatching a series degrades an emotional impact just as much. I mean, I'm of a generation where Aerith was a bit of a formational experience for some.

 

[Man in the Suit]

 

[Kane52630]

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Great to see the praise the show is getting. Though I finally heard something about the show I didn't like, apparently

Spoiler

there are going to be no spores

. Which I thought were some of the best parts of the games.

 

[Iceman]

The Last of Us review: 'The best video game adaptation ever'

Can’t wait!

 

[obredaan]

Currently sitting at 84% on Metacritic. Looking good.

The Last of Us - Season 1 Reviews - Metacritic

 

[Gothamsknight]

So happy this show is getting is so much praise.

 

[LifesEnd]

My impression is that Druckmann doesn't handle criticism well. From what I've observed, the reaction from fans is overblown. But on the other hand, that type of story is always going to piss people off. I love Bayonetta 3, but I am not going to get upset over someone hating it because of how the story plays out. And that is a series where they can fix it with a lol.

As for emotional moments in games, it is dismissive no matter how you try to prop it up. Rewatching a series degrades an emotional impact just as much. I mean, I'm of a generation where Aerith was a bit of a formational experience for some.

The hate towards TLOU 2 and Druckmann(from certain factions) is insane.Shades of the MShe-u , The last Jedi sort. The subreddit is still whining like 2-3 years later about TLOU 2

 

[Deck Rickard]

Finally. I’ve been saying for like the past 30 years that video game adaptations can absolutely be good if they just adapt games that have actual stories (i.e., not stuff like Street Fighter) and actually take it seriously without cramming in a bunch of nonsense to “appeal to mainstream audiences” or whatever they thought they were doing by centering Mortal Kombat on some awful “audience” character no one cares about or turning Super Mario Brothers into Blade Runner for kids. Really excited for this show.

 

[LifesEnd]

Finally. I’ve been saying for like the past 30 years that video game adaptations can absolutely be good if they just adapt games that have actual stories (i.e., not stuff like Street Fighter) and actually take it seriously without cramming in a bunch of nonsense to “appeal to mainstream audiences” or whatever they thought they were doing by centering Mortal Kombat on some awful “audience” character no one cares about or turning Super Mario Brothers into Blade Runner for kids. Really excited for this show.

Tbf Arcane was excellent and while its no street fighter(it has a lot of inbuilt lore etc it wasn't based on narratively great material.Its all a matter of talent and execution tbh.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Tbf Arcane was excellent and while its no street fighter(it has a lot of inbuilt lore etc it wasn't based on narratively great material.Its all a matter of talent and execution tbh.

True, I haven’t seen Arcane yet but there have been some really good animated adaptations of video games. I thoroughly enjoyed Castlevania and Dragon Age Absolution. But I think adapting these games in live action is a bigger undertaking, so it’s good to finally see one that’s getting massive praise.

 

[Still Wynning]

I think it’s clear, from Castlevania to Arcane and now this, that television is the best medium for adapting video game material, at least for most of them. Where a lot of past adaptations have failed, aside from the lack of fidelity on the part of careless or talentless creators, is the lack of run time and breathing room by the nature of having only a 2-2+ hours to adapt some thing that requires a longer format. Movies move at a very brisk pace that doesn’t allow for much story/character exploration and moments to just sit in. With television, you can do that and then some, judging by what reviews have said about extrapolating from certain story elements only hinted at in the game and elaborated upon in the show.

I really hope that this sends a message to any talent looking to adapt any future video games into live action and show them that movies aren’t the only avenue for doing this sort of thing.