The Last of Us (HBO)

[faizoff]

lol I wasn't even thinking that.

[ariich]

Another solid episode, though this one seemed a bit transitional in nature, with something seriously big happening in the next. I think the biggest take from this one is the real deepening of Joel and Ellie's relationship, they're definitely bonding, and Ellie's quirky nature is starting to worm through the chinks in Joel's armor.

And please let them continue the puns...that last bit had me in fucking stitches.

Yeah seems this and the next episode are a sort of two-parter really - driving to and arriving in Kansas City (not sure why they changed it from Pittsburgh in the game - possibly wanted it narratively to be further from Boston and closer to Wyoming) and then setting up some shit going down in the next episode. I love how they're showing us more of the group they're up against too - in the game there's no reason to really sympathise with this particular group but the way they're expanding on it in the show contributes more to the key themes that both the game and the show explore so well.

[Shooters1221]

Another solid episode, though this one seemed a bit transitional in nature, with something seriously big happening in the next. I think the biggest take from this one is the real deepening of Joel and Ellie's relationship, they're definitely bonding, and Ellie's quirky nature is starting to worm through the chinks in Joel's armor.

And please let them continue the puns...that last bit had me in fucking stitches.

Yeah seems this and the next episode are a sort of two-parter really - driving to and arriving in Kansas City (not sure why they changed it from Pittsburgh in the game - possibly wanted it narratively to be further from Boston and closer to Wyoming) and then setting up some shit going down in the next episode. I love how they're showing us more of the group they're up against too - in the game there's no reason to really sympathise with this particular group but the way they're expanding on it in the show contributes more to the key themes that both the game and the show explore so well.

That topic was brought up in the "inside the episode" on HBOMAX. I guess they were shooting in Calgary and just wanted a location city that would be a better visual match.

[cramx3]

Was the bridge they drove over in the beginning of the episode in Pittsburgh though?  It looked like it could have been.  I didn't know anything about the game locations, but I thought they might have been driving through Pittsburgh just based on that shot of the bridge.

Good episode, I'm just surprised, unless they aren't showing it, about the lack of zombies while driving so far.  I guess they really are all just concentrated in certain spots then?  Definitely enjoy the scenes on the road and of course Ellie saving Joel scene.  Those two have really bonded on the journey to KC

[gmillerdrake]

FYI.....next Episode will air tomorrow night to not interfere with the Super Bowl on Sunday. It'll also play on Sunday at the normal time.....but they're dropping it two days early this week.

[ErHaO]

I think they handled this well as an inbetween episode. In the game the bonding between Ellie and Joel (and the puns!) happens gradually during loot/"puzzle" gameplay and in-between fights, but in a tv show you need a building episode like this.

I do hope shit will go down the next episode though, given the source material I do expect some brutal fights.

Was the bridge they drove over in the beginning of the episode in Pittsburgh though?  It looked like it could have been.  I didn't know anything about the game locations, but I thought they might have been driving through Pittsburgh just based on that shot of the bridge.

Good episode, I'm just surprised, unless they aren't showing it, about the lack of zombies while driving so far.  I guess they really are all just concentrated in certain spots then?  Definitely enjoy the scenes on the road and of course Ellie saving Joel scene.  Those two have really bonded on the journey to KC

One thing to keep in mind is that these are not necessarily immortal zombies, but living infected that will go to spots where they can thrive (via their apparent spore "network").

In the game there was a big section with infected in Bill's town, I assume they spared up certain elements for the coming episode, and I assume that shaking ground is one of those elements.

[gmillerdrake]

Well that was a kick in the nuts.

[faizoff]

Holy fucking shit, each episode just completely tops the previous one. What a rush of emotions.

[lonestar]

Man, don't get comfortable with any characters in this show...

[Podaar]

Mrs. P had nightmares, replaying the last bit with Sam and Henry. Great episode, a lot to love, fear, and praise...but I gotta think about it. I'm still kinda stunned.

[The Realm]

That 5th episode was full on! Wow! What a show.

