Last of Us TV Series is how an Adaption Should be Made

For those that haven’t played the Last of Us video game. It was released on June 14, 2013, for the PlayStation 3 by Naughty Dog. The game had a new breed of zombies, called Cordyceps. This allowed for further mutations beyond just the slow and fast zombies. A great voice acting cast. The chemistry between the two protagonists was a delight , and the main driver for the game. I personally loved the game and thought , at the time I played it. “This would make a great movie!”. Though in retrospect , a tv show is a bit better. It gives the story a bit more time to flesh out.

Adapted for tv

The Last of Us TV series is based on the popular video game of the same name. The series was developed for television by Craig Mazin (“Chernobyl”) and Neil Druckmann, the game’s creative director. It airs on HBO, which has a great track record for quality content.

The series follows the same basic premise as the game: a man named Joel, who is hired to smuggle a young girl named Ellie out of a quarantined city overrun by zombies. As they journey across a post-apocalyptic United States, they encounter various obstacles and challenges. Such as Raiders, cannibals, and of course zombies. It’s setting is based off The Last of Us / Part I , and The Last of Us: Left Behind.

The series has been well-received by both fans of the game and critics. It faithfully adapts the game’s story and characters, as well as it’s key locals. Almost all the memorable scenes in the game made their way on to the tv series. We’ve seen how taking creative license can completely derail an adaption. I’m looking at you Netflix’s Death Note !

The casting of Pedro Pascal as Joel

and Bella Ramsey as Ellie

was also spot on. Both these actors have already shown what great talent they have. Their chemistry feels authentic.

Minor bugs

Where I do felt it fell a bit short was the lack of zombie encounters. Because it followed the game so closely. It took the time to introduce and flesh out the characters our protagonists meet. And for obvious reasons, we don’t have interactivity that was present in the game. Some episodes felt a bit slow at times.

Is it worth a look?

Overall, “The Last of Us” TV series has been a success, both commercially and critically, and is a must-watch for fans of the game. If your a fan of the zombie genre, or a post-apocalyptic setting, or simply love great acting. The Last of Us tv series is a definite recommend. If you haven’t played the game . Go play it, you’ll love it. It remains to be seen if the series will continue to follow the game’s story or diverge into new territory, but either way, it promises to be a thrilling and emotional journey.