I think Sean out of all the gamer-tubers has the most connections/friends with big names and developers. At this point If he said he was hanging out with Jackie Chan and Gabe Newell at Starbucks last week I'd just be like "Yeah just Jack doing Jack things."
@@hangry3102 I think it's partially due to Jack's fascination of how things are made, so he wants to always get to the people who make these things and get all the detail from them first-hand
It's funny how many people crap on Neil saying hes an awful person and etc..which it's interesting, i didn't start hearing people cry about this stuff till tlou2 won the game awards lol. But if Sean is friends with Niel, the guy is obviously at least a decent human being and all the complaints were just from Abby haters.
Okay, but why? This was probably the one thing I didn't understand about his points the most. How is it that the show was amazing for you as a blind viewer than it would have been if you played? To keep things simple, let's use the scene where Ellie shoots someone for the first time immediately after saving Joel. Do you think it would have been better to have it shown as it was in game as Jack described it?
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 it might have been better but changing it a little helps it be similar and good for blind viewers on the first time watching while also having it a little different for people who played the game
@@jake4499 How does changing it make it similar? That doesn't make any sense. Changing it from the original is by definition making it more different than the original.
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 I’m saying changing it a little where it’s still similar to the original but not the exact same like it has the same idea and message but portrayed slightly different but not to much where it’s completely different
Dude finally someone else put in to words what I was feeling with tonal memory when it came to the scenes that were word for word. I didn't think they were bad but they just fell super flat for me because I've gotten so used to exactly how they say it in the game.
It’s like Jack looked straight into my thoughts and translated it into his words when talking about the show. While watching the show, I really liked it but every time I was watching an episode, it always felt like there was something missing or it just didn’t feel quite right. And literally all the things he listed were EXACTLY the reasons why some beats just didn’t hit me as much as the game did. Jack literally spoke my exact thoughts and I’m so happy I’m not the only one
@@jabr0nidave262 couldn’t agree more. I found myself quoting the lines as they were being said and getting caught off guard when it was said in a different tone or pace. I understand bc it’s an adaptation and they wanna change it up a bit but there are just some line deliveries that are done better in the game, in my humble opinion. That being said, the actors still did an amazing job
I wonder if I would have not felt this way if I didn’t go and play the game right before it came out since it had been a hot minute but I agree. For me it was less about some of the story beats and more about how some of the lines were delivered and how it didn’t feel earned if that makes sense? It was a great show, don’t get me wrong but some of felt too condescended if that makes sense. For what we got it was great but another youtuber mentioned how with how far games have come it’s almost like we don’t need a real life adaptation and imo, that’s partly true. TLOU show feels like a cool y piece.
Séan struggling to watch the cinematography of any other show after watching Better Call Saul is painfully relatable, Better Call Saul is one of the best directed things I've ever seen.
It was in the details for me that really made me lower my rating for the show. For example, the final scene in the game where Joel lies to Ellie and she says "Okay"... in that scene, Joel touches his watch when he is explaining that "you find something to fight for". It was a reminder that he was still thinking of his daughter. In the show, he doesn't touch his watch. That seems like such a small thing but in reality, is such a huge moment that is missed in the show because of the emotion and connection to the character and how he is feeling. If you know those things are supposed to happen and they don't, it almost feels like the moment means less than it should, IMO.
i think they just don't wanna over done it. They showed that twice in the show, 1st when they go down the ladder in ep2 and then when they hugged in ep8. Besides that when they were talking in the mountain Joel talked way more about Sarah in the show.
@john achas yeah, I feel like he was already way more emotional in the show than in the game, or Maybe just from where the pacing is so differen, he just became vulnerable faster since there wasn't any gameplay. Idk tho, it really felt to me like he was much more vulnerable in the show. Which I don't want to say is a bad thing, but everyone know him as a badass from the game, including myself. So, it just kinda threw me off a little. Big scenes still hit tho.
They kind of did that in ep 2. When they were looking at the distant building when ellie leaves he looks at his watch. I guess that was their way of doing it
Jesus christ. The game already does it. So why does the show need to do the EXACT same thing?? They create the same feelings and plot points, but they do it in their own way. Which is still damn near identical.
I still adore the show, solid 9/10 for me. But I do miss that detail, especially since they have focused on his watch before and in the game it wa showcased very deliberately
I watched it with my grandmother, who never saw the game. I saw the game when I was a kid through CZcams when it came out. Maybe 14. I'm 23 now but despite it being a bit faint in my memory I still remembered the major plot points and vibe. Any time I was enraptured it was the nostalgia. The first episode and the last episode hit the hardest for me in that regard. The Bill and Frank episode was also amazing. I would have loved it either way, but one thing that made the experience even better for me was seeing my grandmother see this story for the first time, falling in love with it and the characters, feeling the desperation, the tears, the laughter I remember having my first time experiencing the story. That's what made the experience incredible for me.
If you remembered anything from the first game you wouldn't think making Bill a gay loner scared of everything as a great choice or episode 😂 (Yes we know bill is gay but it's his personality that was a ramped up gay vibe instead of acting like a normal bloke)
8/10 is a good score, even if he didn’t love it as vehemently as I did (and I’m a humongous fan of both games). Comparing the camerawork in this show to Better Call Saul isn’t really fair because those are two totally different shows with different tones and styles. A lot of the differences he brings up between it and the game are fair, but I think they’re largely coming from a place of love for the way the game tells its story in that medium. Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal delivered their lines differently, so the “tonal memory” he’s talking about doesn’t mean the new deliveries are bad. There were quite a few instances where I actually preferred Ramsey’s delivery in the show (especially the “Ellie is the girl who broke your effing finger!” line). I’m happy that’s it’s becoming popular among people who have and haven’t played the games, because (as I said, these games mean SO much to me) I loved this show so much as well.
Well, being of a different style than another show doesn't mean that the quality of that camerawork isn't comparable. There are some basics in taking photos, and of course it gets a little more complex with filming a move, but there are still basics to good ways to use your camera that every show should pay attention to. BCSs camera worked well, so it improved/made the atmosphere/style, not the other way around.
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 That’s a fair point, I do find myself subconsciously comparing every show I watch to BCS now, but I had to stop myself from doing that because it made me dislike every show I watched a little bit, which isn’t always fair. (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was one of the few surprising exceptions because that show is technically astounding enough that it somehow fulfilled that requirement in my mind, it’s a great show). But with TLOU, I think the use of camerawork was very intentionally done the way it was because A.) it’s very similar to how the first game is made to look (the shaky camera is present there as well, despite lessening in the second game); and B.) it fits both the setting and the tone of the series (like how Breaking Bad also has a shaken-cam style, whereas BCS is more painterly). When it does do something interesting, like the Infected Hoard of episode 6, the steady camera shots of Joel and Ellie on a horse in the mountains, etc., it stands out too. I think it’s not given as much credit as it deserves.
@@mr.moviemafia 1.) I feel like you're missing the point. It looking similar to BCS isn't the point, it's how well the camera is used. 2.) Being done on purpose isn't the same as being done well. 3. Okay, how does the camera fit the tone and setting?
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 1.) I don’t feel like I’m missing the point exactly, because I often do think heavily about how camerawork and direction are utilized in visual media to help enhance the story. 2.) That’s very fair, and while it’s not for everyone, I personally felt it worked for this story and tone. 3.) The reasons WHY I feel it works well for this story and tone are because of what utilizing a camera’s mobility tells the audience about the world they’re being dropped into. There’s lots of jargon that could be analyzed, but the simplest way to look at it is by contrasting the use of a Steady Camera with a Shaky Camera. What does a show that primarily uses steadily-balanced camerawork tell us while we’re watching it? It feels very methodically-crafted and says that we’re looking at something that’s under control. What does a shakier filming style tell us? It’s saying that the world we’re now in is one of unpredictability, more tangible; less carefully-crafted and more chaotic, intimate, and grounded. When the world looses control, the shaky and less strict visual direction more easily puts us in the crowd of people running away from the newly-infected hoard. It puts us in that strawberry patch with Bill and Frank as the wind blows through our hair, shaking us (the camera) along with the wind. It’s puts us with Ellie and Riley as they have a childlike-chaotic romp through the abandoned mall. It makes us feel the wildness of Ellie’s situation when she’s locked up in David’s town. It’s the same visual motif throughout the entire season, but it’s purpose is able to adapt episode-to-episode, scene-to-scene, moment-to-moment, depending on the context. It works wonderfully to me here, but I still get the preference for shows where every frame could literally be a painting. If it’s paying homage to how the game also visualizes its entire story (because the shakier camera moments are present there both in gameplay and cutscenes), then criticisms about why the show’s story does it also equally apply to the game (albeit in a different medium). I appreciate your question though, because it IS a valid point, this is just how I feel about it. :)
I disagree with your point about the camerawork. TLOU being a different tone and style from Better Call Saul doesn’t mean that the camerawork in TLOU couldn’t have been stronger. I understood what Sean was saying as, not asking for the exact same camerawork or type of shots as Better Call Saul, just for the camerawork in the TLOU to be a little bit more engaging and dynamic. Not that the show is bad or that the camerawork isn’t good but it’s a little lacking in some moments that causes certain scenes or episodes to drag in a way that can get just a little boring. I’m a die hard fan of the game and absolutely loved the show, I think it’s great and looks great as well but it’s definitely not perfect (the games aren’t either so 🤷♀️)
As someone who's replayed the game so many times I relate with Jack's opinion on the show so much, he's actually super accurate with everything he mentioned, game is so perfect that it's hard not to get a little disappointed
I felt the same way with that tonal memory thing in certain moments. What's interesting to me however is understanding whether someone who watched the show first and played the game later would feel the same way about the game's dialogue/moments. I think they would, because the actors and writers of the TV series did a phenomenal job which is why the show can stand on its own feet as an amazing story. Overall I loved the show and I can't wait to see how they tackle the upcoming chapter!
I really liked it, but I agree that knowing what's gonna happen for the most part made me not as desperate to see the next episode immediately. I did feel like they did a great job though. I was worried it wasn't gonna be that good.
for me, i was the same amount of knowledge as everyone else who played the games numerous times- it was what he described 'tonal memory', i was excited on HOW they were going to execute it - i do agree on knowing what happens line for line do ruin it a little for the experience but seeing on how they were going to re-enact the scenes made it more exciting overall it set the bar high for video game adaptions now
was kind of the opposite for me, knowing everything that was gonna happen made me really eager to see how they would execute it in live action. waiting an entire week took so much patience lol
Holy crap hearing this was such a relief for me. I'm in a similar situation to Sean, played the games over and over, they're two of my favourites of all time. I watched the show and have no "complaints" but felt really dissatisfied without being able to fully place why. Then going online to see if anyone felt the same to see only overwhelming praise and people claiming they preferred the show. I've been feeling kind of bitter about it and so this video felt really nice for me, hearing Sean put words to a lot of the things I was feeling. I loved his Part 2 playthrough and so now knowing he feels similarly to how I do is such a relief
I already made a comment about this under this video, but wanted to reply specifically here too, because I felt the exact same way. Excited about some things with the show, but weirdly bitter / disappointed with other parts (which is unfortunate because certain parts of the show are ridiculously excellent). Specifically, some scenes from the show felt like they were trying to re-enact Ashley and Troy's performances from the game and it just.... felt so off ? Because they can't, nor shouldn't, measure up to those performances, and yet they were set up that way. As a result, almost every time I saw TLOU show re-enacting cutscenes all I could think of was the voices from the original scenes in my head. Idk. I wanted Bella and Pedro to be Ellie and Joel, not Ashley and Troy.* * This is not a bashing of their performances at all, I think they're all incredible actors, I just disliked character decisions made for some aspects of the adaption. (which is unfortunate bc I think their expansions of world-building were really, really cool.)
@@margowinterlake I find they weren't trying to be the same at all. The lines might have been close to word for word in some cases but the emotions and tone of the conversations were different, since this Joel and Ellie are a bit different. Especially the conversation with Joel telling Ellie she was going to go with Tommy instead. Joel was reacting from hurt and fear more then straight anger like in the game. He had just had a big vulnerable conversation with Tommy before it so he was still raw from that and you could see how he just begs her to stop talking when she mentions sarah instead of being ready to explode at her in anger like in the game. I find rewatching the episodes and trying not to constantly compare makes the conversations and flow of the show 100 times better. Trying to constantly compare basically ruins the show since you are mad if they leave things out but also mad if they do it practically word for word because it doesn't sound or look 100% the same since it is different people saying the lines and acting the scene.
