twlight: Last of Us, tonight

FreakMachine 01.16.23	Just watched it, it's fuckin awesome
Dewinged 01.16.23	Gonna watch it tonight, very hyped indeed.
artiswar 01.16.23	What is this accomplishing? What is the point of retelling a story that was perfect the first time already? Besides $$
mynameischan 01.16.23	I thought it was great. Smart storytelling adjustments to fit the medium and excellent acting
Dewinged 01.16.23	@art in my case, i can finally get the wife to enjoy a great story I always loved and that she couldn't cause videogames are just not for her.
FreakMachine 01.16.23	It's literally nigh on goated
artiswar 01.16.23	if you really loved your wife you would just show her a YT cut of the story parts of the game
twlight 01.16.23	I think the story was always meant to be told. It's an amazing game but glad to see it in this medium. I don't think it's about $$$
mynameischan 01.16.23	I am very happy for Merle Dandridge that she gets to play Marlene in live action after having done such a great job in the game
artiswar 01.16.23	The only thing that was dumb to me about the original was how cartoonishly evil David was. He was literally the only character that wasn't developed, he was just insane and stupid. Hopefully the show gives him more dimension cause he had the potential to be an iconic villain
mynameischan 01.16.23	Why didn’t they humanize the cannibalistic pedophile????
twlight 01.16.23	David is super creepy but yeah his voice acting in the game was a bit much. Like yeah we get it, he's a creep
Gameofmetal 01.16.23	I can't believe how much shit Bella ramsay has caught for not "looking the part", I'm gonna roundhouse kick the next dumbfuck that talks shit at her after this premiere where she was literally pitch perfect Ellie. The only thing Im not sure about is the casting for Tommy but he hasn't really had a chance to prove himself in this role yet anyway.
twlight 01.16.23	Yeah people tend to suck. Some Last of us "fans" are some of the most despicable people. I don't tend to pay much mind to that negativity because at the end of the day it's a creative story
Colton 01.16.23	thought the debut was great. impressive set pieces and acting
Tundra 01.16.23	It's just like playing the game again except it's all cut scenes lol, that's my review so far
InfernalDeity 01.17.23	What a debut
TalonsOfFire 01.17.23	Joel, Tommy, and Ellie were all weird casting and don't look like they do in the game, which has mildly annoyed me in the lead up to the premiere. Having said that, their performances were really good and totally embodied the characters from the game. Impressive first episode and very faithful to the best game ever made, flew by and I wish I could just binge the series.
tyman128 01.17.23	The acting in the first episode was amazing, I'm hooked
Colton 01.17.23	I'm playing the game again now. so good
DoofDoof 01.17.23	The first Walking Dead spin off is out? I dunno, well made but nothing new so far (from someone who knows nothing about the game)
Tundra 01.17.23	The game is a 10/10, I think I might just stay on the sidelines and let the people who want to watch this watch it. It's exactly the same as the game so far, it's a well done show and very faithful to source material, I'm not getting much from it though personally. I'd rather just replay the game at that point honestly.
Rowan5215 01.19.23	enjoyed this a lot. A+ casting across the board, everyone killed it. pacing felt a bit weird but hopefully that'll settle in as it goes on, otherwise v nice Pedro Pascal daddy af
KrillBoi 01.19.23	Phenomenal start. Pedro and Bella both absolutely killed it. Nico Parker as Sarah was great too.
Colton 01.20.23	just finished the first game for the second time last night. if the TV show conveys some of those final scenes with the same brutality as the game, it's gonna make for some powerful moments
Colton 01.20.23	also played about an hour of the second game which was amazingly immersive. the voice acting and character animations are insane, never heard dialogue in a game be delivered so naturally
Colton 01.20.23	@DoofDoof there really isn't much "new" about the story in TLOU. on paper, it's pretty simple, but it's very well told and has a lot of amazing scenes and moments. the ending especially
TalonsOfFire 01.20.23	TLoU2 is an incredibly immersive, well designed and fun game to play, which is the ultimate point of course. I was conflicted about the story and don't really see why it needed to be told and in that way. The first ep of the series was very good but I don't see why they replaced the Joel and Tess hunting down that guy with the guns storyline, which was pretty exciting, with that thing about a car engine which was kinda pointless.
IsisScript80 01.20.23	"The first Walking Dead spin off is out? I dunno, well made but nothing new so far" Well, yeah, it's very much in a genre (it's not even like TWD is really original)... it's all about execution and at the very least, staying true to its internal logic (something that TWD has failed on in at least 60% of its duration). On this though, great start. Very much enjoyed the opening.
FreakMachine 01.21.23	Soooooooo excited for the second episode. That being said, I'm sick of people saying TLoU has an "amazing story". It does not, it has a remarkably short plot that could be condensed into a post it note, with the most generic and formulaic moment-to-moment story out there. What it DOES have is incredible writing and characters. People confuse these with story to often and it drives me wild.
Colton 01.21.23	naughty dog’s philosophy has always been complex characters, simple plot. if you assess the plot on how complex it is then yeah it’s not great. but there’s so many more aspects that go into it than that, as you said about the writing and characters. I don’t think you can actually separate those things from the story so I’m curious why that drives you wild. the way a story is told is just as important as the actual plot points of the story if not moreso
Colton 01.21.23	@talons it’s because they don’t wanna depict them as being super violent murderers right off the bat. the show will have a lot less killing compared to the game so they gotta make those moments count. it was a good change imo
FreakMachine 01.21.23	@colton because characters are not the "story", they are the devices through which that story is told. The story itself is derivative and threadbare. The game is excellent, but its story is as weak as its clunky gameplay. And Naughty Dog only has complex characters in Last of Us. Their philosophy has NEVER been complex characters - Nate Drake, Sully, Chloe etc aren't exactly complex, nor is Crash Bandicoot.
Colton 01.21.23	the development of the characters is part of the story. the nuances to the ways the characters interact with each other are part of the story. I don't see any real separation between that and the overarching plot points also the gameplay in TLOU is amazing and butter smooth what are you talking about lol. probably my favourite combat in any game I've ever played
Colton 01.21.23	curious why you say it's an excellent game if you don't like the story or gameplay...
TalonsOfFire 01.21.23	Colton is totally right regarding the story of TLoU and gameplay. I wish they didn't change that aspect for the series, the truth is they are killers and this is a brutal world. It just came across like they wanted to water down Joel and Tess and make them more likable, which is already not a good sign just in episode 1. Not that I want just a carbon copy of the game the whole time tho.
IsisScript80 01.21.23	^ I played the first game a bit (PS4 remaster) several years ago... was going well and enjoying it, then the controller started breaking and that stupid thing (like many things) was enough to divert me enough onto the next shiny distraction (or whatever else was going on at the time). Point being, that I didn't get that far into it to have any particular attachment to the characters or situations. There's always going to be some level of change in any cross-media adaptation; it's kinda miraculous to FINALLY be in an era of GOOD video-game to TV adaptations... From a narrative standpoint, it wouldn't really make much sense to have someone like Pedro Pascal (fresh off his 'daddy' role in The Mandolorian), come in and be very morally ambiguous from the outset. The aim would be to get the audience on-side and potentially build from there; can't have a protagonist act too repellent from the get-go, as it just wouldn’t be considered palatable to a mass viewership. Just the way it is... I don't have an inherent problem with it. As far as characters vs. story: there IS a difference in the sense that great characters can populate a basic story, and conversely, there can be a great, complex story with paper-thin characterisations (walking, talking plot points or exposition props). In terms of viewing, probably the former is preferable... the latter situation I find can be hard to sit through.
Colton 01.21.23	yeah especially because there's long action sequences in the game that involve Joel just shooting waves of people, so it makes sense to establish him as a killer in the opening scenes of a game to establish some consistency between those scenes and the gameplay. the show won't have those long action sequences so they need to be more tactful in how they implement the violent scenes
Colton 01.21.23	"there IS a difference in the sense that great characters can populate a basic story, and conversely, there can be a great, complex story with paper-thin characterisations" yes but the interactions between characters is a huge part of what makes TLOU engaging from a narrative standpoint, and the development of the relationship between characters is a story in itself
nol 01.21.23	Game itself doesn’t interest me too much, but I’ve always wanted to experience the story. If this is as good as people are saying it is, I’m excited.
IsisScript80 01.21.23	In regards to Colton's first point: Indeed. The story-to-game mechanics that are in place to minimise Ludonarrative dissonance that TV inherently doesn't have. Hence why this is cool to change for the adaptation, IMO.
IsisScript80 01.21.23	Also: "yes but the interactions between characters is a huge part of what makes TLOU engaging from a narrative standpoint, and the development of the relationship between characters is a story in itself" I agree. Complex characterisation more than makes up for a generally basic plot. I think that's the distinction: plot is plot... well written characters can BE the backbone of the narrative.
IsisScript80 01.21.23	@nol: It's very early days, and we're only reacting to S01E01, but it's started very strong.
nol 01.21.23	the fact that it’s HBO and not Netflix is a good sign lol. especially with the good reviews HBO + good reception almost always means I’m gonna like it
Colton 01.21.23	@nol the game itself is so fun man, I highly recommend it. even if you don't care about the story the gameplay is super satisfying and fun
Colton 01.21.23	wow I can't believe people are agreeing with me in this thread this is a new experience for me
MO 01.21.23	"I'm not getting much from it though personally. I'd rather just replay the game at that point honestly" exactly this. as pointless as this show was to make I'll sit it out after that first episode
nol 01.21.23	the Witcher show was one of the worst things I’ve ever watched
Colton 01.21.23	I really dislike the story of The Witcher 3 too. I was playing it for like a week and had to tap out. endless side quests of obscure fantasy bullshit. every quest is like "find the cursed bread basket and perform a ritual spell on it to summon a Gorzooble that will lead you to the elven mage's beloved" or some shit
Colton 01.21.23	not to mention the most wooden and dry dialogue of all time but that's a whole other story lol
nol 01.21.23	I could see how people like the gameplay but the whole limited resources and god-like stealth to kill one clicker aspects just kinda irritated me, especially coming from Uncharted where you stack a lot of bodies in a short period of time
TalonsOfFire 01.21.23	Plot and characters are inherently woven together in most stories, maybe not all, but in TLoU they are. I begrudgingly get they want to appeal to a bigger audience than a PS3 game did so it won't be as violent, but I just don't want it to be sanitized and wimpy in a harsh world where fungal zombies are everywhere and force people to be ruthless and violent just to survive. They already said it won't be as violent as the game, fine, but you still need to have some just to show the world the way it really would be in this state. I liked that at least he attacked that guard guy who was threatening Ellie, which wasn't in the game, but otherwise the changes from the game were for the worse. I watched the first hour and a half of cutscenes last Monday for comparison. I'd give the episode 7/10 I guess.
Colton 01.21.23	the limited resources make it so much more fun. you have to either be strategic with how you approach combat, or actually be good at getting headshots. it feels very rewarding and because resources are limited every kill is more impactful
nol 01.21.23	I’m just not big into games like that, I like stacking bodies
Colton 01.21.23	@talons the violence will be more impactful later on if they set it up the way they are now. think about the last scenes in the game and how brutal they could be in the show
Colton 01.21.23	@nol not an acceptable answer buy it right now or I'll report you to nintendo for modding your switch
Colton 01.21.23	also bought the Uncharted Legacy of Thieves collection a couple weeks ago pretty excited for that
nol 01.21.23	there’s nothing Nintendo can do I blocked their servers
nol 01.21.23	If I like the show I might give it another shot
Colton 01.21.23	nolan you can stack bodies in the game if you play like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyGUtjjD6W8&ab_channel=GamerANH
FreakMachine 01.21.23	"the development of the characters is part of the story. the nuances to the ways the characters interact with each other are part of the story. I don't see any real separation between that and the overarching plot points also the gameplay in TLOU is amazing and butter smooth what are you talking about lol. probably my favourite combat in any game I've ever played" Emulating it at 120fps at 4k (yes, rcps3 allows frame gen on 40 series), its clunky as fuck. But seriously the game has deliberate input lag, as Neil Druckmann said when they released it. Please don't make excuses. And yes you can separate it. Character development is separate from "story". Stop making exuses for ND You said their whole philsophy was that. Please explain given that Uncharted has zero character development outside of "indiana jones" and Crash didn't either. Please explain Colton
JeetJeet 01.21.23	Godly first episode and I've heard nothing but positive things about the season as a whole Also the 2nd game is a genuine masterpiece and you're on the wrong side of history if you hated on it
Storm In A Teacup 01.21.23	Nerds.
