Streaming The Last of Us (HBO)

[FUS_RO_DAH]

Couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I actually think they did that better than the game. Damn good adaptation.

 

[bourbons]

Yep definitely felt alot darker in the tv show where as while playing you don't realise as much what you're actually doing.

Yeah that was brutal, hard to watch. Definitely felt more 'justified' to me somehow in the game. From memory in the game you kinda think its not 100% that they'll achieve a cure by killing her, although Druckmann clarified later that this actually was the case I believe.

Are people here still on team Joel after that? I remember reading a lot of comments after the game came out about not realising you were playing as the villain of the story the whole time. I probably wouldn't quite go that far but its an interesting discussion.

Not sure on that finale. The shift to likeable pseudo Dad felt rushed this episode.

Thought the actors did a great job as always with what they were given this ep, but yeah kinda felt like they almost needed one more episode to cement Joel's change and their bond. Someone said elsewhere you kinda get a fair bit of that in the game via surviving a heap of infected sequences together and random dialogue while they're exploring, a good point I reckon as by necessity that stuff is stripped right back for the show.

Amazing sequence I thought with Marlene in the basement as he was carrying Ellie out. She nailed him, Ellie would have gone through with it even if it meant her death and he knew it. Pedro's face at that moment, superb stuff.

Anyhoo, a few quibbles aside it was a great season of television and easily the best video game adaption ever made. Bring on season 2.

 

[bourbons]

“Speaking to GQ, co-creators Neil Druckmann (who directed the video game) and Craig Mazin discussed their plans for the second season of the show, following Sunday’s final episode of the hugely successful HBO adaptation.

Asked if season 2 will span the entire course of the second game, Mazin replied: “No. No way.” Druckmann added: “It’s more than one season”, seemingly confirming their intention for a season 3 of the show.

Asked how many seasons the second game content is intended to be told over, the pair would not confirm. “You have noted correctly that we will not say how many. But more than one is factually correct,” Mazin said.”

Now we have that confirmation. I was saying yesterday that we could see Season 2 in the middle of 2025, however, that was with the mindset that Season 2 would cover the entire second game. Now that it will seemingly cover half the second game, filming will take consideration less time to complete. 2024 is a good chance.

Nice, suspected from the get-go they'd spread part 2 of the game over multiple seasons, correct decision and good to get that confirmed.

Will still be more of a challenge than season 1 with the way part 2 is structured, fair bit of re-working required in terms of the sequence I suspect.

 

[Warsaw]

Ended up having confusing thoughts about the season, which never really dipped in quality and occasionally hit on true greatness.

But there was a certain level of detachment I started feeling, having played the game, where the adaptation ran too similar to the source material. Not just from a plot-standpoint but the way certain scenes were framed, the locations, the set-pieces etc. I'm not sure what else I could have wanted, but unlike a book adaption where your seeing a world being created, the Last of Us video game already did the heavy-lifting.

Probably why I responded more to the parts of the show that were new - Bill and Frank, the expanded arc of Henry and Sam, even Ashley Johnson (that voice) as Ellie's mum.

But think I said from the jump that season 2 was always going to be more interesting from an adaptation standpoint because it's a far more complicated story, and one they probably couldn't just directly lift from the game.

Spoiler: Season 2

I wondered if they would have done more retconning with the surgeon, given him more lines.

Still, a really well-made season of television. Just wish I could see it without having played it first...

 

[Thistle]

Yeah that was brutal, hard to watch. Definitely felt more 'justified' to me somehow in the game. From memory in the game you kinda think its not 100% that they'll achieve a cure by killing her, although Druckmann clarified later that this actually was the case I believe.

Are people here still on team Joel after that? I remember reading a lot of commentys after the game came out about not realising you were playing as the villain of the story the whole time. I probably wouldn't quite go that far but its an interesting discussion.


Thought the actors did a great job as always with what they were given this ep, but yeah kinda felt like they almost needed one more episode to cement Joel's change and their bond. Someone said elsewhere you kinda get a fair bit of that in the game via surviving a heap of infected sequences together and random dialogue while they're exploring, a good point I reckon as by necessity that stuff is stripped right back for the show.