@@ufctekkers1945I didn't play the game, but I have watched a let's play...and I can say that adaptations will never be better than the source material
It was done in multiple perspectives instead of just in Joel’s perspective most the time. You get put in Ellie’s shoes when it came to her first kill, and then again her wanting the gun. Those types of things. And I really loved that. It feels like a more fresh look at the same story. I like picking apart what’s different and appreciating the differences, and what those differences mean or add to the story.
I think an 8/10 is totally fair. My only addition to what jack said is lack of infected presence. I understand the point being that they are the setting, not center stage, but simply seeing more in the background would have done so much. They just kind of vanish from the show after episode 2, until they are needed to save the main characters at the end of episode 5. Then nothing again. For example, have the riders from Jackson save joel and ellie from a couple, then check them for bites. Small things like that would have been welcome. Or just notice them, and take a different path. Doesnt need to be an action scene, just have them around and a threat. Having no spores and no actual infected wandering around kinda waters down the need for a cure.
I still not seeing the point of the show added the past scenes and tried to make a big deal out of it when the show itself failed to capture the post-apocalyptic setting. Decades after the first outbreak with no spore and least amount of infected, it made humans in the show are bunch of idiots for not trying to fight back.
Fair, when the infected were shown off it was really well done but the lack of them made it seem like humans could just start clearing them out WWZ novel style.
I watched the game countless times and I would still rate the show 10/10. It's not that it doesn't have any flaws but the way this show made me feel was unmatched. I'm watching it again rn and it's already become a comfort show for me. I'll probably come back to it very VERY often. Camera work, score, the pacing of it- everything was just phenomenal. And Bella and Pedro are just 🥺💚 Edit: can't spell for shit
kinda how i was, i only watched the first game and i played the second game and watching the show was phenomenal, i like that the show is not like the last of us 2 where it was a good story and game but the majority of people didn't like it so much - we can all enjoy the show with some constructive criticism that doesnt take away from the show where as a lot of the criticism on the last of us 2 made people not like it even more. it just sucks when theres a bunch to love and enjoy about something but it gets slandered a lot because people thought the story was gonna go in a different direction, and don't get me wrong the last of us 2 had its flaws but i feel like it got criticized far more than it deserved.
@@jeffholy872 meh when I think about the last of us part 2 I only think about the gameplay not the story where as I only think about the story in the first one and how amazing it was
@@jeffholy872 insanity, it takes that concept of the last of us and chews it up and spits it in your face. It doesn’t even feel like the same timeline as the first game. The pacing is woeful and side characters are worse than in the first game, the ending is shit, the devs thinking the player would want to play as Abby is completely insane to me. Maybe some people can come round to her but I can’t and I think I could’ve if that pacing was better and Joel’s death was better and later on. We all knew Joel was going to die but we did not think or want it to be like that. If the whole game was just like those flashbacks it would have been great
I liked bella ramsey's performance of when ellie is bitten. It's such a raw emotion cause when you see a bite mark, you're screwed. And when she is taking her anger on the glass cases, you feel how she's feeling and not that the game is inferior but in my personal opinion, I think that scene is done better in the show
As someone who never played the game it still felt rushed. The pacing of the first episode and the Bill and Frank episode were so much better than the rest of the show. It needed more than 9 episodes. 10 would have been a start.
So happy he talked about Better Call Saul. It’s my favorite show of all time and the cinematography is some of the best I’ve ever seen. Everything feels so meticulous and every shot feels planned out and has a reason
I think they could have had more infected in the series; they didn't feel as much as a threat as they do in the game, but I can understand that video game combat encounters would get very repetitive for a tv show. But they did confirm that there will be more infected in s2, so that's good
One of the things I loved more about the show as a person who has played the game multiple times. Is the final hospital scene. The way Pedro Pascal plays that whole scene as cold and unfeeling. Really hit hard.
Wait, did they make Joel an uncaring monster when saving Ellie? If they did, then that's going to clash very hard with the main story. I hope they don't have Joels death turn out how it was in the game since they've already changed this.
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 I wouldn't say they made him an uncaring monster with regards to saving Ellie--just that he is stoic and uncaring when it comes to killing the fireflies to get to her. When I watched it, I imagined his thought process was a long the lines of "well, these people are threatening my surrogate daughter. Therefore I *will* kill them, it's an inevitability." When dealing death, he was cold as ice, but imo it was done in a way that conveyed Joel's love for Ellie. He seemed less desperate to save her and more focused, single-track minded. I think it was done really well.
The thing for me is I saw so many youtubers including you play it when it came out. But entering the show, I did not remember anything up to the point of Ellie healing Joel in the snow area. So a lot of the stuff I saw in the show felt like new. I think it is definitely one of the best video game adaptations.
Jack surprisingly hit the nail on the head, I 100% agree with this. Especially the bit around 4:20 with the tonal differences and remembering sounds from scenes.
@@Tillyard86 It being different isn't a bad thing, but if you're really familiar with the game it does stick out when something is different. Sometimes the differences are nice, but other times I can't help but just think about how a scene was done in a way that I preferred in the game. And I mean, it IS going to be compared to the game by people familiar with the game. It happens with adaptations all the time. This one does stand on it's own pretty well though, and even then there's a lot of little things that can add to your appreciation if you get the references to the games. Personally the only episode I thought that fell flat was when they hit Jackson. The game did those scenes much better IMO. Otherwise every episode was a banger, even when compared.
@@ghostdude9415 I’m familiar with the game and it never stuck out to me, I was just enjoying the show as it’s own thing, no need to compare it at all. I actually think there are a number of scenes that are better in the show. The one where Ellie talks to Joel about Sarah for example, in the show Joel just says “don’t” when she bring her up, so much more effective! Sure it is going to be, but my point is it shouldn’t be, it’s a separate medium of storytelling. Most likely made so those that a not gamers can experience the story. Like I said, stop comparing it to the game. Sound to me like your comparing it is stopping you from enjoying it. I never once compared it to the game and I enjoyed it fine.
@@Tillyard86 I mean, I did enjoy it? I'm not saying the show is bad or anything like that, just that the differences stand out to me. If they don't stand out to you, then more power to ya I say. I myself thought the show was stellar in almost every aspect
I'm kinda dumb and can't express things with words properly but this is EXACTLY everything I wanted to say when talking about this with people! Everyone loves it and I was a little bit disappointed and he explained why perfectly.
On the tonal differences and slight annunciation differences I totally get that because I play the lines in my head aswell the same way you describe so I felt the 'she said it wrong' or the 'he said it wrong' aswell. Like in the game joel says 'I'll pop your god damn knee off' and in the show its 'ill pop your fucking kneecap off' slight difference but it was something I instantly picked up on while watching
i just don't think anything can compare to game this is why a story like this started on a gaming medium because sometimes it's more impactful you feel the long journey more, you get more context (like marlene voice recordings, that the show audience will never know that she said she literally had no choice anyway), you get extra world building with the notes and exploring etc., you view things more from certain perspectives when you actually play the characters, you actually feel exhausted after going through a hard area like the characters and you get more of joel and ellie's relationship through just small banter (along with everyone else) etc. etc. (i could go on forever) the show did a good job adapting it but a show will never be able to fully compare to the game and i recommend everyone to play the game or at least watch someone playthrough it (if you're not a gamer AND DON'T just watch cutscenes, because i saw these guys watch cutscenes and they were like 'the show is better because more action etc' when we all know most of the action in games is PLAYED, not shown in cutscenes, it's just entirely different and you're still missing out on the little things that makes it great)
I relate to everything he says so much it makes me feel validated to hear someone else (especially someone who I watched play the game originally) say they felt the same way as I did about the show. also love the casual “I was talking to neil” lol wild
Bill and Frank developed a lot more despite not being relevant to the story while character like David, one of the antagonist and relevant to the story was less developed. And you tell me that you don't see why?
@@zeroskaterz92 David was developed plenty. We got to see how he interacted with his group, how he controlled them, made them believe what he wanted. That scene where he slaps that girl and then talks sweet to her and nobody does anything about it? Chilling. They somehow made David even creepier then in the game. Bill and Frank were also developed to show how Joel could be. How he could find someone to be his purpose again after everything he lost before, how he can find new life and enjoyment in that. Bill's letter basically defines what Joel does for the rest of the show.
Response to his camerawork criticism: While I completely understand where this is coming from, and it’s something I initially felt too, the reasons why I ended up feeling like the camerawork in the show works well for this story and tone are because of what utilizing a camera’s mobility tells the audience about the world they’re being dropped into. There’s lots of terms and jargon that could be brought up and analyzed, but the simplest way to look at it is by contrasting the use of a Steady Camera with a Shaky Camera. What does a show that primarily uses steadily-balanced camerawork tell us while we’re watching it? It feels very methodically-crafted and says that we’re looking at something that’s under control. What does a shakier filming style tell us? It’s saying that the world we’re now in is one of unpredictability, more tangible; less carefully-crafted and more chaotic, intimate, and grounded. When the world looses control, the shaky and less strict visual direction more easily puts us in the crowd of people running away from the newly-infected hoard. It puts us in that strawberry patch with Bill and Frank as the wind blows through our hair, shaking us (the camera) along with the wind. It’s puts us with Ellie and Riley as they have a childlike-chaotic romp through the abandoned mall. It makes us feel the wildness of Ellie’s situation when she’s locked up in David’s town. It’s the same visual motif throughout the entire season, but it’s purpose is able to adapt episode-to-episode, scene-to-scene, moment-to-moment, depending on the context. It works wonderfully to me here, but I still get the preference for shows where every frame could literally be a painting. If it’s paying homage to how the game also visualizes its entire story (because the shakier camera movements are present there both in gameplay and cutscenes), then criticisms about why the show’s story does it also equally apply to the game (albeit in a different medium).
This is so well said, I truly love the show because the game means so much to me and I love Pedro & Bella, but there always felt like something was missing. I have played the game twice completely through and I’m currently playing the remake, so I’m basically desensitized to the emotional scenes which threw me off a bit. And along with Sean saying how he has the tonal memory of scenes is spot on to me personally. I can’t rewatch the scene between Joel and Ellie where it’s the “you have no idea what loss is” because I’m so used to Troy and Ashley but overall it’s extremely well made. And I’m happy they made some changes since I didn’t really want to watch a scene by scene remake of the game, but I think a lot of it is just that it’s different.
Bella really did an awesome job. I was a little apprehensive because she looks nothing like Ellie but I was convinced by the end of the show that they were the right choice for the character. I really hope that they split between the perspectives more in the second season.
Everyone talking about this show was just amazed by it, and when I didn’t I really didn’t want to say anything. But knowing that Jack also get a little off with it helps
yeah i wasn’t amazed i mean it was an alright show, i thoroughly enjoyed it but i don’t think it was anything outstanding. there wasn’t much about it that really impressed me too much, but i’m not trying to be rude about it because the actors did a great job with their performances but it was just like decent, to be honest.
I had a very interesting viewing experience because I only heard about the ending of the first and watched Jacksepticeye’s play through of the 2nd. So it was really lovely experiencing the events of the first game through the show.
The show made me SO excited to see how beautifully they’re gonna handle Part 2 in the (now confirmed) 2nd season. For the people, like me, who adore TLOU2, it’s looking like it’s gonna be an amazing adaptation. But, it’ll also be a great opportunity to improve some of the issues many had with that game and win more people over to that story who didn’t like it as much.
You say "win more people over to that story," but is it really the same story? Making the story in the show better isn't going to make the games story better.
lmao bella ramsey is so cringe when she tries acting tough in the show and the show was afraid of having any real action scenes until the final episode. Season 2 is gonna be shit
@@strikebomber2944 I personally disagree about it sucking, but I DO agree about the advertising of that game being absolutely misleading to an angering degree. I get they wanted to reign in spoilers, but yikes replacing character models for totally different characters was a weird move. I get people being upset about that.
@@Logger1010 I disagree about there not being any action scenes until the last episode, I saw episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 as well. There weren’t a lot of infected and that is a very valid criticism, but I’m happy to hear the creators say there will be a lot more of them in S2. Sorry you weren’t a big fan of Bellie though, she’s sticking around whether we like it or not (I personally do, very much, but I get not everyone does).
I think that people REALLY underestimate just how violent Ellie could really be in Part 1, the game. Violence has always been a part of her character. In the games and the comics. The show is just being faithful to that aspect of her. Ellie is honestly one of the most consistently written character in all of gaming. Her growth has always felt so natural. The show was just doing that side of her justice by showing bits of it. And her violence is NOT the same as, say, David's. His violence is cruel and self-serving. Ellie's come from a place of hurt, and the fear of loneliness. That's why she can be so bratty, brash, and angry. And while David is a shallow, toxic, pos narcissist... Ellie is someone who has a VERY empathetic, loving side to her. These two sides of her are often in conflict and that's part of what makes her character so great.
