The Last of Us: A Critique, Commentary and Celebration 

Yess, so excited for it!

Are you going to bring back bleach when the anime finishes

YES! One of my favorites personally 👍

While I enjoy FullMetal Alchemist, I am really just eagerly awaiting the DBZ series review

Fullmetal Alchemist

There's a good chance that the first game (which was jobs for tons of people for years and provided all of the story and foundations and fan base for this series) cost less than a single episode of this show... that's pretty rough

​@@lumeronswift Yep game devs get paid and overworked like sweat shops. Similar to visual effects people

But how well will he get along with his future castmate N. Iron? ;)

@@Drums_of_Liberation facts

Wait til you play the game.

I can't disagree more honestly. I just finished the show yesterday and all I could think was how much better written and acted Joel and Ellie were in the game that Pedro and Bella just felt like downgrades in every way.

@@guts2016 Bella definitely was a downgrade for me, the acting was fine but the line delivery was really off. Pedro I feel did a better job and I was fine with his performance and even caught myself not constantly comparing him to game Joel and just enjoying him, but still nothing will ever beat game Joel and Ellie, they were just perfect.

the zebras won't mourn them

I was wondering if in the show, since he left the two nurses alive, if those characters are Nora and Mel.. it would give a bit more credence to why they go with Abby to Jackson, but I wonder if they'll also have a conversation with Abby about how he just wanted Ellie and it wasn't personal blah blah blah.. anyways, I haven't seen anyone mention the nurses, just curious if you guys had thought about it, you too mr big filmmaker behind this masterpiece analysis.. @totally not mark

​@@StayFractalesque 1. Nora and Mel could be present but they would be kids unless they change that for some reason, so I dont think they would be the nurses. 2. You dont have to kill the nurses in the game either. Just the main surgeon

@@Flipitmixit I mean, it's only 4 years, and Mel and Nora were students of Abby's dad at the time of his death, so ..

@@StayFractalesque I'd say no; one of the nurses in the show was a last-ish minute cameo by Laura Bailey (game Abby)

Yeah, the game was phenomenal, and the show was okay... I just kept contrasting it in my mind. It didn't feel as phenomenal. I feel like Straley should've had input, he kept the first game grounded and ultimately led to it becoming a masterpiece. He was also the lead programmer on both TLOU, Left Behind, and Uncharted 4. I dunno, I think the show was decent by itself, but the story was told far better in the game. I think the overall issue is that the adaptation was unnecessary, I think they would've benefited from doing a reverse Telltale and told a whole new story set in the same world. I think it would've worked a lot better.

@@theperson8539 This is a weird take and I don't like it

@@LithFox I guess you are free to think that. I disagree with the ‘weird’ categorisation though, I think it’s rather reasonable.

​@@theperson8539 I agree it's not a 'weird' take but I do agree that the show is above decent. Agreed not phenomenal but more than just 'decent'. I love the game and agree there were a lot of points that might've worked better with the game director you mentioned having a hand in it, I do think the show works amazing as not only a adaptation but more importantly a show for new fans to get into the game with. I agree the game is in the top of Best video game stories of all time and also think the show is an amazing retelling of it that hopefully gets more people into playing the game.

@@silentassason I dunno, the remake seems like a retcon to me. I’d favour the PS4 version.

Neil was the ideas man and Bruce made those ideas into something great.

No he doesnt. Neil wrote the damn story

@@PeachesandCream225 Maybe go give the credits another watch, because that's factually incorrect for the first game.

Holy shit dude. It’s so surreal and weird to hear people talking about the next step. I grew up watching that show and they filmed it downtown Toronto which is less than an hour away from where I live. The acting definitely wasn’t the best but I love that show lol.

@@pithicusthen554 well, I talk about it bc I really loved it and, I mean, it's still going on so I kept watching it.

I mean he does VO for most of Din and aside from a few specific scenes it's not him under the armor but I do mostly agree with what you said

When did he prove that? Because his most prolific masked role is the Mandalorian, which is a terrible show where he spends the entire time phoning it in (literally, in some cases). You know you've done something wrong as an actor when your performance in WW84 was better than in the show that arguably got you famous. You can absolutely give great performances while masked. Pedro, in the Mandalorian, doesn't.

@@Venez-tr8th Every season has been garbage, and Pedro was never anything other than incredibly stilted and monotone. It's clear he hates the role.

Fun fact: The actress who played Ellie's mom is actually Game Ellie's voice actress, that's why your mind instantly associates her with our girl

@@lanaakraye6741 I actually found this out like a day after watching this and leaving the comment! Makes it even more amazing that Bella actually looks so much like her!

​@@Stargazer_sarahReally? She don't really look that much like Ashley, even less like Ellie in the game, to be honest I hated the casting choice when it was first revealed because she didn't look like Ellie at all but now I just kinda separate it and think of it as it's own thing I guess

Amen this, the Sonic Movies, Carmen Sandiego, & Castlevania all slap

@@arnahunas4048 even Cyberpunk and Arcane if you can count those

Now we need an adaption of the Telltale Games of The Walking Dead featuring Lee and Clementine.