FreakMachine 01.21.23	"Also the 2nd game is a genuine masterpiece and you're on the wrong side of history if you hated on it" Agreed Sorry you're poor if you disagree
FreakMachine 01.22.23	Wednesday >
JeetJeet 01.22.23	"Wednesday >" Gf has been forcefully injecting this show into my veins. Its solid I guess. Shoutout to Jenna Ortega and I'm sure she'll get way more roles thanks to the show.
Colton 01.22.23	"Emulating it at 120fps at 4k (yes, rcps3 allows frame gen on 40 series), its clunky as fuck." never found it even slightly clunky, it's notably smooth to me. just feels so good and flows so well. that's the consensus among most people but obviously you can think what you want "Character development is separate from "story". Stop making exuses for ND" the development of a relationship between characters is a story in itself, as I said. story does not just refer to a list of events "You said their whole philsophy was that. Please explain given that Uncharted has zero character development outside of "indiana jones" and Crash didn't either. Please explain Colton" I meant for TLOU series specifically
Colton 01.22.23	@Jeet 5 hours in to TLOU 2 and it's been absolutely amazing. laughing at all the nerds who couldn't handle the fact that the narrative is challenging and there's some hard to watch stuff. how did these people survive Game of Thrones?
Storm In A Teacup 01.22.23	Colton most recent comment is the first thing that has made me interested in whatever the hell yall are even talking about. Is this a Lord of the Rings show
Colton 01.22.23	it’s a Lord of the Rings prequel
twlight 01.22.23	LOU2 is fucking awesome. gameplay is great and the level design is on a total other level. NaughtyDog know what they're doing and whether you like the story in game or not, you cant deny how perfectly designed the scenarios are in that game. just watched the Pilot episode again to prep for tomorrow night. and it's definitely really good. It's hard to hit the exact atmosphere that the game has and because of that, i don't think it's as good as the game, so far. that could change my favorite part of ep/1 was actually the last 10 mins when they get out of the QZ zone, just Joel Tess and Ellie out in the SHIT. I think they really nailed that vibe from the game and the last shot of the episode was stunning. stoked for ep.2 tomorrow night.
twlight 01.22.23	and Colton, agreed. are you playing Last of us on ps4 or the new ps5 remaster?
twlight 01.22.23	"also bought the Uncharted Legacy of Thieves collection a couple weeks ago pretty excited for that" dude its an absolute masterpiece. UC4 and Lost legacy are so fun
Colton 01.22.23	I played the ps4 version. I remember when it came out I was blown away by the graphics. now I'm just like "yeah it looks like an early ps4 game." still looks good, but the second one looks incredible
Colton 01.22.23	and yeah I'm hyped for Uncharted, I was obsessed with it when I was a kid and thought Nathan Drake was the coolest character ever. I beat 1 2 and 3 like 3 times each. it's kinda amazing I haven't played 4 yet. went through a long phase where I didn't really play games and now I'm catching up on so many good ones
Storm In A Teacup 01.22.23	Okay yeah this is pretty good. We got Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins in the first parts of the movie.
twlight 01.22.23	Lmao storm. Nice dude, Colton just play em on ps4. At the end of the day the ARE PS4 games. 4 is a fun game and honestly lost legacy is even better. But play 4 first
Colton 01.22.23	actually thinking of replaying the first 3 games before 4 for nostalgia purposes
Colton 01.22.23	and TLOU 2 had an update for ps5 I think so I get the upgraded version which is nice
twlight 01.22.23	But they do look better on the ps5 I'm not gonna lie... Snag one of you can
twlight 01.22.23	Wait you have a PS5??
Colton 01.22.23	yeah I have a PS5 but I played the PS4 version of The Last of Us cause I already had it from many years ago. I have Legacy of Thieves on PS5. it's only on PS5
twlight 01.22.23	well then you are set dude, play Uncharted 4 on ps5 and follow it up with the Lost Legacy... those games really do play so much better on ps5 with the remaster, enjoy
Colton 01.22.23	yeah man I'm looking forward to it. gotta get through TLOU 2 first though which I'm gonna take my time with. I heard it's a lot longer than the first. I'm only 5 hours in
twlight 01.22.23	its a very long game, the longest NaughtD has made about 30 hrs, which is pretty long for a linear game. which difficulty are you on?
Space Jester 01.22.23	Play Devil May Cry 5 instead
Colton 01.22.23	oh wow. that's awesome. it'll probably take me like 33 cause I'm a dumbass and I always find ways to get stuck in TLOU games. and I'm just on normal difficulty
twlight 01.22.23	good difficulty to start on, first playthrough
twlight 01.22.23	Enjoy. I'm on my 3rd playthrough of the game on survivor.
Rowan5215 01.23.23	didn't expect that death this week as a non gamer. bummer but it's a smart way to raise the stakes set pieces and design of this show are truly something else, I wish the dialogue was better but otherwise it's baller
someone 01.23.23	got around to the first episode finally. the pre-apocalypse story and Joel-Sarah dynamic was by far the most interesting aspect to me. then once we get to the QZ it became kinda one-note and cheap. as in those tv show tidbits that just pull you out. they set up a whole set with a terrorist group and a totalitarian state, for example, but then the whole terrorist group can get wiped out on a whim (or just a squad i guess) for plot's convenience? i like some aspects and ideas introduced, but then by the end of the episode they are suddenly out of the QZ so all those ideas are just thrown out of the window. i'm guessing the QZ won't come back. anyone familiar with the game, do they ever go back to the QZ or does it play a larger role later?
Rowan5215 01.23.23	one thing I do know about the games, that terrorist group is definitely not wiped out lmao. not sure bout the QZ but I don't really feel eager for them to go back there tbh
someone 01.23.23	i'm spoiling here btw i don't actually know if they were wiped out (two of the leaders are certainly still alive, even if injured), but they spoke of getting all of their members in one spot and getting out of QZ, then a few scenes later they were in a shootout with some local thug and suddenly turns out that there's nobody but Joel and Tess who can take Ellie out, cause the squad is gone. so like was that just a group of people or the whole organisation?
FreakMachine 01.23.23	Show's great so far, Wednesday > though
Gameofmetal 01.23.23	I'm glad they expanded on Tess and Joel's relationship, it adds another dimension to his later choices that I think is mostly skated over in the game somehow. For some reason it's never implied that he thinks anymore about her imploring him to find a cure, she's literally never brought up again in either game. I wanna know where they're going with the Indonesia scene, which seemed to be commentary on the recent discourse of "well you can't vaccinate against fungus" thing that I noticed in the last year or two. Really wondering how that's gonna shape the story moving forward.
TalonsOfFire 01.23.23	The new flashback scenes about the origins of the pandemic are interesting since they're not in the game at all, I like that world building. The Boston QZ section was more exciting in the game, as they hunt down and end up executing someone who double crossed them regarding their gun supply. I also prefer how they run into Ellie and agree to smuggle her in the game too, it made more sense than this whole thing about a car battery or whatever. I still liked episode 1 well enough, but this second episode was fantastic and was great how they expanded on Tess's death scene. The actress was good but would've been cool if they had gotten the one who did her voice in the game, remember her from 24. I was fine with how they expanded on her and Joel's relationship in the show.
Colton 01.23.23	debating if I should hold off on this until I finish the second game cause it might feel weird to watch two different versions of Joel and Ellie at the same time
someone 01.23.23	i did not expect 'that' kind of an ending at episode 2 already. thought they'd keep that twist for later. love the cold opens where we get glimpses of the pandemic's start
someone 01.23.23	here's something. i don't know if this was in the game, but i really liked how you can see the shit quality of paper and basic products everyone is using. like you know paper mills are no longer easily accessible, so they have to make do with what they can find
PotsyTater 01.23.23	Watched the first half of episode one of this and have to say they did an absolutely jaw dropping job of adapting that opening action sequence when shit hits the fan. It felt (and even looked) just like playing the game again for the first time.
IsisScript80 01.23.23	TalonsOfFire: "The new flashback scenes about the origins of the pandemic are interesting since they're not in the game at all, I like that world building." Yeah. I'm really enjoying it (including second episode), but these sections, which could be dull infodumps/exposition are remarkably effective and well done. PotsyTater: "It felt (and even looked) just like playing the game again for the first time." True. Great aesthetic lifted directly from the very rich and well-realised source material. Budget on display and definitely helps, along with top-notch excecution.
JeetJeet 01.23.23	A few thoughts so far... Whoever played Tommy nailed it in ep 1. In fact everyone's nailing it so far in terms of portraying the characters they are. Hope they continue the trend of showing the world pre-apocalypse in the opening segments The hivemind thing they did with the infected in ep 2 is really dope. The clickers are just as fucking intense on TV as they are in the game.
Purpl3Spartan 01.24.23	Unfortunately never played the games (although very familiar with them) so I will likely be watching the show and will eventually get to the games for sure
FreakMachine 01.24.23	That whole zombie kiss thing was dumb as shit, and Tess' death was way less impactful than in the game, alongside the fact that we didn't get the turret jeep afterwards. Episode still slapped though
FreakMachine 01.24.23	"I have Legacy of Thieves on PS5. it's only on PS5" It's on PC as well
Colton 01.26.23	true say
Colton 01.26.23	just finished TLOU 2. there were some aspects of the story in the second half that I didn't love but overall the outrage and backlash is so overblown. it's an amazing and uniquely engaging game. does some things better than any game I've ever played. quite a ride
Colton 01.26.23	now I'm playing the Uncharted series in order. half an hour into Drake's Fortune, it honestly looks great on ps4
Gameofmetal 01.26.23	The fanbase wanted a worse game for the sequel, that's for sure. Every suggestion I've ever seen for what it should've looked like suck shit.
protokute 01.26.23	Liking it more than I thought I would. But what was the deal with that zombie kiss, tho?
IsisScript80 01.26.23	"But what was the deal with that zombie kiss, tho?" Yeah, that was the gratuitous "OMG, did you SEE THAT??!!" moment that gets thrown in. Still, gets people talking about it, so in that sense, job done I suppose.
JeetJeet 01.26.23	The infected kiss felt like it came out of another show entirely but thats pretty much the only nitpick I have for this show thats been pretty much flawless for these first two episodes
Colton 01.26.23	the kiss was because Tess was already infected, and not attacking the other infected either. so they don’t attack her, they just kinda speed up her transition
Colton 01.26.23	it’s supposed to tie in to the idea they established of all the infected being this interconnected hivemind
Colton 01.26.23	and yeah TLOU 2 pissed people off because it dared to be bold and tell its story in a very non traditional way. I’ve never seen abrupt deaths of characters in that style since The Wire
nol 01.26.23	have you ever played the uncharted games before or are you replaying
JeetJeet 01.26.23	"the kiss was because Tess was already infected, and not attacking the other infected either. so they don’t attack her, they just kinda speed up her transition" Oh wow didnt really think of it that way
Colton 01.26.23	I’ve played 1-3 a bunch of times nol. 1 was the first ps3 game I ever played and 2 was my favourite game ever for a long time. think I was 11 when I started playing them and I thought Nathan Drake was the coolest character of all time. never played 4
IsisScript80 01.26.23	'"the kiss was because Tess was already infected, and not attacking the other infected either. so they don’t attack her, they just kinda speed up her transition" Oh wow didnt really think of it that way' I suppose it can make justifiable sense, but even so, I'm sure that the sensational aspect kinda propelled its inclusion.
nol 01.26.23	Play 4 and unplay 3 Uncharted 2 is such a great game and I have a soft spot for 1 too. Would be dope to play them with better graphics and not a ps3 controller
protokute 01.26.23	so the infected just casually and erotically embrace other non transitioned infected people and kiss?
Colton 01.26.23	@nol they look and run great on the ps4 versions, even the first one looks great. and I remember liking 3 a lot
Colton 01.26.23	@protokute basically yeah. I guess they foreshadowed it with that opening scene when the scientist pulls the fungus out of the dead lady’s mouth and it’s all squirming around
IsisScript80 01.26.23	It's a somewhat Giger-esque, horror trope... a violation with an underlying erotic/sexual element. As said, there may be a story aspect whereby it makes full sense, but it did feel tonally jarring.