[ErHaO]

Yes, that was brutal 

They adapted it very well and merged certain scenes and sections of the game. It paces more like a film, which I typically prefer over a series.

I wonder how they will adapt the story in the remaining episodes, there is still a lot of ground to cover. I do get the feeling that 4 and 5 perhaps were planned as a single episode of an 8 parter, but they could not get it to work in a timeframe less than 1,5 Hours. Considering the material that still follows, I am hoping for some longer episodes.

[ariich]

Going by episode titles, I can see the next two episodes being longer. The next one seems like it'll cover the autumn/fall portion of the game while the one after is called Left Behind and will presumably cover winter + the relevant flashbacks. Then the final two episodes are directed by the same guy and will therefore probably be a two parter (like the latest two episodes) covering the endgame stuff.

[lonestar]

Man, at some point, someone who's played the game is going to accidentally drop a major spoiler...

[ErHaO]

Man, at some point, someone who's played the game is going to accidentally drop a major spoiler...

I take care not to, don't worry. Which is also why I don't post about characters (unless their arc has wrapped up in the series).

The structure/order and some subplots are actually quite different, so there is no saying what happens when anyways. Which is nice because it keeps me wondering as well.

[lonestar]

Man, at some point, someone who's played the game is going to accidentally drop a major spoiler...

I take care not to, don't worry. Which is also why I don't post about characters (unless their arc has wrapped up in the series).

The structure/order and some subplots are actually quite different, so there is no saying what happens when anyways. Which is nice because it keeps me wondering as well.

Not saying you guys in particular...just in general. Now that I'm thoroughly vested in the show, it's popping up more in my algorithms, and I just know someone in a comments section somewhere will drop the big bomb as I'm just trying to discuss what happened this week.

[ErHaO]

Man, at some point, someone who's played the game is going to accidentally drop a major spoiler...

I take care not to, don't worry. Which is also why I don't post about characters (unless their arc has wrapped up in the series).

The structure/order and some subplots are actually quite different, so there is no saying what happens when anyways. Which is nice because it keeps me wondering as well.

Not saying you guys in particular...just in general. Now that I'm thoroughly vested in the show, it's popping up more in my algorithms, and I just know someone in a comments section somewhere will drop the big bomb as I'm just trying to discuss what happened this week.

Yeah, that is true, I know the feeling. I am glad the show is doing so well though, they really bring the game to life beautifully.

[lonestar]

Man, at some point, someone who's played the game is going to accidentally drop a major spoiler...

I take care not to, don't worry. Which is also why I don't post about characters (unless their arc has wrapped up in the series).

The structure/order and some subplots are actually quite different, so there is no saying what happens when anyways. Which is nice because it keeps me wondering as well.

Not saying you guys in particular...just in general. Now that I'm thoroughly vested in the show, it's popping up more in my algorithms, and I just know someone in a comments section somewhere will drop the big bomb as I'm just trying to discuss what happened this week.

Yeah, that is true, I know the feeling. I am glad the show is doing so well though, they really bring the game to life beautifully.

Good to hear, never was a video game guy myself. I think the last one I played was on the original Nintendo system. 

[ariich]

Man, at some point, someone who's played the game is going to accidentally drop a major spoiler...

I take care not to, don't worry. Which is also why I don't post about characters (unless their arc has wrapped up in the series).

The structure/order and some subplots are actually quite different, so there is no saying what happens when anyways. Which is nice because it keeps me wondering as well.

Not saying you guys in particular...just in general. Now that I'm thoroughly vested in the show, it's popping up more in my algorithms, and I just know someone in a comments section somewhere will drop the big bomb as I'm just trying to discuss what happened this week.

Yeah I know what you mean. I wouldn't, and I make sure I explain broad settings/timelines in a way that game players will know what happens but mean nothing to newbies. But for sure if you're on Facebook, there are loads of spoiler articles and videos. Especially since it was renewed for season 2, generating spoliery discussion about how they'll adapt the second game.

