Was HBO's The Last of Us Really Necessary?

It's for people who don't play video games. Easy.

I'd say it was. There are tons of little things in the show that really enhanced it for me even tho I think the game is kinda better overall. Also smtg else I like about the tv show is that due to it many ppl have come to realize the storytelling potential of games which is great. Excited for your thoughts!

My mother just does not like video games. She'll sit and watch Game of Thrones through, but 5 minutes of the tutorial of this game, and she was bored out of her mind. My brother and I both love the story, we've told her it's one of the best. She sat down for the show and she finally saw that, after a decade of us telling her about how good this game was, how good the story was. And she appreciated it fully.

To sum up this entire video; yes, this show was absolutely necessary.

Im glad that the public now loves my favourite characters as much as I do. So many people who dont play games are now talking to me about how much they adore Ellie and Joel, how amazing the story is and im buzzing! I think HBO knocked it out of the ballpark

I'm not a video game player, and had never heard of 'The Last of Us', until all the buzz surrounding the series began. As to the question of whether or not video games can be 'art'; although I've not played any games, it seems to me that any medium used to express an idea, a thought, a feeling, or experience - and done with talent and imagination - can produce works of art. I don't see why some of these games couldn't be classified as art - especially when the public has such a reaction (good and bad) about the medium.

Bella Ramseys character really grew on me she absolutely knocked it out of the park bravo to her!!

I’m glad to have this show along side the games. I’m now seeing people say they are playing the games because of the show and that’s a win for everyone.

Great review. I want to reflect on the charge that episode 3 and 7 were “filler”. I will disregard the fact that I love these episodes for their own virtues. Instead, I will focus a bit about their role in the narrative structure, character development, and the much abused term, “themes” of the show. Episode three has a structural purpose for introducing Tess and Joel, in the context of their life of crime so to speak. Further, Bill and Frank are ever present through their signaling system of using 70s 80s and 90s music and serves as a haven for continuing the mission of heading out west. Beyond framing, there is the letter that Bill writes to Joel where we learn more about their common traits of protecting those they love. Reinforcing that trait at the precise moment when Joel is still bearing cargo not a human being. This helps convey Joel‘s potential and connect him back to the core tragedy when he lost Sarah. But love, whether between lovers, parent and child or friends is so strongly established in episode three that it provides a bar to compare with. Growth, devotion, loyalty, bargaining and flexibility and the intimacy and most of all connection. I see this as a harbinger of what awaits Joel and Ellie, a seed. Episode seven functions differently. From the beginning of the show, we wanted to know about Riley. We knew she was a significant loss of some kind for Ellie. Again this fulfills a narrative function we know why Ellie could call upon the experience of following love “even to the edge of doom“ and save Joel‘s life and never give up. Narratively of course it flows through to Eli’s darkest moment with David and the harrowing experience of surviving that without Joel‘s assistance. She achieved this by drawing David’s hunters away from the prostrate Joel buying him extra time to heal. Themagically the Riley, Ellie relationship both explains Eli‘s aversion to giving up and fear of loss, but connects with the overarching theme of dedication and loyalty as seen in episode three episode seven and tragically in episode nine.

Dude your vids are so good. You offered an interesting argument that I never considered with this vid, and this isn’t the only one where you do that. You’ve got a thoughtful and unique voice in media criticism and I can’t wait to see more stuff from you!

You’re one of the best video essayists i’ve ever encountered. You opened my (a casual TLOU viewer) eyes to an argument I never would’ve considered. Also, you really deepened my understanding to an ending that until now inexplicably frustrated me. Thank you.

What really got me with the show was the way it was shot, and the way the story was told. It reminded me so very much of a western, and a damned good western at that. The movie the show keeps reminding me of the more I rewatch it is actually Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales, and my god is that ever a movie that twists the world into something that has depth, character, and nuance in the same ways that TLOU does with its TV adaptation.

I never understood the premise of the question of whether or not adaptation of a work is necessary: on some level, no adaptation is necessary. But they can be valuable to those who haven't for whatever reason engaged with the original works. To say that the game "said all it needed to say" could be aimed at any book, play, memoir, or news story that is adapted for screen. A good adaptation (and I'd say that the HBO show counts) throws a new light on a work, and presents a tale told in an original medium using the strengths of the new medium. Also, there's a sense in which this show isn't necessarily for the gamers who played the original. It's for the non-gamers out there who haven't, and the success of the show strongly indicates that all of their work paid off. After all is said and done though, the game is still out there for us to revisit. The adaptation didn't change anything. So did we need it? No. But I still think it was worth doing so that more people can experience this story.

Not all games can be made into movies or shows but I’m glad that the story writers’ vision could be translated into another art form. The show runners clearly cared about the project and I like that. It’s also nice to see good actors play good roles. There are shows not based on games that are SOOO BAD

As someone who’s only watched the show I found myself asking “were the fireflies more competent in the game?” Because I could tell that the show wanted me to think Joel was doing the wrong thing but I just couldn’t not agree with him. I don’t get why marleene was acting as if she was morally pure over Joel when she kidnapped Ellie and forced her into a life ending surgery. Sure she believed she’d save the world but overlooking something as consent and autonomy is pretty bad. I don’t even think their vaccine would’ve worked because they thought that Ellie’s Cordyceps masked her from the infected and when knew they still attacked her. Even if the vax worked how would they mass produce it and distribute it? Marleene said she lost half her men on the way to Salt Lake City, could she really distribute a vax nation wide? Even if this improbable vax was spread it’s not like it would cure anyone who was infect and it certainly wouldn’t prevent people from being mauled by infected. (I do think it’s noteworthy that the average person from the games launch in 2013 wouldn’t have as many questions about vax logistics as someone who’s lived through the Covid pandemic but that doesn’t make them any less legitimate now) Overall the fireflies just seemed naive and void of pragmatism is their planing, I ok with Joel actions to save Ellie but I wasn’t ok with him lying to her, especially because she looks up to him so much.

people tripping over this title don’t understand how content creation works lol. i love how your videos are like reverse clickbait; first i’m heated but then presented with such a thoughtful take i leave with a whole new insight that trumps the assumption that spitefully drew me in from the start. brilliant as always, man.

Some people dont play game, but they watch and enjoy show. Same, some people dont read books, but watch movie based on book. Its another medium which can bring story to someone who dont hear about it. Sorry for my english.

I totally agree with you about the end. It's something I've been thinking about since episode 9 came out. After I finished the first game, I also never thought it needed a sequel. Part 1 had a beginning and an end, and that ending had stuck with me for so many years. But when watching the show, knowing there was going to be a season 2, it felt like just a cliffhanger. I think this really reduced the impact of the final dialogue. I am worried now about how they will portray Joel, going forward. He's not perfect, but I don't want him to be reduced to some selfish villain.

No, but no one really needs adaptations in general. It was a good show, I liked it, and I'm glad they made it. First game-to-film adaptation I've said that about.

For people like my mother who doesn't play games. I want her to experience it too.