HBO's "The Last Of Us" (Season 2)

[Levon]

Originally Posted by HockeySlasher

Ok. So, when you said that you saw it as a major turning point in their relationship, you saw it exactly as Morphin saw it?

Is this the turning point -> Having Bill’s emotion growth in a relationship with Frank parallel Joel’s relationship with Ellie?

As I said in #995, I’d rather have 40 minutes of 9-episode season dedicated to seeing Joel continue his emotional growth instead of watching Bill’s growth. Bill is in the story as plot device to get J/E a truck and supplies. Sure, B/F had this great love story and at the end Bill left a note that might impart some emotional punch to Joel. It doesn’t affect Ellie at all. She doesn’t know these two. Obviously she was pretty indifferent to everything while in Bill’s house.

But, if E3 was more inline with the game (Bill being alive and helping J/E) then maybe he could have a heart-to-heart with Joel about being with the ones you love?

I’ll say again, E3 was a good episode I just don’t think it was necessary to include in a 9-episode storyline. If the first season was 12ish episodes, sure, take a little detour to show how Bill and Frank lived. Maybe we could even get some more time in the sewers Kansas City. They could have an episode dedicated to Ish.

Kudos to you replying in a respectful manner, something that poster lacks, which he has demonstrated time and time again when someone posts something he disagree with. Most recently to you.

[tcripe]

Originally Posted by eiknarf

Not Florence Pugh

Neil Druckmann purposely started following Shannon Berry on Instagram the day the first episode of season 1 aired. She’ll most likely be our Abby. Looks damn like her

Yes she definitely does. Just have her hit the gym and boom you got your Abbey.

[TheSweetieMan]

This series is so tonally all over the place -- with some weird editing that never allows emotional scenes to actually feel impactful.

I feel the only people truly celebrating this series and are acting like it's some form of next-level storytelling are 1.) Fans of the games/Naughty Dog who have never watched a TV series outside of this one -- or 2.) Fans of the game with a massive built-in bias, that they will lock themselves within an echo chamber and not tolerate any form of criticism thrown this series' way.

What's interesting about all of the acclaim for this series -- is that for all of Craig Mazin's effort with this show, its best moments are still such a large, massive step down from the entirety of his 'Chernobyl' series.

Outside of Barrie Gower's admittedly impressive practical effects -- and the cinematography -- this series plays out like a soap opera that is not too dissimilar from something as forgettable as 'The Walking Dead'. It's essentially that -- but with the HBO production budget to make it look better.

Based on all of the acclaim, the media hype, the water cooler talks, etc.

This is one of the most overrated TV series to drop in recent memory. Maybe since 'Lost'.

It's actually quite terrible. And has exposed how simple and limited Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog are in their writing abilities.

[Foggy]

Why bother continuing to watch it, you posted you didn’t like it a couple weeks ago. People are liking it, maybe it’s just you.

[mwynn]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Why bother continuing to watch it, you posted you didn’t like it a couple weeks ago. People are liking it, maybe it’s just you.

I don't like this. Let me explain why you should not like it too.

[drb999]

I’ve never played the game and I’m loving the show so far. You don’t have to be a gamer to recognize how good this show is.

[emailking]

This is what I posted in the game thread on Sunday.

Originally Posted by emailking1

Episode 7 covers the DLC for the game. I had been looking forward to this episode all week. It is one of the best, if not the best, DLCs there is. And I was so curious how they would handle

[Show spoiler]the flashback to the mall and how Ellie got infected.

I really liked these aspects of the episode.

They used music from Left Behind, the DLC, in this episode, 2 or 3 times.

They incorporated puns/jokes from Left Behind (plus 1 new 1).

[Show spoiler]The wolf and scary clown masks look like an exact replicas. A lot of aspects of the mall were different but a lot of areas were recreated very well, e.g. the photobooth.

Getting some background from Ellie's time at military school, that we never got in the game.

[Show spoiler]Ellie having fun on the escalator.

Major differences from game:

[Show spoiler]In the present:

Joel send her off to get Tommy. He's just unconscious in the game. Ellie refuses and finds thread in the same house she has stashed Joel, to sew him up. No big excursion to a local mall to get military medical supplies where more survivors from the resort are fought. it's not really even needed since it was just to give gameplay aspects to the story based DLC.

In the flashback:

They find the beer off a dead guy, not their late friend Winston.

Riley & Ellie didn't already know who Marlene was (we also knew this from ep 1)

They get the power on in the mall immediately (in the game they go to the magic shop and throws bricks at the cars first, the magic show comes later in the show).

The arcade machines work, they're all broken in the game and they have to imagine playing them. As with episode 3, Angel Knives is replace by Mortal Kombat.

Their big fight is instigated about because Riley making weapons to kill soldiers, not Riley telling Ellie she is leaving for good the next day (she tells her later).

The magic shop scene occurs after the fight and replaces the water gun game, which doesn't happen.

They're attacked by only 1 infected, not a group.

