You suggested that showing the history of the bite wasn't the purpose of the episode. I agreed and you're contradicting me by saying that it's the whole point of the show. I know what you meant, but you're not following me and explaining the show unnecessarily.
TV: The Last of Us (HBO)
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norrisnick
The best...
- Apr 14, 2005
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The bite was 2 minutes of the episode. If you are squabbling about that as nonessential... I don't know man. There have been some excessive wide shots of walking that add up to more than that.
The romance was 2 minutes of the episode, as well, as was the reading of the suicide note in Episode 3. The importance of a scene is not measured by how long it is.
norrisnick
The best...
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Unless it was pooly worded and subsequently misinterpreted, you described the entire episode as nonessential.
Which, given what the show is meant to be, is completely missing the point. The show is not meant to be a point A to point B narration of facts and events.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
I thought episode 7 works completely fine in terms of pacing of the series but good lord, the dialogue is poor. You can always tell these things are written by folks who haven't been teenagers in a very long time. They always overdo the sass (which is a problem with Ellie's character in general) and the tropes.
At any rate, the series is solid entertainment with the odd great shot. But the plot armor/twists sometimes get grating because they feel inorganic. Still, well worth a watch.
At any rate, the series is solid entertainment with the odd great shot. But the plot armor/twists sometimes get grating because they feel inorganic. Still, well worth a watch.
TheAngryHank
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- May 28, 2008
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I did't find it entertaining at all ..
I also don't like in a world like that where you get few chances to do something dumb or careless without getting killed .people even at that age do just stupid shit like powering up a whole mall , make noise singing and dancing seeming like nothing bad can come of it.
The gene pool after 20 years of living in that world is probably street smarter because dumb people have been murdered one way or another. But here we are in a mall doing the stupidest of shit before getting bit.
To me that is either really stupid or unrealistic.
That's what a story is and this is certainly meant to be a story. Regardless, your argument suggests that it's not possible for this show to have episodes that aren't essential, which isn't explained and doesn't make sense to me. In general, the "show is not meant to be..." argument that's been used often in this thread doesn't make much sense to me. I don't see why that matters or why it proves that someone is missing the point of the show. Suggesting that people with criticisms just don't get it honestly seems a little lazy and condescending to me. It's possible to understand the point of the show and what it's meant to be and still have things that we wish were done differently. We don't have to love something just because it's how the creators meant it to be.
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Bocephus86
Registered User
It seems to me that there are two distinct interpretations of what this story is about (both the game & show), and depending on which camp the person is in it obviously impacts how they view each episode.
The first camp is watching a story about survival in a post apocalypse world, which includes a journey that has an ultimate goal of 'solving' the apocalypse. The idea there is that the story should focus on the journey, the struggles, the conflicts, etc.
The second camp is watching a story about the human condition, about loss & love, and that the ultimate 'meaning of life' (to put it cheesey) is love. The post apocalypse serves only as a backdrop to that story in this view.
I'm not going to try to say whether one view or the other is better, I just know which camp I'm in.
The first camp is watching a story about survival in a post apocalypse world, which includes a journey that has an ultimate goal of 'solving' the apocalypse. The idea there is that the story should focus on the journey, the struggles, the conflicts, etc.
The second camp is watching a story about the human condition, about loss & love, and that the ultimate 'meaning of life' (to put it cheesey) is love. The post apocalypse serves only as a backdrop to that story in this view.
I'm not going to try to say whether one view or the other is better, I just know which camp I'm in.
What? That isn't how biology works. It's been what, 20 years they said?
Kids are going to be kids. Even adults make really stupid decision every day. Why should kids be held to a higher standard? Now if they had a character they propped up as being really smart and surviving this off their wit then they went and did something stupid like that I would agree with you.
Well said. The first one has been done many times. The second one less so.
TheAngryHank
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Not biology . what I meant was the idiots would have done something dumb by then and gotten themselves killed. SO who we have left would be street smarter or more savvy to surviving that environment,
Another example is when Joel went in to KC when the road was blocked knowing better but did it anyway...In the game which I don't know that works for an action sequence but again Joel is hardened. It's hard to accept as a viewer that surviving that long and would make that mistake.
It would seem that world had a set of rules you never break or you end up one of the unfortunate The bigger the rule you break the higher the odds of dieing. I guess it makes a show more predictable , F around and find out sort of thing.. I'm not real good at putting these thoughts to text , I guess I wouldn't last long.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
I mean, one doesn't stop the other but if I'd fall firmly into camp 2 I wouldn't be able to avoid comparing it to The Road and then without even meaning to it would sour the experience.
