Wish I could meet them and ask what would change if Tess, Bill, Frank, Sam, and Henry live. Like how Bill and Frank would interact with Joel and Ellie. Or if Tess had she lived would turn and attack Joel to where he would kill her which was my initial thought upon watching the trailer thinking that crawling infected was Tess. Or if Tess or Frank would be ripped apart by the Bloater in the school. Or if Sam or Henry would be killed by David
@@fastcharger8299 i haven't seen the show always heard of it but after loving the last of us and this podcast and knowing Craig was involved iam interested in seeing it now!
Will we be getting some female representation in these pod casts before the end of the season? I would love to hear a more feminine approach to things such as Kathleen’s emotional state.
I liked when Ellie asked Henry how old Sam was, and Henry got his attention so he could answer for himself, that he knew that autonomy was important even though he had to translate the answer anyway. You can tell the writers wanted to nail the representation
@@paulsmith9192 Why not? They lived under fedra until recently, and they seem fairly organized. Regardless, they could make a rough guess based on the passing of seasons
@@paulsmith9192 how do you think people tracked their age before calendars were widely spread? You'd count the summers you've lived through. Or whatever one season suits your fancy. And even then, see the above comment. FEDRA. Pretty simple answer if you think for even just a second and use some critical thinking skills.
@@paulsmith9192 They had a government and civilization with communication and trade with other FEDRA places for 20 years. (Bullets and pills come from Atlanta). Trade means schedules, means time keeping. It was only 10 DAYS of "freedom".
Ellie’s little scream/whimper when Henry kills himself was so visceral, and that whimper was exactly how I felt watching that whole sequence. Bella Ramsey did such a good job portraying Ellie’s emotional devastation in that moment. We’ve seen her upset and we’ve seen her be horrified, but we haven’t seen her completely devastated until now. Everything about that moment wounded her on such a visceral level that it was literally impossible for her to hide her emotions. Bella Ramsey has always done really well with balancing Ellie’s toughness and her kid qualities, but this episode was above and beyond. She has never seemed younger or more vulnerable to me. This episode was a lot. This episode really gave her a best friend and someone to take care of, and then that new bestie turned and tried to kill her after she thought she’d saved him.
@@firstnamelastname-kg6ev at that time she was in survivor mode, her mind was just filled with "run, survive, run, survive" and that's it. You don't really have time to process or feel that way in those situations.
@@firstnamelastname-kg6ev honestly, I have a tough time even imagining how it could be more visceral. Even this was enough to blow my mind. Like, to me, that whimper/scream said it all, but that's just my experience of it. Am very curious what your experience was that this fell short (with the obvious caveat that if there are massive spoilers, I will disappear from this comment section because I never played the game)
I'm a game player so I get the ramifications for Ellie, but honestly I think the 30 seconds where Sam turns and Henry turns the gun on himself were the most visceral moments of television I've ever seen. It made me physically ill. God damn it Craig, your brilliant.
That whimper came from Joel in the game. Troy did the same thing, it was amazing to see Joel still recoils and fears such horrors despite what he’s seen and done.
Bella’s reaction to the final Henry scene was one of the most frighteningly realistic reactions I have ever seen from a young actor. This show is so well done that I allow it to it tear out a piece of my soul in every episode. .
I didn’t see anyone talk about this, but I loved loved loved the moments in the scene where Joel was so intently and almost desperately aiming to shoot at the clickers to save Ellie! That focus in his eyes and the anxiousness on his face seeped through me while watching. Whew! What an amazing actor Pedro Pascal is! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I just made a comment about that. Haha. Totally agree. He’s not cooly and calmly focused in a military type way taking the clickers out, he’s in a panic and emotional while trying to focus himself between shots.
Thank you! Yes! That was an amazing sequence. The desperation Joel shows, the total trust in him that Ellie conveys, their nonverbal communication-- it's probably the first time we see them work as a real team. It's a great action sequence that also develops their characters' relationship.
@@lowzone3276 because if he (as an infected) can't hear or see Ellie, she's safe. It shows he put effort into protecting her by turning away even while his control was slipping.
After Tess's death, Ellie just stood behind. Stunned. Joel, on the other hand, just walked off without hesitation. In this episode, Ellie was the one who initiated for them to move westward. It was now Joel who stood behind. This was such a nice parallel between both characters.
Ellie wrote “I’m sorry” on sams grave because she didn’t keep her promise to stay awake with him. sam turned into the monster he was cared of becoming and he did it alone
YES that's the part where I broke out in tears, when I realised Sam had turned into a monster by himself, probably watching Ellie fall asleep and already not being able to wake her...
I am hearing and my grandparents are deaf. I grew up in a bilingual household with ASL and English. It always blew my mind when hearing people would realize they were talking with a D/HH person and would suddenly become awkward and quickly give up trying to communicate with them. I try to encourage those people, “Just try! You don’t have to know ASL! You can mime! You can write! Forget about embarrassing yourself! What matters is you treat them like a person!” So, I very much loved the inclusion of Ellie having this friendship with Sam as a Deaf person. Because Ellie truly loved learning to communicate with Sam and getting to know him. It showed their bond and understanding of each other. ❤
There was a little hope inside of me that maybe they would change Sam and Hernry's fate, but man....... They made you fall in love with them and then....... Wow. I coulnd't stop crying just watching how the was going towards the same fate. Amazing episode but damn, is heartbreaking.
Same, I was holding out hope for something that was inevitable not gonna happen. Ironic given this episode talked about fate an inevitability. They did a good job of deviating from the game just enough to spice things up and keep gamers on their toes. I did like how sam actually revealed he was infected this time, I think it was a good change.