Colton 01.26.23	the story aspect that explains it happens earlier that episode. when they’re talking about how all the infected are connected and doing something to one can notify others and make them come for you. if they all think as one, why would they attack each other? since tess was infected already they viewed her as one of them
protokute 01.26.23	i kind of understand it, but it messes the tone a bit, you know?
Colton 01.26.23	yeah it is a bit weird. but now that I know they did it I don’t really mind. overall it was a good episode but honestly the game’s storytelling is just as good, combined with gameplay that’s much more intense than anything the show has showed so far so I don’t see any way for the show to really live up to the game for me
cvlts 01.26.23	Heard episode 3 is by far and away the best of the series. Can't wait.
Colton 01.26.23	I wonder if taking a different approach to the way they tell the story of the second game will make people like it more
ConcubinaryCode 01.26.23	I think the second story had some pacing issues and could've dived into ellies psyche maybe a bit more but I also think some people were gonna hate it just from the leaks and the killed off a well liked protag from the first game. Bear in mind a ton of people already speculated Joel was going to die based off the e3 trailer, I think most didn't expect him to die so soon though. Story was fine tho. Chuds gonna chud. Check Noah Caldwell Gervais' video on it, it goes into great detail and kinda turned my opinion on the games. I initially liked part 1 more but part 2 undeniably takes more risks and pays off in most the aspects
Colton 01.26.23	I'm watching that right now
Colton 01.26.23	I watched a video of the voice actor for Dina reacting to some of her scenes, she looks just like her. I hope they cast her for the show
Colton 01.26.23	oh nvm that's not the voice actor. just the person they modeled her after
Gameofmetal 01.27.23	Noah Caldwell Gervais is one of the only good gaming video essayists. So much of the outrage against part 2 is manufactured, there was an enormous hate campaign from the 4chan gamergate refuse, trash ass grifters publishing videos on youtube, etc.
Gameofmetal 01.27.23	Hell, even some dipshit streamer playing the game on release for an audience of thousands and hating it because they just fundamentally have horrible ideas about what constitutes good storytelling is an influence on the very young, very malleable culture of gamers.
gryndstone 01.27.23	^ yeah Saw the first 2 episodes the other night, really good showing. The video game - TV show adaptation we've all been waiting for. They're doing such a good job calling to the games dialogue and level design but also, y'know, making a high budget TV show. Kiss made sense to me, and was definitely a little shocking to see in a good way. Wouldn't be surprised to see that happen a few more times
Colton 01.27.23	I'm obviously fine with people not liking TLOU 2 but it's hilarious how many video "essays" there are on youtube where people talk about how Neil Druckmann fundamentally doesn't understand what good storytelling is because he took the story in a direction that differed from what people personally wanted. like they try to argue it's objectively bad
Colton 01.27.23	not to mention people mad about there being a lesbian romance arc which is actually implemented in a very natural feeling way, and a transgender character which they never even explicitly state is trans and has almost no relevance to the overall story anyway. or that Abby's muscles are too big
ConcubinaryCode 01.27.23	Yeah I remember the speculation that Abby was the trans character because of the muscles. I thought the actual trans character was handled really well and I actually really like Abby as a character.
Nomos2 01.27.23	To be honest, watching the first 2 episodes has been a....strange experience. It's extremely accurate to the game and well done. The problem? The entire series was filmed in Alberta, all over the province. But mainly Edmonton, Calgary, Waterton I see, and some other locations. Episodes 1+2? All Edmonton baby. I could not get immersed. Instead of seeing the composited images come together to form a scene in the movie that I'm immersed in, I'm just seeing random buildings in Edmonton almost kitbashed together and then draped with CGI ivy/moss/destruction. They filmed it downtown, including just outside my brother's condo. He sent me live pictures as he sat in his back alley and watched the shooting happen. He once sent a pic of Anna Torv sitting in the alley waiting for her cue. Those iconic towers from the first game, with one collapsed and leaning into the other? One is just this boring building downtown that I see all the time. The "state capitol" at the very end? That's just the Alberta Legislature Building. Now it makes sense why last summer they covered it in ivy and threw some burnt-out cars out from for a few days while filming. From memory, they were also going over a bridge, looking out onto another bridge, both covered with abandoned cars. But they clearly just shot that by our river valley south of downtown, where there is one measly small bridge, and composited in another roadway for scale. I'm just seeing all these seams everywhere. So yeah, hard to be immersed, but since I know what happens in the game anyway, this makes for a wild viewing experience. I'm sure americans are used to, all day long, seeing their cities/towns in media because well, most English media is shot in the USA in big cities. Alberta has had its fair share of filming, but never to this extent. Actually, TLOU is the largest TV production in Canadian history, so definitely the largest filmed production of any kind in Alberta (trumping The Revenant.) Wild. I can't wait to watch the rest, if solely from this perspective. My wife is practically watching just to spot the places we recognize.
Colton 01.27.23	it did feel, just slightly, like that part of the story was just padding things out a bit, but since the gameplay is so good I didn't mind at all
Colton 01.27.23	that's pretty cool nomos, I figured it was in the US somewhere
Trebor. 01.27.23	Most expensive shoot ever in Canada
twlight 01.27.23	i actually liked Abby more than Ellie in LOU2. i remember thinking "i really don't wanna play as this character" when it got to that part of the game, but she ended up being really likable IMO and isn't Lev the explicitly Trans character in LOU2?...i dont think Abby is
Colton 01.27.23	yes Lev is
Colton 01.27.23	I wonder if Abby will be in the third one. they spent a lot of time developing her but idk if there's any way for her story and Ellie's story to intersect anymore
Colton 01.27.23	also man as a guitarist that last scene with Ellie is so hard to watch
ConcubinaryCode 01.28.23	I still say Tommy was the real villain of part two.
Colton 01.28.23	that's a stretch. him and Ellie had the same motivations, it's not like she did anything cause of him
combustion07 01.28.23	Damn sir you really giving out your HBO to sputnikers?!? I need to check this show out though
Gameofmetal 01.28.23	Tommy is fucking scary, that sniper sequence is insane. Would give anything for some glimpses of him and Joel in the 20 years after the outbreak.
Colton 01.28.23	I thought there would be beef between him and Joel about the whole situation with Ellie and the Fireflies but instead he was just like “I would’ve done the same” and supported his brother all the way, I liked that
IsisScript80 01.28.23	Nomos2: "The entire series was filmed in Alberta, all over the province. But mainly Edmonton, Calgary, Waterton I see, and some other locations." Yeah, I see the issue. It's not the show's fault, but in your (very specific) situation, it'd definitely break immersion.
Nomos2 01.28.23	Yeah usually I get to spend my time not recognizing filming locations but this is like watching someone shoot a AAA series in your own backyard lol. Can't wait for them to get out the city. If they shot it flatteringly at all, it'll be a nice commercial for rural/southern Alberta's landscapes.
Gameofmetal 01.30.23	Im fuckin bawling in the club yall, jesus christ ep3
Colton 01.30.23	wow the building they're in 6 minutes in looks straight out of the game
Colton 01.30.23	20 minutes in this episode is great
Faraudo 01.30.23	Still crying an hour later ngl
JeetJeet 01.30.23	Episode 3 made me shed thug tears mannnn
Colton 01.30.23	all doubt is eliminated, that was amazing
IsisScript80 01.30.23	Yeah. That... that was good sniff. Something in my eye there.
Gameofmetal 01.30.23	Very interesting that we got virtually a full hour divergence from the main story that wildly strayed from the game but it was just flat out better and connected beautifully to the themes of the series. Cannot fucking believe there's anyone that was disappointed. Why the fuck would I give this away for some Ellie-evil Bill banter, why the fuck is that better lmao.
Rowan5215 01.30.23	episode made me cry like a baby lol it did break suspension of disbelief a little that Joel just got gray hair over the 10 years and the other two guys aged like 30 years lmao
IsisScript80 01.30.23	^ That's fairly common in these things... doesn't bother me too much, as I've known several people in real-life who look like they've barely aged a day in decades, and others who've aged about 20 years in 5. Luck of genetics.
twlight 01.30.23	I kinda love what they did with Bill. We got to see a side of the story only hinted at in the game but something that always intrigued me. Beautiful love story. And the conclusion is the same, Bill helps Joel and Ellie get the truck to continue the journey.
TalonsOfFire 01.30.23	RIP the og Tess actress from the game, Annie Wersching, who tragically died yesterday of cancer. I liked this episode well enough and it was very well acted, but preferred the previous one tbh. There was barely any conflict in the second half and it all played out basically like an extended version of the beginning of Up, and also the last episode of Bly Manor. Nothing was that surprising about it to me and was too long. Really liked the first third and their scene with Joel and Tess. Hope the next eps up the stakes and intensity.
DavidYowi 01.30.23	“ RIP the og Tess actress from the game, Annie Wersching, who tragically died yesterday of cancer.” Damn she gave an awesome performance in the game. RIP
Colton 01.30.23	“ it all played out basically like an extended version of the beginning of Up” the entirety of the first game is just scary Up let’s be honest
Trebor. 01.30.23	Really hoping this raises the bar for video game adaptations. This is the first good video game adaptation ever which is really depressing
IsisScript80 01.30.23	^ It's not... not really. It's ONE of the first, but I've seen a couple of episodes of 'Arcane' and all of 'Cyberpunk 2077: Edgerunners' and they definitely hit the mark. It's just that it's taken something close ro four decades for this to be a phenomenon. “RIP the og Tess actress from the game, Annie Wersching, who tragically died yesterday of cancer.” Absolutely. Rest in peace.
Colton 01.30.23	@trebor The Last of Us was also one of the first video game stories that's actually good
Shemson 01.30.23	What an incredible 70 minutes of TV that third episode was Like a movie in itself I never played the game so I don’t care they changed the story but having read up on the original I’m glad they did
Faraudo 01.31.23	This is far from being the only good videogame adaptation lmao, but it might end up being the best.
twlight 01.31.23	im trying to think of a video game adaptation that was good? besides edgerunners
Rowan5215 01.31.23	first silent hill movie still whips
deathschool 01.31.23	Y’all ever fucked a zombie?
JeetJeet 01.31.23	"im trying to think of a video game adaptation that was good? besides edgerunners" Arcane. The first Resident Evil movie too.
DoofDoof 01.31.23	What was the playable part of ep 3? Planting the strawberries?
Nomos2 01.31.23	Well, that was unexpectedly exceptional. Took a quick throwaway part of the game and altered it to stretch it out into a 70 minute movie. Just about flawless. Also using Max Richter is like a cheat code for getting someone to cry. I'm scratching my head about where they could have filmed this. With the gate/trap action I wonder if they didn't just build building facades and then shoot the interiors in a different house, but I'll have to watch again to pay better attention. Would be cool if the white house exterior does exist, because it wouldn't be much of a drive for me. Also I just realized that a small cul-de-sac seen in the first episode just briefly was, for some reason, shot 5 minutes from my house in adjoining neighborhood?! I need to do a film set tour once the dust has settled on S1. Next month I'm going to see the in-laws in deep south AB so we'll drive straight through Fort MacMurray, which is a very old, very small, very remote town that looks like it's out of a time machine. It was used for the whole outbreak escape with Tommy sequence in ep 1 (and...ugh...the last Ghostbusters movie).
