TV: The Last of Us (HBO)

[Osprey]

The production was especially good that episode. The world visuals were impressive.

The behavior of the characters still feels a bit unrealistic and inconsistent. They seem to be butting heads for little reason except so that it'll look like they came a long way once they become close and the girl acting distraught at the very end didn't feel believable. Also, I wouldn't think that he'd grab the infected girl's hand with his broken, bloody hand twice or unload half a dozen shots into the zombie's chest when he should've known from his many previous kills that it's ineffective.

 

[The Merchant]

Absolutely love the added context they're providing to the lore of the world of TLoU. Incredible opening.

The changes continue to only add to the sense of the storytelling. Shifting from spores to a hive mind was brilliant and Tess' arc was great.

 

[JoVel]

Wasn't 100% convinced on Bella yet after the first episode but damn, she's really good on this role. Loved the into in Jakarta and I hope they keep adding more pieces here and there from the start of the outbreak.

Spoiler

"How does everyone feel about that "kiss" at the end? "

I start gagging easily about stuff like that so I'm not lying to you when I say I wanted to throw up.

 

[HanSolo]

The intros have just been phenomenal. Another strong episode. No real complaints

 

[Raekwon]

incredible show so far hope it keeps it up

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I haven’t seen it

Change that.

Haven't seen the last of usy et because my cable and Internet has been gone nearly 2 weeks but supposedly It's very good and VERY video game accurate

 

[Pink Mist]

I never got the hate for The Last of Us Part 2. Obviously a hot take, but I think its a far more interesting and well crafted story than the first one.

TBF i played it a couple years after the discourse around the game died down and knew going in the controversy so I wasnt shocked or surprised. I would suggest people who hated the story to give it another chance (tho i understand it is a very gloomy game lol)

 

[Tuggy]

I never got the hate for The Last of Us Part 2. Obviously a hot take, but I think its a far more interesting and well crafted story than the first one.

TBF i played it a couple years after the discourse around the game died down and knew going in the controversy so I wasnt shocked or surprised. I would suggest people who hated the story to give it another chance (tho i understand it is a very gloomy game lol)

I never understood the hate either. I still preferred the first one but really did enjoy the second.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Anybody else catch the random museum cave in for no reason right as they enter the room with the clickers in it? Like that they're keeping some video game tropes haha

Really enjoying it so far, the intros are a great idea for exposition. Hope they really dive into more of the events of the last 20 years. Am curious to see how the dynamic between Joel and Ellie develops having never played the game. I love a smartass adolescent as much as the next guy but eventually it wears thin.

 

[RobBrown4PM]

Spoiler

"How does everyone feel about that "kiss" at the end? "

Had no problems with it. It establishes that there is still a human under the infection, even if that 'humanity' is just base instinct or fleeting memories spontaneously emerging to the surface due to environmental conditions.

I had a bigger problem in why she didn't just grab a grenade and pull the pin

 

[Fantomas]

Not hating but, from a gamer's perspective,

Spoiler

the sets in downtown and metro, leading to the museum, were spectacular in the game and were not included on the show. Which is too bad because it made episode 2 less impactful to me. All that expense and it already feels like the environments are less substantial than they could have been. I also prefer the spores much more than the thing they cooked up here instead.

Of course I can see all kinds of explanations for changes from the tv writer's perspective: they're "trimming the fat", "eliminating redundancies", ensuring that there's "pacing," and so forth. But, as I see it, Last of Us is all about environments, whereas episode 2 is already looking more like Walking Dead to me with its mostly banal visuals. Things are being removed not because they drag the story but because they would be too difficult/expensive to render. But what exactly have they been doing with the show in production for what has seemed like forever?

 

[Fantomas]

The production was especially good that episode. The world visuals were impressive.

The behavior of the characters still feels a bit unrealistic and inconsistent. They seem to be butting heads for little reason except so that it'll look like they came a long way once they become close and the girl acting distraught at the very end didn't feel believable.

Spoiler

Again from the perspective of someone who has played the game, things feel a bit rushed to me. It's actually funny to see some people say that things are moving slowly. But those who've played the game know that the series is skipping some sequences. As a result, we spend less time with the characters, including Tess whose death feels less meaningful. At least this is how I feel; I can't speak for others.

 

[HanSolo]

Had no problems with it. It establishes that there is still a human under the infection, even if that 'humanity' is just base instinct or fleeting memories spontaneously emerging to the surface due to environmental conditions.

