TV: The Last of Us (HBO)

[Walkingthroughforest]

While being the weakest episode of the season so far, it was still a damn good hour of TV.

Bella is a powerhouse and I can’t wait to see what she does with the material in Part 2.

A lot of this episode was lifted directly from the DLC, and those moments did hit hard. I do think there were some pacing issues this episode, and maybe not enough intertwining present day Ellie with past Ellie.

I understand why they didn’t have Ellie see any infected in the present day considering how much of a threat just one infected was, but I do think I’m starting to feel a little let down with how few infected have been on screen this season. I wish that the scene in the mall reflected the DLC a bit more with a chase of a few infected just to have a bit more urgency to their threat and the need for a vaccine to be created. We don’t need to be bombarded with them, but I would like more reminders of their existence and ever looming threat.

I do also think the ending could have shown Bella alone in the mall and mirrored it with her alone while Joel is dying at the end, giving a bit more of a thread of the fear and eventuality of losing people.

Chemistry was great, the cinematography was excellent, and the acting was beautiful. I think it could have been tightened up a bit, and woven in a bit more with the main narrative and it would have been a phenomenal episode.

7.5/10

 

[ArGarBarGar]

The subtle sexualization over the past few episodes of a 13/14 yr old is disturbing. Especially in this day and age of islands, jail time, suicides, etc.

There will be people who are OK with that. There will also be individuals in this world who will have a new screen saver.

Perhaps there are people in Hollywood hoping for a return of the good ol' Blue Lagoon days. Have to start pushing the line somewhere.

A screensaver of what? Lingerie in an abandoned Victoria's Secret?

 

[zombie kopitar]

A screensaver of what? Lingerie in an abandoned Victoria's Secret?

i keep asking him that too, it's gotta be it....
a disheveled girl juxtaposed next to lingerie imagining what she might look like in it...wow someone call Chris Hansen in

 

[CupofOil]

People thought that episode was good? It was essentially two kids playing in the mall for about half the episode.
I loved the idea of an Elie background story but this wasn't particularly well done IMO, I liked the military stuff but the mall scene was way too dragged out and felt like filler that didn't do much to advance the story or really dive into Elie's past. It was easily the weakest episode in an otherwise fantastic season.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

People thought that episode was good? It was essentially two kids playing in the mall for about half the episode.
I loved the idea of an Elie background story but this wasn't particularly well done IMO, I liked the military stuff but the mall scene was way too dragged out. It was easily the weakest episode in an otherwise fantastic season.

Pretty identical to Left Behind. everyone knew what this episode was going to be, I thought it was pretty good. nice to see them stick so closely to the main source.

 

[CupofOil]

Pretty identical to Left Behind. everyone knew what this episode was going to be, I thought it was pretty good. nice to see them stick so closely to the main source.

I never played the game so I know nothing about the source material. This was probably a better episode for the gamers.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

The subtle sexualization over the past few episodes of a 13/14 yr old is disturbing. Especially in this day and age of islands, jail time, suicides, etc.

There will be people who are OK with that. There will also be individuals in this world who will have a new screen saver.

Perhaps there are people in Hollywood hoping for a return of the good ol' Blue Lagoon days. Have to start pushing the line somewhere.

this story is from 2013 and that kiss happened in the game as well, it's part of the story so it is what it is but I dont think they are trying to sexualize a 13/14 year old

 

[GKJ]

I don’t get this sexualization of 14-year olds. What exactly do think goes on in the life of a 14-year old?

 

[ArGarBarGar]

This episode definitely felt like they needed to add the Ellie/Riley backstory but couldn't find an organic place to put it.

I would consider it the weakest, but still enjoyable.

 

[Osprey]

Everybody knew, they already told us what happened.

I mean, the show has already told us how that was going to end so good job paying attention I guess?

The show told us that Ellie was bitten in a mall. To my knowledge, it didn't tell us about the person whom Ellie was with, her feelings towards her, that they had a fight and made up or that the other girl was killed/infected.

 

[Blender]

Probably the weakest episode of the season due to some pacing issues, but still pretty solid character development overall.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

I dont mind watching an episode or movie where you know how its going to end, as in a certainty like based on true events, but the journey was so boring. I liked the beginning in the QZ and her refusing to leave Joel was nice but the mall stuff just wasnt all that good and drawn out.