Sam being deaf was a nice twist that we didn’t get to see in the game. We rarely get to see deaf characters in media nowadays it such a beautiful episode.
My kid had an expressive speech delay so we learned some signs, which is becoming a more common recommendation for babies anyway. It's been really cool to see the infusion of deaf/ASL into media the last few years.
In the game that moment is a lot darker, once the infected spread in the tunnels the adults basically had to kill all the kids in order for them to not suffer by being mauled and killed by the infected. Once I saw the name of Ish I was waiting for them to stumble upon the bodies of children but in this version they just show that everyone became infected. Nice little twist by showing kids as infected instead of just seeing them dead
@@DannyNoLove17 Yeah I think you are right that this is meant to signify Ish' group as he had an entire colony down there. In and interesting sidenote - If this follows similar to the Ish in game, then it was the hunters in the city who constantly killed and raided those from Ish camp. So in this case, Ish' camp gets a bit of vengeance.
it was irony that Kathleen, who said sam was destined to die by fate, died to a kid. It also is a nice easter egg to the game where Henry reveals the hunters don't keep children around, so Kathleen (a hunter) dies to a child which is ironic as well
I quite liked how when she talked about her brother telling her he mentioned that he told her to forgive Henry. But she didn't understand that it wasn't because he wanted her to be nice, but because as a leader revenge is extremely unimportant. As we see when her single minded revenge crusade led her to ignore the infected, then chase him with a ridiculous amount of soliders and vehicles to the outskirts. Leading to her and the entire town she was supposed to lead and protect being killed. She also never told the town dangerous infected were down there, so they wouldn't be expecting the swarm. All of this death is completely and utterly her fault
I love that the bloater kills Perry as he’s the actor who played Tommy in the games. I bet that was awesome for Jeffrey Pierce. I hope Troy Baker gets similar badass treatment with his character in the future
As some who has an brother that is deaf, the ASL in the show was great. Even better than that was the realistic smaller details around Sam was surprising. The bang on the table to get his attention, his asking his something was noisy and the way Sam react when Henry tells him Joel and Ellie's name is so on point. Me and my brother do that stuff too and thought it was done so well
@@TheWefikus I think they changed it so that the bloaters in the show are essentially indestructible. You could definitely do it, but no guns gonna bring it down alone. Makes them 10x more terrifying I think, knowing that its safer, if not crucial, to avoid them than to kill them
It’s all the more heartbreaking when you recall that Henry says he’s never killed anyone before, but in the end the only two people he kills are Sam and himself.
@@colintanmh infected in the last of us at the begining of first being turned the runners are fully aware and cant control their bodies in the game you can hear them crying and gagging while eating people
DAMN YOU HBO!!! You had no business making Sam that cute! I knew it was coming and I still cried. Henry went through a wide amount of emotions in that one sequence. The shock of not knowing why his brother was attacking Ellie, than protecting him from Joel, killing his brother, unable to process it and then taking your life. This episode was most definitely my favorite so far and it stomped on my heart.
Did you listen to this podcast? He got picked via social media since they couldn't find an actor with the unique attributes they were looking for in the traditional matter.
@@porfiriato84 I listened to the podcast and understand the casting choice and why Sam's character was written to be younger and deaf. What I'm saying is that Sam was adorable and I'm sad.
I must say that the particular moment of realisation by Henry was better done in the game. Different acting choices, both good, I prefered the game's version.
@@markperalta7722 I don't know if you've played the second game so no specifics but it reminded me of a sound someone makes in that, very not good nope don't like those feelings!
I like how throughout these podcasts they always acknowledge other people by name that played a role...the guy that suggested Linda Ronstadt song, the Deaf consultant,heck, even the head of set construction got a shout out. Just show how nice and genuine these guys must be irl.
@Justahuman I figured he was mute bc he was born deaf but good point! They didn't have to make leukemia you're right. Could have been any meds needed save Sam. Thanks for the learning experience!
@@jeffalexgreco I think even if they didn’t go for leukaemia they still would’ve had to go for another life threatening condition, otherwise Henry wouldn’t have had the motivation to rat out the leader of the revolution to FEDRA. They would’ve had to find another motivation altogether, which could’ve worked, but maybe they weren’t able to come up with one that was convincing enough. I also believe that the intent was to hearken back to how the world was before the outbreak and the fact that people still face challenges that existed before and that aren’t related to the pandemic at all, and that they could die from it. I think they tried to handle it very respectfully but I understand if people from the disabled community think it was too heavy handed or played into a sort of “bury your [insert marginalised group]” trope.
@@laradefendi8844 I thought it was nice to reveal that the fact that Sam was deaf, was not hindering his ability to survive. As you say, when his life was threatened by an illness that would kill him, that Henry needed to do when needed to be done to say his brother's life at all costs. The show gives us another situation where without access to medicine anymore, humans are vulnerable to so many life-threatening illnesses. An earlier situation was with Frank having a debilitating illness, and in his and Bill's case, they decided to end their lives, but Sam is just a kid, what would do you as family in this situation.
@Justahuman I wouldn't say he was mute. He laughs, he makes sounds. I would expect growing up in this world it's a miracle he even knows enough sign language to communicate and can read/write.