Colton 01.31.23	@doof it's quite different in the game. Joel and Ellie get to Bill's town, and navigate around a bunch of traps, which alert a horde of infected that you have to fight off with Bill. he's a total dick and him and Ellie bicker the whole time. after you fight off the infected you get back to Bill's place and find Frank hung himself because he got bitten. he leaves a note saying "I guess you were right. Trying to leave this town will kill me. Still better than spending another day with you." Joel doesn't even know who he is, and asks Bill if he meant something to him. Bill just sighs and says "he was my partner." you never actually meet Frank and the fact that they were a gay couple is only hinted at
robertsona 01.31.23	colton slide me some skin
Colton 01.31.23	nudes?
robertsona 01.31.23	nah im talkin high fives baby bang my line tho at your leisure
AnusNballs 01.31.23	Dead girls can’t say no Amirite fellas???? I never played the game. Ep 1 was fine, 2 very good, 3 was sort of like wellllllll idk what happened but this entire episode was basically spent on 2 dudes who grew old together. Kinda boring really. Was expecting a better raider encounter. Thought they dropped the ball there. Overall I’m pretty stoked to watch the rest of it. It’s still better than the majority of shit I attempt to get into so yeah
DoofDoof 01.31.23	Cheers for the synopsis Colton The show is growing on me, slow paced so far but I can dig that. Pedro is good as always, GoT girl I dunno, thought she stuck out as a bit unbelievable in that show and here again she’s a bit distracting - guess I’m mellowing on her character anyway
Colton 01.31.23	excited for the Sam and Henry section. that one scene with them in the game is absolutely perfect, wouldn't be surprised if they follow it to a T
Colton 01.31.23	no problem doof
Wildcardbitchesss 01.31.23	@anusnballs I think this episode, while still being incredible in its own right, is really meant for fans of the game. They fleshed out Bill and Frank and their relationship way more than I expected them to.
CygnusX1 01.31.23	I only played the game for a minute, and that last ep was phenomenal. Was not expecting the show to go that route, but man am I happy (not crying at all...) it did. Amazing acting and what a story. So glad this show is focusing on relationships and humanity in the post-apocalypse instead of mindless zombie killing pseudo-action-movie scenes.
Colton 01.31.23	@wildcard not sure if I agree cause a lot of fans of the game just want them to recreate the game as accurately as possible. deviating from that, like they did with this episode actually makes a lot of them mad. that, combined with some homophobia is probably why it’s getting review bombed on imdb
IsisScript80 01.31.23	@CygnusX1: Agree 100%. "I think this episode, while still being incredible in its own right, is really meant for fans of the game." Well, as I mentioned some ways up now, I didn't really get far into the game (years ago now) before being pulled away by life's distractions, and I don't remember Bill and Frank (probably didn't get far enough into it to meet them), but I think this show completely and successfully stands in its own right, completely detached from source material. That, I reckon, is an ideal state for any trans-media adaption anyone could hope for.
twlight 01.31.23	I hope they start getting more intense with the action. There really hasn't been much action yet so I'd like to see some intense sequences that harken back the the brutality of the game
Colton 01.31.23	yeah I’m assuming they will do that later on. theyprobably don’t want there to be too much of it so it’s more impactful when it does happen
Gameofmetal 02.01.23	The preview for the next episode was clearly for the city section with the bandits so I'm expecting some action for sure.
Wildcardbitchesss 02.01.23	wonder if they’ll adapt the basement section and make me shit my pants again
someone 02.01.23	loved E3. shows beautifully the how life turns out in a world like that. and in the end it was very touching. i like how a show like this nowadays can just devolve into following similar beats episode after episode, but Mazin and the team show that it isn't actually about combat, brutality, horrors of the new world, but rather about those who are left and how they survive. almost shed a tear there at the end. makes even Joel and Tess' relationship feel so much more meaningful. and idk folks who dislike it mostly sound to me like the people who go into Tarantino movies only wanting to see the action and the violence. i hear the same arguments like "this is boring", "this didn't move the plot along", "nothing happened" or "Was expecting a better raider encounter" as a fellow few comments above mentioned. but that kind of misses the point. i did come away thinking that this kind of an episode is perhaps better suited for a mid-season breather, but it does make sense in regards to where the story is right now. anyway, loved it. wish to see more unexpected changes of narrative style like this in the future.
IsisScript80 02.01.23	"and idk folks who dislike it mostly sound to me like the people who go into Tarantino movies only wanting to see the action and the violence." Absolutely. Funny thing is, this show is so inherently unoriginal in overall plot and genre, that things that it HAS got specifically going for it (y'know, miniscule details like pacing, script, character development and interaction) can be seen as negatives. This is especially off the back of stuff like 11(!!!) long, fucking seasons of 'The Walking Dead'... which, if that's all that's wanted, Negan's full introduction at the beginning of Season 7 should just be watched on a loop to cater to those kicks.
someone 02.01.23	btw my favourite episode of The Walking Dead (i gave up somewhere around S7 like most people, i think) was "Here's Not Here" which is basically LoU E3 but platonic and mentoring, instead of romantic i guess i like it when a show goes on a meaningful, slow-pace detour that adds a great deal to a given character. but yeah, the two episodes are pretty similar
someone 02.01.23	(it's the one where John Carroll Lynch teaches Morgan kung fu and the meaning of life)
IsisScript80 02.01.23	^ Yeah, I remember that... that was definitely one of the stronger episodes in a wayward season. TWD has been great at times, but complete and utter bullshit for at least 50% of its span. It works for entirely those reasons (the same as TLoU) and was the primary drive of the original comic... that being: How would a post-apocalyptic, zombie scenario affect identifiably realistic people and society? It's a winning notion, so stuff that deals with (in this instance) love at the end of the world... a type that is resonant and rings true, is exactly the sort of thing these genre shows can do that has substance. TWD, at its (very common) worse, is a show that seems to forget its own premise. Hopefully, TLoU doesn't overstay its welcome and fall prey to exactly that.
someone 02.01.23	That's why my fav post-apo show is probably The Leftovers. Maybe as unconventional as that genre can get It's like the show doesn't care it's pretty much post apocalypse. Like the whole event is just a Tuesday fuckup and you are watching people cope. One of the best shows ever for sure. But for the crowds that want a conventional third person shooter they cant play, it'll be quite boring probably
IsisScript80 02.01.23	^ Yes, 'The Leftovers' was an exceptional series (first season especially... phenomenal). Thought some aspects missed the mark a bit at the end, but overall, I very much agree with you there, for precisely those reasons.
protokute 02.01.23	I still don't know how I feel about The Leftovers, I remember being pretty much intrigued by the first season, but by the time mid season 2 came on, and although still intrigued by it all, I was pretty much lost and unsure of wtf I was watching, I kept on watching and the same feeling persisted. Definitely one of the shows that would be interesting to rewatch someday.
IsisScript80 02.01.23	^ IMO, I think where it veered slightly was showrunner Damon Lindelof's career-defining, incessant desire to pile on mystery for mystery's sake, moving away from its core strengths. I reckon overall though, that it still held together really well for the most part. And what it did well was as good as anything out there.
Wildcardbitchesss 02.01.23	The leftovers is goated agreed
nol 02.02.23	I finally watched the first two episodes! I was entertained for sure, it’s thrilling and gripping in the right ways. But I’d definitely call it overrated even if it is a faithful homage to the games. The second episode was all filler plot that I think just works better in a video game setting (go here, kill this guy, retrieve this battery, escort this girl, etc.). I’m pretty certain the fungal set pieces and costumes are all practical effects which is impressive in a way, but they look a little fake from time to time. It was pretty clear the clickers were just wearing mushroom masks and that sorta took me out of the experience. and my biggest problem is that at the end of the day it’s the 1000th zombie show popularized in the media and it doesn’t do enough to shake off that stereotype. The game itself stands apart with its good story telling which is rare in the medium, but the story alone isn’t enough to separate the show from its countless predecessors (even if it is better than TWD) overall I’d give it a 7.5/10, pros are its gripping nature and a well portrayed sense of doom (especially in those opening sequences, which aren’t even from the game lol)
nol 02.02.23	they should fuck around and make a high quality crash bandicoot show next that would be lit
nol 02.02.23	and honestly 7.5 is a good rating from me when it comes to streaming service shows released in the last decade
nol 02.02.23	also also the kiss was fucking stupid and the show should be 10x more violent
IsisScript80 02.02.23	"and my biggest problem is that at the end of the day it’s the 1000th zombie show popularized in the media and it doesn’t do enough to shake off that stereotype. ...overall I’d give it a 7.5/10" nol, I suggest you report back here after watching Episode 3... assuming you've (sensibly) avoided spoilers, what it does in that should at least challenge your current assessment.
nol 02.02.23	also also also tarantino’s latest movies have had the dryest fucking dialogue it’s not that I only want violence from tarantino flicks it’s that he’s getting really bad at writing engaging narratives. Once Upon a Time is an absolute snooze-fest idc about all the old school film references. I don’t like the violence in that movie either it’s way too gratuitous (even if it’s one scene) and it’s directed towards literal children. Bad movie is bad. I think tarantino is just full of himself at this point. (not that he hasn’t always been)
nol 02.02.23	I’ll def watch the whole thing the last show I watched was fuckin Obi Wan it’s definitely better than that 😂
Colton 02.02.23	"and my biggest problem is that at the end of the day it’s the 1000th zombie show popularized in the media and it doesn’t do enough to shake off that stereotype." episode 3 shakes off that stereotype by daring to be gayer than any zombie show has ever been
AmericanFlagAsh 02.02.23	Really loving this show, what a great adaptation The latest episode really hit me hard, people finding love and purpose in a world devoid of both, and it was fucking beautiful.
nol 02.02.23	How many episodes are there gonna be total? Trying to line up a free month of HBO with the finale lol
Colton 02.02.23	9 but like dude... it's 2023 why are you paying for TV
TalonsOfFire 02.02.23	The show is very well made and episode 2 was my favorite, but agreed with what nol said that they need to up the violence and intensity going forward. I'd give it 7-7.5 atm. Next couple eps should progress the story and show more dangers of this world I hope.
nol 02.03.23	I have paid 0 dollars
nol 02.03.23	the last time I paid for a streaming service non-accidentally was freshmen year of college because Spotify + Hulu was 5$ a month for students
Colton 02.03.23	ok but why even use a streaming service
nol 02.03.23	aside from what, downloading each episode? It’s easy and free or do you mean stream it from a shady free website? cuz that’s the same thing except the ads are porn
Wildcardbitchesss 02.03.23	free with my cell phone plan
Nomos2 02.03.23	>It was pretty clear the clickers were just wearing mushroom masks and that sorta took me out of the experience. Agreed. Maybe my standards are high, maybe I inspect these details too much on screen, but so far the clicker effects have looked almost fan-filmy and my wife has laughed out load a few times when a clicker is supposed to be frightening but just looks a little goofy.
Nomos2 02.03.23	Also not a big fan of the hive mind/networked mushroom network idea. Or, maybe I'd like it if they didn't get rid of the concept of spores/masks.
Colton 02.03.23	@nol piratebay dude
Nomos2 02.03.23	Found where Bill & Frank's village was filmed! High River, Alberta, just outside Calgary. The street they filmed on is a little remote and surrounded by trees and developed within the past few years. Their house doesn't really exist there though, the location was used just for shots of the fence/gate, down-the-street shots, and shots of them in front of the house (without actually being in front of it -- good editing). Then the later shot showing the whole street/house/city in the far distance was purely a composite image. The power station Bill breaks into is also a power station just down the road, and not very far away is where they filmed the Miller household in ep 1.
Nomos2 02.03.23	oh and lmao the Home Depot he loots? It's the Lowes in south Calgary. We have Home Depots in Canada, everywhere, but they took over a Lowes to make it look like a Home Depot.
Colton 02.06.23	https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/986472253912932385/1071959502523478097/image.png oh no
Mort. 02.06.23	hello im very late to this thread just wanna say freak machine's argument much earlier on is complete nonsense and laughably stupid
Mort. 02.06.23	https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/986472253912932385/1071959502523478097/image.png looooooooool classic.
Rowan5215 02.06.23	new one was easily the weakest so far. still okay but going from last week to this was a tough sell
Colton 02.06.23	I thought it was better than episode 2
someone 02.06.23	E4 was a transition episode, setting up some larger conflicts in the future. i loved the development between Joel and Ellie and am very curious to see this hacktack post-QZ Kansas City in action later.
IsisScript80 02.06.23	"new one was easily the weakest so far. still okay but going from last week to this was a tough sell" Yeah, it did everything well enough, but it was naturally, far more by-the-numbers. Still good (in an expected way).
ChrimzonCanine 02.06.23	Can’t wait for season 2 where we get to see Abby flex her golfing skills
eekseeker 02.06.23	So many silly changes made in the show so far :(
someone 02.06.23	like what?
