Sunday night, HBO finally premiered one of its most anticipated shows of the year: The Last of Us. The series, based on the best-selling Playstation video games, premiered as the second most watched HBO pilot since 2010 with over 4 million viewers.
For those of you who have no clue what I am talking about, this show stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey and takes place in a zombie-type apocalypse. This is the easiest way to explain it without spoiling it.
Before I dive into the episode, I will do my best not to spoil anything for anyone since the show just began. All I have to say is that this was the best start to a video game adaption I think I have ever seen.
I was already pumped when I saw the trailer but the pilot was everything and more. I literally could feel myself going back and playing these missions as I was watching it. Granted, there are some changes to the show just to add to the plot, but they did not take away at all from the people who dearly love this game like myself. I think (so far) this show should be the blueprint to how video game adaptations should be made and will pave the path for others like it because it’s that fucking good.
Also, I don’t think there could have been a better casting for Joel and Ellie than Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. They not only look the parts but literally make the characters jump on to the big screen and don’t miss a beat.
Plus, Nico Parker, who played Joel’s daughter, Sarah, was beyond fantastic and captured all of the same characteristics that she had in the game. Given how great the pilot was, fans of this game love this show, and for people who are just now being introduced to this story: Buckle up.
Last thing I will say before I give my score is that I do fear that this gift for video game lovers can be tarnished by social media. It does feel like it is getting the Stranger Things treatment where people talk wayyyyyyy too much about it, make the characters seem like overrated douchebags, and get upset when certain things happen.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Stranger Things, but some of you can get carried away. This was a video game first, and those of us who have played it know what will happen. To see it made like this is why we love it. Please, just don’t ruin it like people nowadays do with their TV show fads on social media.
Score: 94/100 – Inferno
