The Last of Us - HBO Series [Spoilers after episodes have aired -- no game spoilers] - Page 66 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Elkyiv · 03-15-2023, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blankall

I think the point is that the show didn't do a very good job of depicting Joel's intentions.

Still a great show overall, they must missed the mark a bit with the ending.

I think I know the reason for this. I remember finishing the game and thinking that they should not have revealed what happens to Sarah early on. In doing so, they have foreshadowed Joel's actions to a point where none of it is a surprise. I knew from the moment when he and Ellie are paired up, that he was going to protect her at all cost. Instead, they could have cut the scene when the 3 of them are trying to escape in the truck and left Sarah's fate ambiguous. It would necessitate telling the rest of the story by leaving out what happens to Sarah until the very very last scene. I think had the writers done that, it would expain his actions at the hospital and subsequent lying to Ellie a lot better.

The ending falls flat because it's expected. I still think it's a great story as far as video games go, but I've played others where you're genuinely surprised and emotionally invested (ie: Red Dead Redemption).

TrentCrimmIndependent · 03-15-2023, 04:02 PM

Saving Sarah's death reveal for episode 9 prior to the massacre would've been an interesting way of presenting the story and developing Joel.

Having us just know she's no longer with him but not know her fate until Joel is faced with a similar predicament with Ellie would've helped justify his actions for those on the fence and show him snap out of fear of the same outcome/loss.

I would've liked that a lot.

chemgear · 03-16-2023, 01:55 PM

https://twitter.com/user/status/1636166067641896961

Monahammer · 03-16-2023, 02:05 PM

As someone who came into this totally virgin, never having played the games at all in spite of being a gamer during this time frame, I thought the series was great. I definitely understood Joel's motivations immediately, and I did think they did a good job building up his comparison of Ellie to his daughter through the season. I also watched in 2 big chunks rather than weekly, so that may have profoundly helped my commiseration with Joel. Was it the right decision? No. But as a parent with two children, it's the same choice I would make in that scenario. Every. Time.

Muta · 03-16-2023, 08:35 PM

Just watched it, probably my least-favourite episode. It wasn't terrible, it just felt rushed for being built up as the apex of the first season. As someone who has never played the game, I will say though that it was surprising (and fun) teasing Joel as an antagonist at the end. Was trying to guess what hospital that was, and it was the one in Grande Prairie!

chemgear · 03-16-2023, 10:13 PM

I had forgotten the reference apparently.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1635873460001071104

TrentCrimmIndependent · 03-17-2023, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chemgear

https://twitter.com/user/status/1636166067641896961

Lol

Also I love that spot coming over the ridge into K-country

devo22 · 03-17-2023, 02:00 PM

finally caught up ... saved the final three and binge-watched em today. Haven't read the thread in a few weeks, so just some thoughts:

- Storm Reid as Riley was probably my favourite side character in this season as far as casting goes (with Lamar Johnson as Henry a close second). Thought she was excellent.
- "Left Behind" was obviously a lot of fan service and slowed things down after "Kin", but I really enjoyed it. That DLC was really good back then in terms of Ellie's backstory, and it made sense to include that in the series as well.
- I thought the religious undertones in "When We Are in Need" were a bit cliché and unnecessary. It didn't take away anything, just had me roll my eyes and go "really?!" for a second.
- seeing Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson get screen time was awesome. Laura Bailey had a short cameo at the end too. Just really cool that they included the actors from the game in this ... and to that end, hearing a dialogue between Ashley Johnson and Merle Dandridge was funny.

As a huge fan of the games, I'd give this season a solid 9/10. I've said before that I would have prefered the season to be stretched out over 12 episodes instead of 9, and unfortunately, the second half of the season was more than confirmation in that regard ... it just felt rushed at various points. I often caught myself thinking "wow, that was quick". I get that HBO couldn't have been sure it'd be a hit, so I understand they didn't do more than 9 - but yeah, I do think the season would have benefited enormously from taking its time for certain plot points and filling a few gaps here and there. And even though I obviously get that "The Last of Us" has always focused on interpersonal issues instead of the usual zombie action, I do think there could/should have been more infected. They were merely reduced to an afterthought for large portions of the season, and I don't think giving them a bit more focus would have hurt in any way.