IsisScript80 02.06.23	"So many silly changes made in the show so far :(" It's a trans-media ADAPTATION. You still have the games if they're so sacrosanct to you.
eekseeker 02.06.23	"like what?" The zombie kiss, the entire omission of Tess and Joel's smuggling arc, race-swapping a character simply for clicks, completely removing any interaction between Ellie and Bill which is the point in the game where Ellie really comes into her own. "It's a trans-media ADAPTATION. You still have the games if they're so sacrosanct to you." - One that has been heralded as a 1:1 adaptation by most critics, and was marketed as being almost entirely unchanged.
IsisScript80 02.06.23	^ "Race-swap"...? As in Joel's daughter...? Lol! Oooookay, I see where THAT's going... The changes (zombie kiss aside), for the most part, have been highly successful (flashback sequences... and we all KNOW why Ep. 3 was review-bombed... it's not the quality of it for sure). It works as TV. No point AT ALL for 1:1... bullshit notion. Just YouTube cutscenes if that's all you're in for.
Gameofmetal 02.06.23	eekseeker L, the immediate assumption that the ethnicity of a casting is for "clicks" or virtue signaling or whatever rather than that actor just being the best available pick for the role says so much about you (that you're fucking stupid). New episode was pretty good, but definitely hard to follow up ep 3. Melanie Lynskey is a very interesting choice, super disarming casting for that role.
Rowan5215 02.06.23	i love Melanie Lynskey so much but i thought her scenes in this were honestly bad. just no stakes or reason to care whatsoever about her ranting about some dude named Henry, there was nothing to get invested in at all it's the first episode this really felt like a generic post apocalypse romp to me, down to that godawful sappy True Faith cover over the credits
frozencarl 02.06.23	never had the opportunity to play the games so I'm watching the show blind and honestly enjoying it a lot. will probably pick up a copy at some point now that my roommate brought up his PS4
TalonsOfFire 02.06.23	Episode 4 was okay but yea weakest so far. Melanie Lynskey is good as quirky outsider character, not sure I buy her as ruthless gang leader but we'll see. Ep 2 is my fav. It's a very well made show and I don't mind some changes, but the ones that irk me is generally not being as intense or brutal, changing Joel and Tess's mission from finding the gun smuggler, and Joel and Ellie not interacting with Bill at all. Also not crazy about Ellie's portrayal so far, but hopefully she'll take things more seriously going forward. Next ep looks like it'll be baller.
eekseeker 02.06.23	"rather than that actor just being the best available pick for the role" The actress was absolute garbage. It says absolutely nothing about me. Joel is white, his family pictures show his family to also be white. The race swap was simply there for attention. It's derogatory towards ethnic groups to do so, rather than to create strong characters of those groups. For the record, I'm black. And I found it dumb as shit.
Mort. 02.06.23	'It's derogatory towards ethnic groups to do so, rather than to create strong characters of those groups' looooooooool
Gameofmetal 02.06.23	All you can do is lol at a statement that dumb.
Mort. 02.06.23	Yeah I considered actually arguing against it but honestly, its not worth the time or effort
frozencarl 02.06.23	account created 2 days ago, not suspicious at all
Colton 02.06.23	"The race swap was simply there for attention. It's derogatory towards ethnic groups to do so, rather than to create strong characters of those groups. For the record, I'm black. And I found it dumb as shit." she is three quarters white lmao. it's really sad when non white people feel the need to pander to these conservative talking points, and then state their race, in order to be accepted. like Ben Shapiro isn't gonna personally fly you out to do his podcast just cause you said this shit
Mort. 02.06.23	also, nobody gives a shit about pedro pascal (born in chile to chilean parents) playing joel, a white american man, but why is his daughter an issue? changing her race detracts nothing from the story, its just as impactful as it was before. its so fucking braindead to care about this shit goddamn
Mort. 02.06.23	also just started reading about pedro pascal on wikipedia and damn, dudes from a pretty influential background. his early life leads to two separate wikipedia pages partially outlining his family tree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balmaceda_family https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allende_family
Colton 02.06.23	honestly it was bad enough that they made Sarah 1/4 black but then I saw they made Sam and Henry black and I was like ok fuck this show
MoM 02.06.23	“The race swap was simply there for attention” I’m not sure what amount of attention this was supposed to bring to the show. I don’t think people were going to be swayed into watching it because the main character’s daughter is part black. On top of that, she’s only on screen for part of one episode.
Wildcardbitchesss 02.06.23	who actually gives a fuck that Sarah is black
MoM 02.06.23	🤷
IsisScript80 02.06.23	"On top of that, she’s only on screen for part of one episode." Yeah, the character (game and TV show) exists as a plot device to give the protagonist Joel pathos and motivation. She lives to die. That is her story purpose. The race discussion around this is ridiculous.
frozencarl 02.06.23	its hard for racists to empathize with people of color, so it makes sense albeit in a fucked up way
Colton 02.06.23	if you're gonna argue Sarah being 1/4 black is somehow racist, at least go for the classic "they killed the black character first" argument
KrillBoi 02.07.23	Extremely happy with the show so far and while episode 4 was a little lesser than what came before it, it worked well for setting up the next arc. If I had to give one criticism, then it would be that the relationship between Joel and Ellie seems a little rushed and Ellie could display a little more vulnerability in the intense scenarios. I really hope they crack her mask at some point in future episodes (I could see that happening with how episode 4 played out). The chemistry between Pedro and Bella is outstanding though, so these are minor gripes for me.
Jasdevi087 02.07.23	conservative men struggling to decide whether they're required to be more gut reactionary about a black child being on their tv for 20 minutes or the lead child actress not being conventionally attractive enough for them. can't wait for them to make her start kissing girls so that they can be upset about that too
TalonsOfFire 02.07.23	The little girl actress who played Joel's daughter was great in the role. The actor's race has 0 impact on the performance or story, but FYI Pedro Pascal's family is Spanish and European ancestry, so he's technically a white Hispanic, similar to Ana de Armas and Guillermo del Toro.
Colton 02.08.23	@twlight just curious how long is U4? google says 15 hours but I'm an hour and 50 minutes in and it says I'm 21% done
PotsyTater 02.08.23	So are the sites resident reefas more mad about the race swap or the gay sex just curious
Colton 02.08.23	so far the 1/4 race swap
Nomos2 02.10.23	Episode 4 was a little lackluster to some but I liked it a lot. Built better upon the relationship between the two. The big sister from Rose Red doesn't come across as being very battle hardened to me. To be honest if I didn't play the games, the hyper-generic post-apocalyptic LaWlEsS gAnGs stuff would bore even more shit out of me. Yawn. Puts me right to fuckin sleep. Yes, we get it, writers, the real enemy is hUmAn NaTuRe. I've seen enough of that nap-inducing crap in young-target-audience crap like The Walking Dead or The 100 or whatever. the real meat n potatoes: this was just filmed in downtown Calgary. I guess most american cities just look like our Canadian cities without needing to change much? That big long train bridge they drove by is iconic, and my wife got really excited when it came up because that's her hometown, Lethbridge. We see that bridge driving into town each time and the city is quite proud that it's still standing. By the time the seasons change to winter and they portray the part of the game where you're creeping through lake houses in the mountains, they shot all of that in a GORGEOUS national park called Waterton and I'm really stoked to see that natural beauty on screen.
Wildcardbitchesss 02.10.23	Yeah about the set, that looks nothing like KC lol I’ve only stayed there once but i used to drive through it a few times a year. That theme park they briefly had on screen was maybe supposed to be Worlds of Fun? That’s all I recognized.
twlight 02.11.23	Colton, It is about 15 hours. You've just scratched the surface
Colton 02.11.23	I think I’m like 10 and a half hours in and 81% done, probably gonna finish it tonight. it’s been awesome so far. that one chase scene around halfway through… holy shit man
Wildcardbitchesss 02.11.23	Spoilers for episode 5 for the non yankees that was about as devastating as I expected it to be. I just don’t know how they’re gonna wrap up the entire first game in basically three more episodes, considering one of them is based on the Left Behind DLC
twlight 02.11.23	Yeah uncharted 4 is so fucking fun. Runs like a charm on the ps5
Colton 02.11.23	wow that was such a fulfilling and wholesome ending, pretty much gave fans everything they would want
Colton 02.11.23	for TLOU 2 ending Druckmann was like “what if we give everyone the exact opposite of that feeling”
Wildcardbitchesss 02.11.23	lol too true colton
Wildcardbitchesss 02.11.23	tho i do still love tlou2 and its ending
Rowan5215 02.11.23	latest episode was great. as a non game player i do hope we eventually get to meet supporting characters who actually like survive lmao. its hard to get too invested when everyone we meet keeps dying
Wildcardbitchesss 02.11.23	I think you might get your wish Rowan, but with how they’re switching things up from the games I honestly don’t know lol
Gameofmetal 02.11.23	The Jackson community is like the only decent survivor group in this universe lol. I wish we’d gotten more time with Henry and Sam but they did a good job, the changes continue to largely be improvements. Holy fuck the infected were scary this episode, bloater was brutal.
Colton 02.11.23	how did you see it already?
Colton 02.11.23	oh wtf it’s out already I thought it was every sunday night
mynameischan 02.11.23	Moved up due to Super Bowl
Colton 02.11.23	that was so good
Wildcardbitchesss 02.11.23	That bloater decapitation was perfect.
Spec 02.11.23	I’m super late here but does the show follow the game storyline pretty closely?
Colton 02.11.23	yeah pretty close but it adds stuff
Wildcardbitchesss 02.11.23	Basically yea, but it’s different enough to make it totally worth watching if you’re a fan of the game
Colton 02.11.23	Bella Ramsey's acting was more impressive this episode in terms of the big emotional moments. I feel like she's been good with the usual banter between her and Joel and the wisecracks and what not but hasn't really conveyed a ton of emotion in the more tense scenes, but she definitely did in this episode when that one thing happens at the end
Spec 02.11.23	Thanks. I don’t think I can put myself through that again lol.
DoofDoof 02.11.23	Good ep
Colton 02.12.23	it was, still think Sam and Henry's final scenes were done a bit better in the game though
Colton 02.12.23	link for those who have not played it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPMkD3YLrHY&ab_channel=VGS-VideoGameSophistry
TalonsOfFire 02.12.23	My favorite ep so far, a lot happened finally. I’m glad they didn’t change the brothers deaths, was basically just as devastating as in the game. They still have a lot to cover, hopefully won’t be rushed but they seem to know what they’re doing despite me not being convinced of all the changes they’ve done so far.
botb 02.13.23	If they break the first game into 2 8 ep seasons I think it’s not too much of a stretch and they have plenty of time they can continue expanding on different characters and what they were during while you were playing as Joel and Ellie
Colton 02.13.23	pretty sure all of the first game will be covered in this season but could be wrong
Wildcardbitchesss 02.13.23	At this rate they should be covering all of it. I’d be very surprised if they stretch the first game out into multiple seasons.
someone 02.13.23	great episode, this last one. a lot of things took place. i kinda disliked the second half tho. the big tank clicker looked wonky and plot armor was very strong for the characters. the secondary antagonists also got done with quite quickly in an underwhelming way. feels like we could have got at least some little more development out of them. not my favourite, but for sure maybe the most high octane
denboy 02.13.23	Latest episode is the first one I'm considering rewatching, the pacing was just too good
someone 02.13.23	this is at this point a Mazin speciality, but i like how he always gives even episodic characters a bit of depth. like i like the Kathleen-Perry dynamic. it's not just a rebel and her henchman, they are like actually friends on some level and he is very loyal, which she is clearly very appreciative towards. then there's the doctor character who was a minor, seemingly forgettable character last episode, but seeing him now in a different light, also knowing what happens in the end, also creates a certain level of closeness
Wildcardbitchesss 02.13.23	Pretty sure Perry was Tommy in the games too, sounds exactly like him.
