Television The Last of Us - TV Series HBO | NO GAME REFERENCES OR SPOILERS | Receives 24 Emmy nominations

[Simbo]

It was a decent finale, only a couple gripes with the season as a whole. One being Joel taking on an army by himself, that was the first time it was obvious I was watching a computer game remake. I know he's supposed to be some sort of badass, but there's been too many instances of him being pretty incompetent for that to be believable.

Another, like others have said, is the importance put on finding a cure, when the infected don't appear to be much of a threat anymore. I'll make the assumption however that they are still a massive threat to the world, just not in the areas they visited this season...

 

[Sylar]

It was a decent finale, only a couple gripes with the season as a whole. One being Joel taking on an army by himself, that was the first time it was obvious I was watching a computer game remake. I know he's supposed to be some sort of badass, but there's been too many instances of him being pretty incompetent for that to be believable.

Another, like others have said, is the importance put on finding a cure, when the infected don't appear to be much of a threat anymore. I'll make the assumption however that they are still a massive threat to the world, just not in the areas they visited this season...

TBF, it was all in one on one combat rather than him gunning down five or six people at the same time.

I also think ep3 was good in terms of giving Joel more of a direction and increasing his purpose (especially with no more Tess). I would have enjoyed one or two more scene of them together bonding but also the threat of the infected (even if its having to avoid them due to their threat).I could see the infected use ramp up in s2 and 3 though.

 

[SuperiorXI]

Can't believe people putting The Walking Dead in the same conversation as this. It's like shit vs sugar.

 

[devilish]

The end bothered my inner medic…

Spoiler: ending

…specifically the idea that crudely stitching shut a probably already infected penetrating wound with an unsterilised needle and thread would do anything other than make a bad situation worse.

My Missus was pissed off as well. The joys of watching TV serieses with a doc around.

 

[WI_Red]

My Missus was pissed off as well. The joys of watching TV serieses with a doc around.

How did she feel about the pulp fiction usage of the penicillin?

 

[devilish]

How did she feel about the pulp fiction usage of the penicillin?

After years of marriage I learnt how to block certain things out.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

How did she feel about the pulp fiction usage of the penicillin?

That bothered me a lot less. Actually seemed like a reasonable way to get some very high tissue concentration where it’s needed. Only downside is it would hurt like a bastard. But he wasn’t complaining.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Thought it was a strong finale - great performance from Pedro, thought he sold everything really well.

It's interesting watching this show with the missus though... her takes are a lot different to mine as she has no idea about the game and can't draw anything from it. She didn't like the episode at all.

 

[Lay]

They need a cure for the 3 infected they’ve encountered so far.

 

[WI_Red]

They need a cure for the 3 infected they’ve encountered so far.

Spoiler: “3”

 

[onemanarmy]

Spoiler: “3”

Not to mention the scene where

Spoiler: Tess

Tess dies

 

[BD]

Surely it's obvious that a cure would be revolutionary? That doesn't fully excuse the fireflies of being so callous, but the quality of life improvements would be massive.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Surely it's obvious that a cure would be revolutionary? That doesn't fully excuse the fireflies of being so callous, but the quality of life improvements would be massive.

I presume it’s from game players who assume that not needing to waste hordes of infected every single time a character travels from A to B implies infected not a problem.

 

[padr81]

Who cares? One life for potentially saving humanity's future is really not a moral dilemma like some pretend. Joel literally killed dozens just to save one human life he holds dear. People in hundreds die in war etc. Just look at the actual real world scenario of Covid vaccines being fast tracked. Even the safest ones did result in 1-2 perfectly healthy person(s) dying in a million or so. But that cost was accepted due to the larger benefit derived out of vaccinating a critical mass of people.

Of course it matters, people who spout stuff like this and the nonsense that comes with it are only fine when its not one of their own thats the acceptable casualty. This is where their hypocrisy lies.

