Horror 'The Last of Us' HBO Series

[Punisher_MAX]

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.

Look maybe it's the nostalgia, but now that I'm older I kinda appreciate just how bat**** insane the live action Mario movie was. The world building was pretty cool in its own insane way. I'd have actually watched the sequel that the movie hinted at lol

 

[Luigi]

Tomorrow, y'all!

 

[Slick]

Tomorrow, y'all!

Can’t wait!!!

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Oh wow didn't realise it was that quick. I need to subscribe to a new channel to watch.

 

[Pennywise]

'The Last of Us': How HBO's Show Adapted the Video Game - Variety

 

[Incarnadine]

Less than 1 hour to go and I'm really looking forward to it.

I never played the games and I know next to nothing about the lore, but that is the exact same scenario I had for Arcane and that was one of my favorite shows of 2021.

 

[NotNickFury]

Well, I may not have played any of the games, but I do recognize that theme. Good job.

 

[Iceman]

Less than 1 hour to go and I'm really looking forward to it.

I never played the games and I know next to nothing about the lore, but that is the exact same scenario I had for Arcane and that was one of my favorite shows of 2021.

After some tough early going I eventually loved Arcane. Can’t wait for more from that. Very excited for TLOU (have played both games and thought they were great). I won’t be able to start watching till it’s already aired and completed (just how my cable streaming works).

 

[NotNickFury]

Yup, safe to say that HBO's got another winner on their hands. Again, never played the games, but looking at this purely as a series, it's got a great opening filled with good suspense and tension, coupled with some great performances and shooting locations. This'll be the only comparison I make with The Walking Dead, but the closest that show ever got this was the pilot because there, it felt like a full blown movie. Whereas here, the series can get away with maintaining that quality, I'm sure, given HBO's budget versus AMC's.

It does make me want to maybe watch some playthroughs of the game because I'm sure a lot of the game fans will get all of the references and lines from the series. But from an outside perspective and viewing this as just a show, Craig Mazin is off to a great start. I'd expect nothing less from the man behind Chernobyl.

Also, Lyanna Mormont is probably not used to people telling her what to do.

 

[Luigi]

Bravo, they actually pulled it off!

Spoiler

Mercy knew what was up, should've listened to her.

Was bracing myself for the Sarah scene but it still hit hard.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

Only experienced parts of the games through let's plays, which I seriously need to correct one of these days because I was immediately very taken with this show.

The whole first portion of the episode from the perspective of Sarah was beautifully handled - the way things are just wrong and falling apart in the background of a perfectly ordinary day reminded me of the '78 Invasion of the Body Snatchers and, well, 2020 - there's such a new potency in stories about pandemics and the end of the world now that we have all collectively lived through what we've lived through. You can tell they're making a conscious effort to invoke that shared trauma as well - the wonderfully written and acted scene where Sarah is quietly panicking in the back of the truck about the city being the epicenter of the pandemic when she had just been in the city in particular.

 

[BrollySupersj]

So I was definitely not a big fan of the first game. I played it once and thought it was just ok. Obviously never bothered with the sequel either. But I enjoyed this first episode quite a bit. I'll be back for episode 2.

 

[Man in the Suit]

I love the games. It's been a while since I was truly excited for a new TV show. And It didn't disappoint.

 

[Superhero 101]

Good episode overall definitely faithful to the source material

 

[Perfect Cell]

Oh boy, that shot of

Spoiler

Ol' Nan turning quietly in the background. Nope. No, thank you...

Really great first episode. I've never played the games, but I know the general story from bits and pieces I've heard over the years. So I have no real prior connection to the franchise, but this has me hooked from the start.

 

[Slick]

Having played the first game only twice I thought this was a pretty great faithful adaptation of the first half of the game and I am sure the rest of the season will follow suit. Overall really liked it.

 

[Kane52630]

Incredible start, I was a little nervous before that the show wouldn't carry the same tone and pace as the game but I was so wrong.

Really dug some of the changes and added scenes in episode 1.

 

[Kane52630]

Also I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have a tv with dolby vision, I feel like you couldn't tell how well it was shot and color graded in the trailers but seeing it on tv with the proper settings, it looks beautiful.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Wow, just wow. An absolutely phenomenal first episode. Even after just the first few minutes, I knew this was gonna be best live action adaption of a video game ever and oh boy was I right. They actually did it!

 

[samsnee]

How close is this to Walking Dead or any other “zombie” show or movie? Is it the usual “people are the real monsters” trope?

 

[Kane52630]

How close is this to Walking Dead or any other “zombie” show or movie? Is it the usual “people are the real monsters” trope?

Spoiler

I would say it's the best version of the "people are the real monsters" trope. It's what people loved about the Walking Dead comics before they ruined it and drove it into the ground in the show.

 

[Iceman]

Will start watching soon, can’t wait after everyone’s reactions.

 

[Persona]

Very solid.

Direction was very strong and production values and performances all feel of reliable HBO standard.

The content feels a little rote in that we have so many well-worn tropes going on, be it zombie tropes, post-apocalypse tropes, Lone Wolf & Cub, etc. Not the show's fault, per se, but I think this was a fresher experience as a video game back when the first one came out then it is as a TV show in 2023.

That said, I was into the show and look forward to the next episode.

 

[Drizzle]

Not really much else to say that hasn't been said. They're nailing it. Everyone involved in this show has perfectly captured the essence of the game, right down to the same lines of dialogue in some scenes.

Spoiler

Pedro Pascal and Nico Parker were the MVPs in this episode. I'm excited to see more of Bella Ramsey's Ellie but this episode was of course very Joel-centric.

The Sarah scene was brutal. Getting to know her more as a character here than in the game and knowing what was coming was tough to watch. Her whole ordeal with the neighbors was my favorite addition to the show that wasn't in the game in this episode, especially the old lady becoming infected in the background. That was so creepy.

I can't wait until we see some fully infected clickers because they were creepy enough as is as mere infected humans.

Only one episode in and I can already tell this will be the apex for video game adaptations.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

The first 30 minutes of the premiere was absolutely phenomenal IMO and felt super reminiscent of the opening sequence of the Dawn of the Dead remake which made me love it even more.

I thought they did a pretty great job establishing Joel's relationship with his daughter and brother which made all the more impactful when crap hit the fan and then that emotional payoff at the end.

I'm someone who's never played the games and has only seen bits and pieces of playthroughs on YouTube so I had no idea what to expect going into this episode and so far I'm definitely hooked.

Also, its really cool seeing Pedro Pascal in a more dramatic/serious role.