Sure but she’s not nearly shown as this as in the show. For example, in the first episode the producers mentioned how she felt good when Joel beat that soldier to death whereas in the game she actually seemed shocked at what he did and genuinely felt sorry for what happened to him. Everything she does is mainly in self l-defended and she’s never once shown as liking violence. She only becomes brutal during the Winter section where she kills David. In the show they tried to make her more brutal to like her characterisation with Part 2 and whilst I get what they were going for, I preferred the game because you see how far Ellie has lost herself from Part 1 when she’s really violent in Part 2.
My favourite piece of acting in this show from Bella was when Henry got himself in the head and the little scream of shock and sadness she gives in that scene was phenomenal she truly showed real raw emotion which isn’t easy when your acting
6:35 "It would have been better if you switched between their perspectives more often, [...] but there's the upgrade system" You can solve that (gameplay-wise) if you make both just have the same progression (as if they were the same character). Granted, that would have a dissonance cost (since there's no specific in-game reason to make them progress in the same way).
I agree with him, i am a massive fan of the game and it’s hard to not be disappointed a little bit. I still think it’s great, but it doesn’t even touch the game in my opinion, 8/10 is a perfect score for it
It’s the same thing that happens when a novel or book series I love is translated into a movie or a show. It will NEVER be as good for me since I have these characters and stories built over more hours… but even so it’s still super well done and everyone I know who hasn’t played the game adored the show. Whereas I liked it but I knew what all could happen.
Really cool to listen to jack talk about movies and shows because I think of them the same way he does. He’s played the game more than me, so he definitely knows more about all the little differences. I loved the show but agreed that some things felt like they could’ve been fleshed out more, they could’ve stuck closer to game moments at certain parts to create a greater sense of being in the world and the tension that is felt but overall great show
Didn’t watch it, heard that they followed the game pretty well, but I think this is another case of where the source material is almost ALWAYS better. And since the source material is a game, you’ve already got the visuals.
I disagree, the show was able to expand and even improve story elements of the game in my opinion. Also a video game and a show both have visuals but video games are uniquely restricted to a limited number of perspectives (usually one, the protagonist) whereas shows have the freedom to switch between perspectives like a villain or maybe Ellie’s POV instead of Joel’s without hampering the experience for the consumer.
@@haydencantthink The game didn’t “hamper experiences for the consumer” when it switched to Ellie’s POV. To even compare actually playing as these characters, actually saving each other, the possibility of seeing them graphically die, is hilarious. A show will *never* be able to be more immersive than a game you’re actually influencing.
@@haydencantthink and shows dont have the advantage of adding all these little conversations and moments through the game, plus the feeling of actually traveling with ellie and protecting her in tense situations, plus the whole survival horror aspects. videogames are just the best form of media and unmatched, adaptations will never come close to the feeling of playing a game.
at 2 : 20 when sean said ellie's line when she shot the guy, that one was ringing in my mind too when I was watching the series. I guess most of us felt the same way for the series
It’s so cool seeing peoples pov when they’ve already played the games ,as someone who hasn’t played it I adored the show and think it’s really well made and really liked the characters
I've just finished watching the first episode and it was absolutely amazing. I love how faithful it is to the games. The scene by scene recreations of the cutscenes from the game is fantastic
I think the show could’ve used like 2 or 3 more episodes, it didn’t really have the journey kinda feel that the game had. Also the Infected didn’t feel like much of a threat, Joel and Ellie only encounter them like once or twice in the entire show. It just feels like there should’ve been an episode where they are solely trying to kill or get away from Infected. And it does kinda suck that they got rid of the whole spores-in-the-air threat, which made the Cordyceps that much more scary, the fact that just breathing can get you infected.
As someone who haven't played the game and have watched only videos of it I almost totally agree with you except about the cordyceps spores replacement. Make it functioning like a network is actually more scary in my opinion, it's just that they didn't develope (or show) that detail enough. Hope they do it in next seasons
I feel like if they didnt stick to the game this much ppl would have complained that it was too different. To me it was perfect. I am so excited for season 2 and cant wait for the changes they will make.
I agree with 8/10. -1 point for not enough clickers/infected -1 point for trying to fit all the events that unfold into a shortened ninth episode. Could've let the audience breathe a little by adding a tenth episode or just extending the ninth to regular runtime or longer. Also, disappointing they didn't adapt the hotel or dormitory infected fights. Those were so intense and I felt like it would've converted to film well.
The one thing thats disappoint me in the show is that fact we didn't see Joel grab a beer bottle or a brick and throwing at some guy, grab him, punch him in the neck and curb stomp him on the floor. But beside that, the show is still a good show.
I loved the show as a separate thing, some things they added were nice, loved seeing Ashley bring Ellie into the new world, buuuuut the game will always be my story. Pedro and Bella were a really nice twist on the characters, but I don't feel like their relationship grew in the same way, and some just felt off. It's my favourite game, so maybe I'd never be happy ha ha
this is really interesting to listen to, especially when you hear two different POV's. my friend in school had only seen the series and hasn't seen the game and really enjoyed it, rated it a solid 9, while I've only seen the game (which I absolutely LOVE) since I don't have anywhere to watch the TV series at the moment. hearing Sean talk about his opinion on the game VS series whilst he has done both (played and watched) brings a whole new point of view. I love hearing about other people's opinions on something such as this; some people will love TV adaptations, others will disagree, some are fifty fifty. I wish I was as excited as I was before to watch the series for myself, but I think I'll stick to the game side of things for now.
I feel like there could’ve been an easy workaround for the upgrade problem mentioned at the end of the video. I’m not some genius game coder or designer or whatever but if the problem was that it’d be annoying to have to gain the same upgrades multiple times when you switch perspective, then they could’ve done something more creative by giving Abby and Ellie different unique upgrades. So that it’s rewarding on both ends without it being repetitive. It’d also seriously enhance the gameplay. That’s a player perspective tho, maybe there were other problems.
the show is a really great introduction to the series and I'm sure has definitely gotten people to play the games or watch playthroughs. I watched the show with my brother, who didn't really know anything about the games, and it was great to finally get to share the story with him. I wish more adaptations were like this, where they stayed loyal to the original and any changes they made were either inconsequential or just improved the material. The performances didn't feel quite as strong to me but to be fair it's hard to top the voice acting legends in the game.
I loveddd. I’d give it 9/10 just wished there was a few more infected scenes. But I loved how well it was adapted from the game. But I agree the game is just *better* besides a few things I love from the show that fills in the blanks or changes for new content. I enjoy it for what it is!
As someone who has played both games, I was pleasantly surprised by the decisions taken in the show. TV and films have their own audience who respond differently compared to video game players. The Last of Us is incredible game because it dares to break the boundaries between games and films. The Last of Us always had the potential of being adopted to live action, just look how many films and shows have inspired it. From Logan to The Mandalorian. The reason why I am pleased with the show is because of its purposeful nature. Everything and everyone’s actions and comments have meaning. Same with Violence in the show. Video game Joel can go into a abandoned warehouse and kill 30 goons like if he was a force of nature. It works for the medium of Video games because it’s a great opportunity to allow the players to feel engage with the story. But in the show, from Joel beating that lone soldier to death, to him almost losing a fight to a kid, to seeing Joel use his incredible marksman skills to defend Ellie, it all has a meaning. I’m not saying the game didn’t have meaning, but a lot of the sections of the game had to be done in order to establish gameplay. The most jarring scene in the hole story, has to be its ending. In the game, players get to be Joel and control his behavior. And while it is difficult and hard to watch, it isn’t bad as having to literally sit and watch as Joel undoes all of the work that Joel and Ellie have done to get to this point. The cinematography works hand-in-hand with dark patches between takes that make Joel look like an unrecognizable monster. The score is also dark and hunting. This isn’t a moment where Joel saves the day, it’s a scene where Joel gets what he wants through violence and death. It’s like watching a an active shooting footage. It’s disturbing, sickening, and shocking, but the audience can’t help but watch. The Last of Us TV show, works because it too, dares to be different from the games and allow everything to have meaning and symbolism. It’s not as spontaneous and interactive as the games, but it is true and faithful adaptation that works well in films.
I think my problem was they didn't spend enough time being in the world. Stopping and having Joel and Ellie needing to work together to kill random infected and just existing in the world together for a couple episodes, talking more and developing that relationship would've helped tremendously imo which is why Bill and Frank's episode, as well as Riley's works so well. Every episode had someone else being the focus. Joel and Ellie's relationship was the footnote. As for the rushed aspect, I'm in a unique situation where I never played the game. I just watched clips of it from people like you. I felt the show was insanely rushed. My husband who did play it felt it was rushed. My folks who've never seen or even heard of the game felt it was rushed, same with my husband's folks. So it's definitely not just the gamers unfortunately.
I thought it was just the pacing mostly. My assessment: They nailed episodes 1-3. 4 and 5 had Kathleen, I wasn't feeling the Kathleen character. I don't know was it the actress not fitting the role or was it just that the character was written as a clichéd monologue talking 'quiet sinister badguy'. Everything else about episode 4 and 5 were perfect though. 6 was perfect. I enjoyed 7. 8 was very well done, even though Joel went from gravely ill to recovered in an instant. 9 the scenes were good, but it was all so quick. It was like they were ticking boxes on a checklist. They didn't give the audience a clear idea of how much time had passed between the events in the snow with David and the start of episode 9 and then giraffes, Joel's confession, smoke grenade, fireflies, hospital rescue, journey home, last scene, done. Many of the moments between the characters didn't feel as 'earned' as they had in the game and I think that comes down to how much time we felt we had spent with the characters. Maybe I'm not describing this well, but from episodes 7-9 the series felt a bit disjointed or something, 7 left the main story for a character building side episode and then it was as if from episode 8 onwards they were running out of time and had to tell the rest of the story within a time limit.
I liked the show but did have a lot of nitpicky issues with the it. My absolute biggest one was the fact that after the first few episodes there were essentially no infected until the very last episode and it was only one and in a flashback. I understand leaving out sequences of having to go through houses and deal with infected because those fill out the game but don't really fit in a show, but it just made it seem like the infected aren't even much of a problem. I feel like it just kind of nullified the weight of the whole story and point of the story because why is a vaccine so important if the infected aren't even really a problem. And if a vaccine isn't that important then it reduces the weight of Joel's decision and in my opinion doesn't make it hit as hard.
I think one scène I felt was missing was David and Ellie fighting the infected together, because that scene makes you go “I kinda like this guy, he seems lovely” and I think that would have worked really well
Agree so much with the tonal memory.... I would watch some scenes and have every line playing over in my head as the TV show characters were saying them (specifically, the bedroom scene in Jackson where Ellie pushes Joel and then Joel says she's not his daughter) and I couldn't help but feel kind of lukewarm/disappointed about those specific scenes. I know it's supposed to be an adaption, but I almost wish they had tweaked some of those scenes / the camera work / perspective / something so that they weren't 2 minutes of directly re-enacting a cutscene from the game. Television and video games are two different mediums.... use that to your advantage !!! The story can be the same, the characters can be similar, etc. but sometimes I wish the actors weren't put in a position where they had to mimic Ashley and Troy's performances in the game, rather than play Ellie and Joel. Idk. I want to see Ellie and Joel in an adaption, not feel in certain scenes like the director is trying to re-capture the lightning in a bottle that was specifically used in Ashley and Troy's performances. Let it be Bella and Pedro's version.. I think they really shine when they give their own specific flavor to the characters. I loved certain parts of this show and its re-formatting of already familiar world of the last of us so, so much, and it's unfortunate that the parts that really /did/ shine, made the other parts that were wearing an ill-fitting suit of the game stand out more. And it's unfortunate. The show was good, but it had the potential to be singularly incredible. Groundbreaking as a whole entity, not just with some scenes/episodes. edit: I'm saying this because I don't think it works to try to mimic everything with Joel and Ellie but not include all of the small, wildly important details to their characters (for example, Joel's inability to say thank you like Jack mentioned). If you don't have the time for the needed depth / development to be there........ I'd rather see a different take on the characters entirely. Not super drastically, but at least to the point where Ashley-and-Troy's Ellie and Joel can be a different entity from Bella-and-Pedro's Ellie and Joel. Because now it felt more shallow in comparison with the games, and that's unfortunate. l feel like a large amount of screen time used to develop Ellie and Joel's relationship was taken up by the pun book, and those are great in moderation but shouldn't feel like.... a large basis of their father-daughter relationship? Idk.
he just spoke my mind it really wasnt as 'wowing' as people say, especially AFTER playing the game. maybe before playing it wouldve been more stunning but i agree with jack sm
This is pretty much sums up my thoughts on the show! I already wrote this down in other comment sections but I felt like the story in the show was lacking action and tension. We hear a lot about how insane Joel can get and how dangerous raiders and infected are, but it’s barely shown to us. Little breadcrumbs like Joel taking down some of the raiders at the end of episode 6 by improvising bricks to the head and more things similar to brutal grounded gameplay. It starts and adds to the buildup for when he and Ellie reunite in winter. Otherwise, I liked this season a lot, I’m cautiously optimistic for season 2, and I hope everyone who worked on the show had a great time and can get a good night’s rest for their hard work!