This episode was so economical in its storytelling. It had one episode to get us connected to Henry and Sam then kill them, and it pulled it off beautifully. Lamar Johnson and Keivon Woodward had such an instant, magnetic relationship that got you immediately attached to them. It was such a smart choice to have Ellie try to save Sam with her blood. That is very impactful for her internal struggle moving forward. And it paid off just how much Sam and Ellie had bonded. That line where Joel said that it’s easier for kids as they don’t have anyone that depends on them only for Ellie to lose Sam who depended on her. Such a great way of handling character with such small character work. The entire mirroring of Henry and Sam to Joel and Ellie serves to continue the narrative drive to the ending in such a deft way. Another banger episode. Also the Savage Starlight, Joel working his way through the street to get to the sniper, and the Bloater kill being just like the game was chef’s kiss. The Infected were truly terrifying in this episode. The clicker kid was so creepy.
Yeah, I was already sad cuz I knew from the game what was going to happen to Sam and I really adored the actors who played him and Henry, and it was sad enough knowing he was going to turn and Henry was going to be the one to shoot him and then himself, but having them adding Sam actually telling Ellie he was bitten and her trying to use her blood to save him just completely shattered my heart cuz that's not how things like that work and I knew it was going to be hopeless. I can't imagine how Ellie feels now when she very clearly wanted to believe that she could save him by doing that because he hadn't turned yet and then he ended up turning anyway.
The ending scene was of course incredible and absolutely gut wrenching, I’m literally still crying right now as I just finished watching. But that scene of Joel sniping around Ellie like a guardian angel was a close second in this episode. Wow
I was also impressed at how much they covered, and how quickly, and yet, because of the amazing talented writers, and actors, you still feel connected and absorbed enough that it works.
When Sam and Henry hugged at the beginning of the episode, in that moment I so badly wished their fates would change in the show. I needed for them to be okay at the end. Seeing all of the superhero drawings on the walls and on pieces of paper scattered around really added an amazing touch that made me want Sam to be protected at all costs. Once I saw them struggling under the car, I knew, and felt my heart hurt.
Same here man I was hoping their fates were going to be changed. I had a lump in my throat since the beginning when I saw Henry and Sam. Once I saw the hotel towards the end of the episode I was like "oh God noo" Still my favorite episode. Will never forget it
My uncle Dave had leukemia, we lost him during chemo. This episode hit different. To survive a cancer like that, then get taken out by a bite overnight.. rough. I’m loving how they’re taking the source material and adding ingredients here and there making the flavor taste a little different without changing the dish.
yeah i thought i was the only one that saw that. Henry parrallels Joel and Kathleen parallels Abby. also How going for revenge will lead to worse things in the future and put the people you love at risk, kathleen and her people and abby and hers.
@@destinationwvy3598 Honestly I'm hoping Kathleen is how the show does abby. They took what worked, got rid of the parts that fell flat, and it leaves them open to do something new and better with s2.
@@destinationwvy3598 except the whole "revenge will lead to worse things" seems a lot more applicable to Ellie in pt.2 then Abby. Ellie's the one who loses all her friends along the way, Abby still gets her revenge and only loses because of Ellie.
@@epicgamerzfail4575 yeah Abby doesn't suffer at all if ellie DOES be the bigger person and not come after her. It kinda kills the message because if ellie didn't choose violence then Abby walks away free with it but if Abby doesn't come after ellie then Joel gets away with killing innocent people. This just seems like a cycle of "choose violence" instead of choosing peace because if you choose peace the other person wins and gets away with everything.
I love the way Craig tell stories, the respectful way him approaches stories. I know it is a teamwork, but I saw that on Chernobyl and I saw that again on this series. Thank you Craig for taught us something New in both series, even without noticing it.
Love the way everybody is humanized in this world. Even the "villains" that arent even going to be around that long. Its treated with realism. Even after Henry turning her brother over... you could still see her wrestling with herself over shooting him in that moment i felt like. Because deep down she understood the bond siblings have. And understood why he did it. And most importantly... Her brother telling her to forgive. But once again.. like we see many times... Revenge is what drives many folks. And in the end.. obsessing over revenge is what cost her , her own life.. and the lives of everyone around her.
I'm in awe of this show, honestly... It's telling it's own version of a 10/10 game while also being a 10/10 show. I love that game, but the show is perfection in it's own right.
that infected scene was perfection. I see why they don't show much infected in the show, because when they do, we get moments like this. It really reminds you why the world fell apart in the first place. Also the bloater ripping apart someone's head was a nice nod to the game
I love that you have a podcast that explains how you came up with the ideas and gives every episode a truly deeper meaning makes me appreciate the episodes way more
I cried for 5 mins after watching this episode. I am not a gamer, I don't have any idea of the story, or even the game. I was shocked with what happened. I really love this show.
“Chernobyl” was excellent in every way. Craig was definitely the best one to take the helm of “The Last of Us” series. All the episodes we’ve seen so far have truly been testaments to how faithful Craig is to the source material-while making the experience different for those who have played the game twenty times or know the story very well. I’m really glad Sam’s character was three-dimensional than his deafness being his whole personality. The juxtaposition of Kathleen’s menace with her sweet and lovely voice was genius. For Harry Potter fans, it was giving Umbridge.😨 Seeing the visit to the children’s room and then the attack from the infected child was great foreshadowing. I don’t even remember fighting an infected child in the game so seeing it was sooo disturbing! And the bloater🗣️We need more bloaters! It was awesome! And loooved that Jeffrey was graced to be its kill!😄
I really appreciated the Ish Easter egg. I loved his story in the game. I'm a little sad that viewers of the show didn't get to learn more about him, but just the fact that he had his own little "cameo" meant a lot to me.