@@NinthShinigami Yooooo fair point

Now we just got to see if they can make the second game look good and if Pedro can get along with Mr. Nine Iron.

TLDR naw. Doing it the way they did adds needed tension reduction and explores characters at a moment your wanting more and goes from plot heavy movement to character depth building needed at that point not the end of a completed story (show wise) unlike the games. It’s common in all media to not always give audiences what they want right away to lull you into caring about something else and build anticipation. Give it to me now generation needs to let the authors cook more or get microwaved Al hype no substance meals. I disagree. People seem to be very into gratification these days leading to the give me what I want now type of storytelling while satisfying it’s akin to telling your cook to cook faster and they throw it in the microwave and slam it on your plate. Get to the hype get to the story mentality deals like the new entitled binge watcher creed. Writers implementing a lot of the ideas audiences want isn’t alway good. Audiences often don’t even know what they want. They claim no one wants a Barbie movie that’s complex then it does well. They claim no one wants condensed one piece than nonfans get into it. Putting the dlc where it was worked so well for me since I think it was where I chose to want to play it after I played the game (when it all released at once) of course people who waited would prefer it after the ending of the game or tv show. But that imo gives a even greater disservice as if it’s just what druckman said in the video. As if it’s unnecessary. It’s part of the story. People who think anything not bulldozing the plot along really should just watch tv in fast forward. ( current gen apparently skips scenes). The dlc inserted there is a great natural cool down. People are pre y that a second game exist and the main character isn’t gone. The game method just wouldn’t work. It’s a plot beat here to move things along but that’s ok. The flash back gives us time with the character and time away to yearn for the character. Plenty of series have the delay of gratification and are better for it. Goku on snake way. Near the end we don’t check in on him and get development of the fight. And vise verses right when things get intense. Cut always to luffy fights in one piece. Etc. it would be less pull to watch each week without delays in gratification. Sure it would make for hype viewing but you lose that “tune in next time” appeal. Introducing stuff the reader isn’t super into while their hyped for something resolving is a method writers use to keep attention and have you not notice you also wanna learn about another plot beat since before you know it your interested in the world.

Yeah some of his takes seem to be from research as I’ve heard some of the themes he explored from other RU-vidrs earlier. Lots of hot takes you gotta remember people spout out plot hole and contrivance as it seems smart or shows you noticed something but a lot of the time it makes sense in the story and the story just showed it without expressly stating it. The explosion would have hit the vines anyway so his point is moot. He just didn’t like the Hollywood like action beat and it’s understandable. The show till that point seemed more I don’t know eehhh or up and sophisticated and different then your average zombie show so the slow methodical feel lulls you into thinking it’s super mature and won’t do crazy action. That’s my guess. Though the airplane explosion says different so i think we forget with all the deep symbolism and character stuff you still gotta entertain a normie like me lol. Last of us is still silly and over the top at times.

Pacing was definitely an issue I had, I agree that Joel and Ellie’s relationship was rushed

Yeah, this show would have done well with a 12 episode treatment at the very least. 16 feels like it would just be dragging and would be biding time with more filler, but 12 would have been just right if the pace was slowed just a little bit to where we get more time to see the bond between Joel and Ellie be fleshed out more to where the audience can understand Joel’s outlook changing over time. The pace right now makes the fatherly role seem very quick despite the show making it obvious that there is a lot of time between events that has passed. It jumps from one major event to the next. Still a great show, nonetheless, but even just 3 more episodes would have helped the pacing tremendously while not changing too much (except the audience growing and understanding their bond a lot better).

Really? The Kathleen stuff was so stupid and boring asf whereas the TLOU2 was a rollercoaster

Except for league of legends. I am NOT going near that toxic waste dump of a game. Arcane however, was fucking fantastic.

it's not even guaranteed that it will save all of humanity

Intersting idea briding part 1 with 2 but they need to be careful. More content means more chances to mess up

I get the definite sense that season 2 will be new original material + flashbacks from Part II, and Season 3 will be Part II. Bella Ramsey was around 17 when season 1 was filmed and looked very convincingly 14. She's not going to have aged enough to play a 19-year-old Ellie for Part II's events for a few years. It'd make sense to do stuff with a 16-17 year old Ellie first. Plus....I really don't think HBO will be good with killing off the hottest actor on the planet right now to open season 2. They'll wait.

Everyone say he was naive, but really it's Tommy that reveals their name

@Tristan 42 Yeah that's true as well. Joel was also really relaxed if you watch his body language.Some people say he got soft in the four year time skip but unfortunately that's not how storytelling works.There had to be some foreshadowing that he lost his survival instinct which wasn't the case.

@@OZ05 "that's not how storytelling works", I'm not a professionel, but keeping the reason of the change for later flashback can be efficient. Some story don't even bother to explain, for exemple in One piece, after the 2 years, the characters have changed, and for most of them it isn't explained, people don't seems bothered by it.

