I’m honestly not surprised, you had the writer of the game and the ppl that did Chernobyl worked on this and that’s arguably one of the best shows I’ve ever watched
@@johnleoks7642 let it be, I’m the minority. It’s like who ever told the first story is a completely different guy. Makes me wonder if part 1 was stolen because clearly part 2 seems to have been written by someone who doesn’t know how to tell stories 😂
I really enjoy shows that have a weekly episode. You watch an episode and then you want the next one, you think about it throughout the week, it gives you something to look forward to. Stranger Things is an example of a TV show I love, waited for the 4th season for so long, and it was over in 2 days after I watched the whole thing. The Last of Us is gonna be something that goes on for months, which is cooler than it being over in a few days
@@princevegeta5669 100% agree. Personally, I find that I tend to forget little details when I have to watch a show over like a month and a half versus just binging. Stranger things season 4 did a good job though, releasing most of the season at once and releasing the finale like 2 weeks later
I'm just worried that all these early reviewers have to say good things because if not next time HBO will not send them early previews. So basically they are under-pressure to please HBO to ensure future early previews.
But are we going to get alot of those moments? I wanna see those long last of us gory visceral action that we all remember from the game I'm so scared we are gonna be left like thats it??
This is really exciting to hear. The Last of Us is one of my favorite video games of all time as well, so the prospect of this being a great adaptation makes me really happy.
Thing is, the source material was made by a dude that’s heavily involved, HE is the source material If Druckman makes a decision that people does not agree with, IT IS NOT THEIRS TO BE UNHAPPY WITH If a complaint revolves around the characters or story not being what THEY want, that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual quality Just look at the ridiculous backlash of TLOU2, it was only because of what happened to a character and they felt emotional, it had nothing to do with quality cause as far as stories and immersion goes, it is one of the best stories I have ever played, the choices go a different way to what is ‘normal’ and THAT is why Druckman is a great storyteller and director
Omg I never doubted this being the greatest adaption of a video game into a tv show with the cast.. Neil druckman and Craig mason being involved everyone said not it’s going to suck they can’t do it but I believed and so many others did as well!!! Listening to your review made me cry Becouse this game holds such a big place in my heart and I’m so happy to hear that people who have never played the games will be as gut wrenched as we were and they incorporate the smallest moments for us fans like, words cannot describe how excited I am for this show
I was sold the moment I heard Neil, Troy, and Ashley were involved in this game. I just hope they have the giraffe and adult magazine scenes from the game.
They could of casted a better-looking Ellie so I don't know If I'm going to watch it. The Actress looks too *Ugly* , she makes me want to gouge my eyes out :/ At least the Actor who plays Joel looks somewhat like the character.
I've never understood when videogame adaptions change the music entirely, it's so frustrating when they don't use the music from the games or even expand on it. Glad to hear they use the same score for this series 👍
I really hope season 2 actually is faithful because i love the decisions they made as well and part 2 has the one thing i want to see adapted properly: seraphites
Looking forward to watching it. And not concerned about Ramsey's age for part 2 as she is 19 in real life. The same age as Ellie in part 2. She just looks younger. Great review Cody.
Honestly what I think set this apart from other adaptations was A. Having the director/writer of the game work on it. And B. Finding a passionate person like Craig Mazin in on it too. His ability to create tension at least in Chernobyl was S-tier
Damn Dude, for someone that has not played the game ever and knows nothing about it, I've been really looking forward to this and hearing you talk about it just solidified my excitement for it! Great stuff Brother 🤘
I broke my own rule and watched a critics review before watching the show for myself. I validated this decision because Cody is a friend and I know this bastard loves The Last of Us as much as me. Seeing how excited you were during this review, confirmed my gut that I'd love it. My daughter and I are ready for this show. We've been ready. We can't wait.
@@phatmantv TWD didn’t. George Romero did. And having watched the first episode, this gets humanity and corruption “right” in ways neither TWD nor Romero did.