Really curious about where they go from here. I absolutely loved the second game (and I'm fully aware I'm in the minority on this board when it comes this haha), so I can't wait to see how they approach this. There are numerous ways to tell that story, sooo ... can't wait to see it.

badradio · 03-17-2023, 11:11 PM

I haven’t played the game since it first came out… I remember the ending being so good I never wanted them to make a sequel ever… it was perfect and should of been left alone… fast forward to the tv show now and I completely forgot the ending and am I like… that was it? Is there another episode? It definitely didn’t hit the same at all…

Hockey_Ninja · 03-18-2023, 11:46 AM

Really enjoyed the first season. I just recently got a gaming PC and the first game is coming out on PC soon. I just pre-ordered it and looking forward to playing it

TrentCrimmIndependent · 03-20-2023, 02:41 PM

https://twitter.com/user/status/1637827837397815296

Petition growing to nominate Pedro Pascal as this year's Stampede Parade Mashall

Make it so.

timun · 03-20-2023, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Make it so. This is the way.

Wrong franchise, bro.

This is the way.

TrentCrimmIndependent · 03-20-2023, 03:45 PM

This is the Pedroverse and we're all just living in it.

timun · 03-20-2023, 03:48 PM

Weitz · 03-31-2023, 02:02 PM

Film location for season 2 selected.

https://deadline.com/2023/03/the-las...235314676/amp/

Moving to Vancouver.

getbak · 03-31-2023, 02:18 PM

Boo!

With most of the second game taking place in Seattle, it makes sense to shoot in that area.

You'd have to think they'll still shoot some of the scenes that take place in Jackson around Canmore. I've also thought the part of the game where they go to the museum would make sense to shoot in Drumheller.

CroFlames · 03-31-2023, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weitz

Film location for season 2 selected.

https://deadline.com/2023/03/the-las...235314676/amp/

Moving to Vancouver.

I will now boycott this show.

Hemi-Cuda · 03-31-2023, 03:03 PM

They're probably going to have to dress up East Hastings a bit for the show

Locke · 03-31-2023, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I will now boycott this show.

Indeed.

You are dead to me now Pedro Pascal.

You learned of Canadian Love...now you shall learn of Canadian Grudge.

Sorry, but we never forgive....and we never forget.

DoubleF · 03-31-2023, 03:40 PM

I liked the content of the whole series, but I got a bit of an odd feeling and it seems others are inadvertently keying in on it as well. I hate how Druckmann structures narratives.

I really liked the content of this series. But I feel like minor issues with the order of the media caused it to lose something. I feel like I would give this series a 8-9/10 but a slight reordering of the media on the cutting room floor could boost this another point.

The start of the pandemic content from ep 1 and 2 probably could have been combined together into a section of ep 2 instead of spread out in the two eps. In both cases, having it at the start of the episodes rather than mid or late episode made it feel kinda weird and jumpy IMO. I would probably swap left behind and kin (ep 6 and 7) and snip the Ellie and Joel part in left behind (ep 7) to put at the end of ep 6 (Kin) so that it still connects with ep 8.

Minor quibbles, but overall, I'd say I loved the way they approached this series like a remake that was faithful to the original.

TLOU2 bugged me like that too. As soon as I finished the game, I felt like I would have enjoyed the game even more and it would have much more replay value if the game was ordered just the slightest bit differently.

IMO, the ordering decision disorients the viewer/player from really being able to process the story.

I think it was mentioned by Druckmann or someone close to him that as part of the ethos of TLOU1 and TLOU2, a summary of "How far would you go for love" vs "How far would you go for hate" is a way to distill the differences between the stories.

Druckmann could hit a home run bigger than TLOU season 1 with season 2 if he doesn't keep disorienting the viewer/gamer with his story telling tactics IMO.