Amazing sequence I thought with Marlene in the basement as he was carrying Ellie out. She nailed him, Ellie would have gone through with it even if it meant her death and he knew it. Pedro's face at that moment, superb stuff.

Anyhoo, a few quibbles aside it was a great season of television and easily the best video game adaption ever made. Bring on season 2.

Yeah from memory in the game Joel could collect recordings from scientists saying they had unsuccessfully performed surgery on a number of immune people and they were losing hope their theory for a cure would be successful. The show is different in that Ellie could be the only immune.

 

[peternorth]

Not having played the game the whole series was great tv for me - agree with the extra length

And have to also agree about the infected - while it wasnt a deal breaker for me as much as some - the danger still felt elsewhere or more about raiders and fireflys etc

I think some more interaction with infected and Ellie doesnt run through the giraffe enclosure - it seemed odd her caution was still absent ( but thats a minor nitpick)

Hopefully season 2 brings the same quality

Whenever theres a long range wide angle shot, I get scared. Or even a close up.

 

[RPCB]

So I saw a theory online someone had, which I am trying to figure out if it’s meant to be comedy or not.

”I mean at least try something, capture an infected and make it bite a pregnant woman, just to try”

What came before that quote is Ellie is immune but does Ellie become immune because her mother was bitten just as she was about to give birth? Pretty wacky.

 

[SM]

So I saw a theory online someone had, which I am trying to figure out if it’s meant to be comedy or not.

”I mean at least try something, capture an infected and make it bite a pregnant woman, just to try”

What came before that quote is Ellie is immune but does Ellie become immune because her mother was bitten just as she was about to give birth? Pretty wacky.

I assumed that's what happened?

 

[RPCB]

I assumed that's what happened?

It probably did happen and that’s why Ellie is immune. But the theory is, why not just put the theory into practice. I am not sure you’d get any volunteers.

 

[manureid]

Yeh, I am assuming the fact she was bitten and then gave birth was the cause of immunity. Seemed like the main point to that scene outside of how Ellie came to be with the fireflies.

 

[giggler99]

Yeah from memory in the game Joel could collect recordings from scientists saying they had unsuccessfully performed surgery on a number of immune people and they were losing hope their theory for a cure would be successful. The show is different in that Ellie could be the only immune.

Don't remember collect these I must have missed them was it in the Hospital? or the university? I had just assumed Joel had made that up.

 

[Thistle]

Don't remember collect these I must have missed them was it in the Hospital? or the university? I had just assumed Joel had made that up.

Found what the recording was. I was half right I think

Surgeon's recorder

Surgeon's recorder is an artifact that can be found in "The Firefly Lab". The contents of this particular recorder, spoken by Jerry Anderson, shed some light on Joel's story to Ellie in the game's epilogue. It states that Ellie's immunity is an anomaly that has never been seen before and that...

thelastofus.fandom.com

 

[peternorth]

Yeh, I am assuming the fact she was bitten and then gave birth was the cause of immunity. Seemed like the main point to that scene outside of how Ellie came to be with the fireflies.

I think that if the infection is strong and dominant, and the infection spread through the umbilical cord at speed, the baby is therefore infected. Like hereditary illnesses.

 

[Frank Bunn]

So I saw a theory online someone had, which I am trying to figure out if it’s meant to be comedy or not.

”I mean at least try something, capture an infected and make it bite a pregnant woman, just to try”

What came before that quote is Ellie is immune but does Ellie become immune because her mother was bitten just as she was about to give birth? Pretty wacky.

It's a great concept. The Walking Dead would get a whole season out of that, possibly two!

I can't see it happening in The Last of Us now that Marlene is dead.

 

[SM]

I think that if the infection is strong and dominant, and the infection spread through the umbilical cord at speed, the baby is therefore infected. Like hereditary illnesses.

I'm sure the idea is the amneotic fluid provided protection.

 

[peternorth]

I'm sure the idea is the amneotic fluid provided protection.

That makes sense.

The umbilical cord provided an avenue for infection which is why there was a crazed look when the camera panned to it, and then the mothers face. She knoew it had to be severed.

 

[Kirby]

I'm sure the idea is the amneotic fluid provided protection.