It was amazing I just think people become disengaged when they aren’t in control and yeah it makes more sense that it would be more tense when ur situation gunfighting 39 ppl with yourself in control of the characters as for a show ur just watching, I’ve played both the games a countless number of times and it was amazing to me bc it told the story in a great way without me being in control of everything
For me the show was better than I expected because I usually don't have very high expectations for adaptations like that. I loved show Ellie and Joel as their own thing but I'll always love the games the most
I'd say that for someone like me who has never played the game or knew much about it, it was a fantastic show. (Spoilers for The Last of Us show and Sonic 2 movie) But my friend who has played the game thought it was good but it was kinda boring for him because it was predictable. Like he enjoyed certain parts of the show and they so happen to mostly be whenever the show did something that never happened in the game. Like Bill and Frank's more satisfying end together. But I understand why he thought the show was ok because if you already know the majority of what's about to happen from start to finish, it kinda loses its power. That's why I feel like the Sonic video game movies work so well. Because they do something different from the source material while keeping the core of the story, characters, and tone just right. (Of course, they had an advantage of the source material the story was based on not being very cinematic). Like, they still did Knuckles getting betrayed by Eggman, but the way it plays out is totally different from the games. And Eggman with the death egg robot was part of the games, but the way he builds it is new and honestly, I would say the death egg from the movies was cooler than in the games.
I think it’s the fact, when you play, your the one in control you until the cutscenes, but you made the journey, yourself, to the cut scene. The emotion, ect. Your there. Where, when in the tv show, your just there watching and not fully there. Also the game had, to me, more emotion. The tv show is great but the slight changes or emotion isn’t as the game. The game part one and two is 👌. Hope everyone has a excellent week. 👌, fun clip to watch, absolutely nailed it🧡🍻
Some things I disagree with: 1. That last bit. Him bringing up the fact that he didn't know why they took the show in the direction they did isn't really important. I've seen many people use the reason for doing something to a story as a way to justify it, but that's like saying the cause justifies the effects that it creates. It would be like if I told you that it was okay for a gasoline fire to be left alone because someone dumping gas on the fire caused it to burn so much; no, get a fucking blanket or a bunch of sand, and put that out. 2. With Ellie knowing Joel better than the audience knows Joel, I feel like that would only really work with giving the audience context later on to show that Ellie and Joel have a good bond and also show *what* Ellie understood since that would give character not only in their relation to each other but also who they are around other people. 3. Him saying the show feels rushed if you played the game, but not rushed if you didn't play it... I don't actually know how he came to that conclusion. Like, I am not necessarily disagreeing with him about that, but I also want to know how he ended up thinking that. It's not like he could just eliminate the game from his mind for a time, because this isn't 1984 no matter how many times people try to punish you for not thinking the way they think or even want you to think. He has played the game, so he can't really watch the show as a blind viewer. 4. Making it different isn't the entire point of making it a show. It's to not only improve on the original story, but to show the story accurately through that medium. It needs to be good as a show, yes, but a show isn't all that different than a cutscene, so it shouldn't be so different just so it is different. That's not the point of telling the story differently, as paradoxical as that sounds. 5. To have Ellie act somewhat differently so that the Part 2 adaptation isn't a sort of character whiplash/assassination seems like a good thing for now. They did that with Joel with dying the way he did. Him dying should have been done differently, and some other characters carrying over from Part 1 to 2 are in a similar situation (you know what I mean), so to have Ellie blend with Part 2 better than in the games is good, but yeah, maybe making her so much more aggressive is bad for where they did. 6. Arts purpose is not to agree or disagree with it. Yes, art is supposed to be interpreted by each individual that sees it, but agreeing/disagreeing is something working towards its actual purpose if anything, and that is to do your best to have a civil debate about your interpretation, almost like those science conventions in the old day and that Madame Levasseur would make everyone bring evidence for. I know, it's hard to be nice to people that disagree with you, but I've been doing it for a while now, and if I can do it then several other people (which probably incudes you) can also do it. 7. For the upgrades bit, why not just... not recent the upgrades all the time? Is there a technical thing that prevents players from keeping some upgrades for a specific character at certain times? This is a sort of 7.5, but I have another point that I don't quite know how to explain it well. If each character has their own skill tree, and they aren't reset when going *back* to that character, then that wouldn't be anywhere near as annoying as Sean seems to be making it out to be, and switching to a character with a fresh tree wouldn't be that annoying for very long because you still know what you want and you still have some experience, so it's not like you're playing a part of the game for the very first time all over again. I might be completely misunderstanding what he's saying, but that's on me. Anyways, thanks for reading my fucking essay of a comment about a 7 minute long video talking about a show. Hope we can still be civil about this, because my experience with the fandom definitely has not been civil for the most part.
I’ve only watched 4 episodes, and having only played the game recently I think it’s a good adaptation and good television. Both my parents have been enjoying it too
I think 8/10 is a fair score, particularly as I feel the show dropped off towards the last two episodes. Ellie and Joel's acting was great, even despite the tone changes in places, but I definitely agree the scene of Ellie shooting that guy to save Joel was no where near the level in the game; the game nailed that scene and it just didn't have the same impact at all in the show. The Bill and Frank episode was perfect, it was heart wrenching and so emotional, and it worked so well to segway from episode 2-4. The additional details about Ellie and Riley, and how they got infected was also great, it worked really well because it was building off the original content instead of trying to carbon copy it. Up until the last two episodes, I would have given the show a 9.5/10, it was very nearly perfect and most of the changes I didn't like could be explained by the fact it was a show and had to be adapted for the TV- like the lack of spores, they added a creep factor in the game and made areas difficult to navigate and fight/shoot in but obviously it would be hard to film and having actors in gas masks wouldn't work very well, and the lack of water scenes in the show in comparison to the game while it did make the environments less interesting it would have been expensive and time consuming to film for a show. But the last two episodes seemed so rushed and really could've benefited with some extra bits being added in, it just seemed like they were trying to hurry the story along, and so when the big hospital scene happened it really felt like it didn't have the impact it should've. Also while the abrupt ending worked for a game it just felt far too sudden for a show in my opinion. Still it was a really good show and for a video game adaptation it was great that it was so faithful to the original content which you don't often get to see, so hopefully the following season will be just as good.
Agreed! I liked the show, but didn’t love it. But I also know it’s down to personal preference. At the end of the day I’d still tell people to go play the game. I don’t think I would say you HAVE to watch the series.
at first I was impressed with the way Jack talks about the camera and filming then I remembered, he's also been filming some great stuff lately so he's no stranger to it
Sean is so on point. I loved the show because I haven't played the game but I was definitely a bit disappointed by the cinematography. 8/10 is a great score.
I would be also very curious how Jack's opinion on the second game has changed after he talked to Neil about it. I remember there was some after-taste when he finished it and was talking about it, I'm wondering if any of that cleared up afterwards
The lack of infected was disappointing, but I also understand that the show is more focused on the characters and their relationships with each other rather than the infected themselves.
As someone who watched the show, then the game, I freaking loved both a lot. Like a lot. I definitely see what he means about not being a gripped by it but since I had never watched the game it definitely gripped me. Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal were phenomenal, and so were Ashley and Troy. Loved both a lot, but I for sure get what Sean was saying and 8/10 is still a great score.
As someone who was aware of what happened in the game but never played it, I thought the show was amazing. I really hope I can play the game once I get a PlayStation and I’m pretty sure that the game will be better than the show but I still love the show
The overall quality of the show gave me a bit more hope for God of War (I don't know if it's been officially greenlit, though). I think the show works because it's faithful when it needs to be and different in places where a direct adaptation just wouldn't work (or even make sense) for a television viewer. All of the changers were made with Drukmann's blessing (in some cases, direct input) anyway. It likely feels rushed due to the amount of time players spent on the game mechanics, combat, and stealth. The show gets right to the point.
As someone who’s played the game several times also (like once two weeks ago), i kinda see some of his points, but not all. I think the show is on par with the game. I think it did some worse, and some better than the game. However what I did notice was that the week I played the game, I did not enjoy that weeks episode. I later realised that was because I had recently played the game again and had some expectations. Once I let go of my expectations the episode was great to me again. I think Sean here is doing the same. He’s a reflective guy don’t get me wrong, but I think most of his problems with the show boils down to “I expected it to be different because of the game”. And different does not always mean bad, but it will almost always feel bad ya know. To me the show is a clean 10/10
It's so interesting to see that we are all so much alike. There's a lot of people saying that Jack took the words right off their mouths, and I agree. While I was watching the video, I kept agreeing with everything he said. On an unrelated note, I haven't played Part II and I am presented with the choice of playing first or watching first (I know what happens but knowing and experiencing are two very different things)...who am I kidding, I'm gonna play it first, it's the original work and I've been waiting to play since it came out, I'm not gonna have a tv show adaptation spoil the feeling of the game
Yeah, it's hard to get all the interactions between them in the game and sufficiently port them into the TV show. There just isn't enough time if you want to keep the pacing consistent. That's absolutely what I was missing too. I want to say it felt rushed, just because we have more time with them in the game. I have no idea how a non-player of the game feels about that, like if it felt completely natural for them - the development between Joel and Ellie. Still, I enjoyed the show but like as an add-on to already having played the game.
I agree, it was definitely a great adaptation that stuck to the source material (literally word for word), but there's always going to be something about the game that affects you on a deeper level than simply just watching it unfold on a TV show.
![it's fungus? | THE LAST OF US [1x1] (REACTION)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0_8edcSeEWU/mqdefault.jpg)
I always get caught off guard when he casually mentions his conversations with people like Neil Druckmann
I think Sean out of all the gamer-tubers has the most connections/friends with big names and developers. At this point If he said he was hanging out with Jackie Chan and Gabe Newell at Starbucks last week I'd just be like "Yeah just Jack doing Jack things."
@@hangry3102 I think it's partially due to Jack's fascination of how things are made, so he wants to always get to the people who make these things and get all the detail from them first-hand
@@hangry3102 he also played uncharted with Tom Holland lol
@@architdewan6717and Deadpool with Ryan Reynolds
It's funny how many people crap on Neil saying hes an awful person and etc..which it's interesting, i didn't start hearing people cry about this stuff till tlou2 won the game awards lol. But if Sean is friends with Niel, the guy is obviously at least a decent human being and all the complaints were just from Abby haters.
As someone who was aware of some scenes in the game but only experienced the story through the show, I thought it was phenomenal
I mean its gonna be phenomenal of u see the show first
Okay, but why? This was probably the one thing I didn't understand about his points the most. How is it that the show was amazing for you as a blind viewer than it would have been if you played?
To keep things simple, let's use the scene where Ellie shoots someone for the first time immediately after saving Joel. Do you think it would have been better to have it shown as it was in game as Jack described it?
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 it might have been better but changing it a little helps it be similar and good for blind viewers on the first time watching while also having it a little different for people who played the game
@@jake4499 How does changing it make it similar? That doesn't make any sense. Changing it from the original is by definition making it more different than the original.
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 I’m saying changing it a little where it’s still similar to the original but not the exact same like it has the same idea and message but portrayed slightly different but not to much where it’s completely different
My mom isn't a gamer at all but she absolutely adored the show. Loved sitting down with her and dad and watching it every week.
Same!!! Got my parents to watch it as well! They loved it!
Cool well the original fan base thinks the adaptation is ass. Glad they made the show for a bunch of normies though.
@@KillYourself.. Jesus christ that's an embarrassing thing to comment 💀💀stay mad lil guy
Episode 3 was trash no one want to see that sh*t 😂😂
My mom also isn't a gamer but she found the show boring even though she's a big horror and zombie apocalypse fan
Dude finally someone else put in to words what I was feeling with tonal memory when it came to the scenes that were word for word. I didn't think they were bad but they just fell super flat for me because I've gotten so used to exactly how they say it in the game.
