The series The Last of Us just debuted this Sunday night (15) on HBO and HBO Max, with the post-apocalyptic world of the famous games, now adapted for TV, and the brings the first impressions, without spoilers, on the pilot episode of this super production.
Considered by many critics to be the best videogame adaptation ever made, the series gets off on the right foot with an episode that introduces the characters and their traumas, from when everything went wrong in a global pandemic. The production begins with an alert from an epidemiologist in an auditorium-like program, warning of the risk of microorganisms.
Not viruses, not bacteria, but fungi. The action starts right away, after we meet Sarah (Milly Farrier) and Joel (Pedro Pascal). But after this short introduction full of crazy and explosive scenes, explaining what the world will be like in the future and Joel’s personality in the rest of the episode, we jump forward 20 years to… 2023.
The series presents post-apocalyptic social functioning and how people manage to survive in this terrifying alternative world, where the threat of infection speaks louder than anything else. Little by little, we meet new characters who will be important in the future of the series: Tess (Anna Torv) and, of course, Ellie (Bella Ramsey).
The trio accidentally end up together on a yet unknown mission, which should be further explained in the next episode. From the very beginning, the brief interactions between Pascal and Ramsey already attract attention. From the first scene you can see that they are the highlight at all times, especially Ramsey who, as critics have already commented in the first reactions to the series, steals the show with his interpretation.
Like someone who is part of the group of people who haven’t played The Last of Us, I have no way to comment on how the series resembles or differs from the game, or to judge whether it is truly one of the best adaptations ever made. But as it is something made for both fans and laymen when it comes to the universe The Last of Us, I can speak from this point of view. The first point is that those like me who have never played will want to.
The series is extremely well done, has a beautiful opening, and the characters are well presented in the pilot, while keeping mysteries about them. The narration is attractive and doesn’t tend to get lost throughout the episode, despite some rather long sequences where it’s not very clear where we’re going. The important thing is that we got there.
In some sequences it is possible to notice aesthetically that it is a series based on a game. But in reality, as the creators have commented in the past, so far the characters and their relationships are the focus, and it’s a well-known group of characters, with clear depth that should be explored in the future.
Many mysteries are left in the air for Episode 2, which premieres next Sunday (22nd). The series has everything to be HBO’s big flagship in the coming months and, game adaptation or not, the first impression is that The Last of Us it will make a lot of noise in the coming weeks.
The post The Last of Us: Episode 1 features Joel, Ellie and a post-apocalyptic world that first appeared on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