Great to hear. Though the spores being left out will leave at least one key element I really liked, which was how Ellie never needed a mask... "How are you breathing in this stuff?" Then again, I guess in a tv-show setting, it could be a bit of a ... problem. After all, you'd have to make the spore dust visually so large that it can be seen with the naked eye, like in the show and it would then be a little unfeasible that Ellie would be breathing in particles like that, as - even if a person would be immune, that'd still be a major irritant. Not to mention that having to be CGI might also make for a less believable looking scene, as such particles would be rather difficult to make look natural/realistic... Excited to watch this one. Gotta push my sister to see it too, as she's not a gamer but will certainly enjoy it :)
I'd criticize the fact that you said there have been no good video game adaptations exist when we have Arcane, but then I remembered that you don't like animation. Regardless, it's good to know that we're getting good live-action video game adaptations as opposed to just being animated. This truly does mark the breaking of the curse.
With this being my first time watching this RU-vidr, I figured that was the reason why. Live-action drama seems to be the only thing some people go by when considering something "great." It's a bit pompous, but what can you do?
Cody - this is the first time I’ve watched anything from you. My trust in the mass media companies’ reviews is almost all but gone; I’ve been burned too many times by them. You on the other hand - I can tell you’re a huge last of us fan by going through your channel and seeing just how long you’ve been putting out TLOU content. Your review has solidified the hype for me, after much skepticism from the rotten tomatoes sites of the world. Thanks for your in depth review. Can’t wait to see it this Sunday!!
Thank you for the review! I want to echo what someone already said in the comments, which is how happy i am about seeing all the positive reviews this show is getting. I literally can't wait to watch it. I don't think I have been this excited about a TV show or a movie in my life. So I'm gonna say it again, thank you.
I gotta say I was worried until I saw the trailer. Instantly I could tell how much love and dedication they put into this. I really can’t wait to watch it.
There are so many spot on side by side moments in the film, and they did a phenomenal job💯💯 What really got me though was the truck scene, when they first drove off to running into traffic, seeing the family on the side of the road asking for help, and to where in the city surrounded by people, and the infected… it really brought back that nostalgia, and felt like it was the actual gameplay within those moments.
Wow this is a nice surprise that you got this early. TLOU 1 and 2 are my fave games of all time. I know you’re a massive fan to Cody. So hearing that you love this I’m even more pumped.
To those who would complain about this: bill was gay in the game. It was very obvious if you just paid attention. The show didn’t “make him gay” they just fleshed out his and franks story.
@@Bluis5445 if by in your face you mean gay people doing the exact same things straight couples do then idk what to tell you man, they’re gonna show Frank and bill like sitting down for a meal together so I guess get ready to be upset about that lol
Just a few quick thoughts Cody.. Bella Ramsey is currently 19 years old, the same age that Ellie is in part II, so she was 18-19 at the time the first season was filmed, portraying a 14 year old girl, so by the time they shoot season 2 she’ll most likely be 20-21 by then so she’s actually the perfect age already. I really hope they don’t recast her with an older actress whose in her late 20’s to play older Ellie, I really don’t think they would. That said I cannot WAIT for Sunday!!! Loved your review, it just got me even more excited to see it brother.
Agree. Usually I hate it, but here it didn’t detract from anything and she was great. Pedro being chilean, and mother is “unknown” she could’ve simply been the best one for the job. She looked so familiar, and I just learnt after watching that she’s Thandie Newtons daughter. Anyway, well done!
Hearing this review almost made me shed a tear. Can’t lie I actually did. I’ve played Last Of Us on the PS3, PS4, and PS5. I can’t wait to see it. I’ll watch it alone first, then watch it with my wife. If it’s ever on Blu-ray or 4K I’ll buy it definitely.
Gabriel Luna was pretty awesome as Robbie Reyes in Agents of Shield, too. Still holding out hope they'd bring him into the MCU proper. Also, I love that freaking Sammi Curr t-shirt.
To your concern about the time/age gap in season 2, it's worth remembering that Bella was 19 when season 1 was made but played a 14 year old, and when season 2 starts filming she will be 21, so that should mean she will be the perfect age for season 2. I'm sure that they will use make up and costume to differentiate her ahe more clearly. I absolutely cannot believe that they would consider recasting. Bella IS ELLIE. A replacement for her would kill the show imho. She's stunningly great in the role.
Been really looking forward to seeing this. I am not gamer and never played the game but I remember they were filming this series last year not to far from where I am from ( Alberta Canada) and it definitely peaked my interest. Trailer looks great and glad you gave it a positive review. Thanks Cody.
