The Last of Us

I don't hate it. But its way over hyped. Its exactly what you'd expect without delivering anything you would have expected. OK, its not trying to be a gory show like The Walking Dead, and that is what I actually like about this show. But I'm not sold on the girl.

Now I've never played the games, so I don't know what really to compare it too, but she's not it. Too many cuss words. Dial that back a lot please. Otherwise, because its not a 'gore show', she has to talk tough to sell her character, and talk is cheap.

I could easily have not watched episode 3. It was the longest episode that added very little to the story. I don't have a problem with 'filler episodes', showing other peoples stories. I wish they did more of that with The Walking Dead. Their story is OK, I did not mind it. But they did not have to show us things I did not care to see. They could have cut the intimate scenes out and I'd be OK with their relationship. They could have trimmed that show to normal length and it would be better.

All in all, I will continue watching the series, but there is nothing here I find worth watching again.

One Time Watch.

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.

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.

Season 1:

While I may feel disappointment by this television adaptation. I am grateful that it introduced the greatest story gaming has ever told to a wider audience, an audience that never would have experienced or connected with it in its previous form.

The biggest problem that this series has is the pacing. With only nine episodes a lot of the story feels rushed, and certain important scenes or entire segments needed more time. Although to be fair, that may be the fault of HBO for not believing in Druckmann's stellar work.

Committing an entire episode to both the left behind dlc and Bill and Frank seems like a mistake in hindsight. While both episodes are great, they really take you out of the main story. We don't get as much quality Joel and Ellie time because of it. Part of why the game works so well is because you spend nearly 20 hours with these characters in the game. You connect with them, you feel as if you know them personally, you deeply care about them. All the small talk about movies, aspirations, and shared tragedy as you traverse desolate wastelands is what makes that game so incredible, and it's why the characters feel so real. In the show you spend less than half that time with these characters. This significantly takes a lot of the emotional oomph out of the story in my opinion.

Even some of the dialogue feels rushed. There are important and impactful lines that aren't allowed to breathe and sit in. A example of this was the dirty magazine scene where it sounds like Bella Ramsey is reading a checklist of lines from the game. The scene is funny, but also feels unnatural and a little stiff. Not to throw shade at Bella Ramsey, she has some truly great moments in this show.

If only this series got another one or two episodes, maybe then it could have fully done the game justice.

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.