Colton 02.13.23	he was
Colton 02.13.23	also think the bloater and the clicker from episode 2 looked a little wonky but I guess that’s just how zombies look outside of games, if HBO makes them look wonky with a budget of 800 billion dollars then there’s no way to not make them look a little wonky. they look better in the games imo because they blend in better with everything else
Colton 02.13.23	and yeah there was some plot armour for sure but ultimately Sam got bit so I don’t think it went too far
cvlts 02.13.23	was getting some Battle of Winterfell/World War Z vibes with the zombies coming through the hole in the ground. iono, seemed a bit too Hollywood. i really want to like the character of Kathleen and Perry but I just couldn't get into it.
twlight 02.19.23	episode 5 was so fucking good. i think thats the best episode so far, front to back I cared about the characters, felt like there was real tension. that part made me ball my eyes out when i played through the game, both times. it did make me cry again, that story is just so fucking heartbreaking
twlight 02.19.23	" i do hope we eventually get to meet supporting characters who actually like survive lmao" i get that, but it works in the universe of this story... it's a totally brutal world. it's Joel and Ellie's story. it kind of adds to the realism that everyone fucking dies in that world
Wildcardbitchesss 02.19.23	lol if people are thinking too many characters die rn… you haven’t seen shit yet TLOU2 gives Game of Thrones a run for its money in killing off a shit load of characters.
twlight 02.19.23	Spoilers That's why I understand that death at the beginning of part 2. This universe was built up over an entire game to show how desperate and terrible everything is. I guess that's why his death didn't come as a huge surprise for me in part 2
Colton 02.19.23	I had it spoiled for me unfortunately, can imagine how shocking it would be to be totally blind to it
Wildcardbitchesss 02.19.23	it was incredibly shocking. I managed to dodge spoilers after the leak aside from the fact that you play as Abby. I had no idea who she was or anything, I really thought all of the rage was dumbass gamers being pissed about talks of a trans person being in the game. And Abby wasn’t even the one that ended up being trans ffs Trying to keep it vague for show only peeps but the game does such a good job of putting you in Ellie’s mindset. I was just as pissed as she was and was out for blood. Fuck now I want to play it rn lol
Colton 02.20.23	nomos is gonna like this one
Rowan5215 02.20.23	pedro was fucking phenomenal this ep
JeetJeet 02.20.23	That scene of Joel confiding to Tommy and finally letting all his emotions and worries out was fucking gut-wrenching. And then they did the classic argument scene between Ellie and Joel and it sent chills down my spine.
Wildcardbitchesss 02.20.23	they absolutely nailed that Joel and Ellie scene. Fucking perfection. And Maria schooling Tommy on communism is something I never knew I needed
Nomos2 02.20.23	Haha I hope so Colton! Driving back to Edmonton with the wife now, so we've just driven past a ton of filming locations. Most notably, the highway takes you right past the end of ep 5, where saw where spoilers they buried Henry. There's a UFA sign (United Farmers of Alberta) visible that they tried to damage in Post but its still a UFA sign and they did the little burial just feet to the side of the highway. Passed the water tower in Claresholm that they used in some shots a few eps ago. Then we drove through the street from ep 1 where Tommy and Joel and his daughter escape the chaos in the truck. So cool! Stoked to see the new one tonight, reviews seem good.
someone 02.20.23	the folks losing it over the gay stuff will catch a heart attack over the communism for sure
Pheromone 02.20.23	some fucking dum shit in this show why did she just stay in the bedroom with the zombie kid smfh
someone 02.20.23	i imagine in the barebones education system that world will have had, if they told her her blood was the cure, she'd probably genuinely believe that rubbing it on the wound will heal it
Pheromone 02.20.23	i feel like in the show she knew it wouldn't help that was the jist i got
Rowan5215 02.21.23	it's because the kid asked her to watch over him all night, that's literally it. it's not subtle at all lol he just straight up asks her and she can't say no
Wildcardbitchesss 02.21.23	And it’s basic empathy. People complaining about that don’t realize that young teenagers are also just kind of stupid. Ellie is smart for her age but she’s still just a fucking kid
TalonsOfFire 02.21.23	It was a pretty good episode, kept things moving along and they did the central scene between Joel and Ellie justice. Since the next ep will be mostly or all a flashback to Ellie with Riley and getting bit, they only have the last 2 eps to cover all the crazy stuff that happens starting with Ellie nursing Joel back to health, which I’m not sure will be enough time, but we’ll see.
Trebor. 02.21.23	I assume they're gonna do all the cannibal stuff and the flashbacks in the next episodes.
Wildcardbitchesss 02.21.23	Yeah, really the only time I hope they follow the game closely. Left Behind is perfect
Rowan5215 02.27.23	thought this one was mid frankly. some straight up awful dialogue and logic gaps. Bella was carrying it but I think they should let Mazin write the finale lol
Gameofmetal 02.27.23	Didn't have any problem with it, practically scene for scene the Left Behind DLC minus some stuff with Ellie and Joel. Another goodie.
Rowan5215 02.27.23	i don't know anything about the source material for this week's ep but the writing was pretty lacking if you hold it up to last week imo. lot of really corny, middle aged dude writes teen girls dialogue. the skipping across roofs scene was so sappy it had me wincing lol the second half of it was pretty good, amazing performance from Bella but it was easily the weakest episode so far
mynameischan 02.27.23	A decent amount of the dialogue is straight from the Left Behind source. The only thing I found questionable is the “let’s be all poetic and lose our minds together” but that is also word for word from the game and it doesn’t hit right for me there either. Otherwise I thought it was great and Bella really impressed me
Rowan5215 02.27.23	a lot of the Fireflies/FEDRA good/bad talk was written so like basic? "they're terrorists! no they're not!" I know they're children but it was written like they were kinda dumb too. also don't need them to say fuck every second word, some of this dialogue felt like a new Underoath song idk how Riley is in the game but her introduction here wasn't the best lol. if i hadn't seen a friend that close for long enough that i assumed they were dead and they just came back and started condescendingly ordering me to do stuff I'd probably throw stuff at them. took me until the arcade scene to realise what was meant to be likable about her this was definitely the "bella's emmy submission" episode though, she was tremendous. her wordless acting in the kiss scene was so good
Nomos2 02.27.23	Huh I liked it, corny stuff included, kids that young are pretty dumb and so it didn't seem too off base. I didn't play the DLC so it was refreshing to see "new" content, but I was able to guess exactly where it was going, given it was a flashback and we knew where Ellie was now. Want some unsolicited fun facts?! This was filmed in the Northland Village Mall in Calgary. The Subway is there...the A&W is there (but they swapped to an older logo/sign, nice detail), same with the Thai Express (are those in the USA yet?) The arcade was definitely built for the show because we haven't had good classic arcades like that in our malls since the early 2000s.
mynameischan 02.27.23	Rowan I can see what you mean with the FEDRA vs Fireflies talk. But it does seem like that binary would seem very clear to Ellie on one side and Riley on the other, especially given Riley’s talk about how she finally has a family again. But yeah I don’t think she needed to say “fascist dickbags” as many times as she did (3 I think)
Colton 02.27.23	the “be all poetic and lose our minds together” line is the worst line in the series, love how they changed “poetic” to “poetic and shit” to try to make it less corny. overall probably the weakest episode yet but it was still enjoyable and basically what I expected
Nomos2 02.27.23	This ep also pandered to me hard with Mortal Kombat 2 and the mall in general. I am obsessed with the '78 Dawn of the Dead and get a kick out of seeing any character take advantage of abandoned places/products and hunkering down. It's oddly cozy to me, so I enjoyed the slower pace and relative inaction in this ep too.
Nomos2 02.27.23	Also yes "be all poetic and lose our minds together" might be the worst line in the games/adaptation, thank god I didn't play the DLC to hear that zinger, that's some high school level writing lol
Gameofmetal 02.27.23	It's sweet and childish and fine.
DoofDoof 02.27.23	can't say the show is really grabbing me anymore, but will persevere following Severance, Slow Horses and even currently watching Foundation this just isn't really cutting it - reminds me of slogging through late seasons of The Walking Dead
Rowan5215 02.28.23	'78 Dawn of the Dead is easily one of my favourite films of all time, unfortunate this episode was no '78 Dawn of the Dead. I can see the comparison but its one that's even more unfavourable to this episode imo
Wildcardbitchesss 02.28.23	“Also yes "be all poetic and lose our minds together" might be the worst line in the games/adaptation, thank god I didn't play the DLC to hear that zinger, that's some high school level writing lol” … they’re literally children Idk not gonna scroll trough the last day of this thread but I thought it was incredible. The use of “Take On Me” was incredible, the dancing and subsequent kiss was perfect, the bite reveals were heartbreaking. And for what little Joel was in this episode, Pedro Pascal was fuckin fantastic. Can’t wait to see how they handle the games ending… and then probably a three year wait for season 2.
someone 02.28.23	i kinda wish we had more of those 'before the apocalypse' cold opens
someone 02.28.23	they're also always talking about Fedra being fascists and totalitarian, but we haven't seen them actually be that.
Wildcardbitchesss 02.28.23	They mention that at the KC QZ they would regularly rape and torture citizens. Or like how you can’t leave during certain hours (or at all even?) in Boston. It’s much more explicitly shown in the game but I think they might’ve cut some of that down due to time constraints.
botb 02.28.23	You can really tell in these comments who played the game and who didn’t lol, it’s pretty dead on to the source material which for a video game to tv/movie… pleasantly surprising
Gameofmetal 02.28.23	It's fairly obvious that they live in a hardcore police state in the first episode.
Wildcardbitchesss 02.28.23	Yeah weren’t there public executions?
Gameofmetal 02.28.23	Strictly enforced curfew, summary executions of infected civilians, everyone receives work orders from their military overseers lol. Sincerely doubt there's a court system in place anywhere. I'm sure they did some pretty nasty stuff to suspected fireflies.
TalonsOfFire 03.01.23	This or ep. 4 would be my least favorite, but they were truthful to the DLC I guess. I haven't been too drawn in, despite the show always being very competent and well acted, but I think these last two eps will really amp things up given what happens in the game so I'm excited for that.
Wildcardbitchesss 03.01.23	Four is the only one I would consider to be less than perfect honestly. And that’s really only because it’s a setup episode for the confrontation between Henry and Kathleen. Show has been fucking flawless. I know it was a big property to begin with, but going from a highly regarded but relatively unknown to your average person to seeing it grow into what it is now has been fascinating. I mean, it outdid House of the Dragon. That’s insane. Everyone that played games knew how highly regarded it is, now I personally know like 30 people that watch the show. And alot of them want to play the games now because they don’t feel like waiting week by week and then eventually 2+ years for a second season.
Rowan5215 03.01.23	you can write good dialogue for kids that doesn't sound overtly childish tho. i think this episode failed on that account. first 15 minutes or so were just rough lol
PotsyTater 03.01.23	What are your thoughts on this show Rowan? I’ve only watched the first 3 episodes and although I’ve been impressed at the details that have gone into making everything look and feel just like the game I don’t feel that the emotional stakes have been earned just yet. Two examples: didn’t spend enough time with Tess to make her death resonate as much as it did in the game, and as much as I wanted to love episode 3 I felt that coming so soon that I haven’t even decided if I feel emotionally invested in the main characters, it was a lot to ask of me to be emotionally invested in Bill and Frank. It was a nice episode and I admire what the show runners set out to do with it but between those two things it just feels like the show is expecting a lot of unearned emotional investment that comes with more time, stakes, and familiarity. Also I digress but why the fuck was Bill standing in the middle of the road to shoot those guys with the rifle that was so stupid.
Rowan5215 03.01.23	I have never played the game so bear that in mind if you think it invalidates my opinions or whatever lol on the whole I've enjoyed the show a lot. the set design and directing has been some of the best I've ever seen, amazing even for HBO money. Pedro is gradually becoming one of my favourite actors around and this is one of his best performances ever, also having given up on GoT in s1 I was pleasantly surprised at how great Bella is in this and how solid her American accent is all that said there's some recurring issues I've had especially with pacing that I imagine may be hangovers from adapting a game with a lot of long stalking/stealth scenes, to my understanding, to TV. episode 3 was wonderful but really needed to be followed with a bit of good action, instead we got a bit of a limp slog that nearly derailed things with an absolutely baffling miscast Melanie Lynskey (who's usually great). also found the 3 months time jump after Sam's death pretty questionable, I would've liked to see Ellie grieve and deal with that a little more instead of just skipping to when she was all good. and if you scroll up you can see my critiques of the flashback episode laid out lol. on the whole it's still a great show I'd recommend to most people but there are definitely some kinks with the format I hope they work out by next season
PotsyTater 03.01.23	The set design is even more mind blowing when you’ve played the game. But yeah I guess the format is a bit inherently difficult to adapt and keep pace. That might be the explanation for my two small gripes so far. I’m going to keep watching as I think as a video game adaptation it’s phenomenal so far but I just don’t feel emotionally invested in any of the characters yet. Also as far as I can remember I have only seen Melanie Lynskey in Yellowjackets, a show that absolutely despise but will definitely continue to hate-watch forever.