I like the idea but that baby was born within about a minute at most from the bite and I seriously doubt that would travel through her system to the baby in that time.

I’m happy to go with it though.

 

[Father Jack]

When I played the game all those years ago I will admit that I didn't really understand Joel's motivations in that it was probably a worthwhile sacrifice if all mankind could be saved, but the show used Bill's letter to spell out why Joel did what he did. That made everything make sense.

 

[Cruyff14]

What a tremendous series of television. Pedro and Bella got better with each episode and seeing their bond fully form was great to see.

Thought the final episode was great. Knowing what was going to happen, it was still edge of your seat stuff. Rescue mission or mass murder, either way, Joel was doing what ever he could do to save Ellie and nothing was going to stop him.

Just thought the whole series was incredible. Those who aren't watching are missing out. Absolutely brilliant.

 

[CaptchaProofBot]

I like the idea but that baby was born within about a minute at most from the bite and I seriously doubt that would travel through her system to the baby in that time.

I’m happy to go with it though.

I guess it is plausible...like an adrenalin rush through your body, you gotta fight to survive NOW....not in a few minutes time, anyway it's a
non scientific TV show....shrug...good enough...if we were to argue on being realistic...yeah Joel cutting through an army in the hospital like butter ? ah well, it's just a shoot them up game.

 

[Father Jack]

I guess it is plausible...like an adrenalin rush through your body, you gotta fight to survive NOW....not in a few minutes time, anyway it's a
non scientific TV show....shrug...good enough...if we were to argue on being realistic...yeah Joel cutting through an army in the hospital like butter ? ah well, it's just a shoot them up game.

I think maybe it's plausible as the fireflies would likely have been in somewhat of a confused state whereas Joel knew that everyone else was an enemy.

 

[bourbons]

When I played the game all those years ago I will admit that I didn't really understand Joel's motivations in that it was probably a worthwhile sacrifice if all mankind could be saved, but the show used Bill's letter to spell out why Joel did what he did. That made everything make sense.

Would it though?

Been thinking about that since the finale, never really considered it after playing the game for some reason. But say they operate on Ellie and it was all successful, they can now synthesize a cure - how much difference would it actually make?

Yeah you can now cure bitten people (if you happen to get to them in time before they become violent), and start immunising people so that just getting bitten isn't an automatic death sentence any more... but you've still got a huge population of infected who usually kill people by just ripping them apart. I assume you can't inject infected and they just return to being a normal human, the fungus has already kinda hollowed out their brain.

Thinking it through, I reckon it would be a relatively small % improvement in their lives rather than the savior of mankind it was kinda pitched as.

 

[SM]

Would it though?

Been thinking about that since the finale, never really considered it after playing the game for some reason. But say they operate on Ellie and it was all successful, they can now synthesize a cure - how much difference would it actually make?

Yeah you can now cure bitten people (if you happen to get to them in time before they become violent), and start immunising people so that just getting bitten isn't an automatic death sentence any more... but you've still got a huge population of infected who usually kill people by just ripping them apart. I assume you can't inject infected and they just return to being a normal human, the fungus has already kinda hollowed out their brain.

Thinking it through, I reckon it would be a relatively small % improvement in their lives rather than the savior of mankind it was kinda pitched as.

I suppose the immunisation is the big thing and you'd start to have generations of immune who could I guess push out and try to stamp out the infected, but as you say that's a huge number who can still just kill you by ripping you apart.

 

[Father Jack]

Would it though?

Been thinking about that since the finale, never really considered it after playing the game for some reason. But say they operate on Ellie and it was all successful, they can now synthesize a cure - how much difference would it actually make?

Yeah you can now cure bitten people (if you happen to get to them in time before they become violent), and start immunising people so that just getting bitten isn't an automatic death sentence any more... but you've still got a huge population of infected who usually kill people by just ripping them apart. I assume you can't inject infected and they just return to being a normal human, the fungus has already kinda hollowed out their brain.

Thinking it through, I reckon it would be a relatively small % improvement in their lives rather than the savior of mankind it was kinda pitched as.

It made more sense in the game where spores were a thing I guess.

 

[bourbons]

It made more sense in the game where spores were a thing I guess.

Ah yep good point, there's no airborne transmission at all in the show is there.