Maybe could have been better if we got more of the two of them pre running away and then have the mall scenes condensed to like 15 minutes

 

[Osprey]

I just can't stand "filler" talk. This show does not pretend to be anything more than a character study. It's barely a zombie show because the zombies are a more tangible manifestation of the real threat, a fungal virus that's put humanity on the brink. It's not as interesting if Ellie has a potentially world saving immunity to some illness you can't see. That's why they insist on calling them "infected" and not zombies. The infected pose a threat and a challenge to survival but this isn't supposed to be an action show. It's a story about two people who have suffered severe loss who have every reason to give up in this dark and miserable reality who learn to find the strength to keep going, hold onto hope, and embrace love while you have it. I don't think episode 7 is a standout necessarily, but it's very much in line with this central thematic/narrative purpose. Filler in a show like this would be random bullshit that has nothing to do with the central characters or building out the world they occupy. And it would be there just because they don't have any other worthwhile stories to tell between now and the finale. This episode served its purpose just fine, and all the people (not just Osprey) lazily calling it filler, really get on my nerves.

If it gets on your nerves, especially when it's couched in wording like "it felt like a filler episode," then you may be too invested in defending the show. Justifying it by saying that "this episode served its purpose just fine" makes it sound like your mind is made up and you're just annoyed that people are sharing an opinion that contradicts what you've decided.

I dont mind watching an episode or movie where you know how its going to end, as in a certainty like based on true events, but the journey was so boring. I liked the beginning in the QZ and her refusing to leave Joel was nice but the mall stuff just wasnt all that good and drawn out.

I really liked the scene with the commander. That felt authentic and against trope (the trope of the character in charge being unsympathetic and overly disciplinary towards the main character).

 

[Make]

I thought it was a solid episode. I wasn't terribly interested in the QZ in the first episode and this episode managed to explore that environment a bit more. It was nice to see a bit what Ellie was like before she got involved with the resistance. I liked the part where Ellie says they could change the system from within if they stayed with FEDRA. It's a realistic pov that shows she's not some ideologue who was always destined to be a rebel.

In hindsight I agree that nothing particularily interesting happened during the episode but I wasn't bored by it. It still had all the strengths which I've learned to appriciate with this show. Mainly it brought more nuance into Ellie's character which admittedly has felt a bit one dimensional at times.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

If it gets on your nerves, especially when it's couched in wording like "it felt like a filler episode," then you may be too invested in defending the show. Justifying it by saying that "this episode served its purpose just fine" makes it sound like your mind is made up and you're just annoyed that people are sharing an opinion that contradicts what you've decided.

I really liked the scene with the commander. That felt authentic and against trope (the trope of the character in charge being unsympathetic and overly disciplinary towards the main character).

I thought it was a good contrast to the strict, totalitarian, inhumane version of FEDRA personnel we have seen. though I think his screen time was just right

 

[HanSolo]

If it gets on your nerves, especially when it's couched in wording like "it felt like a filler episode," then you may be too invested in defending the show. Justifying it by saying that "this episode served its purpose just fine" makes it sound like your mind is made up and you're just annoyed that people are sharing an opinion that contradicts what you've decided.

I really liked the scene with the commander. That felt authentic and against trope (the trope of the character in charge being unsympathetic and overly disciplinary towards the main character).

As usual, I can't control whether someone likes something I do or not and I don't intend to force someone to like something they don't. And to take it a step further, I'd totally understand if people felt this episode was weaker or they didn't like it. I wouldn't call it one of my favorites if the 7 we've gotten.

But I'm just pointing out that the misuse of the term "filler" has become too prevalent and it's annoying to me. Just like it's annoying when I see people griping about the lack of action. I'm not annoyed because people don't like a given episode. I'm annoyed when the reasons are shallow and steeped in misplaced expectations. It's one thing to wish the episode didn't take this narrative diversion, it's another to call it filler which is essentially a TV term for useless with the added element of useless "filler" content because they don't have enough actual content to fill a full season. Saying it's "like filler" is semantics.

 

[Osprey]

But I'm just pointing out that the misuse of the term "filler" has become too prevalent and it's annoying to me. Just like it's annoying when I see people griping about the lack of action. I'm not annoyed because people don't like a given episode. I'm annoyed when the reasons are shallow and steeped in misplaced expectations. It's one thing to wish the episode didn't take this narrative diversion, it's another to call it filler which is essentially a TV term for useless with the added element of useless "filler" content because they don't have enough actual content to fill a full season. Saying it's "like filler" is semantics.

