The Last Of Us: From Console to streaming
WARNING: Mild Spoilers Ahead!
To say The Last of Us series has big shoes to fill is a bit of an understatement.
Released in 2013 by Naughty Dog and Sony Entertainment, The Last of Us quickly became a best-seller and fan favorite. The game is praised for everything from sound score to narrative to voice acting. Since it’s release it has won multiple awards and has been widely considered one of the best video games ever made. When it was announced that HBO would be releasing a new show based on the critically acclaimed game series, fans were both ecstatic and apprehensive. But based on Sunday nights premiere, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.
In full disclosure, I never actually played The Last of Us games. (I was a Nintendo Kid growing up). I have, however, watched playthroughs of both Part One and Part Two, and they are genuinely some of the most breathtaking games I have ever seen. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson do an incredible job of bringing the characters of Joel and Ellie to life. While the game mechanics are, from what I have seen, impressive, it’s really the story that sucks the players in. It really does feel more like you are watching a movie unfold rather than playing a game at times. Which is one of the biggest reasons the HBO series is under a lot of pressure.
The series premiered Sunday January 15th and was one of the channels biggest debuting shows to date, second to House of the Dragon. The show opened with a clip from a talk show in 1968, discussing the possibilities of a pandemic occurring and what it would mean for mankind. I have to admit, this part hit a little to close to home, given, well, reality. But I thought it was a really interesting addition to the story that we did not see in the game. It showed that this fungus-like infection was something scientists were aware could happen, and perhaps could even have tried to prevent, had people taken it seriously?
The show then moves into the game proper, and I was stunned by how accurate it was. There are moments in the show that are shot for shot, word for word accurate to the game. Sarah is even wearing the exact same shirt her character wears in the game! My biggest complaint with adaptations is that the movie rarely mirrors the book (or game in this case). Now, I understand that realistically that is not always a possibility. The filmmakers would have to make a twelve-hour movie in order to do something like that. But this show proves that it is possible to make an accurate adaptation! I went back and watched a playthrough of The Last of Us Part One immediately after watching the premiere. I could pinpoint exactly where in the game the episode ended. It is so rare to find a show or movie that so precisely matches its counterpart. The show does also add quite a bit of additional content. Moments between Ellie and Marlene, Joel just trying to survive in this horrible new world. It never feels like “filler”, or a scene just to get us from Point A to Point B. It expands on the game’s original plot, and even improves upon it in a way. Small moments in the game that were alluded to get expanded on in the show.
Just like in the game, the casting for the show was phenomenal. Not only do Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey fit the roles of Joel and Ellie perfectly, the entire cast mirrors the game completely. If I wasn’t watching the screen, I would have thought I was listening to the game.
The Last of Us is a heart-pounding, heart-wrenching story and it’s only going to get better from here on out. Just as The Last of Us Part One was a turning point for video games, I truly believe the same can be said for this series. I spent the majority of the premiere hiding behind a pillow. It’s a strange phenomenon of knowing what’s coming and still feeling like you’re in the dark. For both long-time fans of the game, and those who are just being introduced, The Last of Us series is a must watch. And I for one can’t wait for Episode Two.
The Last of Us airs every Sunday night on HBO and HBO Max.