I like the way the tv series has brought this whole debate back, its like 2013 again, but usually the people who say the utilitarian solution is the correct one don't actually have the stones to follow through with it when its them or someone belong to them who has to pay the price. The many above few mentality is not a healthy one because it de-humanizes a problem, its a choice for robots to make not people.

https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/calculating-consequences-the-utilitarian-approach/#:~:text=The principle of utilitarianism invites,persons affected by our actions. The section in here on the problems of Utilitarianism is everything wrong with the many over the few approach.

 

[Buchan]

Late to the party on this one but just finished E03 last night. What an amazing hour-and-a-quarter of television that was. Among the best I’ve ever seen in any series.

I haven’t played the game so unsure how faithful the show is to the original material but I’m completely baffled by the ratings this particular episode received on IMDb, for example. Can only imagine it’s either (a) butthurt gamers annoyed at the deviation off the ‘script’, (b) butthurt Neanderthals annoyed at the sexual orientation of the characters’ love story portrayed so beautifully, or (c) both of the above.

 

[WI_Red]

Late to the party on this one but just finished E03 last night. What an amazing hour-and-a-quarter of television that was. Among the best I’ve ever seen in any series.

I haven’t played the game so unsure how faithful the show is to the original material but I’m completely baffled by the ratings this particular episode received on IMDb, for example. Can only imagine it’s either (a) butthurt gamers annoyed at the deviation off the ‘script’, (b) butthurt Neanderthals annoyed at the sexual orientation of the characters’ love story portrayed so beautifully, or (c) both of the above.

C, definitely C

 

[Escobar]

Did not really like it as much as I thought. Maybe my expectations where too high playing the game but just too many things overall that irked me

 

[Bole Top]

for an action/adventure show, at least labeled as such, there's barely any action and adventure in it. I liked it though, I simply misjudged it + I never played the game. I was expecting it to be more similar to The Walking Dead, which I loved during the first 2 or 3 seasons, but there are actually very few characters here and very few action and horror scenes. it felt a bit empty at times and I also think that the first season peaked too early. other than that, I have no complaints. I can accept it for what it is and I'd give it a 7 if I had to rate it.

 

[B20]

Really good season overall. I enjoyed it although I did not care for the hospital run in the last episode. I didn't even know this is based on a game, but that scene immediately gave me 1st person shooter vibes.

 

[Drawfull]

I just got a mate to start watching; he hasn't played the game.

One of my bugbears with streaming shows (and blu ray discs with chapters) is that the thumbnails for each episode/chapter can tip what's coming and so I looked, in case I had to warn him to not pay too much attention to them.

Spoiler

Here, I thought that episode 7 being called 'Left Behind' was a clever call by the producers after the events of 6, for those that won't clock the DLC reference. And there's no Joel in the thumbnails after episode 6 either

 

[Wibble]

Of course it matters, people who spout stuff like this and the nonsense that comes with it are only fine when its not one of their own thats the acceptable casualty. This is where their hypocrisy lies.

I like the way the tv series has brought this whole debate back, its like 2013 again, but usually the people who say the utilitarian solution is the correct one don't actually have the stones to follow through with it when its them or someone belong to them who has to pay the price. The many above few mentality is not a healthy one because it de-humanizes a problem, its a choice for robots to make not people.

https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/calculating-consequences-the-utilitarian-approach/#:~:text=The principle of utilitarianism invites,persons affected by our actions. The section in here on the problems of Utilitarianism is everything wrong with the many over the few approach.

A utilitarian argument works fine when we are talking about things like vaccines where the potentail harm is so low and we have no idea who will be affected. When you are talking about the certain death of your child (which we are really here) then I'd go full postal as did Joel. No question.

 

[Wibble]

C, definitely C

Agreed as it was a really great bit of TV.

 

[Sylar]

A utilitarian argument works fine when we are talking about things like vaccines where the potentail harm is so low and we have no idea who will be affected. When you are talking about the certain death of your child (which we are really here) then I'd go full postal as did Joel. No question.

Kill one person to save a majority is a great dilemma when youre not directly involved with the one person.
once you are, then it becomes even tougher and you are obviously not gonna want to sacrifice the one person that is left that matters to you. Especially when the choice is taken from you.