Definitely my favorite game. It plays out more as a movie with actual gameplay then anything. If you’re not a gamer, this is gonna be the best way to experience it. Such an amazing story
Your ability to review content and make me hyped about it by the end without spoilers is why you are my favorite movie/TV show reviewer. Last of us 2 is my favorite story in a video game of all time and I'm nervous about you could adapt a 30 plus hour game to a 10ish hour series
Can't wait to see how they deal with Part II's story, I loved it more than the first one and if they adapt it, it will probably be just as controversial
Yea seeing Pedro pascal beat with a golf club after saving the people and then the person that kills him becoming the main character of the show? No thanks
@@xoreign are you insinuating that the last of us part 2 is honest writing? I've read 47 of stephen kings novels, 4 of his short story collections and 4 of his novella collections and even the worst stories of his are masterpieces compared to what Neil druckman can write
@@xoreign for instance when you play as ellie you have to kill dogs and when you play as ABBY you get to pet and play fetch with dogs. So overhand it's like a 2nd grader wrote it. Like look audience ellie bad ABBY GOOD!!! It's the very definition of shitty manipulation. Fortunately 80 percent of the people who loved last of us saw right through that shit. Just look at the sales of the game
out of all the reviewers i watch, you’re the one i was most excited to hear talk about this. we share the same emotions about TLOU so your review was the one i was anxiously awaiting. so happy to hear it’s good. it really is one of the best stories in gaming and i’m so happy they finally got how to adapt a game right. sending love to you always Cody! ❤
Glad I watched this review before making a judgement, everyone complaining about the omission of spores but not talking about how they were replaced with something new to create the same level tension. Proof people will just FIND things to bitch about.
I was intrigued by your putting Bill in the “Mixed” of the scale from positive to negative, but as I listened to you explain, I completely agree & am curious to find out how the overall reactions play out. For me personally, I am excited for the fact that even with change, it equals more character depth & quality time. I am 23 & bought the first game even before it had the Remastered version, so I have been a huge fan & story lover just like you. A few years after first playing the game I realized the benefit of playing through any game after completing initially is the opportunity to pick up on anything that I missed. The biggest thing I missed was the open interpretation of Bill and his partner. As a gay man myself, I was quick to understand the sort of subliminal messaging with the context of the relationship between Bill & Frank. So I absolutely look forward to seeing their episode so we as fans can finally get the full picture of what they meant for each other as well as the depth of how much pain Bill faced.
I’m excited for this show to see how they translate it all to TV. I absolutely adore the first game and I still replay it every so often. Wasn’t a fan of part II but if there’s anything I liked about part II, it was the flashback scenes with Joel and Ellie. I think they can try to focus on that story and expand on things we didn’t see in the game for the show if they want to do season 2 sooner. Then a few years later they can do the modern day stuff that happens in part II. Would also like to get to see a story around what Joel and Tommy’s life was like through some of the 20 year gap whether it’s in the show, or the games at some point. I think that could have some interesting stories to tell.
Bella Ramsey is actually 19, which is how old Ellie is in the second game. So I don't think it would be a question of waiting for her to look the part. Maybe they'll recast or use makeup and costume to make her look a bit older.
I'm so friggin tired of hearing or reading people say stupid crap like, "They have to say good things cause people won't get early access anymore, blah blah blah!" BS. I've seen reviewers absolutely DEMOLISH media they've gotten early access to and yet they still get the early access. Those seem to always be forgotten though. Absolutely asinine.
@@chrisrevel2801 And I've seen bad reviews turn into good reviews after time passed. And? Early access bad reviews are not rare. WTF are you on about? I can name off the top of my head DOZENS of early access reviews that absolutely skewered the product they were reviewing. Seriously, I think y'all simply don't pay any damn attention. I'm not saying some might do what y'all are speculating but it is nowhere near as common as y'all make it out to be. It's the exception, not the rule. Anything that people aren't fans of that get good reviews must be bought. It can't simply be that people actually liked them can it?
Yep. Anyone who thinks reviews are paid for are cynical morons who want things to fail. They're so insecure that people might enjoy whatever it is that they create this little immoral scenarios to make themselves feel better.
