In the realm of episodic television, the series' latest instalment has already garnered a reputation as a potential masterpiece. It is also divisive, as it deviates significantly from the source material in some key aspects. While some fans may appreciate the creative liberties taken by the showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, others may feel betrayed by the changes that alter the characters' essence and relationships.
First and foremost, we must talk about Nick Offerman's masterful performance-it's easily the best of his career and a testament to his acting abilities. He brings the character to life in a way that's nothing short of skilful. Offerman delivers a nuanced and layered portrayal in his portrayal of Bill, a gruff and paranoid survivalist who hides his vulnerability behind a mask of cynicism and sarcasm.
Yet, while there is much to admire in the third instalment, I can't help but air out some concerns about the changes made. While I don't mind the alterations to Bill and Frank's storyline-since that is par for the course nowadays-I do mind the portrayal of Ellie by Bella Ramsey. Ramsey's depiction of the character is distant from the Ellie we know and love from the games. The personality traits and characteristics that made Ellie such a complex and interesting character are lost in this adaptation. The acting is tonally inconsistent, lacking in nuance and failing to evoke any sense of empathy from the viewer. Ramsey looks nothing like Ellie from the game, which is not necessarily a problem if she can embody her personality.
The writing is also to blame for not giving the character any complexity or emotion, lacking the fire, bravery, compassion, and vulnerability that made Ellie so real and relatable in the game. Her relationship with Joel also suffers from a lack of development and chemistry. The father-daughter bond that is essential to the story seems to be neglected in the series so far. I hope that these issues will be resolved in the remaining episodes because they are holding back an otherwise superb show.
That said, we're only three episodes in, and there's still plenty of time for the show to course-correct and iron out these issues. While I'm not a purist who only insists on 100 per cent faithful adaptations of the source material, changes must be made with great care and attention to detail.
Rating: 7.8/10 (Good)
First and foremost, we must talk about Nick Offerman's masterful performance-it's easily the best of his career and a testament to his acting abilities. He brings the character to life in a way that's nothing short of skilful. Offerman delivers a nuanced and layered portrayal in his portrayal of Bill, a gruff and paranoid survivalist who hides his vulnerability behind a mask of cynicism and sarcasm.
Yet, while there is much to admire in the third instalment, I can't help but air out some concerns about the changes made. While I don't mind the alterations to Bill and Frank's storyline-since that is par for the course nowadays-I do mind the portrayal of Ellie by Bella Ramsey. Ramsey's depiction of the character is distant from the Ellie we know and love from the games. The personality traits and characteristics that made Ellie such a complex and interesting character are lost in this adaptation. The acting is tonally inconsistent, lacking in nuance and failing to evoke any sense of empathy from the viewer. Ramsey looks nothing like Ellie from the game, which is not necessarily a problem if she can embody her personality.
The writing is also to blame for not giving the character any complexity or emotion, lacking the fire, bravery, compassion, and vulnerability that made Ellie so real and relatable in the game. Her relationship with Joel also suffers from a lack of development and chemistry. The father-daughter bond that is essential to the story seems to be neglected in the series so far. I hope that these issues will be resolved in the remaining episodes because they are holding back an otherwise superb show.
That said, we're only three episodes in, and there's still plenty of time for the show to course-correct and iron out these issues. While I'm not a purist who only insists on 100 per cent faithful adaptations of the source material, changes must be made with great care and attention to detail.
Rating: 7.8/10 (Good)