I had a bigger problem in why she didn't just grab a grenade and pull the pin

Another episode another "I didn't read it that way"

Spoiler

To me, it had nothing to do with the zombie retaining a shred of humanity. Tess was already infected. I don't know the dynamics of biting and turning versus eating with the Last of Us zombies. But to me it looked more like the zombie sensed the infection in Tess and my head canon is the "kiss" was just to spread the infection along. If we're going off the scientist in the episode 1 intro, the mutated cordyceps that takes over human brains has one biological instinct: to spread the infection.

As to why Tess didn't grab a grenade, yeah that was stupid but I chalk it up as, written that way for the suspense of the moment and the epic result. Shorthand, Tess going out with a bang.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

I never got the hate for The Last of Us Part 2. Obviously a hot take, but I think its a far more interesting and well crafted story than the first one.

TBF i played it a couple years after the discourse around the game died down and knew going in the controversy so I wasnt shocked or surprised. I would suggest people who hated the story to give it another chance (tho i understand it is a very gloomy game lol)

I had to put that game down and never bothered to go back after Ellie beat to death whoever that person was with the PSP. At that point it felt like misery porn, and going through all that to finish with the lesson of how it was a mistake for Ellie to go on a revenge-spree was not something I was interested in.

It's a damn shame, because I do enjoy the mechanics of both versions.


As far as the show, very happy they went withthe fungal networks instead of the spores. I don't think there was any way for them to use that as a plot device and convince the audience to go along with it. Good first two episodes, albeit some of the beat-for-beat scenes from the games came across as a bit hokey just because I could see them coming (Joel looking at his watch in particular, though I think they didn't do enough to warrant Joel stopping to think about Sarah in that instance).

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Another episode another "I didn't read it that way"

Spoiler

To me, it had nothing to do with the zombie retaining a shred of humanity. Tess was already infected. I don't know the dynamics of biting and turning versus eating with the Last of Us zombies. But to me it looked more like the zombie sensed the infection in Tess and my head canon is the "kiss" was just to spread the infection along. If we're going off the scientist in the episode 1 intro, the mutated cordyceps that takes over human brains has one biological instinct: to spread the infection.

As to why Tess didn't grab a grenade, yeah that was stupid but I chalk it up as, written that way for the suspense of the moment and the epic result. Shorthand, Tess going out with a bang.

I'm not sure I even understand that as a criticism. Human beings under serious duress don't always make the most efficient or water-tight decisions. If both methods get the job done the same way, does it really make a difference which one is utilized in that situation?

 

[HanSolo]

I'm not sure I even understand that as a criticism. Human beings under serious duress don't always make the most efficient or water-tight decisions. If both methods get the job done the same way, does it really make a difference which one is utilized in that situation?

That's true. I make stupid and illogical decisions without the threat of death on a near daily basis. And it's a fair point that either method would conceivably work.

 

[Hivemind]

I had a bigger problem in why she didn't just grab a grenade and pull the pin

Grenades are concussive devices. Their explosion produces a blast wave and can throw debris, but generally doesn't produce an open flame, and not enough heat to ignite gasoline. This is what a grenade looks like in real life:

 

[Osprey]

I'm not sure I even understand that as a criticism. Human beings under serious duress don't always make the most efficient or water-tight decisions. If both methods get the job done the same way, does it really make a difference which one is utilized in that situation?

It can make a difference to a viewer who is taken out of the moment by it. If he wonders about why she doesn't just do something else or how what she's doing wouldn't work, the scene may not feel as suspenseful or tragic.

Grenades are concussive devices. Their explosion produces a blast wave and can throw debris, but generally doesn't produce an open flame, and not enough heat to ignite gasoline. This is what a grenade looks like in real life:

I think that the idea is to use a grenade to try to explode the others directly, rather than igniting gasoline and hoping that fire sets them off, which is more complicated and questionable.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

It can make a difference to a viewer who is taken out of the moment by it. If he wonders about why she doesn't just do something else or how what she's doing wouldn't work, the scene may not feel as suspenseful or tragic.

I think a viewer needs to be less picky and acknowledge humans don't make the perfect choice all the time.

It's an inconsequential issue, and if that takes you out of the show then that really is a you problem, in my opinion.

Also, gasoline is an incredibly volatile substance. I'm not sure why you have an issue with it being used in this situation, compared to a concussive grenade which has a severely limited range in the first place.