If you're serious about avoiding spoilers then I'd say avoid any articles or vids that pop up on Facebook and we'll all keep doing our best here to avoid spoilers or at the very least to tag them clearly.

[lonestar]

Man, at some point, someone who's played the game is going to accidentally drop a major spoiler...

I take care not to, don't worry. Which is also why I don't post about characters (unless their arc has wrapped up in the series).

The structure/order and some subplots are actually quite different, so there is no saying what happens when anyways. Which is nice because it keeps me wondering as well.

Not saying you guys in particular...just in general. Now that I'm thoroughly vested in the show, it's popping up more in my algorithms, and I just know someone in a comments section somewhere will drop the big bomb as I'm just trying to discuss what happened this week.

Yeah I know what you mean. I wouldn't, and I make sure I explain broad settings/timelines in a way that game players will know what happens but mean nothing to newbies. But for sure if you're on Facebook, there are loads of spoiler articles and videos. Especially since it was renewed for season 2, generating spoliery discussion about how they'll adapt the second game.

If you're serious about avoiding spoilers then I'd say avoid any articles or vids that pop up on Facebook and we'll all keep doing our best here to avoid spoilers or at the very least to tag them clearly.

Like, for example, I got one bud on FB, and he's been doing mini reviews of each episode, and with them he has little add ons of "so the next episode should be brutal" and it puts me in a place of expectation instead of going in freely. Not sure that makes any sense, it does to me lol

I'm very curious to hear my daughter's experience of playing the game for the first time coinciding with the show, but she's being a slacker and is only on EP2.

[gmillerdrake]

Man, at some point, someone who's played the game is going to accidentally drop a major spoiler...

I take care not to, don't worry. Which is also why I don't post about characters (unless their arc has wrapped up in the series).

The structure/order and some subplots are actually quite different, so there is no saying what happens when anyways. Which is nice because it keeps me wondering as well.

Not saying you guys in particular...just in general. Now that I'm thoroughly vested in the show, it's popping up more in my algorithms, and I just know someone in a comments section somewhere will drop the big bomb as I'm just trying to discuss what happened this week.

I've already been 'spoiled' from a headline that was just unavoidable thanks to the algorithm of the internet. It's not a massive bummer but it'd have been nice to experience it in real time rather than now "knowing" of ___________ to come

[ErHaO]

Keep in mind there are also "fake" spoilers, as failure in the game can lead to some non-plot death scenes/animations and people are comparing those to some kills in the show.

Don't read up on them obviously, but it can happen somebody thinks they are spoiled but the person posting it wasn't really deliberately posting an actual spoiler.

[lonestar]

Keep in mind there are also "fake" spoilers, as failure in the game can lead to some non-plot death scenes/animations and people are comparing those to some kills in the show.

Don't read up on them obviously, but it can happen somebody thinks they are spoiled but the person posting it wasn't really deliberately posting an actual spoiler.

Oh that'll help 

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I finally got around to seeing the first few episodes. It's just so well done... Wow. Huge kudos to everyone involved.

The two main differences that stuck out to me in comparison to the game (thus far) are that Joel isn't nearly as brutal an a-hole as he is in the game and the show isn't especially frightening thus far, whereas the game had some sections the first time around that really put me on edge.

[cramx3]

That was a great episode.  What a sad ending and they didn't need to tell a whole side story unrelated to the main story/characters to portray it either. 

Also, it was quite satisfying to see the child clicker kill the KC Karen.  That lady was psycho the way she talked.  Might have been good storytelling to keep her around longer because she was really good at getting me mad/annoyed, but of course I can't complain that she got a satisfying ending.

[ariich]

That child clicker was possibly the creepiest thing in the show so far. No CGI either, just a talented 9-year-old gymnast in make up and prosthetics!

[gmillerdrake]

That child clicker was possibly the creepiest thing in the show so far. No CGI either, just a talented 9-year-old gymnast in make up and prosthetics!

Yeah.....so creepy that it hardly gives you enough time to realize how sad a scene it was.....a small life ended and now a 'monster'....most likely a part of the bunker school the group rested in earlier in the show.