@@CodyLeachYT Absolutely. Consider too, the political and tribal motivations behind that mindset. Of course those who only play Xbox games want that television adaptation of TLOU to fail. As do the "WOKE GARBAGE" brigade. It's projection and hypocrisy at its finest. They're actually doing exactly what they accuse others of doing. What gets me though is that they won't even wait until they themselves can watch or play whatever media that couldn't possibly be good before they make their "bought reviews" speculation. It's quite childish and sad, indeed.
@@chrisrevel2801 Negative early reviews are not rare. Here's an example that perfectly fits this topic; Skill Up's review of TLOU2. In fact he, ACG, and several others have absolutely skewered games from publishers they continue to get early access from. Dan Murrel absolutely hated She-Hulk and several other MCU projects and yet he continuously gets early access. As I said, I can name DOZENS off the top of my head. Again, you must simply not pay attention. Also, you providing ONE SUCH example does not your point prove. I could provide several negative early reviews that turned good too. That wouldn't prove my point. Go watch the litany of videos that say "I watched "whatever" again" or "I played "whatever" again". It's the exception, not the rule. By all means though, you have fun in cynical echo chamber.
@@chrisrevel2801 🤣😂🤣😂 For every movie or television "early" review example that you can provide to prove your point I can provide 3 to prove mine. You're still wrong. Dan Murrel absolutely skewered She-Hulk, Thor 4, Dr Strange 2, and so on and he continues to get access from the MCU. Everyone skewered BvS and they all got access to the Justice League and skewered it and got access to more DC projects. Dude, it must be miserable living in that echo chamber of yours. I'd step out before you suffocate. As I said, yours is the exception, not the rule.
I always saw The Last of Us as more of a Story first, and gameplay second. Naughty Dog does exceptionally well at cohesively tying both of them together. Funny thing is when it comes to the actors playing characters, it's so easy for us to judge at first glance and have a hard time grasping the changes but from everything I've seen so far, Pedro and Bella nailed it.
I'm just angry you've been blessed to see the entire series! So happy to hear it is as amazing as we all hoped & prayed for it to be, nothing short of spectacular for this franchise no matter where it goes!
Loved your review! as for season 2, if they do follow the second game, I really think they could, if they want to, do the time skip as it is in the games. Bella is 19 years old, and yes, she looks younger, most of her roles today are of younger caracters which I think help us get the idea that she is a little girl still, and there is a lot of make up to make her look as young as she looks in the series, and I think that with slight changes in the acting and with the help of the make up department she could easily play a more adult Ellie withut the need of recasting her. hopefully this is what wll happen since she is an amazing actress.
This is excellent news! This show wasn't even on my radar for the same reasons you described at the beginning of your video, but now I'm actually looking forward to this. 😁
Isn't Arcane considered a video game adaptation? If yes then so far Arcane is the best video game adaptation I've ever watched so far. Hence for me when I watch HBO's The Last of Us, Arcane will be my benchmark in reviewing TLOS.
I like how they're sticking to just two seasons and not trying to drag this out until we'd begin to hate it and view it as a weekly chore to watch [i.e. The Walking Dead]. Also can't wait to see if the opinions will change once we get to season two with what happens with Joel, Ellie and Abby. [**Just learned there's a season three after watching this? I'd heard they were only doing two....interesting.]
This review is by far the best I’ve seen so far and I’ve been scouring the internet for more info about this. You addressed everything I wanted to know and everything I hoped to know more about. Then you gave us some confirmation about different questions most fans have been wandering about. I love that you speculate at the end but it’s based on bits of information and you’ve managed to piece together a very exciting argument about the future of the show.. Loved the pacing and the way info is delivered. Seen so many reviews where people just ramble aimlessly and there’s no balance between opinion and fact. 10/10 review.
Season 1 sounds great, the only thing that surprises me is that they didn't cover the events of the first game in two seasons. With what you just said about Season 2 starting with the second game makes me think there is going to be a big audience backlash. They really need to lead into all of that. This could be shaping up to be one of those series like Westworld that had a great first run and then the audience is like WTF after that.
There would've been no reason to stretch this to two seasons. It's a perfectly paced 9 episodes. The next game makes much more sense to do two seasons given all the flashbacks, new characters, new factions, etc.