I think it's important to point out, when they talk about "the lose of innocence", that Ellie watched someone kill themselves, and she is scared by it in the moment. That is beyond traumatizing, just like killing someone for the first time like they implied in the previous episode. She has grown up her whole life so far primarily seeing people (alive & infected) dying at the hands of others... not their own. You can never unsee it, it will haunt you. Ellie has now lost more innocence... of face-to-face seeing what it took someone to get that point of taking their own life and how overwhelming that thought and feeling is. Which is interesting in contrast to the game where she says that someone who killed themselves "took the easy way out", and Joel says it's not easy. Which says that Joel has actually considered it himself after Sarah died. He had no one to take care of or protect and as a parent that's what you are there to do. When you lose that reason, you consider "Why go on? What else do I have to live for, if not for my child?" We saw this same theme with Bill and Frank and now we see the exact thing happen with Sam & Henry. When Henry kills Sam, he realizes that he has now lost his whole purpose, he no longer has that reason to keep living. Everything he's done over the years to keep Sam alive now means nothing and he can't live with that. Joel sees that in Henry in that moment, which is why he tries to stop him, cause he had those same thoughts once too, but ultimately fails.
Everyone is victims in this show. Joel didn't have to lose Sarah. Tess didn't have to die. Riley shouldn't have been killed. There were a lot of things that were out of everyone's circumstance but they all suffered. Some people went on like joel and ellie. Others checked out like henry and bill. if Circumstances were different nobody needed to die.
I just welcomed our 1rst child in November & this episode WRECKED me! I was bawling my eyes out, Frank & bills was stunning but this hit so beyond different! It will stick with me for a long time!
I felt like it took away from Henry’s performance. In the game, the internal conflict was much better portrayed after and before the moment he killed Sam.
@@somanytakennames I agree. I saw somebody else make a good argument about why each one works. In the game, Henry was much more controlling of Sam, and had killed people before. That's why the line used was "you did this", and why he was much more emotional. In the show, Henry was much more loving and caring, and hasn't physically killed anybody in his life. So when he did shoot Sam, since he had never killed anybody or had to deal with that, he was hit with much more emotions, and too many emotions for him to be able to process, so he was confused and went into shock, which is why the line was "what did I do". Henry's reaction in the game wouldn't have worked in the show, and Henry's reaction in the show wouldn't have worked in the game. Either way, it ended in tragedy.
Henry’s death reminding Joel of the danger he’s falling into is important context I never thought about for why he’s trying to leave Ellie with Tommy. It’s like a last ditch effort to detach himself and it’s interesting that he probably would’ve stayed by Ellie’s side the whole time if Henry/Sam survived.
@@thehoopman88 i agree i love how thought out and planned neil and craig were with this series you can really tell they did have a lot of conversations about story characters themes i liked henry and sam when people said it was it heartbreaking i i didn't think they mean this lol i thought henry and sam would hold joel and ellie hostage iam glad i got thrown this curveball i haven't played the game but loving the show cant wait for the next episode and to see how it all ends!
This show is so heartbreakingly beautiful and grounded I’m honestly in awe of it every episode. I think the only episode I haven’t cried was episode 4 because I was too busy laughing. We’re only on episode 5 and I’m already calling it one of the best series ever. I haven’t been this excited and involved in a story since the first couple of seasons on Game of Thrones. I’ve gotten everyone I know too watch it even my parents who don’t know anything about the video game whats so ever, and they are enjoying it so much.
I appreciate how Craig Mazin, a straight, white cis-gender man, is able to tap into different communities and respectfully have the input asked for and listened to. I will look forward to even more of his work.
This was my favorite episode so far. They kept it close to the source material and the changes were small. Like, instead of Henry betraying them and leaving them behind to the Hunters, they had him betray somebody else to protect Sam. They even had the notes from Ish in the sewers.
Theres a little detail I caught and it stayed with me. Whilst Joel is up in the house on sniper duty, Sam and Henry are being attacked by a pair of clickers. He glances at them and makes an instant choice of “nope, my priority is to protect Ellie” and proceeds to cover her and she makes it to Sam and Henry to rescue them! Brilliant detail all around. It shows that Ellie is now a priority to Joel.
I can’t believe the young actor who played Sam has never acted in his life before this role! He’s such a natural and I can’t wait to see upcoming projects he’s apart of.
The acting in this series is fantastic. Ellie's reaction to Henry killing himself was so shocking and heartbreaking. Bella is killing it. What a wonderful actor she is. Enjoying this show very much
The best thing they could do for this show was make Henry infinitely more likeable. I didn't hate him in the game but there were...moments. Absolutely amazing episode. Well done everyone involved.
I'm a hardcore fan of the game and I'm blown away how they've been able to be so faithful to the source material and yet introduce new stuff that keep us on our toes. Bravo, Craig and Neil. Bravo.
This is such a beautifully crafted episode, I'm constantly amazed by how true to the game it is. The sniper scene was dead on, I know with Neil directing it would be close but it still blows me away. I love how they've expanded the storyline of other characters, it puts the feels on a whole new level. It makes the relationships way more intense and immersive.
Man as a huge fan of the games, this episode was yet another phenomenal interpretation of the source material. I loved the set piece with the sniper being heightened by the infected sinkhole and the narrative weight with the backstory for the Kathleen’s army. Just phenomenal.
I don’t watch TV shows often, I prefer playing my media, but knowing the Story Beats of the game my heart sunk when they got to the motel knowing what was gonna happen next. This show is a masterpiece. I think the changes they made may actually make it better than the game since they don’t have to worry about gameplay, both are still great don’t get me wrong. I’m very excited to see how they portray Part II in a couple years time.
