The Last of Us

While HBO's "The Last of Us" has been praised a lot, it does have its downsides. Let's break down some of the main criticisms:

One big gripe is the pacing. Some episodes really drag, with lots of focus on character development and world-building, which can slow things down to a crawl. If you're someone who likes a faster-moving story, these slow parts might test your patience.

The show tries to capture the emotional depth of the game, but it doesn't always succeed. The shorter format of a TV series means some relationships and emotional arcs don't get as much time to develop, which can make the show feel less immersive.

The show tries to stay true to the game while also adding new elements, but this balance doesn't always hit the mark. Die-hard fans of the game might feel that some changes and additions dilute the story they love. On the flip side, people who haven't played the game might find some plot points confusing or underdeveloped.

While Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey do a fantastic job as Joel and Ellie, the supporting characters often don't get enough screen time or development. This can make their actions and motivations seem less impactful, especially for viewers who aren't familiar with the game.

Given the post-apocalyptic setting filled with infected and hostile survivors, you might expect more intense and frequent action scenes. However, the show often prioritizes dialogue and character interactions over action, which can be disappointing if you were hoping for more action-packed sequences.

The show sometimes struggles to maintain a consistent tone. The shifts between the dark, gritty atmosphere and moments of levity or slower-paced drama can feel jarring, which can detract from the overall experience.

While the production values are generally high, there are moments where the visual effects and CGI fall short. Some scenes involving the infected lack the polish needed to keep the immersion, which can be particularly noticeable given the high standards of modern TV production.

Despite its many strengths, The Last of Us has some valid criticisms, like pacing issues, underdeveloped characters, and inconsistencies in tone and visual effects.

When I first heard about The Last of Us I couldn't wait to see it because I absolutely loved the video game. On top of that I'm a fan of Pedro Pascal and HBO has a long history of making the best shows on tv. Then I saw the trailers and my excitement grew even more. Well, it's pretty bad. It's not the worst thing I've ever seen but I had to force myself to finish the first season. I kept telling myself that it would get better but it never did. Like many have already said it's not like the game at all. I could've gotten past that if it was entertaining enough but it's not. Even though the first season wasn't the best I still have the second season a chance and it's been much worse. They got rid of the best part of the show and their lead. Why? I get you want to have a show where anything can happen but killing off your lead and the most talented actor on your show is not smart.

Good show. THE LAST OF US was indeed a great series. After hearing many raves and good things from people that I know, I finally decided to give it a chance. Like the game, it is definitely worth your time. Well made, compelling and great characters with real chemistry made this series a fun watch, a slower build to some pretty intense scenes. While it did have periods of time that it moved more slowly, it certainly never felt boring. Pedro Pascal as Joe Miller and Bella Ramsey as Ellie Williams made this a great show, and the chemistry they develop feels natural and heart warming.

I give the entire series a solid 7.

First of all I'd like to say that if you haven't played the game before and have the ability to do so, I'd strongly recommend you to experience this story that way first. It's truly one of the greatest games of all time in my opinion and this adaptation does not capture it's magic.

First of all, let's talk about the acting: Pedro Pascal is solid as Joel. He looks the part and embodies the character pretty well but still come off as a bit stiff in comparison to Troy Bakers masterful portrayal.

Bella Ramsay on the other hand is completely miscast as Ellie. She neither looks nor plays the part. While she can't be faulted for the former, I don't think she has the acting range necessary to inhabit the character. Sure, I don't know what directions they gave her on set, but she seems to only possess a handful of facial expressions in total. Where Ellie in the game could come off as nervous, excited and childish, she mostly comes off as bored here. Bella simply fails to instill the character with the sense of life that she has in the game, which is ironic for a live action portrayal.

As for the other actors, they mostly do a good job. There are no standout performances but no really bad ones either, with the exception of Melanie Lynskey (but more on her later).

The major problems of this adaptation however are the pacing and deviations from the source material. All in all, we get a 9 hour long season to cover the event of the first game, which is already pretty tight. The matter isn't helped by dedicating an hour to Bill's gay romance story, which contributes nothing to the overall narrative while deviating completely from the game. The runtime is stretched thinner by adding additional side-characters that at best does little for the story. The worst offender in this category is Kathleen, awfully played by Lynskey in one of the most unconvincing roles I've witnessed. Not in a hundred years could I see her being a leader of a crew like that. I won't go through every little change but the end result is that the story feels very rushed. This, in turn, leads to the underdevelopment of the relationship between Joel and Ellie; the pillar of the story.

Another annoyance I had was the lack of brutality in the show. The violence in the game helped make the world feel bleak and gritty. Here, on the other hand, we get plenty of off-screen deaths and hardly any blood and gore, making the world feel way to sanitized.

Reading through my review, I realize my score may come off as rather generous. But I do think that it's still worth a watch, even if it fails to live up to it's excellent source material.

I can't wait for season 2 ! This was a statement piece for video games turn tv show / movies. "Zaddy" Pascal was made to be Joel. His acting was top notch. At first I was pretty sceptic of Bella Ramsey playing Ellie but she bloody killed it, both literally & figuratively. I also thought the show will end in two seasons but by the looks of it, their most definitely stretching the show as long as they could which honestly, I'm all in for. Now shall we talk about the video game to TV show perfect synergy. From the zombies to each and every act, sequences & scenes were copied and pasted perfectly.