Welcome back to the blog everybody. I know this isn't film related but I wanted to share my thoughts on the premiere episode of the newest HBO series: The Last of Us. Original story written by Neil Druckmann, created for television by Druckmann and Craig Mazin (Chernobyl).
NOTE: I will be using spoilers for my thoughts, so DO NOT read ahead if you have not seen the episode.
First off, I have to say that this premiere episode is fantastic. I loved the narrative, I loved the character work, and I loved the visuals (at least the few we did get). The opening scene was an interesting choice, as we see two scientists on a talk show in 1968 talking about the dangers of fungal infections. I loved seeing John Hannah (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as one of the scientists. This scene acted as sheer foreshadowing for the events to come and doubled as a wonderful message about climate change.
Once we fast forward to 2003, the tension creeps in. I admittedly only played about the first 3 hours of the first game and I knew exactly what was coming, so the challenge was expanding on these events and making us care about these characters in a narrative format. Director Craig Mazin did that to perfection. Using simple and subtle details to inform the viewer that things are happening but not revealing the extent of what was happening, we are left to wonder what exactly is to come (unless you've played the game). Details like the shopkeeper's assistant forcing Sarah to leave and her boss to close the store, the old lady's dog barking at her while she's motionless in her wheelchair, and all of the planes flying overhead.
Pedro Pascal had some heavy shoes to fill playing Joel Miller, who was played in the games by Troy Baker, and he absolutely delivered. I will be very upset if he is not nominated for an Emmy for his performance in this episode alone. He was tasked with playing multiple different facets of Joel; he did it and then some. The emotion he delivers when losing Sarah is heartbreaking. The stoic Joel we see 20 years later is engaging and layered. Nico Parker was killer as Sarah. She brought so much depth to this character that her eventual fate was even more tragic than what we saw in the game.
One the big flashforward happened and we find ourselves in the present day, the story can drag a drop but it's not enough to take you out of the story. However, it's amazing character work that gets us through. I especially enjoyed the performances of Anna Torv, Merle Dandridge, and Bella Ramsey. Anna Torv brings a fire to her version of Tess that even Annie Wersching could not bring to the game. I even enjoyed her dynamic with Pedro Pascal. Merle Dandridge revisits her role of Marlene, and she was electric. I loved this iteration of her, and it will make later season events that much more engaging.
I needed to give an entire paragraph to Bella Ramsey. Like Pascal, Ramsey had some big, BIG shoes to fill by playing Ellie, and she's got some damn charisma. She gets Ashley Johnson's swagger down pat. I even love the details when she is chained up and counting fast and cussing out the soldiers, when she snaps at Joel for kicking her knife away and her initial interactions with Joel with the Billboard book.
The story in this first episode was incredible. Seeing some of the things that were alluded to builds the tension and I loved the long sequence from their escape from the house to Sarah's death. That entire sequence was some of the most thrilling television I have ever seen. Emotion is super high and performances are insane. I even enjoy the small details, like the old lady feasting on her caretakers.
To conclude my thoughts, this episode was fantastic and I cannot wait for the second episode.
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