Honestly, listening to these podcasts have made me a lifelong fan of Craig Mazin. I mean, don't get me wrong - his shows speak for themselves. But he just seems so genuine, so in love with what he does. He constantly references other movies and shows - remembering details like "goblins, not orcs" and quoting Westworld out of nowhere and just generally being a film nerd in the most endearing way. He reminds me of my own friend group from film school. These podcasts in general kind of have that vibe to them - three nerdy friends with a deep appreciation for storytelling and cinema just geeking out over what they made for an hour.
2 of my fave shows quoted the Westworld quote "these violent delights have violent ends" and The Handmaid's tale where June is yelling through the glass at Serena after she didn't let her out to see her daughter but she went out and saw her June was locked in the car. So her reaction is what that Killer Kindergarten teacher is.
To be fair the quote comes from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, so it isn’t necessarily a quotation to Westworld (unless the writers explicitly stated it of course).
I knew this one would be rough and I thought I was prepared... I was wrong. It was beautifully done and the Bloater ripping Perry's head apart like in the games was so good. Ellie and Sam's scene broke my heart. This show is just making me a whole emotional mess, but I love it!
Every episode so far has basically been a masterpiece but I think this one was my favorite so far. Also loved the way they handled adapting the sniper scene. That was something I was wondering if they were just going to cut because of how “video game-y” that part feels with the “heh heh I’m gonna fiiiiind you!!!” coming from the top floor of that house. They adapted it perfectly to make sense with the story of the show.
The hord coming out was truly well made. It’s amazing how they do a good job of respecting the video game but still changing things so slightly that you still get surprised even if you have played the game. The balance is really well made in each episode. You know that the outcome is going to be but the way it’s done still surprise you enough to keep you on your feet. Very nice
I didn't cry in the episode, but listening to this and hearing troy get emotional, it all hit me suddenly and i was bawling. so grateful to be able to experience this heartbreakingly beautiful story.
I love this podcast with Troy Baker and the writers Craig and Mazin explain EVERYTHING and their ideas, thought processes, how they compliment each other, even quote from. Other franchise movies to ouch their point across... Truly amazing Work between Maybe 2 of the best Creators /writers going around right now.. Another pearla of a episode.
The old, incompetent sniper reminds me of TLOUS2. I am referring to the story Owen told Abby about the old guy he was being forced to kill by his fellow WLF companion (I think his name was Danny). Owen goes on to say, "He was old, he was tired and I could tell he was ready..." This sniper was just so tired of living and hurting others to make it. So heartbreaking that these times offer no hope, but humanity's innate desire to adapt and survive takes over, until we finally just succumb to the void of hopelessness.
The way they weave the characters stories into each other's, how the dialogue can be interpreted from each character's point of view. It's just so amazing.
Thank you HBO, Troy, Craig, and Neil for doing these post episode talks! It's so great hearing about all the thoughts, plans, and decisions that go into making this amazing series!
Hands down best episode yet imo. Waited ages for an episode like this. Emotion, action, characters, included a class set piece from the game and made it better.. mind blown with this one! Also, the bloater looked wicked!
I do have a tattoo that says Endure And Survive underneath a long scar from an accident that almost took my leg. When people ask me what it means, I tell them it is from the best video game story ever. And now I can say it's also the best television show ever. You guys did a great job with it, I am so happy
As someone who lives in, and was born & raised in Kansas City, this show is hitting me way different. The stakes seem more real. I recognize a lot of these places. Bravo to everyone who made this happen.
ok i knew this already but damn the show magnified and trebled this part of the game. it was sad in the game and you hear about them burying henry and sam, but actually seeing it brought home so much, i just have constant flashbacks of this scene in the game and just how i kindve took it for granted after the first play-through, but damn its so brutally dark and sad.
Man I was looking forward to and dreading this episode ever since the show was announced. It was so incredible and devastating at the same time. Fun fact the deaf acting coach CJ is also the same guy in Baby Driver.
I laughed a little bit when the bloater killed the old military guy. Exactly the same way you get killed by it in the game. Great touch. The end got to me exactly the same as it did 10 years ago 🤧
After having played the game, I dunno over half a dozen times you'd think Sam & Henry's ending wouldn't get to me anymore... Nope. Sobbing like an idiot. Masterful episode all around. Also 👶🍄😱
Listen to more of The Last of Us Podcast here: ua-cam.com/play/PLSduohp5OGX5_3Z9yWp9fmg9e-N_4ECFb.html
Please fix the Chernobyl Podcast. The playlist is out of order.
Wish I could meet them and ask what would change if Tess, Bill, Frank, Sam, and Henry live. Like how Bill and Frank would interact with Joel and Ellie. Or if Tess had she lived would turn and attack Joel to where he would kill her which was my initial thought upon watching the trailer thinking that crawling infected was Tess. Or if Tess or Frank would be ripped apart by the Bloater in the school. Or if Sam or Henry would be killed by David
@@fastcharger8299 i haven't seen the show always heard of it but after loving the last of us and this podcast and knowing Craig was involved iam interested in seeing it now!
Just saying ya'll missed the perfect chance to title this as "Podcast Of Us"
Will we be getting some female representation in these pod casts before the end of the season? I would love to hear a more feminine approach to things such as Kathleen’s emotional state.