Riley never says Ellie is the one person who can keep her from leaving, which seemed like a key part of their makeup in the game. The rest of the it (kiss scene, etc) is covered well.

Overall I liked this episode and my anticipation was satisfied, but not sure how the non gaming audience will like this, since it's a diversion from the main story.

[emailking]

I think a lot of the issues that have been brought up could have been solved by having a few more episodes. I'm not saying that justifies the cost or logistics of doing that but I think a few more episodes could help the pacing issues that many have noticed, and I don't think the non gaming audience would mind it either, even if a lot of them have no problem with the pacing.

I know somebody who doesn't game and thought this past episode was the best one which was a relief to me, my enjoyment might just be based on game nostalgia haha.

I honestly wish I could forget everything I know about the game and watch the series fresh but unfortunately I can't do that. Heck I wish I could do that for the game too!

Also, I feel like some key aspects of the 2nd game are being discussed outside of spoilers. Also there are massive spoilers from the 2nd game in spoiler tags. If you haven't played the games I'd recommend not opening any spoilers in this thread. Posters aren't just spoiling the aired episodes.

[blakninja]

The first two episodes are my favorites.. the rest are meh. So many potential for zombies action (

[Show spoiler]like the tunnel, and the dead river

), but nothing happens.

However, I like that there are no movie tropes.

I've only watched the games up to where they meets Bill.

[Fiffy]

How The Last of Us re-created a 2003 arcade with the help of true enthusiasts

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/...e-enthusiasts/

[King O.A.]

Originally Posted by HockeySlasher

I’m curious as to how much of

[Show spoiler]Abbey they’ll show, if at all. They could play it like it was in the game and not include here at all, or, they could include her in a scene or two that could be used to tease season 2.

For some reason I can see Abby making an unofficial appearance.

Similar to

[Show spoiler]Dina

I'll almost be shocked if they don't do SOMETHING to tease her.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by TheSweetieMan

This series is so tonally all over the place -- with some weird editing that never allows emotional scenes to actually feel impactful.

I feel the only people truly celebrating this series and are acting like it's some form of next-level storytelling are 1.) Fans of the games/Naughty Dog who have never watched a TV series outside of this one -- or 2.) Fans of the game with a massive built-in bias, that they will lock themselves within an echo chamber and not tolerate any form of criticism thrown this series' way.

What's interesting about all of the acclaim for this series -- is that for all of Craig Mazin's effort with this show, its best moments are still such a large, massive step down from the entirety of his 'Chernobyl' series.

Outside of Barrie Gower's admittedly impressive practical effects -- and the cinematography -- this series plays out like a soap opera that is not too dissimilar from something as forgettable as 'The Walking Dead'. It's essentially that -- but with the HBO production budget to make it look better.

Based on all of the acclaim, the media hype, the water cooler talks, etc.

This is one of the most overrated TV series to drop in recent memory. Maybe since 'Lost'.

It's actually quite terrible. And has exposed how simple and limited Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog are in their writing abilities.

A lot of the diehards aren't the gamers or people who played it as most of the gamers have tons of gripes lol

That said as far as a game adaptation to source material its solid but I can find plenty of issues and I'm sure more will come. It could always be worse.

[Galactus123]

Originally Posted by emailking

Also, I feel like some key aspects of the 2nd game are being discussed outside of spoilers. Also there are massive spoilers from the 2nd game in spoiler tags. If you haven't played the games I'd recommend not opening any spoilers in this thread. Posters aren't just spoiling the aired episodes.

Yeah. I think people should mention that they are talking about The Last of Us 2 before the spoiler tags.

[Foggy]

Just found out this episode is directed by Ali Abbasi from Border and Holy Spider fame so hopefully should be good.

[Batmon77]

I'm entertained but not blown away.

[eiknarf]

Being compared to This Is Us

https://www.tmz.com/2023/03/05/pedro...not-his-fault/

[Levon]

Originally Posted by mwynn

I don't like this. Let me explain why you should not like it too.

I like the show, people who don't like it have just as much a right to watch and discuss what they don't enjoy about it, as you do to discuss what you like about it. You need to get over this, mate. Every thread you've got the toys out the pram when someone responds negatively to a show or movie they are watching. Do you live vicariously through these IP's and take it personally, or something?

[Levon]

Originally Posted by mwynn

You post as you please, I will post as I please. If you do not like what I post use the ignore list. Super easy, thanks for coming.

Shouldn't you practice what you preach, then? Instead of clogging up threads implying others don't have the right to post here? Just, ya know, put them on ignore and move on?...

[mwynn]

Anyway, looking forward to what is to come tonight. Really glad this is not just copying the game.

[Levon]

Originally Posted by mwynn

Anyway, looking forward to what is to come tonight. Really glad this is not just copying the game.

Yeah, I've really enjoyed what they have done with the story so far, taking different routes with the story. A pity it is done in 9 episodes, though, I really think it could have been 10/12 episodes, and perhaps should have been.