When the announcement came out that they would be adapting the famous console game, The Last of Us, I screamed and jumped around my room. I’ve been a fan of the game for years for its excellent storytelling, visuals, and the questions about morality it poses throughout the storyline. Even though the zombie apocalypse idea isn’t new, I enjoyed playing through the game’s unique spin on how the zombies were created, and I could write a whole separate article on why the game deserves every award out there. Though there are only two (about to be three) episodes of the promised nine out so far, I will be sharing my thoughts here about what I think the show got right, and what I’m looking forward to in coming episodes.
Firstly, I think one of the show’s strong points is in hiring all the right people to design and create the show. One of the creators of the video game, Neil Druckmann, became one of the writers and directors of the show, which really made it feel like a seamless transition from the game to the T.V. screen. Additionally, many of the actual voice actors and actresses reprised some of their former roles in the show, which also helped viewers (myself included) feel like we were back in the game, playing through the apocalypse all over again. In regards to the casting of each character, I don’t think they could’ve cast anyone else to be Joel than Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey to be the iconic role of Ellie- they both embody their characters with so much detail and it really sells the story so far.
Another strong point of the show is the visuals and the set building- they blew me away even in just the first episode. The set design makes it look very dystopian, as everything is covered in either overgrowth of grass or fungi which makes the atmosphere of the world even spookier. Once again, the show creators pay very close attention to detail, as some scenes in the show line up perfectly with scenes from the game, such as one where the characters are driving along the road at night, to even having Boston towers lean on each other in ruin. For older fans, it’s easy to feel like you’re right back into the gameplay right where things left off, but even newer fans can appreciate the beauty amidst the chaos in the show.
Speaking of newer fans, another aspect that I enjoy of the show is the added science background of the fungus breakout. In episode one, the scientists foreshadow that if temperatures rise then the fungus will seek out new life to inhabit and grow in, and then in episode two, we actually travel to where the first outbreaks were happening. Unlike other zombie shows and movies, I feel like The Last of Us does a wonderful job at providing the logic behind such an outbreak- and after having a real-life pandemic play out, this fictional one feels all the more realistic with a solid scientific explanation backing it.
Even if zombie apocalypses aren’t your cup of tea (or bucket of popcorn), maybe some of my insights will convince you to check out the show. You can watch it on HBO Max, and if you’re an older fan of The Last of Us game series like I am, then let’s hope that the rest of the season is as great as the first two episodes have been so far. Stay safe out there!