The Last of Us

[Ethos]

without spoiling . . . i could feel in the season finale that the hospital sequence must have been a level in the game (apparently correct) and boy did it not work for me at all, given the character for Joel that had been established over the first eight episodes. i don't know that there was a better way to resolve the story and still remain faithful to the spirit of the game's ending . . . or maybe i just have a bigger issue with the game itself if that's how it resolves the characters' arcs

I got the feeling it was a pro-life thing. Like anti-abortion or something... maybe they are trying to appeal to the conservatives?

[Ethos]

What I'm really enjoying is the self-contained episodes that also inform the overall story. I also like the switching POVs from Sarah, to Joel, to Bella.

Walking Dead did this very well. It was based on a comic book which is closer to novel forum, where they can focus on side plots directly. Seems like a lot of the ideas are taken from the Walking Dead, which was a great show. The style of storytelling is Frank Darabont and if you haven't seen the series or any of his movies they are worth a watch.

I do wonder about all these virus scare or nuclear scare shows... wonder if people take these stories seriously or they pure entertainment or who greenlights these?

[JoeBanks]

without spoiling . . . i could feel in the season finale that the hospital sequence must have been a level in the game (apparently correct) and boy did it not work for me at all, given the character for Joel that had been established over the first eight episodes. i don't know that there was a better way to resolve the story and still remain faithful to the spirit of the game's ending . . . or maybe i just have a bigger issue with the game itself if that's how it resolves the characters' arcs

[Bono]

I binged it all in like 3 days. I enjoyed the leads and yet my favorite episode by far is 3 the detour episode that was I believe 99% not in the game, so that makes sense to me.

I had strong reaction to the overall story -- I never played the game -- I love the 2 leads (I think we all do) -- but the overall story is in the walking dead vein (I watched that show from S1 to the end...) so I had some PTSD from that. In general, I don't like the depressing endings.

I guess they stuck to the game storyline, but I hope for new season or two, they make some changes along the way.

To me the beauty of source material that is a popular video game is that you can go any way you want vs it being from a book with a fully realized storyline and 1000 of characters like GOT.

It's hard to talk about w/o spoiling it, but in general, the stuff I assume NOT in the game was the best stuff.

[finalact4]

What I'm really enjoying is the self-contained episodes that also inform the overall story. I also like the switching POVs from Sarah, to Joel, to Bella.

Great ending on last week's episode. We know Joel's not dead, but implying he is and reinforcing it by not showing him in the next episode when we jump back in time, didn't fool me, because I've used the exact same device in my writing.

[Ethos]

If you go on YouTube you can watch a 10-hour walkthrough of the game, if you want to compare what they came up with with the show versus the video game's storyline.

[Done Deal Pro]

I've been enjoying watching it as well. And as you note, much more a "character drama" than fungi infected people. (Apparently the word "zombie" was a "no, no" on the set.) Also some great locations, sets, production design, VFX shots, etc.

[JoeBanks]

Another Done Deal Pro alum makes good . . .

Seriously though, I've never played a minute of the video game and I checked out of Walking Dead after s2, but very much enjoying Mazin's adaptation. surprisingly, the zombies themselves only take up about 20% of the story through the first six eps, which i wasn't expecting. compelling characters and terrific acting all around