Right! I felt exactly the same way, good to hear someone else talk about this!
exactly i feel so seen when people talk about it 💀
It’s like Jack looked straight into my thoughts and translated it into his words when talking about the show. While watching the show, I really liked it but every time I was watching an episode, it always felt like there was something missing or it just didn’t feel quite right. And literally all the things he listed were EXACTLY the reasons why some beats just didn’t hit me as much as the game did. Jack literally spoke my exact thoughts and I’m so happy I’m not the only one
I think people like Jack and us are in minority with the memory of the game still being fresh in our minds because of how many times we've replayed it
@jabr0nidave262 haven't played the game since like 2015. But I still felt the same way
@@jabr0nidave262 couldn’t agree more. I found myself quoting the lines as they were being said and getting caught off guard when it was said in a different tone or pace. I understand bc it’s an adaptation and they wanna change it up a bit but there are just some line deliveries that are done better in the game, in my humble opinion. That being said, the actors still did an amazing job
Fr, I was agreeing throughout this whole video, my exact thoughts.
I wonder if I would have not felt this way if I didn’t go and play the game right before it came out since it had been a hot minute but I agree. For me it was less about some of the story beats and more about how some of the lines were delivered and how it didn’t feel earned if that makes sense? It was a great show, don’t get me wrong but some of felt too condescended if that makes sense.
For what we got it was great but another youtuber mentioned how with how far games have come it’s almost like we don’t need a real life adaptation and imo, that’s partly true. TLOU show feels like a cool y piece.
He literally nailed exactly how it felt for me, it sort of makes me wonder how I’d feel if I’d never played it too.
Séan struggling to watch the cinematography of any other show after watching Better Call Saul is painfully relatable, Better Call Saul is one of the best directed things I've ever seen.
Better call saul spoiled us all
I agree, I fucking love BCS, its my favorite show
show is mid, the wire is better lil bro
@@august3046 I've never bothered watching another drama after The Wire
@@august3046 I died of boredom watching the first episode of the wire lol
It was in the details for me that really made me lower my rating for the show. For example, the final scene in the game where Joel lies to Ellie and she says "Okay"... in that scene, Joel touches his watch when he is explaining that "you find something to fight for". It was a reminder that he was still thinking of his daughter. In the show, he doesn't touch his watch. That seems like such a small thing but in reality, is such a huge moment that is missed in the show because of the emotion and connection to the character and how he is feeling. If you know those things are supposed to happen and they don't, it almost feels like the moment means less than it should, IMO.
i think they just don't wanna over done it. They showed that twice in the show, 1st when they go down the ladder in ep2 and then when they hugged in ep8. Besides that when they were talking in the mountain Joel talked way more about Sarah in the show.
@john achas yeah, I feel like he was already way more emotional in the show than in the game, or Maybe just from where the pacing is so differen, he just became vulnerable faster since there wasn't any gameplay. Idk tho, it really felt to me like he was much more vulnerable in the show. Which I don't want to say is a bad thing, but everyone know him as a badass from the game, including myself. So, it just kinda threw me off a little. Big scenes still hit tho.
They kind of did that in ep 2. When they were looking at the distant building when ellie leaves he looks at his watch. I guess that was their way of doing it
Jesus christ. The game already does it. So why does the show need to do the EXACT same thing?? They create the same feelings and plot points, but they do it in their own way. Which is still damn near identical.
I still adore the show, solid 9/10 for me. But I do miss that detail, especially since they have focused on his watch before and in the game it wa showcased very deliberately
I watched it with my grandmother, who never saw the game. I saw the game when I was a kid through CZcams when it came out. Maybe 14. I'm 23 now but despite it being a bit faint in my memory I still remembered the major plot points and vibe. Any time I was enraptured it was the nostalgia. The first episode and the last episode hit the hardest for me in that regard. The Bill and Frank episode was also amazing. I would have loved it either way, but one thing that made the experience even better for me was seeing my grandmother see this story for the first time, falling in love with it and the characters, feeling the desperation, the tears, the laughter I remember having my first time experiencing the story. That's what made the experience incredible for me.
That's so wholesome. I wish i could do that with my family but they aren't into western shows sadge.
If you remembered anything from the first game you wouldn't think making Bill a gay loner scared of everything as a great choice or episode 😂 (Yes we know bill is gay but it's his personality that was a ramped up gay vibe instead of acting like a normal bloke)
@@pestoepasta I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm glad you got that nostalgia kick too
Kids under 25 always have to tell people their ages lmao
@@defyyourlogic487 Sorry, I don't have any age related dysphoria
8/10 is a good score, even if he didn’t love it as vehemently as I did (and I’m a humongous fan of both games). Comparing the camerawork in this show to Better Call Saul isn’t really fair because those are two totally different shows with different tones and styles. A lot of the differences he brings up between it and the game are fair, but I think they’re largely coming from a place of love for the way the game tells its story in that medium. Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal delivered their lines differently, so the “tonal memory” he’s talking about doesn’t mean the new deliveries are bad. There were quite a few instances where I actually preferred Ramsey’s delivery in the show (especially the “Ellie is the girl who broke your effing finger!” line). I’m happy that’s it’s becoming popular among people who have and haven’t played the games, because (as I said, these games mean SO much to me) I loved this show so much as well.
Well, being of a different style than another show doesn't mean that the quality of that camerawork isn't comparable. There are some basics in taking photos, and of course it gets a little more complex with filming a move, but there are still basics to good ways to use your camera that every show should pay attention to. BCSs camera worked well, so it improved/made the atmosphere/style, not the other way around.
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493
That’s a fair point, I do find myself subconsciously comparing every show I watch to BCS now, but I had to stop myself from doing that because it made me dislike every show I watched a little bit, which isn’t always fair. (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was one of the few surprising exceptions because that show is technically astounding enough that it somehow fulfilled that requirement in my mind, it’s a great show). But with TLOU, I think the use of camerawork was very intentionally done the way it was because A.) it’s very similar to how the first game is made to look (the shaky camera is present there as well, despite lessening in the second game); and B.) it fits both the setting and the tone of the series (like how Breaking Bad also has a shaken-cam style, whereas BCS is more painterly). When it does do something interesting, like the Infected Hoard of episode 6, the steady camera shots of Joel and Ellie on a horse in the mountains, etc., it stands out too. I think it’s not given as much credit as it deserves.
@@mr.moviemafia 1.) I feel like you're missing the point. It looking similar to BCS isn't the point, it's how well the camera is used.
2.) Being done on purpose isn't the same as being done well.
3. Okay, how does the camera fit the tone and setting?
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 1.) I don’t feel like I’m missing the point exactly, because I often do think heavily about how camerawork and direction are utilized in visual media to help enhance the story.
2.) That’s very fair, and while it’s not for everyone, I personally felt it worked for this story and tone.
3.) The reasons WHY I feel it works well for this story and tone are because of what utilizing a camera’s mobility tells the audience about the world they’re being dropped into. There’s lots of jargon that could be analyzed, but the simplest way to look at it is by contrasting the use of a Steady Camera with a Shaky Camera. What does a show that primarily uses steadily-balanced camerawork tell us while we’re watching it? It feels very methodically-crafted and says that we’re looking at something that’s under control. What does a shakier filming style tell us? It’s saying that the world we’re now in is one of unpredictability, more tangible; less carefully-crafted and more chaotic, intimate, and grounded. When the world looses control, the shaky and less strict visual direction more easily puts us in the crowd of people running away from the newly-infected hoard. It puts us in that strawberry patch with Bill and Frank as the wind blows through our hair, shaking us (the camera) along with the wind. It’s puts us with Ellie and Riley as they have a childlike-chaotic romp through the abandoned mall. It makes us feel the wildness of Ellie’s situation when she’s locked up in David’s town. It’s the same visual motif throughout the entire season, but it’s purpose is able to adapt episode-to-episode, scene-to-scene, moment-to-moment, depending on the context. It works wonderfully to me here, but I still get the preference for shows where every frame could literally be a painting. If it’s paying homage to how the game also visualizes its entire story (because the shakier camera moments are present there both in gameplay and cutscenes), then criticisms about why the show’s story does it also equally apply to the game (albeit in a different medium). I appreciate your question though, because it IS a valid point, this is just how I feel about it. :)
I disagree with your point about the camerawork. TLOU being a different tone and style from Better Call Saul doesn’t mean that the camerawork in TLOU couldn’t have been stronger. I understood what Sean was saying as, not asking for the exact same camerawork or type of shots as Better Call Saul, just for the camerawork in the TLOU to be a little bit more engaging and dynamic. Not that the show is bad or that the camerawork isn’t good but it’s a little lacking in some moments that causes certain scenes or episodes to drag in a way that can get just a little boring. I’m a die hard fan of the game and absolutely loved the show, I think it’s great and looks great as well but it’s definitely not perfect (the games aren’t either so 🤷♀️)
i continue to be jealous of Jacks friendships in the gaming industry.
As someone who's replayed the game so many times I relate with Jack's opinion on the show so much, he's actually super accurate with everything he mentioned, game is so perfect that it's hard not to get a little disappointed
I felt the same way with that tonal memory thing in certain moments. What's interesting to me however is understanding whether someone who watched the show first and played the game later would feel the same way about the game's dialogue/moments. I think they would, because the actors and writers of the TV series did a phenomenal job which is why the show can stand on its own feet as an amazing story.
Overall I loved the show and I can't wait to see how they tackle the upcoming chapter!
I really liked it, but I agree that knowing what's gonna happen for the most part made me not as desperate to see the next episode immediately. I did feel like they did a great job though. I was worried it wasn't gonna be that good.
for me, i was the same amount of knowledge as everyone else who played the games numerous times- it was what he described 'tonal memory', i was excited on HOW they were going to execute it - i do agree on knowing what happens line for line do ruin it a little for the experience but seeing on how they were going to re-enact the scenes made it more exciting overall it set the bar high for video game adaptions now
was kind of the opposite for me, knowing everything that was gonna happen made me really eager to see how they would execute it in live action. waiting an entire week took so much patience lol
Holy crap hearing this was such a relief for me. I'm in a similar situation to Sean, played the games over and over, they're two of my favourites of all time. I watched the show and have no "complaints" but felt really dissatisfied without being able to fully place why. Then going online to see if anyone felt the same to see only overwhelming praise and people claiming they preferred the show. I've been feeling kind of bitter about it and so this video felt really nice for me, hearing Sean put words to a lot of the things I was feeling. I loved his Part 2 playthrough and so now knowing he feels similarly to how I do is such a relief
I already made a comment about this under this video, but wanted to reply specifically here too, because I felt the exact same way. Excited about some things with the show, but weirdly bitter / disappointed with other parts (which is unfortunate because certain parts of the show are ridiculously excellent). Specifically, some scenes from the show felt like they were trying to re-enact Ashley and Troy's performances from the game and it just.... felt so off ? Because they can't, nor shouldn't, measure up to those performances, and yet they were set up that way. As a result, almost every time I saw TLOU show re-enacting cutscenes all I could think of was the voices from the original scenes in my head. Idk. I wanted Bella and Pedro to be Ellie and Joel, not Ashley and Troy.*
* This is not a bashing of their performances at all, I think they're all incredible actors, I just disliked character decisions made for some aspects of the adaption. (which is unfortunate bc I think their expansions of world-building were really, really cool.)
@@margowinterlake I find they weren't trying to be the same at all. The lines might have been close to word for word in some cases but the emotions and tone of the conversations were different, since this Joel and Ellie are a bit different. Especially the conversation with Joel telling Ellie she was going to go with Tommy instead. Joel was reacting from hurt and fear more then straight anger like in the game. He had just had a big vulnerable conversation with Tommy before it so he was still raw from that and you could see how he just begs her to stop talking when she mentions sarah instead of being ready to explode at her in anger like in the game. I find rewatching the episodes and trying not to constantly compare makes the conversations and flow of the show 100 times better. Trying to constantly compare basically ruins the show since you are mad if they leave things out but also mad if they do it practically word for word because it doesn't sound or look 100% the same since it is different people saying the lines and acting the scene.
How the hell can you perfer the show over the masterpiece that was the first game?
@@ufctekkers1945I didn't play the game, but I have watched a let's play...and I can say that adaptations will never be better than the source material
It was done in multiple perspectives instead of just in Joel’s perspective most the time.
You get put in Ellie’s shoes when it came to her first kill, and then again her wanting the gun. Those types of things. And I really loved that.