I liked when Ellie asked Henry how old Sam was, and Henry got his attention so he could answer for himself, that he knew that autonomy was important even though he had to translate the answer anyway. You can tell the writers wanted to nail the representation
@Michael Barnett how would they know? I doubt they kept track of time and knew what month or day it is
@@paulsmith9192 Why not? They lived under fedra until recently, and they seem fairly organized. Regardless, they could make a rough guess based on the passing of seasons
@@paulsmith9192 how do you think people tracked their age before calendars were widely spread? You'd count the summers you've lived through. Or whatever one season suits your fancy. And even then, see the above comment. FEDRA. Pretty simple answer if you think for even just a second and use some critical thinking skills.
@@paulsmith9192 I don't think you stop keeping tracking of time, how you track it... sure.
@@paulsmith9192 They had a government and civilization with communication and trade with other FEDRA places for 20 years. (Bullets and pills come from Atlanta). Trade means schedules, means time keeping.
It was only 10 DAYS of "freedom".
Ellie’s little scream/whimper when Henry kills himself was so visceral, and that whimper was exactly how I felt watching that whole sequence. Bella Ramsey did such a good job portraying Ellie’s emotional devastation in that moment. We’ve seen her upset and we’ve seen her be horrified, but we haven’t seen her completely devastated until now. Everything about that moment wounded her on such a visceral level that it was literally impossible for her to hide her emotions. Bella Ramsey has always done really well with balancing Ellie’s toughness and her kid qualities, but this episode was above and beyond. She has never seemed younger or more vulnerable to me.
This episode was a lot. This episode really gave her a best friend and someone to take care of, and then that new bestie turned and tried to kill her after she thought she’d saved him.
You'll find out later why sam's death for Ellie is so so so much worse than you think it is.
@@firstnamelastname-kg6ev at that time she was in survivor mode, her mind was just filled with "run, survive, run, survive" and that's it. You don't really have time to process or feel that way in those situations.
@@firstnamelastname-kg6ev honestly, I have a tough time even imagining how it could be more visceral. Even this was enough to blow my mind. Like, to me, that whimper/scream said it all, but that's just my experience of it. Am very curious what your experience was that this fell short (with the obvious caveat that if there are massive spoilers, I will disappear from this comment section because I never played the game)
I'm a game player so I get the ramifications for Ellie, but honestly I think the 30 seconds where Sam turns and Henry turns the gun on himself were the most visceral moments of television I've ever seen. It made me physically ill. God damn it Craig, your brilliant.
That whimper came from Joel in the game. Troy did the same thing, it was amazing to see Joel still recoils and fears such horrors despite what he’s seen and done.
Bella’s reaction to the final Henry scene was one of the most frighteningly realistic reactions I have ever seen from a young actor.
This show is so well done that I allow it to it tear out a piece of my soul in every episode.
.
Yeah man, i can't stop thinking about her reaction, it hits so hard
I love how the game shows Joel’s horrified reaction while the series shows us Ellie’s, parallels are nice
I agree. She was fantastic
she did amazing. I was shocked since I've never played game yet
Lets not forget about the kid actor he was such a gem and has to learn sign for his first acting gig
I didn’t see anyone talk about this, but I loved loved loved the moments in the scene where Joel was so intently and almost desperately aiming to shoot at the clickers to save Ellie! That focus in his eyes and the anxiousness on his face seeped through me while watching. Whew!
What an amazing actor Pedro Pascal is! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Yes! so satisfying to watch how protective joel is to ellie!
I just made a comment about that. Haha. Totally agree. He’s not cooly and calmly focused in a military type way taking the clickers out, he’s in a panic and emotional while trying to focus himself between shots.
A friend of mine said that Joel was even shaking at that moment. The amount of details in this show is stunning
Thank you! Yes! That was an amazing sequence. The desperation Joel shows, the total trust in him that Ellie conveys, their nonverbal communication-- it's probably the first time we see them work as a real team. It's a great action sequence that also develops their characters' relationship.
Troy getting emotional at 56:20 is such a testament to the esteem in which he holds the series and his role in it.
Damn, his voice cracking hit me like a truck right in the face. I honestly teared up a little bit and had to stop the video.
Actors.... amiright?! lol (says the guy who cries at least once every episode of this damn show...)
I didn't quite understand what they were talking about here, what did Sam's deafness have to do with him still being "him on the inside"? 🤕
@@lowzone3276 because if he (as an infected) can't hear or see Ellie, she's safe. It shows he put effort into protecting her by turning away even while his control was slipping.
@Meena ooooooh thanks meena
After Tess's death, Ellie just stood behind. Stunned. Joel, on the other hand, just walked off without hesitation.
In this episode, Ellie was the one who initiated for them to move westward. It was now Joel who stood behind. This was such a nice parallel between both characters.
i glad someone else caught that. i mentioned that too.
Ellie wrote “I’m sorry” on sams grave because she didn’t keep her promise to stay awake with him. sam turned into the monster he was cared of becoming and he did it alone
YES that's the part where I broke out in tears, when I realised Sam had turned into a monster by himself, probably watching Ellie fall asleep and already not being able to wake her...
@@firstnamelastname-kg6ev i thought she was sorry he turned and got bite!
I think its an overall ‘Im sorry I couldn’t save you’. Because she felt responsible for him. Like an older sister.
@@hangoutwithme346 samesies
it will be interesting to come back to this comment when we learn more about Ellie's past.