@@SSJ2Phenom “online dramatics” lol, now where I do see a lot of the hate on part 2 wasn’t warranted I completely thought the game was abysmal when compared to its predecessor. Obviously people hate bombed it, but a lotttt of people definitely did not like the game because of pacing issues and character decision making.
Glad to hear others like physical copies as much as me. Microsoft has deleted a title from my digital library and that was the end of me purchasing digital anything. No thank you!!
I'm so happy to hear this is proving the haters wrong. This obviously doesn't mean you aren't allowed to dislike it, if the show doesn't work for you that's totally fine. But you should give it a chance and actually watch it before bitching about it.
Wait they got rid of SPORES?! Okay…that is the very first thing that has upset me…Ellie breathing spores and being just fine is a huge part of the story
They replaced it with something else that honestly sounds kinda cooler imo. They couldn't really figure out how to make the spores believable in cinema. Plus they would have to throw gas masks on the stars of the show every time they go into an infected area.
@@austinvoshall6646 There's still a part of me that would've liked to see how they did spores in live action, but I genuinely loved the idea of tendrils. I hope it makes it into the 3rd game.
@@austinvoshall6646 it wasn’t just infected areas though, spore areas were their own areas. If they could make the fog in Silent Hill believable in 2006 they could’ve done spores here.
@@uhuhuh1966 Yeah I just meant areas infected with spores. And I didn't really mean visually believable. By believable I mean the creators of the show conferred with scientists and if spores could actually transmit the infection they would realistically be everywhere in the air given how the fungus spreads, and there'd likely be no people left the world after 20 years. I saw an interview recently where Craig Mazin broke down the reason behind the switch.
@@austinvoshall6646 but that’s not how audiences think when watching a fictional story, as evidenced by how beloved the games are and how massively they’ve sold. Just because it’s not scientifically accurate doesn’t mean a large audience would immediately reject it if the story is well told and immersive. Zombies themselves aren’t scientifically accurate either.
Even more excited for this now after your review! I just played the first game again twice back to back once on normal and the other on survivor. Definitley my favourite story in a video game ever.
The problem with part 2 is its so hard to tell how many people actually liked it compared to how many people pretend to like it just so they can call people bigots and other stupid shit so they can get likes on twitter. If they really continue that story I hope they change things around so it actually makes sense and seems realistic cause they had to change everything about Joel and how he interacts in this world to even make that story happen
@@Swampdonkey796 the problem with part 2 is that most People who "hate it" didn't actually play the damn game. Everything makes sense if you play it instead of watching videos essays about it. Its about the experience. For example = its a different thing I understand your grief to I experienced grief
@@Swampdonkey796 I don't see they them changing part two because of Druckmann and his ego. Part two was a mediocre story and nobody actually cared about Abby
@@KostisApoTinYharnam the experience of playing the game doesn't change the stupidity of the story at all. It's ok that you like it and it's ok that I don't
@@TheDeftones821 I care about Abby. In fact I was on her side by the time the credits rolled. I still love Ellie more, but I understood what Naughty Dog was going for. Perception my dude, perception.
Bella has actually stated that while she was instructed not to play/watch the game, she did so anyways in secret. Which tbh in and of itself sounds like something Ellie would do lol
The second game was the most awarded game of all time as of recently and one of the best games I’ve ever played like the first one was. They can’t miss with any of the seasons, the material is right there.
Honestly I never like the second game because it was messy so maybe for the second season try to fix some stuff a little because the second game was really messy in my opinion of course
I was already insanely excited for this series and even more excited after watching this review! I know how hard of a critic you can be on your reviews so I am very relieved to watch this review. I played the game when it first came out, then when it got remastered, and again about 5 more times throughout the years. It’s like rewatching a favorite movie over and over. My bestfriend, who isn’t a gamer at all, watched me play the entire game because she was so invested in the story. The one thing I’ve seen people complain SO MUCH about, and I literally do not understand why, is that Bella Ramsey looks nothing like Ellie. There’s people who have even talked poorly about her looks and saying she’s “too ugly” to be Ellie. It’s so upsetting and sickening to read those kind of comments, since she’s literally a child and people care about her looks, but I hope those people eat their words when they watch the show. I watched Bella Ramsey in Game of Thrones and was very excited to see her cast as Ellie. She did an amazing job in her role on Game of Thrones so I knew she was going to be a kickass Ellie. Thank you for the review! It was honestly an awesome surprise to see you had uploaded a review! Btw, even if they decide to do the second season as soon as possible, Bella Ramsey is currently 19 and will be 20 this September so I’m sure she could stay as Ellie if they decide to move on with a season 2 right away. She looks so young but I’m sure makeup can help with that if they really need it
Arcane is a great show based on a video game and it’s characters, but it’s not adapting a story that’s been shown in another medium. Arcane and Castlevania are excellent, but they had way more leeway then something like Last of Us.