It feels like a more fresh look at the same story. I like picking apart what’s different and appreciating the differences, and what those differences mean or add to the story.
I think an 8/10 is totally fair. My only addition to what jack said is lack of infected presence. I understand the point being that they are the setting, not center stage, but simply seeing more in the background would have done so much. They just kind of vanish from the show after episode 2, until they are needed to save the main characters at the end of episode 5. Then nothing again.
For example, have the riders from Jackson save joel and ellie from a couple, then check them for bites. Small things like that would have been welcome. Or just notice them, and take a different path. Doesnt need to be an action scene, just have them around and a threat.
Having no spores and no actual infected wandering around kinda waters down the need for a cure.
Oh, also ellie not being able to swim had no pay off like it did in the game.
I still not seeing the point of the show added the past scenes and tried to make a big deal out of it when the show itself failed to capture the post-apocalyptic setting.
Decades after the first outbreak with no spore and least amount of infected, it made humans in the show are bunch of idiots for not trying to fight back.
Fair, when the infected were shown off it was really well done but the lack of them made it seem like humans could just start clearing them out WWZ novel style.
@Jacob Owens Kansas city especially. HOW the hell did they drive them all underground?
dude you are so right
I watched the game countless times and I would still rate the show 10/10. It's not that it doesn't have any flaws but the way this show made me feel was unmatched. I'm watching it again rn and it's already become a comfort show for me. I'll probably come back to it very VERY often. Camera work, score, the pacing of it- everything was just phenomenal. And Bella and Pedro are just 🥺💚
Edit: can't spell for shit
kinda how i was, i only watched the first game and i played the second game and watching the show was phenomenal, i like that the show is not like the last of us 2 where it was a good story and game but the majority of people didn't like it so much - we can all enjoy the show with some constructive criticism that doesnt take away from the show where as a lot of the criticism on the last of us 2 made people not like it even more. it just sucks when theres a bunch to love and enjoy about something but it gets slandered a lot because people thought the story was gonna go in a different direction, and don't get me wrong the last of us 2 had its flaws but i feel like it got criticized far more than it deserved.
@@jeffholy872 meh when I think about the last of us part 2 I only think about the gameplay not the story where as I only think about the story in the first one and how amazing it was
@@jeffholy872 insanity, it takes that concept of the last of us and chews it up and spits it in your face. It doesn’t even feel like the same timeline as the first game. The pacing is woeful and side characters are worse than in the first game, the ending is shit, the devs thinking the player would want to play as Abby is completely insane to me. Maybe some people can come round to her but I can’t and I think I could’ve if that pacing was better and Joel’s death was better and later on. We all knew Joel was going to die but we did not think or want it to be like that. If the whole game was just like those flashbacks it would have been great
thanks for uploading this! I love hearing what jack thinks of certain things (especially last of us)
I liked bella ramsey's performance of when ellie is bitten. It's such a raw emotion cause when you see a bite mark, you're screwed. And when she is taking her anger on the glass cases, you feel how she's feeling and not that the game is inferior but in my personal opinion, I think that scene is done better in the show
As someone who never played the game it still felt rushed. The pacing of the first episode and the Bill and Frank episode were so much better than the rest of the show. It needed more than 9 episodes. 10 would have been a start.
I love him talking about the cinematography on Better Call Saul, good to know he's seen that a amazing show
Yeah I agree. I hope he’ll talk more about it when he’s done with the show
So happy he talked about Better Call Saul. It’s my favorite show of all time and the cinematography is some of the best I’ve ever seen. Everything feels so meticulous and every shot feels planned out and has a reason
I think they could have had more infected in the series; they didn't feel as much as a threat as they do in the game, but I can understand that video game combat encounters would get very repetitive for a tv show. But they did confirm that there will be more infected in s2, so that's good
One of the things I loved more about the show as a person who has played the game multiple times. Is the final hospital scene. The way Pedro Pascal plays that whole scene as cold and unfeeling. Really hit hard.
i liked the game scenes better in certain parts like when he shoots the guard point blank in the gut
Wait, did they make Joel an uncaring monster when saving Ellie? If they did, then that's going to clash very hard with the main story. I hope they don't have Joels death turn out how it was in the game since they've already changed this.
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 he just seems to turn off his emotions to do what needs to be done to save Ellie (in the show).
@@thewanderingwolf7116 Well that's... I'm going to need to think this over. Take care.
@@savvythedivineyethuggable7493 I wouldn't say they made him an uncaring monster with regards to saving Ellie--just that he is stoic and uncaring when it comes to killing the fireflies to get to her. When I watched it, I imagined his thought process was a long the lines of "well, these people are threatening my surrogate daughter. Therefore I *will* kill them, it's an inevitability." When dealing death, he was cold as ice, but imo it was done in a way that conveyed Joel's love for Ellie. He seemed less desperate to save her and more focused, single-track minded. I think it was done really well.
The thing for me is I saw so many youtubers including you play it when it came out. But entering the show, I did not remember anything up to the point of Ellie healing Joel in the snow area. So a lot of the stuff I saw in the show felt like new. I think it is definitely one of the best video game adaptations.
Jack surprisingly hit the nail on the head, I 100% agree with this. Especially the bit around 4:20 with the tonal differences and remembering sounds from scenes.
Is it being different a bad thing? I kind of liked that about it. Also people need to stop comparing it to the game really.
@@Tillyard86 It being different isn't a bad thing, but if you're really familiar with the game it does stick out when something is different. Sometimes the differences are nice, but other times I can't help but just think about how a scene was done in a way that I preferred in the game.
And I mean, it IS going to be compared to the game by people familiar with the game. It happens with adaptations all the time. This one does stand on it's own pretty well though, and even then there's a lot of little things that can add to your appreciation if you get the references to the games.
Personally the only episode I thought that fell flat was when they hit Jackson. The game did those scenes much better IMO. Otherwise every episode was a banger, even when compared.
@@ghostdude9415 I’m familiar with the game and it never stuck out to me, I was just enjoying the show as it’s own thing, no need to compare it at all.
I actually think there are a number of scenes that are better in the show. The one where Ellie talks to Joel about Sarah for example, in the show Joel just says “don’t” when she bring her up, so much more effective!
Sure it is going to be, but my point is it shouldn’t be, it’s a separate medium of storytelling. Most likely made so those that a not gamers can experience the story.
Like I said, stop comparing it to the game. Sound to me like your comparing it is stopping you from enjoying it. I never once compared it to the game and I enjoyed it fine.
@@Tillyard86 I mean, I did enjoy it? I'm not saying the show is bad or anything like that, just that the differences stand out to me. If they don't stand out to you, then more power to ya I say. I myself thought the show was stellar in almost every aspect
@@ghostdude9415 the only difference that stood out to me were for the better, so if anything that’s a good thing.
This is why I don't get hung up on comparing the two too much. Cos you can drive yourself crazy wishing one was more like the other.
I'm kinda dumb and can't express things with words properly but this is EXACTLY everything I wanted to say when talking about this with people! Everyone loves it and I was a little bit disappointed and he explained why perfectly.
same omg i feel so vindicated rn 🙏
On the tonal differences and slight annunciation differences I totally get that because I play the lines in my head aswell the same way you describe so I felt the 'she said it wrong' or the 'he said it wrong' aswell. Like in the game joel says 'I'll pop your god damn knee off' and in the show its 'ill pop your fucking kneecap off' slight difference but it was something I instantly picked up on while watching
i just don't think anything can compare to game
this is why a story like this started on a gaming medium because sometimes it's more impactful
you feel the long journey more, you get more context (like marlene voice recordings, that the show audience will never know that she said she literally had no choice anyway), you get extra world building with the notes and exploring etc., you view things more from certain perspectives when you actually play the characters, you actually feel exhausted after going through a hard area like the characters and you get more of joel and ellie's relationship through just small banter (along with everyone else) etc. etc. (i could go on forever)
the show did a good job adapting it but a show will never be able to fully compare to the game
and i recommend everyone to play the game or at least watch someone playthrough it (if you're not a gamer AND DON'T just watch cutscenes, because i saw these guys watch cutscenes and they were like 'the show is better because more action etc' when we all know most of the action in games is PLAYED, not shown in cutscenes, it's just entirely different and you're still missing out on the little things that makes it great)
I relate to everything he says so much it makes me feel validated to hear someone else (especially someone who I watched play the game originally) say they felt the same way as I did about the show. also love the casual “I was talking to neil” lol wild
i’m glad that some people loved the bill and frank episode as much as i did. i find some people complaining and i just don’t see why
Bill and Frank developed a lot more despite not being relevant to the story while character like David, one of the antagonist and relevant to the story was less developed. And you tell me that you don't see why?
@@zeroskaterz92 David was developed plenty. We got to see how he interacted with his group, how he controlled them, made them believe what he wanted. That scene where he slaps that girl and then talks sweet to her and nobody does anything about it? Chilling. They somehow made David even creepier then in the game. Bill and Frank were also developed to show how Joel could be. How he could find someone to be his purpose again after everything he lost before, how he can find new life and enjoyment in that. Bill's letter basically defines what Joel does for the rest of the show.
Cause the entire episode was unnecessary and didn’t add anything to the story of hut show
Cause it was unnecessary and only made to have forced diversity
Modern Hollywood lol
Because it was a waste of time, and unnecessary although it was a good episode but should have stuck to the material
Response to his camerawork criticism: While I completely understand where this is coming from, and it’s something I initially felt too, the reasons why I ended up feeling like the camerawork in the show works well for this story and tone are because of what utilizing a camera’s mobility tells the audience about the world they’re being dropped into. There’s lots of terms and jargon that could be brought up and analyzed, but the simplest way to look at it is by contrasting the use of a Steady Camera with a Shaky Camera. What does a show that primarily uses steadily-balanced camerawork tell us while we’re watching it? It feels very methodically-crafted and says that we’re looking at something that’s under control. What does a shakier filming style tell us? It’s saying that the world we’re now in is one of unpredictability, more tangible; less carefully-crafted and more chaotic, intimate, and grounded. When the world looses control, the shaky and less strict visual direction more easily puts us in the crowd of people running away from the newly-infected hoard. It puts us in that strawberry patch with Bill and Frank as the wind blows through our hair, shaking us (the camera) along with the wind. It’s puts us with Ellie and Riley as they have a childlike-chaotic romp through the abandoned mall. It makes us feel the wildness of Ellie’s situation when she’s locked up in David’s town. It’s the same visual motif throughout the entire season, but it’s purpose is able to adapt episode-to-episode, scene-to-scene, moment-to-moment, depending on the context. It works wonderfully to me here, but I still get the preference for shows where every frame could literally be a painting. If it’s paying homage to how the game also visualizes its entire story (because the shakier camera movements are present there both in gameplay and cutscenes), then criticisms about why the show’s story does it also equally apply to the game (albeit in a different medium).
This is so well said, I truly love the show because the game means so much to me and I love Pedro & Bella, but there always felt like something was missing. I have played the game twice completely through and I’m currently playing the remake, so I’m basically desensitized to the emotional scenes which threw me off a bit. And along with Sean saying how he has the tonal memory of scenes is spot on to me personally. I can’t rewatch the scene between Joel and Ellie where it’s the “you have no idea what loss is” because I’m so used to Troy and Ashley but overall it’s extremely well made. And I’m happy they made some changes since I didn’t really want to watch a scene by scene remake of the game, but I think a lot of it is just that it’s different.
Better Call Saul has The Best cinematography I've seen in TV, hands down
Bella really did an awesome job. I was a little apprehensive because she looks nothing like Ellie but I was convinced by the end of the show that they were the right choice for the character. I really hope that they split between the perspectives more in the second season.
Bella Ramsay is so damn good I was beyond excited to see her every damn episode.
Everyone talking about this show was just amazed by it, and when I didn’t I really didn’t want to say anything. But knowing that Jack also get a little off with it helps
yeah i wasn’t amazed i mean it was an alright show, i thoroughly enjoyed it but i don’t think it was anything outstanding. there wasn’t much about it that really impressed me too much, but i’m not trying to be rude about it because the actors did a great job with their performances but it was just like decent, to be honest.
I had a very interesting viewing experience because I only heard about the ending of the first and watched Jacksepticeye’s play through of the 2nd. So it was really lovely experiencing the events of the first game through the show.
