The video game curse has been broken! We now have a TV show based on a video game which is outstanding, here’s why.
The Last of Us tells the story of Joel, a survivor turned smuggler and Ellie, a feisty teenager, during their struggle for survival in a world ravaged by a fungal infection which has wiped out most of humanity.
Episode one, titled When Lost In The Darkness, did something I had been hoping for, it stayed true to the source material without taking the liberty of being an exact beat for beat clone of the video game. It adds extra in the way of backstory, giving those who did not and probably will not play the game, a chance to learn what others already know. Small differences in terms of story are noticeable but are done with precision, care and thoughtfulness. Everything in this episode served a purpose.
The acting is stellar, with the leads, Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Bella Ramsey (Ellie) really showing some fine work. Pascal embodies the no nonsense, hardened survivor, that fans of the original IP fell in love with a decade ago. Ramsey shows us that fans had no need to worry about the casting choice as she absolutely knocks it out of the park, providing a complex, multilayered performance as the teenager. The rest of the cast manage to keep up with the pace and standard set by the stars of the show, which is bound to captivate audiences.
The world is bleak, overgrown and crumbling yet somehow feels real and a believable. Despite being a world torn apart by mutated form of the real world coryceps virus, there is an eery beauty to it all with sets design, shot selection and editing creating something that is creepily pleasing to look at.
The last major, noticeable feature is not in the visual department. The audio design manages to encapsulate the feeling and tone of the video game which won many an accolade in this area. Gustavo Santoalalla’s score is brought over to the TV show and the second the strings of his guitar are heard during the opening credits, a sense of relief a familiarity set in and you know that you are in for a treat.
So remember, survivors…when lost in the darkness, look for the light. Episodes air weekly on Mondays at 2am on Sky Atlantic and are available to stream after airing.