You're defining what "filler" means and getting annoyed because others define it a little differently. I don't think that most people would agree that it means "useless." In the context of a show, I'd define it as "nonessential." That's what Episode 7 was, IMO. It began with Joel close to death and ended with him in the same spot, still close to death. You could miss the episode and not realize it or be lost. It was also all flashback that explained how Ellie got a bite mark that we already knew that she had. The episode had purpose--it gave us some interesting backstory on her--but that doesn't make it "essential." If it were essential, it would've been included in the original game and not saved for a later DLC.

 

[TheAngryHank]

I don’t get this sexualization of 14-year olds. What exactly do think goes on in the life of a 14-year old?

especially a 14 y o thats forced to grow up in a do or die environment without much of a childhood in a hard world.

 

[HanSolo]

You're defining what "filler" means and getting annoyed because others define it a little differently. I don't think that most people would agree that it means "useless." In the context of a show, I'd define it as "nonessential." That's what Episode 7 was, IMO. It began with Joel close to death and ended with him in the same spot, still close to death. You could miss the episode and not realize it or be lost. It was also all flashback that explained how Ellie got a bite mark that we already knew that she had. The episode had purpose--it gave us some interesting backstory on her--but that doesn't make it "essential." If it were essential, it would've been included in the original game and not saved for a later DLC.

Well like I mentioned earlier I wasnt just talking about you. I can appreciate the distinction you've laid out but I've seen plenty of people discussing this episode and calling it filler while blatantly adding that the episode was "pointless". I don't know maybe I've read too many books, and I don't say that to be snooty cause I haven't really read much since college, but to me if a story is fleshing out and developing its characters through its passages that aren't moving the plot along, time isn't being wasted. Otherwise it can be said that 99% of fiction novels would be bloated with "pointless filler"

And in the interest of fairness, I don't think Ellie and Riley's jaunt in a mall is terribly interesting and I agree it didn't have the best pacing. But the character expansion we get for Ellie, like I said, serves its purpose and it's nice to take a breath to watch a young person get to experience a taste of "normal" life, as battered and broken an experience as it may be. But yeah, would I be upset if we didn't get this and I played the DLC and discovered its absence? No. But do I think every episode needs to meaningfully move the plot to the big finale? Also no. As long as it happens eventually. But if the finale turns out to be a rushed disappointment, yeah, in retrospect I'll be bothered by how much more time went into this story.

 

[TheAngryHank]

The horse was the most entertaining part of that episode.

 

[norrisnick]

You're defining what "filler" means and getting annoyed because others define it a little differently. I don't think that most people would agree that it means "useless." In the context of a show, I'd define it as "nonessential." That's what Episode 7 was, IMO. It began with Joel close to death and ended with him in the same spot, still close to death. You could miss the episode and not realize it or be lost. It was also all flashback that explained how Ellie got a bite mark that we already knew that she had. The episode had purpose--it gave us some interesting backstory on her--but that doesn't make it "essential." If it were essential, it would've been included in the original game and not saved for a later DLC.

That... is not at all what the purpose of this episode was. But it might speak to the disconnect regarding essential and nonessential in a show about the motivations of two characters in that hellscape of a world.

 

[Osprey]

That... is not at all what the purpose of this episode was. But it might speak to the disconnect regarding essential and nonessential in a show about the motivations of two characters in that hellscape of a world.

I know that. That's why I followed that sentence by suggesting that the episode had purpose in spite of that.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Not a bad episode, not the best. Solid. I liked the setup, but the infected showing up was pretty lame.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

This show don't miss. Just an amazing 7 episodes so far, doing justice to the amazing game. The next episode was my favourite part of the first game too, going to be a crazy last 2 episodes. TLOU2 is my favourite story in a game, so I'm already looking forward to it - and the internet meltdowns of course.

 

[norrisnick]

I know that. That's why I followed that sentence by suggesting that the episode had purpose in spite of that.

It's not in spite of. Showing that history is the whole point of the show. The Last of Us (the tv series) is a story being told about who Ellie and Joel are and their motivations and how they intersect in a post-apocalyptic world. Not a story outlining the itinerary of how Ellie and Joel got from Boston to who cares where out west.