The Last of Us: First Thoughts, Last Hope

Can The Last of Us save celebrated stories from the video game adaptation curse?

It would be difficult to imagine that in 2023, years past the Zombie Renaissance, that I would be not just voluntarily tuning in for a new undead drama, but genuinely excited for one. All the more impossible is if my roommate, deep in the trenches of an anxious academia induced episode, would be so engaged while passing the room that he sat and watched an eighty minute series opener. To a zombie show. 

And yet, here we are.

The Last of Us has the reputation of being the greatest video game of all time in the eyes of critics and audiences alike. With its famously resonant, deeply emotional plot and a recent pattern of “that was pretty good” video game adaptations, it only makes sense that the celebrated story would bleed into other media. However, that does not mean the wait was without anxiety. Despite the Sonic movies, Arcane, and Cyberpunk 2077: Edge Runners giving fans hope, there is more than a history of poor video game adaptations. Meaning, whoever was in charge of developing the show had to have a Mida’s touch for storytelling. Luckily, HBO found their captain in Craig Mazin, lead writer of the Chernobyl mini-series, and he steers this massive vessel of fan pressure, existential dread and apocalyptic hope into waters unexplored by the game. 

In fact, the opening scene is not a recreation from the game. Rather, it is a sleek, slow burn of mystery and fear as two scientists discuss the fungal virus that will soon wreak havoc on their world. This methodical buildup is satisfyingly eerie, and the rest of the show follows in this deliciously anxiety inducing pace. The structural work here is strong, as the show's sequences are paced well enough to keep the audience intrigued by fear. These sequences also utilize set up’s and payoff’s to break down the large eighty minute runtime into digestible mini-narratives of dramatic tension and emotional groundwork. In other words, the episode feels like an actual show instead of a poorly done video game adaptation due to Mazin’s words.

The quality of writing permeates structure and seeps into the characters, as the show displays potential for an in depth examination of Joel’s psyche. One concern going into the premiere was how much was able to be explored. I have personally played the game multiple times on various systems; how is a television show going to expand on the greatness already present? Well, Mazin and team balance the fidelity to the game with shot for shot recreations with new, unseen perspectives. Introducing Ellie in a way different from the game or Joel having a more direct goal of smuggling a car engine are welcome additions that change up the established story. While this certainly is The Last of Us, Joel is still wearing his iconic blood stained button down, it is Mazin’s rendition, an alternate telling with the potential for further exploration into this world sent to hell and the devils that inhabit it.

Make no mistake, this is a hell of its own kind. Decayed undead corpses merged with walls, the burning of bodies, and militaristic nightmares are manifested with the handheld, grounded look of Zombies past, but with a heightened sense of tension. While initially believing this style would get old due to repetition, I was delighted to see an out of focus background detail that sent chills down my spine in one particularly tense scene. Other creative decisions in the visual department, along with a finely crafted post-apocalyptic world with genuine history, make the show appear deceptively simple for the level of cinematic subtext on display.

Which is odd, as I found myself less emotionally engaged than I was prepared to be for the level of craft expected. This could be the fault of a viewer who has essentially been told this story three times over, but the emotional beats didn’t land in a way the rest of the episode managed. I imagine this will only be worked upon as the series develops and characters grow closer, but as of now, the connection I feel to these characters’ dynamics is yet to solidify. Meaning, the series premiere acted as everything it needed to. Giving fans an enjoyably stressful watch while establishing new perspectives on a previously explored world, all while showing promise for what lies ahead with strong visuals and a focus on character.