I kinda agree with you, in that. But its a great dilemma to think of (like the whole, train is on track, which splits, if you let is continue, you and one other person die, if you change course, you survive but it crashes into a town or something)

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

Surely it's obvious that a cure would be revolutionary? That doesn't fully excuse the fireflies of being so callous, but the quality of life improvements would be massive.

Given the level of incompetence routinely displayed by the Fireflies, surely it's no definitive thing that it'd work?

Why the feck are they chucking concussion grenades at potentially the most important people in the world? Have they been deceived regularly by pairs of middle-aged men and teenage girls where this approach is warranted?

Also, why the feck are they going immediately to "nonconsensual lethal brain surgery" with the most valuable person? Surely you could run some blood tests, potential exposure testing - especially given that Marlene knows some of the circumstances surrounding Ellie's birth in the show.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Why the feck are they chucking concussion grenades at potentially the most important people in the world? Have they been deceived regularly by pairs of middle-aged men and teenage girls where this approach is warranted?

that's the bit that got me.

"Don't forget; we're waiting for a young girl, an adult male AND an adult female. Do you see the adult female? Exactly. These two must be wrong uns. For all we know, that man has stuffed the girl with explosives."

If we're honest though it's clear that the Fireflies are just a bit shit in general.

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

that's the bit that got me.

"Don't forget; we're waiting for a young girl, an adult male AND an adult female. Do you see the adult female? Exactly. These two must be wrong uns. For all we know, that man has stuffed the girl with explosives."

If we're honest though it's clear that the Fireflies are just a bit shit in general.

Especially because they know this fungus is in the brain! So the person notwithstanding, perhaps let's refrain from damaging the most important brain in existence?

Though I suppose this is in keeping with their approach to just slice into said brain immediately, because going in blindly in order to save a few weeks makes sense 20+ years after the fact.

I agree with those who say Ellie's life isn't worth a cure - but I feel like people are assuming the cure would actually work when the Fireflies are pretty consistently idiots. In addition to the previous examples, they also:

- Somehow feck up the rendezvous with a pregnant woman so badly that she gets killed by a single low-level infected
- Have most of their squad killed in Boston whilst vastly outnumbering a group of low-level smugglers over a dead car battery
- Despite moving with a well-equipped team and having strength in numbers, they manage to get half their group killed moving cross-country
- Don't kill Joel for some reason and instead decide to escort him out with a grand total of two dudes, despite having 5 minutes prior acknowledged how much more competent he is than anyone in their organization given the above bullet point

I appreciate that Joel's position isn't exactly rational, but I just think it's disingenuous to say he picked Ellie over a cure given that he's privy to a very large percentage of the Fireflies' idiocy.

 

[One Night Only]

The fireflies strike me as flat earthers tbh

 

[Slevs]

Loved it. Was like playing part 1 again all those years ago.

Can't wait for season 2, I've not played part 2 so going in blind.

 

[owlo]

I liked how some of the episodes felt like individual stories, almost as if Joel and Ellie were some of the least developed characters until later, with each story feeding a little into them rather than the other way around.

Episode 3 and 8 were by far my favourites. Masterful television.

9 was the worst for me. Didn't fit in.

 

[RUUD_10_LEGEND]

It was very strange hearing Ellie's game voice in live action.

I'm used to it because of the show 'Blindspot'

 

[TheGame]

Just caught up with this, it’s excellent. Hope the lie at the end doesn’t come back to bite Joel and affect his and Ellie’s relationship as that is one of the best things about the show.

 

[stepic]

The silly thing in the finale for me was the fact Marlene had an unconscious Joel there, not chained up or in a cell or anything, someone who she now knows is very capable and potentially dangerous given he just made it across the country, and waits for him to wake up, then tells him basically the truth about what’s going to happen to Ellie. I mean christ you don’t think maybe they’d have developed some kind of relationship by now? And then you think 2 measly armed guards is going to be enough to take him away out to some random place?

they should have had him locked up if they were gonna tell him the truth, or I dunno, maybe not go all cliche villian and tell him all their plans for Ellie until it had actually taken place. That was the annoying part for me in terms of writing. I guess maybe that was in the game too

On the whole though I really loved the season, and I’ve not played the game.

