HBOMax’s The Last of Us Final Thoughts (No Spoilers)
Title: The Last of Us
Released: January 15, 2023
Episodes: 9 Episodes
Rating: TV-MA
Genre: Post-apocalyptic Drama
Based On: The Last of Us (Part 1) PlayStation Game by Naughty Dog
Available On: HBOMax
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson
Summary:
A smuggler is given the daunting task of transporting a 14 year old girl, who may very well be humanity’s last hope, across the country in a post-apocalyptic United States.
My Thoughts:
With such a beloved source material, this series was destined for mixed reviews. The PlayStation game is such an engaging experience, it would be difficult to replicate. The original actors brilliantly brought the characters to life. It would be impossible for a series to avoid comparisons to the original story.
The Last of Us is a good show if you are looking for a new series to watch. It’s short, coming in at only nine episodes, so new fans can easily binge the entire series in a weekend if they are dedicated. It has an interesting premise that keeps viewers curious.
That being said, this series is not without its flaws. It has been a few years since I played the video game, so I was not watching it with the intention of nit-picking minor detail changes. However, if you are familiar with the story, you will definitely notice derailments. Minor characters are given entire episodes to flesh out their storylines, often with alterations from the source material. This isn’t a bad thing in concept, but the execution wasn’t the greatest. It harms the pacing of this show. This series takes its time with scenes that are trivial to the overall story, then rushes past major plot points.
There is even a flashback episode, accurately following the game’s DLC. It’s a well done episode, but it brings the growing momentum to a crashing halt. Only one minute of the episode moves the story along. Even the video game shifted between the past and the present, allowing players to compare and contrast the two sides of the story. The game also helped players connect more with Ellie’s character, seeing firsthand how much she has grown in such a short amount of time.
The final episode was the most frustrating. Without giving any spoilers, I will say that it feels very rushed and incomplete.
If you are looking for a apocalyptic / zombie story, this series may not be the best to check out. It has an almost comedic lack of infected, making the entire purpose and high stakes of the journey fall flat in comparison to the game.
Overall, it was an entertaining series with good acting. Personally I would not watch it again- I would opt for playing the video game instead. With confirmation that the show will be given a second series following the events of the game’s sequel, I will probably tune in out of pure curiosity. I do find it fun to compare the episodes to the video games.
Have you watched The Last of Us? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
ashleyohare 