The show made me SO excited to see how beautifully they’re gonna handle Part 2 in the (now confirmed) 2nd season. For the people, like me, who adore TLOU2, it’s looking like it’s gonna be an amazing adaptation. But, it’ll also be a great opportunity to improve some of the issues many had with that game and win more people over to that story who didn’t like it as much.
part 2 sucks. joel got an unsatisfying death after they lied about him being alive in the trailers. false advertising ruined the game
You say "win more people over to that story," but is it really the same story? Making the story in the show better isn't going to make the games story better.
lmao bella ramsey is so cringe when she tries acting tough in the show and the show was afraid of having any real action scenes until the final episode. Season 2 is gonna be shit
@@strikebomber2944 I personally disagree about it sucking, but I DO agree about the advertising of that game being absolutely misleading to an angering degree. I get they wanted to reign in spoilers, but yikes replacing character models for totally different characters was a weird move. I get people being upset about that.
@@Logger1010 I disagree about there not being any action scenes until the last episode, I saw episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 as well. There weren’t a lot of infected and that is a very valid criticism, but I’m happy to hear the creators say there will be a lot more of them in S2. Sorry you weren’t a big fan of Bellie though, she’s sticking around whether we like it or not (I personally do, very much, but I get not everyone does).
I think that people REALLY underestimate just how violent Ellie could really be in Part 1, the game.
Violence has always been a part of her character. In the games and the comics. The show is just being faithful to that aspect of her.
Ellie is honestly one of the most consistently written character in all of gaming. Her growth has always felt so natural.
The show was just doing that side of her justice by showing bits of it.
And her violence is NOT the same as, say, David's. His violence is cruel and self-serving. Ellie's come from a place of hurt, and the fear of loneliness. That's why she can be so bratty, brash, and angry. And while David is a shallow, toxic, pos narcissist... Ellie is someone who has a VERY empathetic, loving side to her.
These two sides of her are often in conflict and that's part of what makes her character so great.
Sure but she’s not nearly shown as this as in the show. For example, in the first episode the producers mentioned how she felt good when Joel beat that soldier to death whereas in the game she actually seemed shocked at what he did and genuinely felt sorry for what happened to him. Everything she does is mainly in self l-defended and she’s never once shown as liking violence. She only becomes brutal during the Winter section where she kills David. In the show they tried to make her more brutal to like her characterisation with Part 2 and whilst I get what they were going for, I preferred the game because you see how far Ellie has lost herself from Part 1 when she’s really violent in Part 2.
My favourite piece of acting in this show from Bella was when Henry got himself in the head and the little scream of shock and sadness she gives in that scene was phenomenal she truly showed real raw emotion which isn’t easy when your acting
6:35 "It would have been better if you switched between their perspectives more often, [...] but there's the upgrade system" You can solve that (gameplay-wise) if you make both just have the same progression (as if they were the same character). Granted, that would have a dissonance cost (since there's no specific in-game reason to make them progress in the same way).
I agree with him, i am a massive fan of the game and it’s hard to not be disappointed a little bit. I still think it’s great, but it doesn’t even touch the game in my opinion, 8/10 is a perfect score for it
It’s the same thing that happens when a novel or book series I love is translated into a movie or a show. It will NEVER be as good for me since I have these characters and stories built over more hours… but even so it’s still super well done and everyone I know who hasn’t played the game adored the show. Whereas I liked it but I knew what all could happen.
Really cool to listen to jack talk about movies and shows because I think of them the same way he does. He’s played the game more than me, so he definitely knows more about all the little differences. I loved the show but agreed that some things felt like they could’ve been fleshed out more, they could’ve stuck closer to game moments at certain parts to create a greater sense of being in the world and the tension that is felt but overall great show
Didn’t watch it, heard that they followed the game pretty well, but I think this is another case of where the source material is almost ALWAYS better. And since the source material is a game, you’ve already got the visuals.
I disagree, the show was able to expand and even improve story elements of the game in my opinion. Also a video game and a show both have visuals but video games are uniquely restricted to a limited number of perspectives (usually one, the protagonist) whereas shows have the freedom to switch between perspectives like a villain or maybe Ellie’s POV instead of Joel’s without hampering the experience for the consumer.
@@haydencantthink
The game didn’t “hamper experiences for the consumer” when it switched to Ellie’s POV. To even compare actually playing as these characters, actually saving each other, the possibility of seeing them graphically die, is hilarious. A show will *never* be able to be more immersive than a game you’re actually influencing.
@@haydencantthink and shows dont have the advantage of adding all these little conversations and moments through the game, plus the feeling of actually traveling with ellie and protecting her in tense situations, plus the whole survival horror aspects. videogames are just the best form of media and unmatched, adaptations will never come close to the feeling of playing a game.
at 2 : 20 when sean said ellie's line when she shot the guy, that one was ringing in my mind too when I was watching the series. I guess most of us felt the same way for the series
It’s so cool seeing peoples pov when they’ve already played the games ,as someone who hasn’t played it I adored the show and think it’s really well made and really liked the characters
They did a great job with the show and hit well on a lot of the key parts
I've just finished watching the first episode and it was absolutely amazing. I love how faithful it is to the games. The scene by scene recreations of the cutscenes from the game is fantastic
I think the show could’ve used like 2 or 3 more episodes, it didn’t really have the journey kinda feel that the game had. Also the Infected didn’t feel like much of a threat, Joel and Ellie only encounter them like once or twice in the entire show. It just feels like there should’ve been an episode where they are solely trying to kill or get away from Infected. And it does kinda suck that they got rid of the whole spores-in-the-air threat, which made the Cordyceps that much more scary, the fact that just breathing can get you infected.
As someone who haven't played the game and have watched only videos of it I almost totally agree with you except about the cordyceps spores replacement. Make it functioning like a network is actually more scary in my opinion, it's just that they didn't develope (or show) that detail enough. Hope they do it in next seasons
I wish we got to see more of the Bloater because we only get to see it like 30 seconds
I feel like if they didnt stick to the game this much ppl would have complained that it was too different. To me it was perfect. I am so excited for season 2 and cant wait for the changes they will make.
I agree with 8/10.
-1 point for not enough clickers/infected
-1 point for trying to fit all the events that unfold into a shortened ninth episode. Could've let the audience breathe a little by adding a tenth episode or just extending the ninth to regular runtime or longer.
Also, disappointing they didn't adapt the hotel or dormitory infected fights. Those were so intense and I felt like it would've converted to film well.
The one thing thats disappoint me in the show is that fact we didn't see Joel grab a beer bottle or a brick and throwing at some guy, grab him, punch him in the neck and curb stomp him on the floor. But beside that, the show is still a good show.
I loved the show as a separate thing, some things they added were nice, loved seeing Ashley bring Ellie into the new world, buuuuut the game will always be my story. Pedro and Bella were a really nice twist on the characters, but I don't feel like their relationship grew in the same way, and some just felt off. It's my favourite game, so maybe I'd never be happy ha ha
this is really interesting to listen to, especially when you hear two different POV's. my friend in school had only seen the series and hasn't seen the game and really enjoyed it, rated it a solid 9, while I've only seen the game (which I absolutely LOVE) since I don't have anywhere to watch the TV series at the moment. hearing Sean talk about his opinion on the game VS series whilst he has done both (played and watched) brings a whole new point of view. I love hearing about other people's opinions on something such as this; some people will love TV adaptations, others will disagree, some are fifty fifty. I wish I was as excited as I was before to watch the series for myself, but I think I'll stick to the game side of things for now.
I feel like there could’ve been an easy workaround for the upgrade problem mentioned at the end of the video. I’m not some genius game coder or designer or whatever but if the problem was that it’d be annoying to have to gain the same upgrades multiple times when you switch perspective, then they could’ve done something more creative by giving Abby and Ellie different unique upgrades. So that it’s rewarding on both ends without it being repetitive. It’d also seriously enhance the gameplay. That’s a player perspective tho, maybe there were other problems.
the show is a really great introduction to the series and I'm sure has definitely gotten people to play the games or watch playthroughs. I watched the show with my brother, who didn't really know anything about the games, and it was great to finally get to share the story with him. I wish more adaptations were like this, where they stayed loyal to the original and any changes they made were either inconsequential or just improved the material. The performances didn't feel quite as strong to me but to be fair it's hard to top the voice acting legends in the game.
I loveddd. I’d give it 9/10 just wished there was a few more infected scenes. But I loved how well it was adapted from the game. But I agree the game is just *better* besides a few things I love from the show that fills in the blanks or changes for new content. I enjoy it for what it is!
As someone who has played both games, I was pleasantly surprised by the decisions taken in the show. TV and films have their own audience who respond differently compared to video game players. The Last of Us is incredible game because it dares to break the boundaries between games and films. The Last of Us always had the potential of being adopted to live action, just look how many films and shows have inspired it. From Logan to The Mandalorian.
The reason why I am pleased with the show is because of its purposeful nature. Everything and everyone’s actions and comments have meaning. Same with Violence in the show. Video game Joel can go into a abandoned warehouse and kill 30 goons like if he was a force of nature. It works for the medium of Video games because it’s a great opportunity to allow the players to feel engage with the story. But in the show, from Joel beating that lone soldier to death, to him almost losing a fight to a kid, to seeing Joel use his incredible marksman skills to defend Ellie, it all has a meaning. I’m not saying the game didn’t have meaning, but a lot of the sections of the game had to be done in order to establish gameplay.
The most jarring scene in the hole story, has to be its ending. In the game, players get to be Joel and control his behavior. And while it is difficult and hard to watch, it isn’t bad as having to literally sit and watch as Joel undoes all of the work that Joel and Ellie have done to get to this point. The cinematography works hand-in-hand with dark patches between takes that make Joel look like an unrecognizable monster. The score is also dark and hunting. This isn’t a moment where Joel saves the day, it’s a scene where Joel gets what he wants through violence and death. It’s like watching a an active shooting footage. It’s disturbing, sickening, and shocking, but the audience can’t help but watch.
The Last of Us TV show, works because it too, dares to be different from the games and allow everything to have meaning and symbolism. It’s not as spontaneous and interactive as the games, but it is true and faithful adaptation that works well in films.
4:06 I feel the exact same way about dialogue! I've never been able to put it into words
I think my problem was they didn't spend enough time being in the world. Stopping and having Joel and Ellie needing to work together to kill random infected and just existing in the world together for a couple episodes, talking more and developing that relationship would've helped tremendously imo which is why Bill and Frank's episode, as well as Riley's works so well. Every episode had someone else being the focus. Joel and Ellie's relationship was the footnote.
As for the rushed aspect, I'm in a unique situation where I never played the game. I just watched clips of it from people like you. I felt the show was insanely rushed. My husband who did play it felt it was rushed. My folks who've never seen or even heard of the game felt it was rushed, same with my husband's folks. So it's definitely not just the gamers unfortunately.
For people who didnt play it, its a solid 9/10 ending could have been better but i cant give it less than that. Almost everything is so well done.
I thought it was just the pacing mostly. My assessment:
They nailed episodes 1-3.
4 and 5 had Kathleen, I wasn't feeling the Kathleen character. I don't know was it the actress not fitting the role or was it just that the character was written as a clichéd monologue talking 'quiet sinister badguy'.
Everything else about episode 4 and 5 were perfect though.
6 was perfect.
I enjoyed 7.
8 was very well done, even though Joel went from gravely ill to recovered in an instant.
9 the scenes were good, but it was all so quick. It was like they were ticking boxes on a checklist. They didn't give the audience a clear idea of how much time had passed between the events in the snow with David and the start of episode 9 and then giraffes, Joel's confession, smoke grenade, fireflies, hospital rescue, journey home, last scene, done.
Many of the moments between the characters didn't feel as 'earned' as they had in the game and I think that comes down to how much time we felt we had spent with the characters.
Maybe I'm not describing this well, but from episodes 7-9 the series felt a bit disjointed or something, 7 left the main story for a character building side episode and then it was as if from episode 8 onwards they were running out of time and had to tell the rest of the story within a time limit.
I liked the show but did have a lot of nitpicky issues with the it. My absolute biggest one was the fact that after the first few episodes there were essentially no infected until the very last episode and it was only one and in a flashback. I understand leaving out sequences of having to go through houses and deal with infected because those fill out the game but don't really fit in a show, but it just made it seem like the infected aren't even much of a problem. I feel like it just kind of nullified the weight of the whole story and point of the story because why is a vaccine so important if the infected aren't even really a problem. And if a vaccine isn't that important then it reduces the weight of Joel's decision and in my opinion doesn't make it hit as hard.
I think one scène I felt was missing was David and Ellie fighting the infected together, because that scene makes you go “I kinda like this guy, he seems lovely” and I think that would have worked really well
Agree so much with the tonal memory.... I would watch some scenes and have every line playing over in my head as the TV show characters were saying them (specifically, the bedroom scene in Jackson where Ellie pushes Joel and then Joel says she's not his daughter) and I couldn't help but feel kind of lukewarm/disappointed about those specific scenes. I know it's supposed to be an adaption, but I almost wish they had tweaked some of those scenes / the camera work / perspective / something so that they weren't 2 minutes of directly re-enacting a cutscene from the game.
