4815162342 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 this was a good episode 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Great episode, particularly for the development of Joel. Pascal is terrific - emanating that toughness and vulnerability. Spoiler Didn't expect this episode to have a few month time jump - but I'm glad it did. We see that Joel and Ellie communicate differently with each other now that they have a greater shared history. And this culminates in a pivotal moment between them at the commune, which is an appropriate backdrop for this. It puts into focus the kinds of questions that I'm pleased the show continues to grapple with - around love and connection, and humanity and the moral complexity of life. What does a future look like when everything goes to shit? What does it mean to live a meaningful life? Are we able to transform ourselves after we've experienced great loss or done morally questionable things to survive this world? Stuff that just resonates with me a great deal at this stage in my life. Peace, Mike 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorddemaxus Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 They already built that set huh. Wonder if they're just gonna reuse it for next season lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandias Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Lol surely Joel didn't kick the bucket already by rando thug? Pedro Pascal is a fucking great actor and the main reason I'm still watching this. Don't really care that much for Elle, I find her personality/shtick mildly annoying at times. I get its supposed to be cute/funny, but its not really working for me—maybe it'd be different with another actress. Decent episode along with last week's rebound after the lolwut episodes 3 & 4. The first two episodes were very good but I feel like it lost some steam after that. So far I'd give this show a 7/10, maybe a 6. Unfortunately nowhere near the next True Detective S1 or Chernobyl like the pre-release hype/video game fans suggested it was going to be imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatebox Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 3 hours ago, Ozymandias said: Don't really care that much for Elle, I find her personality/shtick mildly annoying at times. I get its supposed to be cute/funny, but its not really working for me—maybe it'd be different with another actress. They've gone full MCU dialogue with her (or at least had, haven't seen the most recent episode). Which I think is a shame - that wasn't what made the game character good and something has definitely been lost in translation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxOfficeZ Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Thought it was another great episode personally. The pivotal scene between Ellie and Joel was just as good as the game's counterpart. Also Pedro really acted his ass off with the scene of him and Tommy in the work shed. Spoiler "I'm failing in my sleep" Also the couple at the beginning of the episode was hilarious. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4815162342 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 This episode had a few moments of foreshadowing for the second game (Spoilers for second game do not click if you don't want spoilers for the game) Spoiler The girl who is staring at Ellie and Joel in the cafeteria area is probably going to be Dina They introduced Baby Shimmer, who is Ellie's horse in the second game (for about a fraction of it lol). Joel talking about the sheep farm as a place to live out the rest of his life foreshadows Ellie and Dina having a sheep farm in the epilogue of the second game They also used a cheat code by throwing in one of the best known musical pieces from the first game into the episode when the target practice scene ended 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel M Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Very good episode and probably the best looking one so far. I've said they 've done a great job with effects and set decoration for the post apocalyptic cities etc but you can't just beat natural location shooting. I think the writing is a bit on the nose and kinda has to because they 're playing catch up to hours of character development that happen during gameplay. The most popular takedown of the game by haters for years has been that it's just a tv show with some shooting galleries thrown in which is just not true. The struggle is real to keep up, but they 're lucky the cast is so good all around and sells it. Pedro, Bella and Tommy, Maria all absolutely killed it in this episode. I also like that they have the faith in the cast to not adapt all the action set pieces of the game and have infected everywhere. It would look borderline silly if Joel and Ellie were shooting their way out of the University one episode after the Kansas escape and killing Clickers along the way. But it makes you wonder how are they even begin to approach the second game that's twice as action packed and unfolds over a much much shorter timeline. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipDerby Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Pedro and Bella gave some A+ performances this episode. And next week may earn Bella an Emmy nod. Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Drama 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 There was a line in this last episode that I really loved, that apparently is a classic from the game, too (I know nothing about the game and have avoided spoilers): Spoiler "Everybody I have cared for has either died or left me. Everybody - fucking except for you." I love the line - and especially the unusual placement of "fucking". There's just something about it - it feels extra impactful and of-the-moment. Plus, Bella Ramsey does it so well. That whole scene was terrific, including Joel's responses. Peace, Mike 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnokesLegs Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 On 2/20/2023 at 12:31 PM, 4815162342 said: They also used a cheat code by throwing in one of the best known musical pieces from the first game into the episode when the target practice scene ended I hope they use that music again later on, the way it’s utilised in the game is very impactful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyxx Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 This is my favorite show on tv since The Boys and Game of Thrones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel M Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 Tommy's oh shit! moment about communism was the funniest bit in the entire show so far. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torontofan Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 51 minutes ago, Joel M said: Tommy's oh shit! moment about communism was the funniest bit in the entire show so far. makes sense communism works in such a setting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatebox Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 (edited) An absorbing episode (Pascal really is very good) but waaay too much of Joel and Ellie’s relationship is happening offscreen, which means moments like him deciding to ditch her with Tommy don’t hit nearly as hard as the game. I enjoy lean storytelling but this feels like it’s absolutely sprinting to the finish line in a way the source material didn’t. Edited February 23, 2023 by Hatebox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorddemaxus Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Watching this episode kinda felt like the playing the DLC. Didn't like it but watched it just because I had to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorddemaxus Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 On 2/20/2023 at 8:53 AM, Joel M said: Very good episode and probably the best looking one so far. It's because they actually got a movie director for that episode. There's this moment in this episode where you can even see an actual person's vision in there. Ali Abassi is directing the last two episodes of the season too so I'm hoping for something interesting there too. Sucks that they kicked out the guy who directed Beanpole tho. Feel like his pilot would've been much better than what we got. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 (edited) An episode that focused on Ellie and her backstory was much needed. We've largely been seeing things from Joel's perspective - so for me this was welcome. And once again, it thematically fits within the current journey with Joel and Ellie. Spoiler Loved seeing Ellie choosing not to leave (and we've just seen why via her backstory), frantically searching around for something to help, and then holding Joel's hand and trying to do something. It's the most intimate we've seen her be with Joel. And as someone not at all familiar with the game, I'm so sucked in by the world building and the incredible production design. Spoiler I learned more here about the FEDRA vs Fireflies dynamic, and what a society under FEDRA rule looks/feels like from the perspective of kids growing up in this world (and not the previous one). Was totally taken in by the mall and the art direction here - visually engaging and reinforcing. Aside from the obvious great work, loved the "back in 5 min" sign - a nice touch. Peace, Mike Edited February 27, 2023 by MikeQ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxOfficeZ Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 I thought it was pretty good, but not as strong as the earlier episodes. Ramsey and Reid carried that episode though with their acting. Ramsey's use of her eyes is incredible. Spoiler That scene where she was trying to rub away the bite and getting angry while smashing stuff was wonderful. And I loved how they basically left the ending as the same as the DLC where they leave it to the viewer's imagination what happens next. I'm confident now in Ramsey ability to carry the second game's plot. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPink Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 10 hours ago, lorddemaxus said: Watching this episode kinda felt like the playing the DLC. Didn't like it but watched it just because I had to. Mmm yeah, the DLC is kinda of supplemental and the episode reflects that. I don't think it's bad but I've never felt the urge to revisit Left Behind. The ending was strong though and the set looked amazing, so props for that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
