HBO: The Last of Us

[Mecca]

So that intro is very game of thrones

[Ensign9]

More like Game of Bones.

[Ello Sailor]

I haven't played the games, so this is all brand new to me. I thought it started strong. I liked the scientific concept behind the infection. Then I guess it settles into Children of Men meets The Walking Dead? The Fireflies faction stuff has been done to death and bored me to tears. Pedro Pascal is outstanding as always, but I'm not really sold on Bella Ramsey's acting chops.

Sorry to be a downer, but it seemed very average to me overall.

[Ello Sailor]

Some might say "mid af".

[psychobain]

You are picking fights everywhere

[Ello Sailor]

It's only a fight if you can't handle opinions that differ from your own.

[Monkey_Driven]

I would agree the first half was better than the second. A lot of table setting and world building in the latter portion.

[Ensign9]

Critic reviews I’ve read seem to generally agree episode 1 is good but 2, 3 and 4 are increasingly great. I think it’ll help to get out of claustrophobic Boston into the wide open spaces.

[Bi_3]

I would agree the first half was better than the second. A lot of table setting and world building in the latter portion.

Stranger Things 4, HoD, and Andor were the same. I take it as sign of confidence in the material that they can slam they breaks to set the plot in motion then start to speed up again.

[Ensign9]

(Anitpick: the “big event” that closes out the prologue needed another beat or two before the time card came up. Let the audience sit with what happened and then wallop them with the time jump.)

Druckmann, Baker, and Johnson did commentary for the cutscenes in Part I and, funnily enough, Druckmann says they weren’t originally going to have an opening credits sequence in the game but the time jump from Sarah’s death to 20 years later felt too abrupt so they added it to allow the player to reflect and recover a bit. Trust your instincts, Neil!

[Revelator]

but I'm not really sold on Bella Ramsey's acting chops.

This is/was absolutely my sentiments/concern as well. I actually thought she was great in her little GoT role, but she's not how I'm envisioning Ellie (keeping in mind I've played and a huge fan of the games). The show was def good enough though for me to keep watching the next few episodes. Hoping my mind is changed...

[VinylGuy]

finished the pilot, i guess it was alright? the kid is weird.

[psychobain]

Solid

Lovin the atmosphere

[Ensign9]

Get rid of the shaky cam, please.

[Monkey_Driven]

Excellent production design. Was worried about the initial footage looking "cheap" but I think the natural lighting really pays off.

[Ensign9]

I’m digging the show but it’s a little too carbon copy of the game for my taste. Nothing here is better than the game so I have a hard time getting as much as I’d like out of it. However, the prologue had me riveted and I’m excited that they’ll be showing stuff only alluded to in the game.

If nothing else, it’s introducing non-gamers to a great story, even if it’s a slightly less-than version. That’s a good thing.

[Ensign9]

Excellent production design. Was worried about the initial footage looking "cheap" but I think the natural lighting really pays off.

It still feels an little off to me, probably because they’re being a little too faithful to the game’s aesthetic and design. Instead of being fully engrossed in each scene and new setting, my mind instead goes, “Hey, that’s exactly the same as the game!”

The design thinking seems to be replicating the game versus replicating the scenario in the real world, if that makes sense.

[Monkey_Driven]

Excellent production design. Was worried about the initial footage looking "cheap" but I think the natural lighting really pays off.

It still feels an little off to me, probably because they’re being a little too faithful to the game’s aesthetic and design. Instead of being fully engrossed in each scene and new setting, my mind instead goes, “Hey, that’s exactly the same as the game!”

The design thinking seems to be replicating the game versus replicating the scenario in the real world, if that makes sense.

Changing the way the virus spreads and how they act as groups is a pretty big change in making the threat seem much more dangerous. Will be curious to see how it plays out.

[Monkey_Driven]

Also, shout out to my wife who whispered, "oh shit, the clickers" before they were on screen. She's never played the game, but is aware of their now iconic sound design.

[Ensign9]

Also, not nearly enough Depeche Mode this episode.