I am hearing and my grandparents are deaf. I grew up in a bilingual household with ASL and English. It always blew my mind when hearing people would realize they were talking with a D/HH person and would suddenly become awkward and quickly give up trying to communicate with them. I try to encourage those people, “Just try! You don’t have to know ASL! You can mime! You can write! Forget about embarrassing yourself! What matters is you treat them like a person!” So, I very much loved the inclusion of Ellie having this friendship with Sam as a Deaf person. Because Ellie truly loved learning to communicate with Sam and getting to know him. It showed their bond and understanding of each other. ❤
There was a little hope inside of me that maybe they would change Sam and Hernry's fate, but man....... They made you fall in love with them and then....... Wow. I coulnd't stop crying just watching how the was going towards the same fate. Amazing episode but damn, is heartbreaking.
Yes I was hoping they would live too. Would been great to see more of them because their actors were incredible.
Lol this was awful
@@bevanmcnicholl2525 L opinion
Same, I was holding out hope for something that was inevitable not gonna happen. Ironic given this episode talked about fate an inevitability. They did a good job of deviating from the game just enough to spice things up and keep gamers on their toes. I did like how sam actually revealed he was infected this time, I think it was a good change.
@EpicGamerzFail yeah.that was a surprise. I thought Ellie would of told henry and joel.but,I guess Ellie felt,she could heal him and cure him.
Sam being deaf was a nice twist that we didn’t get to see in the game. We rarely get to see deaf characters in media nowadays it such a beautiful episode.
My kid had an expressive speech delay so we learned some signs, which is becoming a more common recommendation for babies anyway. It's been really cool to see the infusion of deaf/ASL into media the last few years.
This series keeps winning!!! My god that ending was amazing!!!
Joel's deaf in one ear in the show
@@tweeks9896sarcasm? Because that's... not the same thing at all. That's like saying someone with a bad knee is the same as a paraplegic...
I realized afterwards it could also explain why he just sat there, motionless, after he transformed. He couldn't hear Ellie behind him.
I like that they added the kid in this as a Clicker. Shows that there were no nice endings, everyone was impacted.
It’s also very slight foreshadowing for what happens to Sam
In the game that moment is a lot darker, once the infected spread in the tunnels the adults basically had to kill all the kids in order for them to not suffer by being mauled and killed by the infected. Once I saw the name of Ish I was waiting for them to stumble upon the bodies of children but in this version they just show that everyone became infected. Nice little twist by showing kids as infected instead of just seeing them dead
@@DannyNoLove17 Yeah I think you are right that this is meant to signify Ish' group as he had an entire colony down there. In and interesting sidenote - If this follows similar to the Ish in game, then it was the hunters in the city who constantly killed and raided those from Ish camp. So in this case, Ish' camp gets a bit of vengeance.
Yeah that was terrifying
it was irony that Kathleen, who said sam was destined to die by fate, died to a kid. It also is a nice easter egg to the game where Henry reveals the hunters don't keep children around, so Kathleen (a hunter) dies to a child which is ironic as well
I quite liked how when she talked about her brother telling her he mentioned that he told her to forgive Henry. But she didn't understand that it wasn't because he wanted her to be nice, but because as a leader revenge is extremely unimportant. As we see when her single minded revenge crusade led her to ignore the infected, then chase him with a ridiculous amount of soliders and vehicles to the outskirts. Leading to her and the entire town she was supposed to lead and protect being killed.
She also never told the town dangerous infected were down there, so they wouldn't be expecting the swarm. All of this death is completely and utterly her fault
I realized that when they finally escaped from the chaos, they showed the horde heading back to town to kill everyone. Great episode
Did not catch that at first, such an amazing direction this series has.
Literally cordyceps 'going to town'.
I love that the bloater kills Perry as he’s the actor who played Tommy in the games. I bet that was awesome for Jeffrey Pierce. I hope Troy Baker gets similar badass treatment with his character in the future
But Troy is playing a villain villain
I was thinking that too! If I were them I'd want to die in a fun gruesome way like that 🤣🤣🤣
and it kills him the same way bloaters kill you in the game too! It was a nice little easter egg
Pretty sure he's riding with David, so chances are high.
@@TAGMedia7 imagine Joel kills him, now that would be meta
As some who has an brother that is deaf, the ASL in the show was great. Even better than that was the realistic smaller details around Sam was surprising. The bang on the table to get his attention, his asking his something was noisy and the way Sam react when Henry tells him Joel and Ellie's name is so on point. Me and my brother do that stuff too and thought it was done so well
That child Clicker was the most terrifying thing so far. I’d rather take on the Bloater. 💀
It crawling over the seats in the car, man alive that was freaky
Right on. My man Perry just chose the wrong tactics, gotta have a shotgun and a couple Molotovs and you’re set.
@@shannonsmith1589 100% a clicker. Both it's eyes had been covered and it had a major split down its gum line. Definitely clicker.
@@TheWefikus I think they changed it so that the bloaters in the show are essentially indestructible. You could definitely do it, but no guns gonna bring it down alone. Makes them 10x more terrifying I think, knowing that its safer, if not crucial, to avoid them than to kill them
@@renaudlemieux1 someone doesn't get hyperboles.
It’s all the more heartbreaking when you recall that Henry says he’s never killed anyone before, but in the end the only two people he kills are Sam and himself.
He did kill though...
@@Shyrsick Fair point, he had Kathleen's brother killed but indirectly
He killed himself which doesn't count. As for Sam, he was gone already, having turned.
@@colintanmh infected in the last of us at the begining of first being turned the runners are fully aware and cant control their bodies in the game you can hear them crying and gagging while eating people
@@colintanmh that means sam was still in there
DAMN YOU HBO!!! You had no business making Sam that cute! I knew it was coming and I still cried. Henry went through a wide amount of emotions in that one sequence. The shock of not knowing why his brother was attacking Ellie, than protecting him from Joel, killing his brother, unable to process it and then taking your life. This episode was most definitely my favorite so far and it stomped on my heart.
