HBO’S The Last of Us is over halfway through its nine-episode first season, and it’s clear that if they stick the landing, it will be one of the best video game adaptations ever made.
The widely acclaimed The Last of Us game was originally released in 2013 on the PlayStation 3, and was considered a landmark in video game storytelling. Of all titles that would make an emotional TV show or film, The Last of Us has always come to mind.
And the series is demonstrating the strength of that original material because it’s a very faithful adaptation, and the changes made thus far further enrich the world co-created by the game’s original director, Neil Druckmann, who has been heavily involved in the series. The show’s co-creator is Craig Mazin, a fan of the game who is well-known for the masterful mini-series Chernobyl (2019).
The most memorable moments of the game still resonate emotionally, even to a fan of the game who knows what’s going to happen. The performances of the lead actors who play Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsay) are grounded and powerful.
While The Last of Us plays in the post-apocalyptic zombie genre, it’s a story about love, and the desperate acts one commits to service that primal urge to protect those dear to us. The show represents a brutal world where one would do any act of brutality to get through this fallen society.
Even if you’ve never played the game, this is a fantastically-written television series that from the very beginning is gripping and creates tension.
The Last of Us airs Mondays at 1pm on Foxtel, with the finale on March 13. All episodes can be streamed on Binge.