Television and video games are two different mediums.... use that to your advantage !!! The story can be the same, the characters can be similar, etc. but sometimes I wish the actors weren't put in a position where they had to mimic Ashley and Troy's performances in the game, rather than play Ellie and Joel. Idk. I want to see Ellie and Joel in an adaption, not feel in certain scenes like the director is trying to re-capture the lightning in a bottle that was specifically used in Ashley and Troy's performances. Let it be Bella and Pedro's version.. I think they really shine when they give their own specific flavor to the characters.
I loved certain parts of this show and its re-formatting of already familiar world of the last of us so, so much, and it's unfortunate that the parts that really /did/ shine, made the other parts that were wearing an ill-fitting suit of the game stand out more. And it's unfortunate. The show was good, but it had the potential to be singularly incredible. Groundbreaking as a whole entity, not just with some scenes/episodes.
edit: I'm saying this because I don't think it works to try to mimic everything with Joel and Ellie but not include all of the small, wildly important details to their characters (for example, Joel's inability to say thank you like Jack mentioned). If you don't have the time for the needed depth / development to be there........ I'd rather see a different take on the characters entirely. Not super drastically, but at least to the point where Ashley-and-Troy's Ellie and Joel can be a different entity from Bella-and-Pedro's Ellie and Joel. Because now it felt more shallow in comparison with the games, and that's unfortunate. l feel like a large amount of screen time used to develop Ellie and Joel's relationship was taken up by the pun book, and those are great in moderation but shouldn't feel like.... a large basis of their father-daughter relationship? Idk.
he just spoke my mind it really wasnt as 'wowing' as people say, especially AFTER playing the game. maybe before playing it wouldve been more stunning but i agree with jack sm
This is pretty much sums up my thoughts on the show!
I already wrote this down in other comment sections but I felt like the story in the show was lacking action and tension. We hear a lot about how insane Joel can get and how dangerous raiders and infected are, but it’s barely shown to us. Little breadcrumbs like Joel taking down some of the raiders at the end of episode 6 by improvising bricks to the head and more things similar to brutal grounded gameplay. It starts and adds to the buildup for when he and Ellie reunite in winter.
Otherwise, I liked this season a lot, I’m cautiously optimistic for season 2, and I hope everyone who worked on the show had a great time and can get a good night’s rest for their hard work!
It was amazing I just think people become disengaged when they aren’t in control and yeah it makes more sense that it would be more tense when ur situation gunfighting 39 ppl with yourself in control of the characters as for a show ur just watching, I’ve played both the games a countless number of times and it was amazing to me bc it told the story in a great way without me being in control of everything
ow i needed to hear this
For me the show was better than I expected because I usually don't have very high expectations for adaptations like that. I loved show Ellie and Joel as their own thing but I'll always love the games the most
I'd say that for someone like me who has never played the game or knew much about it, it was a fantastic show. (Spoilers for The Last of Us show and Sonic 2 movie)
But my friend who has played the game thought it was good but it was kinda boring for him because it was predictable. Like he enjoyed certain parts of the show and they so happen to mostly be whenever the show did something that never happened in the game. Like Bill and Frank's more satisfying end together.
But I understand why he thought the show was ok because if you already know the majority of what's about to happen from start to finish, it kinda loses its power.
That's why I feel like the Sonic video game movies work so well. Because they do something different from the source material while keeping the core of the story, characters, and tone just right. (Of course, they had an advantage of the source material the story was based on not being very cinematic).
Like, they still did Knuckles getting betrayed by Eggman, but the way it plays out is totally different from the games. And Eggman with the death egg robot was part of the games, but the way he builds it is new and honestly, I would say the death egg from the movies was cooler than in the games.
Literally how I feel but didn't know how to say it like u did 😂
I think it’s the fact, when you play, your the one in control you until the cutscenes, but you made the journey, yourself, to the cut scene. The emotion, ect. Your there. Where, when in the tv show, your just there watching and not fully there. Also the game had, to me, more emotion. The tv show is great but the slight changes or emotion isn’t as the game. The game part one and two is 👌.
Hope everyone has a excellent week. 👌, fun clip to watch, absolutely nailed it🧡🍻
Some things I disagree with:
1. That last bit. Him bringing up the fact that he didn't know why they took the show in the direction they did isn't really important. I've seen many people use the reason for doing something to a story as a way to justify it, but that's like saying the cause justifies the effects that it creates. It would be like if I told you that it was okay for a gasoline fire to be left alone because someone dumping gas on the fire caused it to burn so much; no, get a fucking blanket or a bunch of sand, and put that out.
2. With Ellie knowing Joel better than the audience knows Joel, I feel like that would only really work with giving the audience context later on to show that Ellie and Joel have a good bond and also show *what* Ellie understood since that would give character not only in their relation to each other but also who they are around other people.
3. Him saying the show feels rushed if you played the game, but not rushed if you didn't play it... I don't actually know how he came to that conclusion. Like, I am not necessarily disagreeing with him about that, but I also want to know how he ended up thinking that. It's not like he could just eliminate the game from his mind for a time, because this isn't 1984 no matter how many times people try to punish you for not thinking the way they think or even want you to think. He has played the game, so he can't really watch the show as a blind viewer.
4. Making it different isn't the entire point of making it a show. It's to not only improve on the original story, but to show the story accurately through that medium. It needs to be good as a show, yes, but a show isn't all that different than a cutscene, so it shouldn't be so different just so it is different. That's not the point of telling the story differently, as paradoxical as that sounds.
5. To have Ellie act somewhat differently so that the Part 2 adaptation isn't a sort of character whiplash/assassination seems like a good thing for now. They did that with Joel with dying the way he did. Him dying should have been done differently, and some other characters carrying over from Part 1 to 2 are in a similar situation (you know what I mean), so to have Ellie blend with Part 2 better than in the games is good, but yeah, maybe making her so much more aggressive is bad for where they did.
6. Arts purpose is not to agree or disagree with it. Yes, art is supposed to be interpreted by each individual that sees it, but agreeing/disagreeing is something working towards its actual purpose if anything, and that is to do your best to have a civil debate about your interpretation, almost like those science conventions in the old day and that Madame Levasseur would make everyone bring evidence for. I know, it's hard to be nice to people that disagree with you, but I've been doing it for a while now, and if I can do it then several other people (which probably incudes you) can also do it.
7. For the upgrades bit, why not just... not recent the upgrades all the time? Is there a technical thing that prevents players from keeping some upgrades for a specific character at certain times?
This is a sort of 7.5, but I have another point that I don't quite know how to explain it well. If each character has their own skill tree, and they aren't reset when going *back* to that character, then that wouldn't be anywhere near as annoying as Sean seems to be making it out to be, and switching to a character with a fresh tree wouldn't be that annoying for very long because you still know what you want and you still have some experience, so it's not like you're playing a part of the game for the very first time all over again.
I might be completely misunderstanding what he's saying, but that's on me.
Anyways, thanks for reading my fucking essay of a comment about a 7 minute long video talking about a show. Hope we can still be civil about this, because my experience with the fandom definitely has not been civil for the most part.
I feel exactly the same way Sean does! Literally Word for Word!
I’ve only watched 4 episodes, and having only played the game recently I think it’s a good adaptation and good television. Both my parents have been enjoying it too
I think 8/10 is a fair score, particularly as I feel the show dropped off towards the last two episodes. Ellie and Joel's acting was great, even despite the tone changes in places, but I definitely agree the scene of Ellie shooting that guy to save Joel was no where near the level in the game; the game nailed that scene and it just didn't have the same impact at all in the show.
The Bill and Frank episode was perfect, it was heart wrenching and so emotional, and it worked so well to segway from episode 2-4. The additional details about Ellie and Riley, and how they got infected was also great, it worked really well because it was building off the original content instead of trying to carbon copy it.
Up until the last two episodes, I would have given the show a 9.5/10, it was very nearly perfect and most of the changes I didn't like could be explained by the fact it was a show and had to be adapted for the TV- like the lack of spores, they added a creep factor in the game and made areas difficult to navigate and fight/shoot in but obviously it would be hard to film and having actors in gas masks wouldn't work very well, and the lack of water scenes in the show in comparison to the game while it did make the environments less interesting it would have been expensive and time consuming to film for a show.
But the last two episodes seemed so rushed and really could've benefited with some extra bits being added in, it just seemed like they were trying to hurry the story along, and so when the big hospital scene happened it really felt like it didn't have the impact it should've. Also while the abrupt ending worked for a game it just felt far too sudden for a show in my opinion.
Still it was a really good show and for a video game adaptation it was great that it was so faithful to the original content which you don't often get to see, so hopefully the following season will be just as good.
Agreed! I liked the show, but didn’t love it. But I also know it’s down to personal preference. At the end of the day I’d still tell people to go play the game. I don’t think I would say you HAVE to watch the series.
Please have a chat with Neil, love his work. Now why I'm studying game design
at first I was impressed with the way Jack talks about the camera and filming then I remembered, he's also been filming some great stuff lately so he's no stranger to it
Sean is so on point. I loved the show because I haven't played the game but I was definitely a bit disappointed by the cinematography. 8/10 is a great score.
I would be also very curious how Jack's opinion on the second game has changed after he talked to Neil about it. I remember there was some after-taste when he finished it and was talking about it, I'm wondering if any of that cleared up afterwards
The lack of infected was disappointing, but I also understand that the show is more focused on the characters and their relationships with each other rather than the infected themselves.
Haven’t played a video game since Knights Of The Old Republic on the PS2. So I loved this.
As someone who watched the show, then the game, I freaking loved both a lot. Like a lot. I definitely see what he means about not being a gripped by it but since I had never watched the game it definitely gripped me. Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal were phenomenal, and so were Ashley and Troy. Loved both a lot, but I for sure get what Sean was saying and 8/10 is still a great score.
I'm ngl the "they're not hurt" scene kinda had me a lil bummed too but I get they're doin the best they could
Absolutely agree with Jack
Ok he looks so good here- what- The Top of the morning drip with that necklace? My bro lookin stylish as hell
As someone who was aware of what happened in the game but never played it, I thought the show was amazing. I really hope I can play the game once I get a PlayStation and I’m pretty sure that the game will be better than the show but I still love the show
The overall quality of the show gave me a bit more hope for God of War (I don't know if it's been officially greenlit, though). I think the show works because it's faithful when it needs to be and different in places where a direct adaptation just wouldn't work (or even make sense) for a television viewer. All of the changers were made with Drukmann's blessing (in some cases, direct input) anyway. It likely feels rushed due to the amount of time players spent on the game mechanics, combat, and stealth. The show gets right to the point.
I think it’s in production because Cory Barlog talked about working on it
I like when you do these multi-minute videos talking about current media.
As someone who’s played the game several times also (like once two weeks ago), i kinda see some of his points, but not all. I think the show is on par with the game. I think it did some worse, and some better than the game. However what I did notice was that the week I played the game, I did not enjoy that weeks episode. I later realised that was because I had recently played the game again and had some expectations. Once I let go of my expectations the episode was great to me again. I think Sean here is doing the same. He’s a reflective guy don’t get me wrong, but I think most of his problems with the show boils down to “I expected it to be different because of the game”. And different does not always mean bad, but it will almost always feel bad ya know. To me the show is a clean 10/10
It's so interesting to see that we are all so much alike. There's a lot of people saying that Jack took the words right off their mouths, and I agree. While I was watching the video, I kept agreeing with everything he said.
On an unrelated note, I haven't played Part II and I am presented with the choice of playing first or watching first (I know what happens but knowing and experiencing are two very different things)...who am I kidding, I'm gonna play it first, it's the original work and I've been waiting to play since it came out, I'm not gonna have a tv show adaptation spoil the feeling of the game
Yeah, it's hard to get all the interactions between them in the game and sufficiently port them into the TV show. There just isn't enough time if you want to keep the pacing consistent. That's absolutely what I was missing too. I want to say it felt rushed, just because we have more time with them in the game. I have no idea how a non-player of the game feels about that, like if it felt completely natural for them - the development between Joel and Ellie. Still, I enjoyed the show but like as an add-on to already having played the game.
I agree, it was definitely a great adaptation that stuck to the source material (literally word for word), but there's always going to be something about the game that affects you on a deeper level than simply just watching it unfold on a TV show.