[cramx3]

I'm also wondering, how did they lock up all the zombies underground and why aren't there more bloaters?  Maybe it's my limited understanding, but you become a clicker after some time and then after some extremely long time you become a bloater?  I kind of feel like there should be a lot more bloaters since civilization clearly hasn't recovered from the zombie day 1 20 (or so?) years earlier. 

[The Realm]

I think you only become a Bloater in specific circumstances - if the host is big and strong enough to survive the fungus for this long (ie it takes years to get to Bloater form). I think even Clickers are rare because the host doesn't survive.

[faizoff]

These hour long episodes go by so fast, I'm staying away from all discussion and the internet in general regarding this show now.

[lonestar]

Well that was fucked... And based on the preview clips for next week we'll have to wait till ep8 to see what happens to Joel.

[gmillerdrake]

I really like how this show doesn't cheap out and just throw an infected 'zombie' battle in every scene or what not just to do it.


SPOILERY DISCUSSION:


Maybe it's just me....and I get it's a game/story so you have to create suspense and the story itself.....but wouldn't it have been smarter to just leave Ellie in the protected mountain sanctuary and then try to make contact with the Fireflies and tell them what's going on? Then hook up after the fact? I don't know...like I said....I 'get' that they have to create a reason for the drama and suspense and what not but I can't imagine after being out in the shit for months and months they'd want to just leave that place so soon. Especially Joel after just finding his brother.

[ariich]

I really like how this show doesn't cheap out and just throw an infected 'zombie' battle in every scene or what not just to do it.


SPOILERY DISCUSSION:


Maybe it's just me....and I get it's a game/story so you have to create suspense and the story itself.....but wouldn't it have been smarter to just leave Ellie in the protected mountain sanctuary and then try to make contact with the Fireflies and tell them what's going on? Then hook up after the fact? I don't know...like I said....I 'get' that they have to create a reason for the drama and suspense and what not but I can't imagine after being out in the shit for months and months they'd want to just leave that place so soon. Especially Joel after just finding his brother.

Tommy and Maria made it very clear they don't want to give away Jackson's location to anyone (even the Fireflies) so that approach wouldn't work. Only option is to try and get to them.

[gmillerdrake]

I really like how this show doesn't cheap out and just throw an infected 'zombie' battle in every scene or what not just to do it.


SPOILERY DISCUSSION:


Maybe it's just me....and I get it's a game/story so you have to create suspense and the story itself.....but wouldn't it have been smarter to just leave Ellie in the protected mountain sanctuary and then try to make contact with the Fireflies and tell them what's going on? Then hook up after the fact? I don't know...like I said....I 'get' that they have to create a reason for the drama and suspense and what not but I can't imagine after being out in the shit for months and months they'd want to just leave that place so soon. Especially Joel after just finding his brother.

Tommy and Maria made it very clear they don't want to give away Jackson's location to anyone (even the Fireflies) so that approach wouldn't work. Only option is to try and get to them.

Yeah, true. I see your point. I guess I'm talking more just as far as Ellie's safety. Leave her there....find the Fireflies.....don't bring them to Jackson but establish contact first 'then' hook up?

[ErHaO]

I have not seen the episode yet.


Some game stuff that does not go beyond the plot of Tommy's town/place:

In the game Tommy clearly does not want anything to do with the fireflies. And in the game, up until this point, there are much more human conflicts going on, making it clear why you don't want to broadcast/search contact for anything. Furthermore, the Firefly locations and existence are all hearsay. They are kind of an extremist group and do not have a clear open presence (see first episode, where they bomb shit and try to recruit Joel in a cryptic way). I'd say a good chunk of the game is searching for locations/clues where to find the fireflies next. The original base where they were supposed to drop Ellie was completely massacred, after all (in the game this was done by humans, not infected). Also, in the game Tommy's town is under attack shortly after you arrive, so they have different priorities.

I am curious to see how they adapted it, but will likely save up this episode for a longer session