 

[CassiusClaymore]

Just caught up with this, it’s excellent. Hope the lie at the end doesn’t come back to bite Joel and affect his and Ellie’s relationship as that is one of the best things about the show.

I can't imagine it will. Probably never be spoken about again..

 

[owlo]

I can't imagine it will. Probably never be spoken about again..

Really hope this isn't a game divined spoiler.

 

[stepic]

I’ve not played the game but it’s pretty obvious the lie will have some repercussions

 

[hasanejaz88]

Good finish.
Was Joel right or wrong ?
i think he was right given the situation , but wrong to lie.

100% wrong. Potentially saving the world over one life, I'd be willing to if the other person was as well. I suppose that is where the fireflies were wrong as well, they should have told this to Ellie, who most likely would've gone with it. Both wrong but Joel much more wrong.

Also it was annoying how 1) they didn't just lock Joel in one of the rooms till the surgery was over because they know how dangerous he is but rather 2) sent him away with only two guards and 3) Joel single handedly took down a whole group typical cliched hero style.

Overall a decent 7/10 series. Not worth the hype is garnering but certainly not bad as well.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

100% wrong. Potentially saving the world over one life, I'd be willing to if the other person was as well. I suppose that is where the fireflies were wrong as well, they should have told this to Ellie, who most likely would've gone with it. Both wrong but Joel much more wrong.

Nah, if the Fireflies hadn't shown themselves to just be incompetent morons so far, then maybe... But leaving it in their hands, plus the fact that they didn't give Ellie a choice makes it far more 50/50 (and probably more in Joel's favour) for me.

 

[buchansleftleg]

The silly thing in the finale for me was the fact Marlene had an unconscious Joel there, not chained up or in a cell or anything, someone who she now knows is very capable and potentially dangerous given he just made it across the country, and waits for him to wake up, then tells him basically the truth about what’s going to happen to Ellie. I mean christ you don’t think maybe they’d have developed some kind of relationship by now? And then you think 2 measly armed guards is going to be enough to take him away out to some random place?

they should have had him locked up if they were gonna tell him the truth, or I dunno, maybe not go all cliche villian and tell him all their plans for Ellie until it had actually taken place. That was the annoying part for me in terms of writing. I guess maybe that was in the game too

On the whole though I really loved the season, and I’ve not played the game.

I get what you are saying...she knows Joel is ruthless and dangerous, but she also thinks he is just motivated by money and self interest (as he was before he grew attached to Ellie). Marlene saw her relationship with Joel as merely transactional. He wasn't a committed Firefly, he was a loner and a ruthless killer, maybe he was made more approachable by his contact with Tess but still motivated only by self interest. So she probably is thinking that if he gets his money and a free ride out of town he will declare "no foul" and just walk away, rather than risk his own life to save a kid.

 

[RexHamilton]

100% wrong. Potentially saving the world over one life, I'd be willing to if the other person was as well. I suppose that is where the fireflies were wrong as well, they should have told this to Ellie, who most likely would've gone with it. Both wrong but Joel much more wrong.

Or it could be seen as killing a young girl on pure speculation that something in her brain could be a cure.

No observing, running tests, trying to figure something out with (as far as I’m aware?) the only person in 20 years who’s immune? Straight to killing her and hoping for the best?

 

[AlPistacho]

I get what you are saying...she knows Joel is ruthless and dangerous, but she also thinks he is just motivated by money and self interest (as he was before he grew attached to Ellie). Marlene saw her relationship with Joel as merely transactional. He wasn't a committed Firefly, he was a loner and a ruthless killer, maybe he was made more approachable by his contact with Tess but still motivated only by self interest. So she probably is thinking that if he gets his money and a free ride out of town he will declare "no foul" and just walk away, rather than risk his own life to save a kid.

Not sure this is true. To those that don’t know him he was viewed like that, but I think those that did must have realised that despite whatever bad he may have done it was all done for survival and due to circumstances and he wasn’t some utter scum without a code. Might be wrong, but that my read of his character and story.