★★★★★
The Last of Us has consistently been the best show on television for the last nine weeks.
Based on the popular video game of the same name, The Last of Us follows hardened smuggler Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) in a post-apocalyptic world as he tries to escort teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to a group called The Fireflies. The world is overrun with the ‘infected’ – zombie-like humans controlled by the fungus cordyceps. Ellie is believed to be the only human alive that is immune to the infection.
The series is an emotional rollercoaster to experience, in the best way possible. The pacing was perfect, with an almost movie-length first episode to fully immerse us in this infected-ridden world and introduce us to Joel and Ellie. Equally, episode 5, (arguably the most heartbreaking of the series), succeeded in getting you deeply attached to brothers Sam and Henry, whilst still maintaining the tension of the previous episodes. Episode 3 is a beautiful character-driven episode, highlighting the importance of love in this bleak world.
However, the penultimate episode is haunting and chilling to watch, but is perhaps the best of the series. Bella Ramsey was absolutely jaw-dropping to watch throughout the show, but her performance in the final two episodes is award-worthy, No matter how resilient – or straight-up badass – she comes across in earlier episodes, her expressions are constant reminders that Ellie is just a young girl. The subtlety of her acting when she interacts with Pascal makes their eventual bond so much more impactful.
Pascal is also incredible, with his standout performance being in episode 6. Joel’s emotional breakthrough with his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna), in which he admits his mounting anxiety and fear for Ellie, whom he now clearly cares for, is a turning point for the show. Pascal’s ability to convey Joel’s father-like attachment to her with just his eyes is truly admirable. Both Pascal and Ramsey are outstanding and bring Joel and Ellie to life with every little gesture and word.
The visual and special effects were truly breathtaking throughout. The ‘behind the scenes’ episode demonstrated how much work went into making the show look as close to the gameplay as possible. Some scenes are virtually identical to the video game, illustrating how much care and love was behind it. The infected were particularly outstanding, with episode 5’s bloater emerging in a terrifying shot, immediately upping the stakes of the already nerve-racking episode. Despite the terrifying infected, the show was stunning to watch. Beautiful cinematography, unique camera work, and sensational world-building elevated The Last of Us to an unmissable watch.
The series finale was astounding. The way the score takes over in the hospital scene makes it feel dreamlike and almost unreal. All the focus is on Joel as he fights to reach Ellie – his brutally cold execution of the doctor in the hospital leaving you shocked and wary, further building on Joel’s questionable morality that has been set up throughout the season. The entire fight sequence is shot like a horror movie, with bodies everywhere and men begging for their lives. In his confrontation with Marlene, you can see every emotion on Joel’s face, his desire to save humanity battling with his immense love for Ellie, but it is clear his mind is made up the moment he looks at her. Again, the parallels to Sarah are beautifully done, with Joel even holding Ellie the way he carries Sarah in the pilot episode. It is left ambiguous in the show whether a cure would have been able to be made, but behind-the-scenes interviews make it clear that Joel believes it would be possible, making his decision even more significant. Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin do an incredible job with the series finale, creating a virtually unsolvable dilemma for the audience to grapple with, and leaving us with immeasurable excitement for season two.
The final episode showcased the heart of the show spectacularly: complicated morality, parenthood, and the need for hope in a world that contains virtually none. The major changes made from the game, notably episode 3’s entire story, as well as Henry’s more desperate need to protect Sam, service the show remarkably. Bill’s letter to Joel in episode 3 foreshadows Joel’s ultimate choice in the finale, as he tells Joel “There was one person worth saving. That’s what I did.” And that’s what Joel does, too. These tiny changes from the game enable the finale to be even more impactful in the show, and create a more cohesive season overall.
The few complaints about the show mainly comment on the lack of infected compared to the constant threat they present in the game. However, a video game is an entirely different medium to a TV show, needing a more prominent action element to keep the gameplay exciting for the player. The show chose to utilise the infected when needed, adding excruciating tension to scenes such as episode 5’s invasion, but not making them feel overused. Other criticisms focused on ‘filler’ episodes such as episodes 3 and 7. However, once again, the show needed to develop its characters and the world in order to fuel more emotion within the viewer. Personally, those episodes were two of the most heartbreaking of the series and provided crucial moments of character development for both Joel and Ellie.
Overall, the series was a triumph; a brilliant video game adaptation, as well as a phenomenal show overall. Even when the pacing slowed down, it more than made up for it with stellar character work, showcasing the beautiful father-daughter-like relationship between Joel and Ellie. The Last of Us manages to wring tears from you even when you believe there are none left. A beautiful story about hope in a hopeless world, that could not be praised enough.
Words by Emily Nutbean
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