At its basic core, sure. But this isn't telling a story around a campfire. This is a serial drama made for television. Less room for narrative detours to flesh out characters, context, and backstory, than a novel, sure, but I think it's a bit silly to say there's no room for them either. Which, before you say it, I'm not saying that's what you're saying but even the term "non-essential" presupposes that every narrative choice must be essential to the progression of the narrative, but that's not what makes a good story. All the best shows have "non-essential" scenes that exist only to build the world the characters occupy, develop said characters, and/or help the audience understand and form connections with the characters better. Granted this was a whole ass episode but just because it doesn't serve one storytelling purpose (pushing the narrative to point b) doesn't mean it doesn't adequately serve another (developing one of the two main characters).
TheAngryHank
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All of this is true and I wont argue any of this..
However I think the part that bothers me is ,and it took a little while for it to sink in is this. When you watch any adds or trailers they show a dark dangerous world with what your lead to believe is a story of survival in what looks like a world of absolute hell.. No sunshine ,its dreary ,dark with fire and guns and monster zombies. Thats what as a consumer they are selling . So if your buying this product thats what you expect and I think thats safe to believe. What you get 60% of the time is just that. So when people say this is a love story I wonder where they get that idea from because it's not what the trailer is selling The bond forming between Ellie and Joel is /was inevitable in my opinion given Joels past so I buy in and enjoy. What we have gotten is ep3 with Gillagans island level of survival with the professor and Ginger on an land locked island [ both being males] eating fine dining on china ,keeping thigs going with coconuts while one plans dinner parties with friends.. Thats why I didn't get that episode . The latest ep we see 2 young people obviously rebellious but probably not stupid doing the absolutely dumbest things you could possibly do, only to get..... you gussed it...bit.
So parts of this show deliver in spades only to be fed episodes like the last and episode 3 so thats a let down. These episodes are like the cartoon at intermission at a drive in movie , it's easy to tune out because it's mostly pointless.
That isn't what "non-essential" means and the proof is in the next sentence, when you used it to mean something different. It seems like you're assuming what I mean when I use it, even though it's not how you use it. In fact, I'm using it the same way that you are and agree with most of what you just said.
I'm not saying it's something different. I'm drawing a distinction between supposed "non essential" scenes and full blown storylines that take up entire episodes. Both serve the same purpose, but I'm conceding that the latter is not as common. The difference is you see that in movies with long runtimes where people call such scenes bloated and unnecessary. And in the scope of a movie, that's more understandable since most people aren't interested in films with run times past 2hr 40m or so. If you agree with what I'm saying, fine.
I mean you say you agree with most of what I said but the way I'm reading your initial post is that this storyline from this episode was deficient because it didn't move the main plot along enough. And if my interpretation is right, I disagree but we can leave it at that.
The fact that the episode didn't move the main plot along didn't thrill me, but that's a far cry from suggesting that everything should move the main plot along. It's also just one of half a dozen reasons why the episode didn't thrill me.
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Arthur Morgan
Registered User
I love it when they follow the game to almost a T.
It;s exactly what I hope for every episode, I don't care if its identical to the game in every single way. I dont care if I know every second of the story along the way, just watching the 1st game in live action is a treat it's self.
there's parts I dislike but shows been a solid 8/9 out of 10
It;s exactly what I hope for every episode, I don't care if its identical to the game in every single way. I dont care if I know every second of the story along the way, just watching the 1st game in live action is a treat it's self.
there's parts I dislike but shows been a solid 8/9 out of 10
Arthur Morgan
Registered User
It's Left Behind man, the story is moving forward. in the game, she takes him to a mall where she looks for medical supplies. as she's there she has flash backs of her last experience in a mall along with a story of her first love and how she got bit.
the story has pushed forward and more so than you think. she's showing she can be independent and things have flipped, now she's the one taking care of Joel
the episode wasn't that bad to be honest. would be kind of unrealistic to have ellie sneaking around killing clickers and infected with her knife.
would have been cool to see her run into a group and she throws a bottle to wake up infected and have them clear the way. then she sneaks by creating alot of tension but hey it is what it is
Well for the people wanting more violence, that episode certainly provided it.
Holy f***
Holy f***
Blender
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- Dec 2, 2009
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Hivemind
We're Touched
They were a little more obvious regarding David's, shall we say, proclivities in the TV show than they were in the game. Captured the overall feeling of that portion of the game very well. One of the moments that lives on in your mind well after you finish playing. A very very good rendition, but hard to trump the feeling of playing through that sequence.
GKJ
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- Feb 27, 2002
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That was a wild ride