Correct. “Woke” has become a dog whistle term for bigots, I’ve found. They can’t just throw around slurs willy-nilly anymore without being held accountable, so they have to find new ways to unleash their bigotry.
@@skyofthelivingdead exacly, they change a characters race and “WOKE” “RASICM” or Ellie being gay or bill liking men= “WOKE” when these things have already been implemented sense the first game so it’s not a surprise.. people just try to find a way to hard on anything. No one is pleased anymore
I'm sure they'll make adjustments just like season 1 but there's no way Neil is gonna completely change the 2nd games story. That would be compromising your art to appease a loud minority.
First video I've ever seen from this guy and he completely lost me when he brought up welcome to racoon city as if that adaptation was good 🤣😂 welcome to racoon city was hot garbage on a plate. I appreciated them trying to stay true to the source material but all in all the casting was horrible along with the acting and visuals. Maybe it's just me and this all boils down to opinion but I thought regardless of staying true to source material welcome to racoon city was a complete disaster from start to finish I mean for God sakes me and my bestfriend laughed our asses off multiple time throughout the movie because of how horrible the acting alone was lol
I agree 100% that certain fans like you and I are going to be more critical of the series rather than bias because our expectations are so high cus we played the game. People who are going to watch this that haven’t played the game might actually go easier on the series because they don’t know what to expect.
Thank God they didn't hand the rights to Netflix, especially after what they did to Resident Evil. Glad to hear it's pretty damn good and can't wait to watch it
You just made my day man. I am so relieved to hear this from you. I have been so nervous about this, because I get afraid if they make something bad, the brand of the last of us in general is going to take a hit. I can't wait to watch it now!!!!! Major props to Neil, for making sure this was made right.
Hey Cody, just wanted to say I have been watching your videos for some time now, and you're my instant go to for reviews. I may not agree on everything you say, but the way you stay true to yourself and are incredibly articulate on how you describe things is amazing. Plus, i'm a huge horror fan, so there is no one else I would rather watch. Keep it up man!
The best best acted game ever made this programme had a lot to live up to... I was very sceptical at first, but, then I saw the full trailer and WOW looks like they've done an amazing job.
Thanks for a positive review on it, definitely going to watch it. Still questioning the Ellie casting. Three people I showed the trailer too thought she was a guy LOL. Two of those people played the game. I just wish they cast someone prettier, no offense. She's a FANTASTIC actress, but looks nothing like Ellie & the most disappointing part of this project. But despite that only complaint, I'm still watching.
Ellie is a teenage girl in the first game, why does she need to be pretty? As an adult there shouldn't be any reason to base opinions on her for being pretty or not. And also even the video game version wasn't really that type of girl anyway. Very odd choice of judgment and reasoning about that casting choice
i never understood this perspective, why do actors NEED to look like their video game counterparts. i would understand it if they changed the race of the character but the looks dont matter at all, as long as they are the same age(appearance wise at least) and they play the character well, its good for me
You perfectly explained everything I've been feeling since watching that 1st episode. I am in love with it, and it's my second favorite game of all time and also my 1st favorite story hands down.
Something awesome about Bella is that she's a young-looking 19 years old already. You buy that she's 14 in the first season, but all they would have to do to make her believable as a 19 year old is some slight wardrobe and makeup stuff. She's actually kind of perfect for Ellie in this regard.
You sound like the audience who responded to the first season of the Walking Dead. Never played the game, but I'm excited to one day see this. Thanks, Cody.
Really enjoyed your review Cody. I didn’t know about Bills episode being entirely different from the game, until you said something. I’m looking forward to the change. I’m someone who liked Bill, but I was never a Bill fan. I always felt they could’ve done more with Bill. Looking forward to the differences with that character.