Wildcardbitchesss 03.01.23	In a show that has a lot of “villain of the week” types, she stood out in the Shield. One of the more chilling villains in a show that’s already got some fucked up characters
Rowan5215 03.01.23	i love Yellowjackets so much lmao it's wild. best dumb-and-knows-it show since Lost finished. I'd take it over any shitty Game of Thrones spinoff they care to make
Slex 03.01.23	Rowbro shoots straight again, love to see it. Elijah Wood is going to be such a fucking blast in the new season
PotsyTater 03.01.23	@rowan does it know it tho?
Slex 03.01.23	Definitely think it leans into it pretty hard yeah
PotsyTater 03.01.23	It’s straight up one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen in my life but in a Spider-Man 3 kind of way where like it’s a wildly entertaining trainwreck. I didn’t get the vibe that it was all that self aware but if it is that kind of changes my perspective on it a bit. I just don’t get that vibe from many of the young actors that they are “in on the joke”. I can see it for Christina ricci tho
PotsyTater 03.01.23	The younger gen of actors just seems to take it so fuckin seriously
Rowan5215 03.01.23	I definitely think it knows it's very dumb and leans into it, definitely moreso in the present timeline with Ricci's wild ass performance and Shauna's himbo husband lmao. the flashback stuff is definitely pitched a lot darker but there's still some insanely camp shit like the seance, everything Misty does with the coach, Taissa eating fucking dirt etc such a ridiculous show but for sheer entertainment value it is unmatched atm. and yes I cannot wait for Elijah Wood to get in on it lmao
PotsyTater 03.01.23	Oh the flashbacks have most of the dumbest moments that come to mind easily, no doubt, but I just don’t get the vibe from the flashback actors that they realize that it’s supposed to be stupid. I think perhaps the actors themselves might be stupid. I agree the present timeline seems more self aware Anyways it doesn’t really matter because at the end of the day I am also excited for season 2 lol
Rowan5215 03.01.23	lol oh idk anything about the younger actors really or what their approach is. I don't think it really matters tbh all they need to do is be hot and dramatically overact which they all excel at the writers and directors think know exactly what they're doing and how much camp is needed for the show to work. I'm still hoping next season foregoes any semblance of realism and just completely goes b-horror movie lmao
frozencarl 03.01.23	noticed the PC port for TLOS pt 1 is coming out at the end of the month, perfect timing to cash in on all the people that never played and are hyped off the show (myself included). just sucks its a full $60
PotsyTater 03.01.23	@rowan I do to, I think if they adjusted the tone a bit more and made it full realized b-horror it would go from me laughing at it to laughing with it if that makes sense
ConcubinaryCode 03.01.23	Hey part 1 is 70$ on ps5. Steam giving you that discount. Is the show season over?
Wildcardbitchesss 03.02.23	2 more eps
Rowan5215 03.06.23	fucking insane episode god fucking damn dude I'm sorry but the gulf between Druckmann and Mazin's episodes is sooo big lol. one of these guys is a gifted television writer and one is not. it's so apparent and my biggest issue with this otherwise great show
Wildcardbitchesss 03.06.23	I really disagree about that. I thought Left Behind was phenomenal, and this episode was too. Idk Rowan I don’t remember if you’ve played the game or not, maybe I’m I little biased because I’ve been a fan since the original game came out. Anyways, yeah. Fucking great episode. It’s just insane to me that Bella Ramsey is really the one that’s impressing me. Pedro Pascal has his own take on Joel, and I like it, I just don’t like it as much as I liked it in the game. But Bella, goddamn, she fucking nails Ellie week after week. She said she hasn’t played or watched the game, and I believe it with her line delivery, but she puts her own spin on the character while fucking surpassing fan expectations. Just incredible work. I don’t really give a shit about major awards shows, but she seriously deserves an Emmy. It’s still early as hell in the year but I don’t see another lead actress on any show I watch being as good as she is.
Wildcardbitchesss 03.06.23	I’ve gone from being worried about how she’ll handle a season 2 Ellie, to being completely confident that she’ll do just fine.
Rowan5215 03.06.23	I haven't played the game no. I'm sure Druckmann's writing works like gangbusters in the game, they're obviously so acclaimed for a reason but it's just a different skill set to writing for TV and that shows. Mazin's episodes are just so much more dynamic and intense, they take full advantage of the medium, Druckmann's feel like cutscenes that they filmed but yes Bella should fucking sweep the awards for this. she's so goddamn good. tell em Ellie was the one who BROKE YOUR FUCKING FINGER
Wildcardbitchesss 03.06.23	Then I totally get it. I watch a lot of television and film but I play more games. I’m used to shit writing being considered good. Like I’m playing Horizon Zero Dawn rn and I’m having a good time, if you compared the writing in this game to any decent series or movie it’d get fuckin roasted. The Last of Us was one of the first games to have that film quality of writing imo. That’s what gives me such a soft spot for Druckmann and Naughty Dog
Gameofmetal 03.06.23	There's definitely a difference but it's not that massive where Druckman's episodes are glaringly bad, every episode has been great, but Mazin is just that much better at turning it to television. Fuckin great episode, Bella again completely slaying.
Rowan5215 03.06.23	well I never said glaringly bad tbf. it's the difference between good and like, absolutely phenomenal is how I would categorise it I'm a bit sceptical that they can wrap up everything satisfactorily in one more episode which is the shortest of the season too. pretty wild how the Marlene/Fireflies stuff has just been hanging in the background since episode 1, is it like that in the game too? either way it'll be entertaining if nothing else, this show is a fucking adrenaline rush
Gameofmetal 03.06.23	What's left of the game should neatly clean up in one episode yeah, though if I remember right the runtime seemed a little shorter than I expected. The ending has been living in all of our heads rent free for like 10 years now, you should love it.
Gameofmetal 03.06.23	You should go on youtube once the finale wraps up and watch the cinematic cut of the game where it compiles all the cutscenes with edited snippets of gameplay to make basically a long film, that's how I initially experienced the story.
AmericanFlagAsh 03.06.23	Last night's episode was amazing
Wildcardbitchesss 03.06.23	Yeah a 45 min episode does seem a little short but I think they can wrap up the first games story with that much time. The Salt Lake part of the game was much longer but only because of a long intro and that fucking tunnel section. If they streamline most of that I’m sure it will be fine… tho I do wish they would give us a massive like 1.5 hour long finale
Colton 03.06.23	good episode last night, maybe a bit rushed. but maybe I just feel that way cause that section in the game was so much longer
Colton 03.06.23	to people saying Joel and Ellie's relationship feels rushed, I realized after replaying it in January that it's always kinda felt like that. one moment he's giving her the "you're not my daughter and you're staying with Tommy" speech and then seemingly in the next moment he's fully committed to taking care of her
someone 03.06.23	it kinda does feel that way, but for what it's worth it's still beleivable to me, at least
Colton 03.06.23	they just went about it a different way in the show. they didn't have those long gameplay sequences where they can build their bond gradually so instead they had Joel suffering from panic attacks and this deep fear of failing Ellie due to the way his daughter died. so basically the reason he cares so much about Ellie isn't so much because of what they went through together but because of what Joel had been through in his past
Wildcardbitchesss 03.06.23	Well tbf if they had those long gameplay sections play out in the show the season would be like 16 episodes and that’s just too much
Colton 03.06.23	well yeah
Shemson 03.06.23	This has been my favourite show in a long time. Apart from House of the Dragon last year it feels like ages since I’ve been excited to finish work, walk the dog and then tune into a weekly episode show.
Wildcardbitchesss 03.06.23	Barry for me but same
Shemson 03.06.23	Oh funny I just started Barry a few weeks ago as I saw series three advertised Just got half way through season 2 and seen that mental episode with the ju-jitsu guy and his daughter 🤣 unreal!
CygnusX1 03.06.23	Last ep was total bonkers. Never played the game, but culty cannibals was on my post-apocalypse bingo for the show and it still delivered. Been a while since I've seen a show done so well in all aspects (hbo baby) but specifically in the "ouch, right in my feels" department. Mazin is amazin'...give Bella all the awards
Shemson 03.06.23	Yeah that’s the thing, I never played the game so I jumped in expecting lots of action, different zombie types, gore, main character deaths, kind of like the good days of the walking dead (there were some great episodes) but there’s been very little stereotypical stuff. Even the cannibal cult weren’t all mental, they kind of made sense until you heard the main dudes theories and he went full rapist. Bella has been outstanding, which is all the more powerful given how much she was judged by a lot of game fans before the show and even after the first couple episodes! Absolutely smashed it!
Dewinged 03.06.23	Great episode, wish they would have included the cabin siege though.
Wildcardbitchesss 03.06.23	@shemson Rewatching the show rn and I literally just watched that one too lmfao. Ronny/Lily is what it’s called. I die every time he’s hiding behind the counter while she’s throwing shit at him, and then she just nails him with a can and Barry just lets out the funniest groan. And yeah, if they stay true to the game, which I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t, don’t expect a traditional ending either.
Rowan5215 03.07.23	Barry is so fucking good. third season was masterpiece tier
Wildcardbitchesss 03.07.23	They all are imo, and season 3 wasn’t even a comedy, it was depression with a couple of panic attacks per episode.
AmericanFlagAsh 03.07.23	"to people saying Joel and Ellie's relationship feels rushed" I think because it's hard to convey the amount of time they have been together
Nomos2 03.07.23	Wow the art deparment did a great job making their little cozy hall look just like it did in the game, the room that was set aflame later. So my wife and I once again did the LeoDicapioPointingAtTV.gif all night. This was filmed in Waterton, a very cozy little town nestled between some hills and a big mountain near the US border. We went there to paddle on the lake and eat ice cream and get high and see the area (badly burned in a forest fire years ago, millions of trees are just skeletons, you can see that in some of the scenery shots). The view of the town from up-high was shot from the overlook at the historic Prince of Wales hotel, an unusually tall lodge for its age & location that has a stunning view in 360 degrees of the surrounding mountains and waterways. It also has one of the oldest elevators in Canada. Very cool place. Seemed like a lot of people from abroad and Montana were coming up in busses to see the area when we went two summers ago. Presumably, very little had to be changed to film here, just some signage and getting rid of business names.
Colton 03.12.23	who's excited
Nomos2 03.13.23	memememe
Rowan5215 03.13.23	really really good finale. Ashley Johnson is so goddamn good
Jasdevi087 03.13.23	i feel like it would be an even more compelling moral dilemma if Ellie had actually consented to the surgery, knowing it would be fatal. though maybe this takes away too much plausible deniability for Joel's lie
Wildcardbitchesss 03.13.23	Ashley Johnson absolutely fucking killed it. Biggest standout imo. Great finale, I wasn’t sure they could pull it off with that short of a run time but they hit all the beats and then some and it still didn’t feel rushed
Colton 03.13.23	joel’s delivery of “you’d just come after her” was way off and the killing spree was jarring given the changes they made to the show leading up to it, good ep though. couldn’t help but smile at the ladder and boost part
Dewinged 03.13.23	Idk, very disappointed with the last episode. Completely omitted the tunnel, which was the best chance to add some infected action, couple of bloaters maybe? It felt rushed to me but what was on screen was obviously great. All but the "you can't deny the view" line, it felt super forced. The game pulled off that scene way better.
Gameofmetal 03.13.23	The VA and animation in the game had more power in key places I think but that was a perfectly effective and almost identical adaptation, no major complaints. The added scenes with Ashely Johnson and Marlene were really useful I think.
Rowan5215 03.13.23	I really feel like we should have got more Marlene overall this season. takes a bit of the bite away from Joel's choice when we know nothing about her or any of the people he killed basically my favourite scene this episode was the one I believe wasn't in the game interestingly enough when they talked about Joel's suicide attempt. really powerful stuff and just beautifully acted by both of them. just adding to my conviction that they need to be a bit bolder with adding original material next season
Trebor. 03.13.23	What's the over/under on when we get season 2? I'm guessing around two years
Gameofmetal 03.13.23	They start filming this year but I'm still betting on something like 2025.
