Horror 'The Last of Us' HBO Series

[Drizzle]

Misleading title...kinda.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

As others have said this was a great Season 2 premiere and just gets that much more excited to see what happens next and honestly that second episode can't get here soon enough.

Loved the bits between Dina and Ellie and the sequence with the clicker. It feels like Isabela Merced and Bella Ramsey already have pretty great chemistry and I'm looking forward to seeing more scenes with them together and I'm liking the set up with Abby and her people.

I remember some of the stuff from the second game but its been a while so not everything is fresh, but they really do a fantastic job with the worldbuilding in this show.

Also, visually it still looks AMAZING IMO.

 

[Stringer]

I see and thanks for helping me out.

I can get what you mean. I think it's them going for a bit more a realistic appoarch. I thought the training early on really emphasized that. Ellie's skilled. But she's also a tiny person who's been living a pretty easy life all things considered thanks to the community.

I also think it's playing up the paternal nature of Joel and Tommy which I do really like.

Agreed about Joel and Tommy. I do believe they're going for more realism and I'm good with that. Admittedly, perhaps wrongly, I think the appearance of Abby already looking like she's fully in Part II mode had me side eye what's going on with Ellie so far.

Spoiler

If the show changes it up a bit and has Ellie slightly less mature, maybe a bit more naive, to further highlight her change and to match Abby's brutality, that's a welcome addition to the character.

 

[Kane52630]

 

[Deck Rickard]

Loved the premiere. Joel and Ellie need to get over their BS but aside from that I really like where things are going. I’ve never played Part II so I don’t know how closely this sticks to it (I do know about that ONE big thing but that’s all I really know) but I’m loving Dina, Jesse and Gail. Regarding the latter, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Catherine O’Hara in a dramatic role and it’s great to see her flex her dramatic acting muscles. Also like that we seem to be getting more Tommy and Maria (as a True Blood Tara stan, it’s always great to see more Rutina Wesley).

Great stuff from the always amazing Kaitlyn Dever. I would watch her in anything and you should too, so if you haven’t seen Apple Cider Vinegar, you should get on that.

Lastly, I’m glad we got some zombie action already. One of my chief criticisms of season 1 was how the zombies seemed to just disappear for half the season. I’m not a big zombie horror fan but… if the threat is so real that it basically wiped out the entire world, then I feel like we should see a lot of them.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Loved seeing Joel knock Homophobocop on his ass.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Yeah I gotta echo what many are saying in here, this was a fantastic episode. I played the 2nd game in 2023 and got the platinum, so it's still quite fresh in my mind, but I do like the creative choices and changes they made here.

The casting is all brilliant, but Isabella Merced as Dina definitely stole the show, which is no easy feat with this cast. I already can't wait for more and I really wonder how much of Abby's story we're due to get this season.

 

[Man in the Suit]

‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Premiere Hits 5.3 Million Viewers, Up 13% From Series Launch

'The Last of Us' returned to HBO with 5.3 million viewers, a 13% increase from the series premiere.

variety.com

 

[Deck Rickard]

Yeah I gotta echo what many are saying in here, this was a fantastic episode. I played the 2nd game in 2023 and got the platinum, so it's still quite fresh in my mind, but I do like the creative choices and changes they made here.

The casting is all brilliant, but Isabella Merced as Dina definitely stole the show, which is no easy feat with this cast. I already can't wait for more and I really wonder how much of Abby's story we're due to get this season.

Yeah Isabela has been landing a lot of roles in big projects lately and I can really see why. She was pretty good in Alien Romulus but she wasn’t in it much. But here she really stood out and it’s easy to see why Ellie is falling hard for her, and also why Joel really cares for her like a second stepdaughter. Excited to see more of her here as well as in Superman.

I still haven’t seen Madame Web though lol.

 

[blueharvest]

‘The Last Of Us’ Season 2 Premiere Audience Up 10% Over Season 1 Debut

The Last Of Us returned on HBO to a promising Season 2 premiere performance,

deadline.com

 

[TheFuture]

Agreed about Joel and Tommy. I do believe they're going for more realism and I'm good with that. Admittedly, perhaps wrongly, I think the appearance of Abby already looking like she's fully in Part II mode had me side eye what's going on with Ellie so far.

Spoiler

If the show changes it up a bit and has Ellie slightly less mature, maybe a bit more naive, to further highlight her change and to match Abby's brutality, that's a welcome addition to the character.

I found Ellie's immaturity and carelessness in this premiere so utterly odd (in an apocalypse situation that she grew up in no less) that I thought this must be intentional to further the dynamic between her and Abby. I'm glad to see someone else feels that's the way it's going.

 

[Elayis]

Given that the zombie apocalypse is the only world she's ever known, and her immunity grants her a certain level of protection that no one else possess, her cockiness seems believable.

I do agree, though, that her immaturity seemed heightened, or received more emphasis than other, less irritating behavior in this first episode. Some of that's probably due to the restructuring, since they've reshuffled the placement of certain scenes that would give her a more well-rounded personality. It might also be Bella Ramsey's age, and that they actually look like a teenager, where Ellie in the game seemed to be early to mid twenties.

 

[Havok83]

Yeah I gotta echo what many are saying in here, this was a fantastic episode. I played the 2nd game in 2023 and got the platinum, so it's still quite fresh in my mind, but I do like the creative choices and changes they made here.

The casting is all brilliant, but Isabella Merced as Dina definitely stole the show, which is no easy feat with this cast. I already can't wait for more and I really wonder how much of Abby's story we're due to get this season.

