Last of Us, TV show...

[Pazuzu]

OK, I'll start this.

Let's discuss the newest HBO series Last of Us. This is the next Big Thing for HBO, the next Game of Thrones type show. Millions upon millions went into it.

This series is a retelling of a well know video game, which means that the entire story has already been told. Therefore, it would be easy to spoil it for people who don't know the story. Let's try to avoid that. Let's try to restrict it to weekly discussion as the TV show evolves.

I'm especially interested in comments from people who watch it, but don't know what the story is. How those people see this show will be very different than how people who know the game see the show.

[techman1]

Know the story, played the game so long ago the outcome is a fuzzy memory.

Thought Pedro Pascal did a good job, and is a great fit for his character. Rest of the cast pretty good also. I am in.

[fintstone]

I don't know the story and never played the game...but like the show (as I like most shows where there is a dystopian future that seems somewhat plausible). The characters seem flawed enough so far to be interesting and somewhat real. I am recording the series so that I don't miss any.

I was glad this came along as all that I really have nothing left to watch but depressing news shows and Motor Trend TV car shows that make we want to buy an old clunker and rebuild it. I have binge-watched everything else that is the least bit interesting (and some that isn't).

[GH85Carrera]

So yet another dystopian future Science Fiction show? I guess almost all writers are taught that the future is bleak and horrid.

One thing I always liked about Star Trek is technology helped make the future better, not desolate.

We are recording the new series, and likely will wait until we can watch the season in a short time. We are spoiled now with binge watching, and I really hate waiting weeks to see the next episodes and forgetting a character, or a plot point because it happened two months ago and I have seen dozens of other shows since.

[gordner]

I am going to watch it but have not taken the time yet. Just wanted to post because it was all filmed around my area, I will be watching if for that reason alone.

[cantdrv55]

I didn’t know it was a video game. No wonder it’s so hard to follow. I’ll keep watching it even though I’m getting tired of dystopian future stories.

[NY65912]

Watched part of episode 1 last night. Same old story different players.

[fintstone]

Hard to discuss as several have not watched yet and don't want to be a spoiler.

[unclebilly]

Filmed all around where I live…

Lots in Calgary and Edmonton.

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by NY65912

Watched part of episode 1 last night. Same old story different players.

^This. I wonder if this is the Disney effect, like how they used to re-release their library every few years for a new audience, before DVDs and streaming. This is basically a John Wayne movie.

[Halm]

Watched episode 1 last night. No knowledge of the game. Thought it was only OK, mostly setting up character arcs. Will watch 1 or 2 more episodes before making a decision.

[Deschodt]

Have to say, I loved Dystopian-future-post apocalyptic-Zombie Tv shows way more BEFORE COVID, before Ukraine, before our economy started tanking or our politicians proved how dumb they all are, etc... These scenarios are less fun and more "possible" every passing day ;-)

Also, Anna Torv aged a bit, which is fair but made me sad (from Fringe)!

[Pazuzu]

So...24 hours after episode two, is anyone regretting it?

as for the video game relationship...
In the last 10 years, I've played 4 video games. I'm not a gamer. But, Last of Us was one I played. It's a very linear story. It's a mix of what they call cutscenes, which are basically short videos that expand on the story or move the character arc forward, and action scenes, where the characters need to get through/past/around some obstacle. If you watched the second episode, the talking scene on the flyover bridge would have been a cutscene, while the museum scene would have been an action scene. This linear story lends itself well to a movie or TV series.

[911boost]

My son and I have watched both episodes and are enjoying it so far.

[Halm]

Watch E2 last night. Thought it was better than E1. CGI was pretty impressive. Sorry to see Anna Torv get killed off. I liked her in Fringe. Still not 100% on the show, but will watch 1 or 2 more episodes.

[Venetian]

I was on the set on 6 different days and several locations as an extra so I have a different sort of interest in trying to find myself in the background. It was a great experience both boring with the long hours of waiting around and exciting seeing the sets and the actors going thru their scenes. Also the technical aspect with camera angles etc. I have a new respect for actors having to be "on" thru multiple takes of the same scene. I would describe the movie business as "organized chaos". Surprising how it all works out in the end.

[911_Dude]

Ive watched the first two episodes and I like it. The visuals and attention to detail are A+. Seems like another angle on the zombie theme, but I'll go with it for now.

If the illness is caused by a fungus, wouldn't breathing spores be more an issue than getting a bite? My only criticism at this point.

[fintstone]

https://news.sky.com/story/the-last-of-us-the-science-behind-the-real-zombie-fungus-and-is-it-an-actual-threat-12790306

[Pazuzu]

What is it the kids say?

So THAT just happened. It wasn't a surprise that Nick Offerman was going to play Bill, but I think all of the people who played the game expected that episode to move quite differently.

I appreciate that they're going to give us some side visits to new stories, instead of just driving the video game linear story forward like a train. I look forward to seeing how much more they massage the story to keep it interesting.

[911boost]

Last nights was interesting.