Shemson 03.13.23	Yeah Rowan, when Ellie said ‘I know why you’re telling me all this because time heals all wounds’ and he says ‘it wasn’t time that healed this wound’ and look at Ellie that was a beautiful moment
Dewinged 03.13.23	Agree with Row there. I think added footage of the surgery room, of Marlene and the fireflies would have helped to get a wider picture and slide nicely into S2. They went too 1/1 with the game this episode and we still didn't get the floating plank!
someone 03.16.23	yeah so like finale is okay. the very end (again, i have not played the game) was a great chilling blast, but the whole muted soundtracked action scene is a little silly. Joel is a massively overpowered character (almost as if he were a playable character in a video game hmmm)
budgie 03.16.23	why this shit so wide
budgie 03.16.23	i also have not played the game, show was cool, scenes were very video gamey but didnt really bug me only complaint really is not enuf zombos. more zombos s2 pls
budgie 03.16.23	nomos fix yo shit
TalonsOfFire 03.16.23	Last ep was great, they did the finale of the game justice. While far from perfect, season 1 was a solid adaptation of a perfect game. There def needed to be more zombies yeah; were basically nonexistent after ep. 5. Not sure I'll even bother watching season 2 given the plot of the game haha, sure wouldn't mind if they changed it.
protokute 03.17.23	as someone that haven't played the game, but was digging the show, i really didn't feel this ending, it just seemed off, awkward and really anticlimactic after they got to the hospital and what happened after. the emotional build until that was nice tho
ConcubinaryCode 03.17.23	Did it end like the game?
TalonsOfFire 03.17.23	Yes and I feel like it felt more natural in the game, but then again I felt like the endings to many of the episodes in the series seemed kind of abrupt too. I liked the finale a lot but it was almost rushed, not sure why they felt the need to have the episode be so short.
DoofDoof 03.17.23	Show was the equivalent of the quality of say, the sixth or seventh best Walking Dead season? Started off ok but found it pretty disappointing. NPC style narrative moved to TV not so good when the lead characters are also a little bland and/or irritating, just no great characterisation or room for majorly dramatically satisfying interactions. A bit flat and only two or three scenes with the infected were memorable. Didn’t feel like there was any natural momentum in the narrative, the sub plot and flashback episodes were poor and felt stretched too thin. Show was no classic, felt like a weekly chore by the end
budgie 03.17.23	"A bit flat and only two or three scenes with the infected were memorable." so, all of them 😁
DoofDoof 03.17.23	Yeah there were like five at most
Nomos2 03.17.23	I'm a little disappointed to with the focus on characters, their relationships, and the drama. I mean that. I can watch plenty of grounded dramas for that stuff. I was really looking forward to some more insane action sequences involving the infected. I'm just not seeing where all the money went lol.
Nomos2 03.17.23	I'm a little disappointed to with the focus on characters, their relationships, and the drama. I mean that. I can watch plenty of grounded dramas for that stuff. I was really looking forward to some more insane action sequences involving the infected. I'm just not seeing where all the money went lol.
ConcubinaryCode 03.17.23	I mean the game was also about the people and drama about living a world at odds with them. That particular theme has kinda been wrung dry imo so youre left with subverting how undead are actually undead and thats where the spore aspect comes from.Still disappointed in hearing it was underwhelming but I'll probably check it out now that the season is over.
Nomos2 03.17.23	Yeah I just think people are out of things to say about the human condition and what happens to our society when it falls apart. I've just seen it too many times, told to death. It was fine for a game in 2013 because it felt a little more nuanced and adult than the typical fare at the time, but even that is becoming normalized. But especially on TV does it feel tired to me, and The Walking Dead is mostly the reason. They nailed the drama and the relationships and the setting. I just wish it was punctuated with more action. Actually, here's what happened: they adapted all of the moments between the Infected action. Season 1 is all of the great lulls between the shooting...with the exception of that HUGE scene in the residential neighborhood that takes place after the sewers game-wise, that was perfection!
Nomos2 03.17.23	That being said, a solid 8/10 season with some 10/10 moments. I'm just nipicking what I'd change to make it a personal 10/10. Absolutely worth watching.
budgie 03.17.23	NOMOS FIX YO SHIT
Nomos2 03.17.23	WHAT
budgie 03.17.23	YOUR GOOGLE MAPS LINK IS FUCKIN EVERYTHING UP
Nomos2 03.17.23	OMG IS THAT WHY THIS JANK ASS PAGE TURNED A MILE WIDE fuck me this site is terrible lmao
deathofasalesman 03.17.23	i really hate the nitpicking for this show. video game fans are insufferable
budgie 03.17.23	what are they nitpicking over? i was kinda loving the screeching on the internet about wesker being black in the RE show lmao. the screeching was more entertaining than the show, but i guess that's a low bar
ConcubinaryCode 03.17.23	I really don't know why producers think they can make a better action experience than games when games have caught up so much in terms of graphics, spectacle, and can afford bigger and better setpieces than movies. Resident evil in particular is hilarious because the games look way better than the movies at this point. How much money do you think some film exec would dump into that last jack fight from re7 for instance and do you really think it'd look better than the game? Not likely.
Wildcardbitchesss 03.18.23	Because a lot of people don’t play games. My aunt and uncle loved the show but neither have picked up a controller in their lives
IsisScript80 03.18.23	"I really don't know why producers think they can make a better action experience than games when games have caught up so much in terms of graphics, spectacle, and can afford bigger and better setpieces than movies." This statement applies to the adaptations before: 'Castlevania', 'Arcane', 'Cyberpunk 2077: Edgerunners' and this one. The programs have finally come of age and can be fully enjoyed in their own right.
Gameofmetal 03.19.23	"Show was the equivalent of the quality of say, the sixth or seventh best Walking Dead season?" This is the absolute craziest take I've ever seen LOL. The best walking dead season is half as good as this was, that show was always endless dogshit filler around the solid episodes.
DoofDoof 03.19.23	Nah, recency bias to the 100th degree This show smelt of money but was dull as fuck imo I can think of INDIVIDUAL episodes of The Walking Dead better than this entire season But each to their own
DoofDoof 03.19.23	This show was like a ten times more boring retread of The Road with more boring actors and much less to say
IsisScript80 03.19.23	^ Absolutely zero recency bias to no degree. I’ve watched both (not 100% caught up TWD, but am well through to the final season having watched it from the start), and TLoU is a genuinely higher quality production all-round.
budgie 03.19.23	walking dead was hard to consume. felt that its form as a tv show too heavily affected the actual creative substance. TLOU had something clunky going on by transposing videogame storytelling onto a tv show package but still felt better. maybe because TWD was written when more consumers were being fed episodes periodically whereas now seasons are released as whole units
DoofDoof 03.19.23	‘higher quality production’ is like saying an albums ‘well produced’ - Walking Dead was always a bit trashy but trashy can work and it did work a long while. It certainly got worse than this show don’t get me wrong sure, this smells of money, but three of the middle eps sent me to sleep. Characters are all boring…well, there are two. Nothing rings true, very contrived, Pedro has a hundred times the chemistry with a glove puppet Grogu than Bella Ramsey. Worst thing - we’ve seen EVERYTHING here before. Nothing surprised, nothing resonated. I wasn’t a huge fan of The Road but that had a few scenes that made my skin crawl…this just didn’t. Even the infected were pretty shit…the kiss looked laughable, the kitchen in Jurassic Park type scene with the ‘try not to make a noise’ was whatever, the mass attack from the basement was ok but it seemed very unrealistically selective in how it unfolded but fair enough. Just an average show for me, I’ve watched so much that has amazed me recently and this was just genuinely a bit of a chore I was hoping would finish with a bang but really didn’t. I kept the faith for four episodes…scroll above and my comments back it up, but despite wanting to like this and even expecting to like this it just was ok. Most boring/disappointing show since The Sandman for me.
IsisScript80 03.19.23	^ You directly compared this to TWD… I used the term “higher quality production” not just in terms of its visual/audio quality (which would be analogous of “a well produced album”), but also it’s writing, pacing, internal logic and character development. All of which are superior. It is by no means perfect, but every flaw you pick out, TWD is guilty of to a FAR greater degree. It came earlier, but never felt wholly original even then.
DoofDoof 03.19.23	It just wasn’t fun for me. TWD was a lot of fun at times, early on it had some engaging characters, a few surprises. No masterpiece but it was something close to an essential watch for five seasons. I consider neither show ‘high art’ - this is well below The Road in terms of those types of credentials, that has those chops sewn up and it got there a lot earlier. Not as fun as the Walking Dead, not as highbrow or arty as The Road
Wildcardbitchesss 03.19.23	wait, complain about the show all you want but Bella Ramsey was bad? Did I read that right? Dude she fucking killed it.
protokute 03.19.23	I almost feel like wanting to rewatch TWD now I stopped watching after the prison season.
budgie 03.19.23	pretty sure bella ramsey is just mark zuckerbug post hormone therapy
DoofDoof 03.19.23	Bella Ramsey wasn’t bad but she has little chemistry when acting with Pedro for sure
Rowan5215 03.20.23	i will pay you to never post an opinion on anything again lol. embarrassing stuff
Gameofmetal 03.20.23	Comparisons to The Road, one of The Great American Novels by one of The Great American Writers is a little tough lol.
Rowan5215 03.20.23	to be fair he's probably seen 10 new movies since 2000 and that's one of them there are certainly valid complaints about this show and not a single one has been posted in the last 20 comments. almost impressively off base in every respect
protokute 03.20.23	I kind of agree with Doof, though...
IsisScript80 03.20.23	^ You said you stopped watching TWD after the prison season… you left it at its best. Continue watching, I doubt you’ll still be in agreement.
ItsTheSquirrel 03.20.23	Just started watching and so far I love the look of the show, production design and cinematography are both amazing especially for tv standards. As someone who hasn't played the game I've found the story so far relatively well done but preictable. The gay episode was good
DoofDoof 03.20.23	'to be fair he's probably seen 10 new movies since 2000 and that's one of them there are certainly valid complaints about this show and not a single one has been posted in the last 20 comments. almost impressively off base in every respect' no need to be a big baby about a differing opinion all my TV and movie ratings are on RYM, check em, theres a lot of them
DoofDoof 03.20.23	Recent viewing: Severance season 1; 9.5/10 Slow Horses season 1; 9/10 White Lotus season 1; 8.5/10 White Lotus season 2; 8.5/10 Slow Horses season 2; 8.5/10 Foundation season 1: 8/10 and this; 5.5/10 Just honestly how I'm feeling it. Sorry, it was boring to me, maybe not helped by me digging almost everything else I've chosen to watch this year.
Pikazilla 03.20.23	I get the low rating if the show was as shite as the game tbh
budgie 03.20.23	doof what is your rating for HBO rome s1 that will determine your value as a consumer
DoofDoof 03.20.23	budgie, despite that show being rec’d to me a lot I’ve never watched it, where can you stream it?
budgie 03.20.23	uh... HBOMax, or buy, i guess are the options dude it is the greatest show of all time
DoofDoof 03.20.23	will prioritise, always meant to watch it
protokute 03.20.23	been meaning to check Rome too
TalonsOfFire 03.20.23	The Road is just an average length movie based on an amazing award-winning novel that gets read in schools, so not sure it's really comparable to other post-apocalypse stories which are more focused on the thrills, gore, zombies, etc. It’s been nearly a decade since I watched TWD so going off my memory, the first season was great and superior to the TLoU show, maybe season 2 and 3 too, but none of the ones after. Too bad for TLoU because as flawed as TWD was, I think its sheer longevity ensured it was able to cover most everything that a post-apocalypse story can do. There were a fair amount of really great, emotionally impactful episodes in seasons 4, 5, and 6 that easily rivaled and at times surpassed anything from the TLoU series (the fantastic 3-parter Live Bait/Dead Weight/Too Far Gone, No Sanctuary, the best ep of the series What Happened and What's Going On, Conquer, and The Same Boat.). I never watched past that awful season 7 premiere but might try again starting with season 9, cause everyone says 7 and 8 suck haha
Wildcardbitchesss 03.20.23	Yeah that’s the thing tho, if you want to get to the good episodes you have to watch a lot of dogshit filler episodes. I almost agree with you about season 1 of TWD. It’s damn good but I still think season 1 of TLOU is better. The Last of Us is solid all the way through imo