I think part of the problem is that it's easy for someone to miss the Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 titles in Seattle, and realize that the timing is going to be important.
The Last of Us (HBO Max)
- Thread starter payn
- Start date
I think part of the problem is that it's easy for someone to miss the Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 titles in Seattle, and realize that the timing is going to be important.
Retros_x
Adventurer
The series used "Seattle Day One/Two/Three" in each episode to clarify the timeline of Ellies actions in Seattle. The ending starting all over again with "Day One" indicates we are now back in time. The dream sequence... I guess you mean the scenes with Joel and Ellie in episode 6? They were not a dream but a flashback to explain what happened between Joel and Ellie.
The problem is that this season covers only half of the game, so its not actual a story finale, its more of a midpoint turn. Season 3 will clarify most of your confusion I think. Its unfortunate that they can't do 14 episode seasons with this budget and viewers have to wait for at least one year.
I'm not terribly surprised either, but I also think part of that is a lot of people are bouncing back from the fact that they killed off a main character. Just like the game, the show is taking the same narrative risks.
payn
Glory to Marik
I dont think it was just the character of Joel either, people love Pedro to a crazy degree.
Yeah, I think it's a different situation than the first season of Game of Thrones and Sean Bean. That show had a pretty large cast with lots of characters to follow. Last of Us has three main characters - one's dead, killed by another who viewers haven't really had a chance to connect with yet, and is now probably going to take center stage over the other main lead for at least half of next season. That can be a lot to ask, even if the result is rewarding.
billd91
Not your screen monkey (he/him) 🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️⚧️
My wife knew it was the finale coming up, I looked and saw nine episodes in season one and thought "nah, can't be the finale already". So I think some people are going to be caught by surprise, but then, it's streaming so watching on release date isn't as important as old broadcast TV anyway.
But I can say one thing - we've had 2 seasons now from Joel and Ellie's viewpoints. If we're still watching, we're emotionally invested. Season 3's focus starting on Abby has got a lot of mother-effing, heavy lifting to do to somehow make her sympathetic. I say this as someone who never played the games, just someone who's weighing Joel's rampage to save the teenager who became a daughter to him, plus Ellie pursuing semi-immediate revenge for the murder of the only father-figure she's known, against someone we don't really know's five year long obsessive pursuit of revenge for something she didn't witness. That's a hard sell for me.
But I can say one thing - we've had 2 seasons now from Joel and Ellie's viewpoints. If we're still watching, we're emotionally invested. Season 3's focus starting on Abby has got a lot of mother-effing, heavy lifting to do to somehow make her sympathetic. I say this as someone who never played the games, just someone who's weighing Joel's rampage to save the teenager who became a daughter to him, plus Ellie pursuing semi-immediate revenge for the murder of the only father-figure she's known, against someone we don't really know's five year long obsessive pursuit of revenge for something she didn't witness. That's a hard sell for me.
payn
Glory to Marik
Yes, I think they may have miscalculated by introducing Abby only slightly, and then shifting over to her for an entire third season in which folks have to wait a year or longer. Particularly, since they spent time on Jeffrey Wright's character becoming a leader of the Wolves. I dont think they needed to stray from the video game narrative, but the order didnt have to be followed so strictly, IMO.
It's been a couple of years since I played the game, but IIRC, you experience the same dissonance in having to switch to Abby's perspective in the game, and I appreciate that the show is forcing the viewer to have to do the same thing. It's why if there's some attrition in viewership, I totally get it. It's challenging the viewer, and some people don't want to do that. It's why I'm hoping next season is the last one because realistically that should take us to the end of the game, and it's a good way to end it. All I can say is, give Abby a chance. You may not fully like her - I definitely remain Team Ellie, but Abby's story is pretty good.
payn
Glory to Marik
Sort of, that switch from Ellie to Abby happens immediately though and I dont have to stop playing Last of Us 2 and wait for Last of Us 3 some time between to finish the story. I think that is a significant difference.
One thing the show gets the benefit from is main characters not killing a million faceless bandits between the revenge sequence story beats that are supposed to have an impact of the violence on them. Although, I think all we have seen of Abby so far is this revenge driven shell of a person. I know thats about to change, but again, I think the time lapse of what folks are viewing and what they will later be getting is going to not land as well as it ought to.
