HBO: The Last of Us (Season 2 is a go)...Sundays @ 9PM EST...Pedro Pascal&Bella Ramsey=Joel&Ellie...NO SPOILERS IF YOU'VE PLAYED THE GAMES

This episode gets a much deserved 2.
Here's why: Let me preface this by saying that I knew with such a condensed episode run we'd get some corners cut, but this is huge and has MAJOR implications for the finale payoff. Jackson is where we see our "heroes" end up after the Sam and Henry fiasco, in the game Ellie and Joel fight about him leaving her (just as in this episode). The difference is Jackson is attacked by a mob of raiders (which are extremely important to the story later on) after the town is saved. Ellie runs off which leads to Joel and Tommy finding her in a nearby abandoned neighborhood to which the famous "you're not my daughter line" is coined. Joel and Ellie travel to the university (where they see the Monkeys) - they find out that the Fireflys were indeed there at some point but that again, they've suffered mass causalities to the infected and have had to run. During this time Joel and Ellie encounter numerous infected while clearing the area to figure out more about where the Fireflys may have relocated to. They are then mobbed by those same raiders that we saw earlier in Jackson (who followed them). During and incredible struggle Joel is seriously wounded and Ellie saves his life (which happens to absolute incredible effect in the game).

By bypassing all of this, I feel like the finale is going to be shortcut quite a bit as those Raiders play a huge and I mean HUGE part of the ending. There's a distinct loss of emotion and desperation that separates just how dire there situation really is. This is the first time I can say - they got it pretty wrong.

HERE IS THE SCENE FROM THIS EPISODE / IN GAME FORMAT. DO NOT WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN TONIGHTS EPISODE
 
Like this episode more than the last one.

Mostly character work and less TWD fluff.

Like how they introduce the town early, I remember in the game we just saw the dam.
 
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This was my favorite episode of the series. Amazing.

When Joel was having a panic attack thinking he saw his daughter and the game’s theme song started playing. That was goooooooooood.

I like the changes they made where they reunite with Tommy.
 
Innnnn the beginning of the episode corner,

The full of **** crewww hamlet peops!


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Another awesome episode. I get that changes had to be made, but I'm gonna watch the entire season before making any judgements. But damn, seeing all those Easter Eggs and references tho... .love it.

Also love the 1000 year-old couple at the beginning. 😂

But interesting change with giving Joel what appears to be anxiety attacks.
The emotions of him seeing "Sarah", scared of failing (again) and *that* scene with Ellie. 😥


Podcast said that it may or may not be...
But it has to be. 🤭
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Seeds planted.
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Shimmer!
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A workbench!
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This episode gets a much deserved 2.
Here's why: Let me preface this by saying that I knew with such a condensed episode run we'd get some corners cut, but this is huge and has MAJOR implications for the finale payoff. Jackson is where we see our "heroes" end up after the Sam and Henry fiasco, in the game Ellie and Joel fight about him leaving her (just as in this episode). The difference is Jackson is attacked by a mob of raiders (which are extremely important to the story later on) after the town is saved. Ellie runs off which leads to Joel and Tommy finding her in a nearby abandoned neighborhood to which the famous "you're not my daughter line" is coined. Joel and Ellie travel to the university (where they see the Monkeys) - they find out that the Fireflys were indeed there at some point but that again, they've suffered mass causalities to the infected and have had to run. During this time Joel and Ellie encounter numerous infected while clearing the area to figure out more about where the Fireflys may have relocated to. They are then mobbed by those same raiders that we saw earlier in Jackson (who followed them). During and incredible struggle Joel is seriously wounded and Ellie saves his life (which happens to absolute incredible effect in the game).

By bypassing all of this, I feel like the finale is going to be shortcut quite a bit as those Raiders play a huge and I mean HUGE part of the ending. There's a distinct loss of emotion and desperation that separates just how dire there situation really is. This is the first time I can say - they got it pretty wrong.

HERE IS THE SCENE FROM THIS EPISODE / IN GAME FORMAT. DO NOT WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN TONIGHTS EPISODE


"This episode is bad because they took the story in a different direction and they have to follow the story beats precisely as the game did in order to get to the satisfying ending"

It's the same as the "it was better in the book" crowd 🤣

This is a pretty bad assessment. You're basically complaining that this show isn't following the same story beats as the game and you're making inferences about how the finale will be and judging this episode based on information you don't even have. The people who played the game know how it will end but who knows if they take the exact same route to get there?

You're better off just understanding that this is a different medium. I think this is why most the people I know who didn't play the game or happier with the product then people who play the game, who are nitpicking every scene and comparing things.

Personally, I really liked that they took the story in a different direction and skipped the video gamey "we're on a mission to save X" or "need to acquire XYZ items". They were able to spend more time fleshing out the relationship between Tommy and Joel.
 
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I think this episode did a great job of showing the different paths Joel and Tommy took.

I understand why Joel seems resentful at the beginning of the episode. It seems like Tommy has built an entire personality around being the opposite of Joel and now Tommy has everything that Joel used to have. A partner, the community and he's going to be a father. Tommy also has the luxury of being judgmental about the things they did to survive in the early days of the outbreak. Tommy's wife, Maria, Even absolves him of blame saying "Tommy was only following Joel".

They also hammer home What Joel said about Tommy a couple episodes ago, that Tommy is a "follower" who is easily manipulated. I don't care if I'm in some type of commune, I'm going to at least tell my brother, literally the only family he has left in this apocalypse, that I'm alive. Tommy just seemed like a type of guy to do what he's told without thinking.

We also see how emotionally stunted Joel and you're able to juxpose that with Maria. Maria is able to openly talk about the fact that her child died and it seems like she is come to peace with it whereas Joel still can't even have a conversation about his daughter 20 years later. You can never tell a parent how to grief the loss of their child but it's an interesting perspective
 
This is a pretty bad assessment. You're basically complaining that this show isn't following the same story beats as the game and you're making inferences about how the finale will be and judging this episode based on information you don't even have. The people who played the game know how it will end but who knows if they take the exact same route to get there?

Personally, I really liked that they took the story in a different direction and skipped the video gamey "we're on a mission to save X" or "need to acquire XYZ items". They were able to spend more time fleshing out the relationship between Tommy and Joel.

No take is bad as it’s an opinion. But yes, by cutting out an entire plot line you reduce the impact of the finale, I stand by that. To correct you though, I have always liked the deviation the show has taken from the game so your initial reaction to my post is incorrect. Also, I never said going “here to save x” is what i’m looking for, I think I clarified exactly what I had an issue with in regards to this particular episode. They also spent LESS time fleshing out what happened with Joel and Tommy so you’re incorrect there as well.
 
I was gonna say, they cut out a whole lot. Which I’m actually a fan of. Played the game like 3x so I’m good on the exact same stuff. Would be nice to see some more horror and suspense though. I can see them making it in 9 episodes now lol.
 
Loved all the Easter Eggs in this episode and all the foreshadowing.

The Second game is twice as long as the first, I expect way more cuts there.
 
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