Game-to-film adaptations are always something that is exciting to see happen but are approached with wariness due to how often they are done poorly. However, it seems that isn’t the case with The Last of Us TV series as the first episode dropped on HBO Max last night and it was actually a good watch. The just-over-an-hour-long episode doesn’t seem to rush anything and lets the whole bit from the very beginning to the start of the journey without any out-of-character moments or problematic additions.
Spoiler-Free Breakdown
The iconic introduction sequence is fleshed out in full and the acting is good to the point that even though we all know what is about to happen, it still manages to hit you just as hard watching it play out in person. From the minor details within the environment and the different stages of the fungus to the apocalyptic city and the fashion style of the people living within it, everything seemed to properly match the stylings that we saw in the game itself.
One aspect I was really concerned about was the dialogue as creating characters that are both gruff yet adored is hard and they aren’t about to take the game word-for-word and put it on the screen. Even so, they did a great job making Joel out to be the shifty scumbag with a purpose full of good intentions while Ellie is a smart, stubborn girl that hates her circumstances while understanding the predicament she’s in. Not to mention how they managed to properly portray the many other key characters that make up the introduction of this series.
It was also quite clever how they managed to introduce the Fireflies and the quarrel the survivors have with them without having any real conversation about them. The spray-painted logo in various places, sometimes shown being actively painted over by the citizens, and the logo “When you find yourself lost in the dark, look for the light” written in slight variations on different walls. They even had a few harsh jabs thrown around to push the disdain for the Firefly group. It was an interesting way to introduce such a large faction and plot point, but fitting as they aren’t the star of the show - at least not at the beginning.
Expectations
If they can keep the acting as on point as it was in this first episode, then we are in for one really good game adaptation here! Everything was honestly so impressively done - from the setting to the writing to the acting, everything is simply impressive. I look forward to seeing more of that.
We did get a look at an inactive clicker in this episode, which was a nice way to ensure the audience that they are around and their design was touched up with the same level of care as everything else in the show. I can’t wait to see them in action because the early forms of the fungus takeover were pretty creepy and so they are sure to do quite an amazing job with the more high-intensity moments. I do hope we even get to see them lure a clicker to attack an enemy in their way, just as many of us have done in the games!
Conclusion
The Last of Us TV series is really off to a good start! They are showing a lot of promise and that they’re staying true to the source material that they are working with. I am excited to see the next episode and don’t think this will be a series I can wait for all the episodes to be out before watching. If you are a fan of the game series, then this is a must-watch series!
The Last of Us TV series can be watched exclusively on HBO Max.