⁠@@Bronte4281for some reason one piece gets a pass with everything. Naruto is bad cause hard work was supposed to be the theme for the entire series (sarcasm) not just a story arc then people get mad about him getting powers but luffy does it and it’s masterful foreshadowing. Both imo are fine just hate the response that one is bad other good writing when both are similar.

@@Bronte4281I never get how the Joel scene was such a gotta. Like as if Joel was perfect in game 1. He lossened up in old age. Expected without having to tell me or show me a long flash back. Besides that they do show you flash backs showing he got more relaxed and happy.

Yeah they rushed a lot of things in the show. Even if everything doesn’t get answered in the game, everything makes a lot more sense and doesn’t feel confusing. The game overall did it a whole lot better

first of all, i think you made a number of typos in your comments which are confusing and everything you're talking about is sufficiently answered in the show. 1. As Joel said in episode 2, most Infected die within a month or two. Those who live on begin to transform. Runners are the most common (the ones you saw in Ep1, for ex), then the stalkers (the one that kissed tess), then the clickers (the mushroom head ones), and bloaters are the RAREST. That's why we only see one of those. 2. They explain the reason for Ellie's immunity & the reason as to why they need to cut her head open well: the cordyceps grows all over + inside the brain. It is completely tangled in there. And they did run some tests on her, that's how they came to the conclusion they did. They plan on extracting a sample from her brain (and since it is entangled, the procedure will kill her), isolating the chemical messenger that essentially neutralizes the cordyceps growth, then recreate & multiply it in lab conditions. Simple as that. The doctors believe that this is the way to go about making a vaccine. And they weren't just sitting on their hands for the last 20 years. The lab in episode 6 makes it pretty clear that they've been researching for a long time. Ellie's immunity was the missing piece of the puzzle and now they have it. And I think your "Ellie is dead, hope is dead" thing is a bit strange lol. For Joel, sure. But her death would've yielded a vaccine that could've been used to save countless lives. And I am not on the Fireflies' side, btw. I ultimately side with Joel. I am just not in denial about what he did.

@@SidPhoenix2211 I'm sorry that my typos confuse you. What I mean by Ellie dead, hope dead, what if that doesn't work. They cut open her skull, they get her brain out and yet you can't make a vaccine / cure out of it. If that's not the solution. I'm sorry that my typos confuse you. What I mean by Ellie dead, hope dead, what if that doesn't work. They cut open her skull, they get her brain out and yet you can't make a vaccine / cure out of it. The doctors can't know that this is exactly the solution, the doctors only know that after the brain is out. If that's not the solution? I don't mean that in the sense of the game context but in the medical context. I've seen some videos of doctors who also said that blood plasma would be more suitable for a cure. To the point of how long the zombies survive, I referred to the episode with the brothers. It said that the tunnels under the city had been closed for months (maybe it was years) and yet they survived. Even if this can be explained by the threads / roots. I'm sorry I obviously didn't understand this right away. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@@SidPhoenix2211 Her death *might* have yielded a vaccine. I'm not aware of any vaccine that was effective in it's first iteration. Is there enough material in her head to give them sufficient attempts at creating an effective vaccine? These are questions that need to be discussed openly and honestly with both underage patient and guardian. Of course no discussion was had, and despite what this youtuber inexplicably seems to think is the take way, Joel taking away Ellie's agency in deciding what to do, Ellie was never given a choice. The Fireflys took her agency, not Joel. Also, you probably haven't lived abroad for any amount of time. The person you're responding to has classic marks of a non-native speaker.

it was ok, i mean now that the heat has died down i can see what the game was going for without the bias of the hate it got which was heavy when it came out, but they executed it horrendously. Gameplay carried the second game in my honest opinion.

@@adityaganesh5865 Totally Not Aditya Ganesh

@@Milkra 😭😭😭

It was filler because it didn’t move the plot forward.

​​@@spencermadison It did though. It got them a car, Eli a gun, and other resources. It also gave you the relationship between 4 characters. People call it filler because they're negative. Progress isn't always forward.

I've really only heard of it being 'filler' after the series was nearing it's end. Looking back, it does make you wonder if the episode could have used that time for something else. However, the issue isn't the episode, it was great, it was the series pacing near the end. We either needed more episodes (preferably) or combine a few episodes, because there was a whole lot of concepts that could have really used some fleshing out.

I loved episode 3 and Left Behind, but I felt like they took away too much time from the rest of the show considering how short the season was, the show needed a couple more episodes to let things breathe imo. Also putting it at episode 3 felt like a strange choice pacing wise. I'd have either given one episode of just Joel and Ellie first, or have it integrated with their story more like having Joel and Ellie spend some time with Bill who sends them on their way before doing what they do.

i wouldn't classify tlou as a zombie game tho it has zombies in it but its less focused on the zombies and more focused on the bond between the two characters. the infection is ofc a motive since theyre trying to make a vaccine but its more about the lengths someone would go to for a loved one in a broken world

I think the show works best the way you watched it. Like one piece live action is best for new comers. Fans nitpick and sometimes do it badly.