Pobably more in the game. I think that flashback right after the events of the first season was intentional as its important to humanize and give her a sympathetic early on bc there will be a break between season. Not sure how they will break down the seasons but I suspect we will see more of her perspective once Ellie gets going on her journey

 

[carrrnuttt]

I found Ellie's immaturity and carelessness in this premiere so utterly odd (in an apocalypse situation that she grew up in no less) that I thought this must be intentional to further the dynamic between her and Abby. I'm glad to see someone else feels that's the way it's going.

She's mad at Joel for a VERY specific reason that he currently doesn't realize she knows about.

This realization is making her realize that her life could have been worth so much more, and the guilt she feels from that is making her more than a bit suicidal even if she's not 100% conscious of that.

That explains Ellie's current actions.

Dina is too eager to both please AND protect Ellie and she knows/senses that Ellie will do whatever she wants regardless, which explains why Dina is willing to be reckless next to Ellie.

 

[Filmfan93]

Good start of the season, but Bella Ramsey as Ellie just isn't it.

Not only she looks nothing like Ellie from the games, but she doesn't even get her mannerisms either. If anything, she comes off as an annoying angry boy.

I adore both games and have played them numerous times. The show nails every other aspect from them, except Ellie's casting.

Which is a shame, because this could've been a 10/10 video game adaptation.

P.S Isabela as Dina is great.

 

[Still Wynning]

*sees following post on Bella as Ellie*

 

[DCDAVE]

*sees following post on Bella as Ellie*

View attachment 129864

Some people want a total video game adaptation. I saw some one complain about Tommy’s wife because she is black. I am looking forward to seeing Abby’s fighting style in live action. Can’t wait to hear the complaints of her not being muscular and hardcore.

Bella, Pedro, Isabella, Kaitlyn and rest of the cast seem to be on point with their acting. Nothing to complain about. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[Man in the Suit]

 

[BoredGuy]

I like Bella in the role
But I did find her a bit grating in this episode
Her habit of acting like a bit of an a**hole in the first season worked because she was a cute young teenager
but now she's older and its less endearing

Also, I haven't played part 2, though I know the beats, but how exactly does Ellie know the truth of what happened with the fireflies?
Also, how do those who played it feel about them giving Abby's crew set up this early in the story, rather than introducing her as a more mysterious character later on??

 

[Drizzle]

Also, I haven't played part 2, though I know the beats, but how exactly does Ellie know the truth of what happened with the fireflies?
Also, how do those who played it feel about them giving Abby's crew set up this early in the story, rather than introducing her as a more mysterious character later on??

Spoiler: TLOU Part II Spoilers

It's revealed in flashbacks in the game that Joel told Ellie the truth about what happened at the hospital not too long before the events of Part II. That scene should be happening in the show this season.

As for the Abby's crew scene in the beginning, I liked them being introduced early but I didn't really care for them revealing the plan to kill Joel already because it ruins the surprise. But I guess at the same time unsuspecting viewers could just assume that it's all talk and Joel isn't in that much danger.

 

[Snow Queen]

Spoiler

Throwing in that opening was my one big issue with the episode. I thought that it felt too leading and scared that you wouldn't understand what's going on. You kinda need to reveal it this season because of the structure of releasing a TV show I think, but I would have preferred holding onto the specifics a little while longer.

 

[Drizzle]

Spoiler

Throwing in that opening was my one big issue with the episode. I thought that it felt too leading and scared that you wouldn't understand what's going on. You kinda need to reveal it this season because of the structure of releasing a TV show I think, but I would have preferred holding onto the specifics a little while longer.

Spoiler

I saw a comment on TikTok that said speculated Abby's motivation was revealed right off the bat to prevent Kaitlyn Dever from getting the same kind of threats online that Laura Bailey did, which seems farfetched but who knows.

I guess it's more obvious to those who know what's going to happen but to me it felt like if Game of Thrones season 3 had opened up on a scene with Walder Frey, Roose Bolton and Tywin Lannister meeting up and saying "So we gotta do something about Robb Stark".

 

[Snow Queen]

Spoiler

I saw a comment on TikTok that said speculated Abby's motivation was revealed right off the bat to prevent Kaitlyn Dever from getting the same kind of threats online that Laura Bailey did, which seems farfetched but who knows.

I guess it's more obvious to those who know what's going to happen but to me it felt like if Game of Thrones season 3 had opened up on a scene with Walder Frey, Roose Bolton and Tywin Lannister meeting up and saying "So we gotta do something about Robb Stark".

Spoiler

Honestly, I don't think it's that far-fetched that they were trying to lay out a cushion. But that is a solid comparison. I also think even the game feels very insecure around Abby in the second half, scared you're not going to like her, and this sort of evoked that to me though in a different way.

 

[Luigi]

Spoiler

Catherine O'Hara keeps losing husbands left and right haha. I am curious about what the hell happened between Eugene and Joel.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

Good start of the season, but Bella Ramsey as Ellie just isn't it.

Not only she looks nothing like Ellie from the games, but she doesn't even get her mannerisms either. If anything, she comes off as an annoying angry boy.

I adore both games and have played them numerous times. The show nails every other aspect from them, except Ellie's casting.

Which is a shame, because this could've been a 10/10 video game adaptation.

P.S Isabela as Dina is great.

Gonna ask you to explain and unpack this.

She doesn't do the game characters mannerisms, that's fine, show Ellie is her own character.

 

[Drizzle]

Spoiler

Catherine O'Hara keeps losing husbands left and right haha. I am curious about what the hell happened between Eugene and Joel.

Spoiler

We're likely to see it in a flashback since Joe Pantoliano is confirmed to be playing him. I'm guessing there was no real bad blood between the two otherwise Gail would have shown a lot more hostility towards Joel. They were probably on patrol together when Eugene got infected and Joel had no other choice but to kill him.