 

[Osprey]

I think a viewer needs to be less picky and acknowledge humans don't make the perfect choice all the time.

It's an inconsequential issue, and if that takes you out of the show then that really is a you problem, in my opinion.

Also, gasoline is an incredibly volatile substance. I'm not sure why you have an issue with it being used in this situation, compared to a concussive grenade which has a severely limited range in the first place.

You said that you didn't understand and asked if it makes a difference. I gave you an explanation and answer. It seems that you were just being rhetorical and have already made up your mind.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

You said that you didn't understand and asked if it makes a difference. I gave you an explanation and answer. It seems that you were just being rhetorical and have already made up your mind.

Just because you give an explanation doesn't mean I have to accept it as valid or reasonable.

 

[Richard]

It can make a difference to a viewer who is taken out of the moment by it. If he wonders about why she doesn't just do something else or how what she's doing wouldn't work, the scene may not feel as suspenseful or tragic.

I think that the idea is to use a grenade to try to explode the others directly, rather than igniting gasoline and hoping that fire sets them off, which is more complicated and questionable.

Depending on the temperature and the grenade. I timer grenade will likely NOT ignite gasoline. If it has a fuze it might. A smoke grenade is designed to NOT emit flame (but it can happen).

If I was in that situation, as someone who has handled and thrown countless grenades lol, I would use the lighter. Open flame is best.

Obviously, just the sparks CAN cause a fire so I would be leaning down and lighting but thats a small quibble.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Another episode another "I didn't read it that way"

Spoiler

To me, it had nothing to do with the zombie retaining a shred of humanity. Tess was already infected. I don't know the dynamics of biting and turning versus eating with the Last of Us zombies. But to me it looked more like the zombie sensed the infection in Tess and my head canon is the "kiss" was just to spread the infection along. If we're going off the scientist in the episode 1 intro, the mutated cordyceps that takes over human brains has one biological instinct: to spread the infection.

As to why Tess didn't grab a grenade, yeah that was stupid but I chalk it up as, written that way for the suspense of the moment and the epic result. Shorthand, Tess going out with a bang.

Think they were making it clear that they knew she was infected, why they just ignored her, till the one guy wanted to pass his fungus to her so she would be part of their hive, they mentioned they are connected to each other just a few scenes earlier. Her being on the verge of turning, there was a sign in episode 1 that said a bite to the neck takes 5-15 minutes to turn, so she was accepting the fungus

 

[Gee Wally]

Really enjoyed episode 2. A bit nerve wracking. Great suspense.

Also living in Boston my whole life its’s wild seeing it in such a state of destruction.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

I never got the hate for The Last of Us Part 2. Obviously a hot take, but I think its a far more interesting and well crafted story than the first one.

TBF i played it a couple years after the discourse around the game died down and knew going in the controversy so I wasnt shocked or surprised. I would suggest people who hated the story to give it another chance (tho i understand it is a very gloomy game lol)

I mean, I get that you like it, but I'm a little surprised you wouldn't get the hate for the game. It's gloomy, as you say.

If you'd like a few other reasons, I can throw some out there:
-Many could never stomach the idea of playing as Abby. They tried to make her and her circle of misfits more likable than the vengeful Ellie with the puppies and the pregnancies and the whatnot, but many found it hollow and sided with Ellie regardless. That make playing as Abby a chore.

-I believe someone called the game misery porn above. While the first game could definitely be dark, it had enjoyable elements. This was just a miserable slog, and lots of people don't like that.


-Finally, from a storytelling perspective, Druckmann made the mistake of constructing the story around themes rather than characters. This is a usually a hallmark of shallow, pretentious storytellers and, as a result, their story does in fact convey their theme, but only on a surface level. TLOU 1, on the other hand, was a character-driven game that was pretty well-liked by everyone. The sequel was greatly missing Amy Hennig, who wrote most of part 1 and was jettisoned by Druckmann for being better than him at everything. (Joking. Maybe.)

The consequence of theme-based storytelling is that the characters are often a square peg that needs to fit a round hole so that everything serves the theme. The problem is compounded if the characters have a history and defined personalities and motives. You now have to sometimes contradict those to get your theme across.


So the tl;dr
1) Lots didn't want to play as Abby for spoilery reasons
2) Misery porn
3) Superficial/Shallow storytelling