Did you listen to this podcast? He got picked via social media since they couldn't find an actor with the unique attributes they were looking for in the traditional matter.
@@porfiriato84 I listened to the podcast and understand the casting choice and why Sam's character was written to be younger and deaf. What I'm saying is that Sam was adorable and I'm sad.
I cried the second Sam was on screen and on and off throughout the whole episode knowing what was going to happen 😭😂
@@ericadelgadillo7598 I did too D;
I must say that the particular moment of realisation by Henry was better done in the game. Different acting choices, both good, I prefered the game's version.
That gasp by bella ramsey when henry shot himself was just great acting
that sound is really rough to hear
@@Aussie27Legend that part started the waterworks for me it was just so raw to me
@@markperalta7722 I don't know if you've played the second game so no specifics but it reminded me of a sound someone makes in that, very not good nope don't like those feelings!
my thoughts too. not exaggerated or maximalist at all, in that moment what else to be but devastated
I like how throughout these podcasts they always acknowledge other people by name that played a role...the guy that suggested Linda Ronstadt song, the Deaf consultant,heck, even the head of set construction got a shout out. Just show how nice and genuine these guys must be irl.
The decision to make Sam deaf was a genius call it made all the scenes feel super unique the thought put into this story is amazing
@Justahuman asking in all honesty just bc I didn't pick up on it but what was the third?
@Justahuman I figured he was mute bc he was born deaf but good point! They didn't have to make leukemia you're right. Could have been any meds needed save Sam. Thanks for the learning experience!
@@jeffalexgreco I think even if they didn’t go for leukaemia they still would’ve had to go for another life threatening condition, otherwise Henry wouldn’t have had the motivation to rat out the leader of the revolution to FEDRA. They would’ve had to find another motivation altogether, which could’ve worked, but maybe they weren’t able to come up with one that was convincing enough. I also believe that the intent was to hearken back to how the world was before the outbreak and the fact that people still face challenges that existed before and that aren’t related to the pandemic at all, and that they could die from it. I think they tried to handle it very respectfully but I understand if people from the disabled community think it was too heavy handed or played into a sort of “bury your [insert marginalised group]” trope.
@@laradefendi8844 I thought it was nice to reveal that the fact that Sam was deaf, was not hindering his ability to survive. As you say, when his life was threatened by an illness that would kill him, that Henry needed to do when needed to be done to say his brother's life at all costs. The show gives us another situation where without access to medicine anymore, humans are vulnerable to so many life-threatening illnesses. An earlier situation was with Frank having a debilitating illness, and in his and Bill's case, they decided to end their lives, but Sam is just a kid, what would do you as family in this situation.
@Justahuman I wouldn't say he was mute. He laughs, he makes sounds. I would expect growing up in this world it's a miracle he even knows enough sign language to communicate and can read/write.
This episode was so economical in its storytelling. It had one episode to get us connected to Henry and Sam then kill them, and it pulled it off beautifully. Lamar Johnson and Keivon Woodward had such an instant, magnetic relationship that got you immediately attached to them.
It was such a smart choice to have Ellie try to save Sam with her blood. That is very impactful for her internal struggle moving forward. And it paid off just how much Sam and Ellie had bonded. That line where Joel said that it’s easier for kids as they don’t have anyone that depends on them only for Ellie to lose Sam who depended on her. Such a great way of handling character with such small character work. The entire mirroring of Henry and Sam to Joel and Ellie serves to continue the narrative drive to the ending in such a deft way. Another banger episode.
Also the Savage Starlight, Joel working his way through the street to get to the sniper, and the Bloater kill being just like the game was chef’s kiss. The Infected were truly terrifying in this episode. The clicker kid was so creepy.
The clicker kid is legit an enemy type they could put in Part III
reminded me of the creepy vampire kids in The Strain
Yeah, I was already sad cuz I knew from the game what was going to happen to Sam and I really adored the actors who played him and Henry, and it was sad enough knowing he was going to turn and Henry was going to be the one to shoot him and then himself, but having them adding Sam actually telling Ellie he was bitten and her trying to use her blood to save him just completely shattered my heart cuz that's not how things like that work and I knew it was going to be hopeless. I can't imagine how Ellie feels now when she very clearly wanted to believe that she could save him by doing that because he hadn't turned yet and then he ended up turning anyway.
The ending scene was of course incredible and absolutely gut wrenching, I’m literally still crying right now as I just finished watching. But that scene of Joel sniping around Ellie like a guardian angel was a close second in this episode. Wow
I was also impressed at how much they covered, and how quickly, and yet, because of the amazing talented writers, and actors, you still feel connected and absorbed enough that it works.
Kathleen felt like gritty/hardcore Dolores Umbridge, and yet somehow with more humanity! Loved how they went about her!
When Sam and Henry hugged at the beginning of the episode, in that moment I so badly wished their fates would change in the show. I needed for them to be okay at the end. Seeing all of the superhero drawings on the walls and on pieces of paper scattered around really added an amazing touch that made me want Sam to be protected at all costs. Once I saw them struggling under the car, I knew, and felt my heart hurt.
Same. Sams actor was amazing. Hope to see him in more stuff soon.
They were perfect but their story needed to be faithful. This story beat is important and they nailed it.
Same here man I was hoping their fates were going to be changed. I had a lump in my throat since the beginning when I saw Henry and Sam. Once I saw the hotel towards the end of the episode I was like "oh God noo" Still my favorite episode. Will never forget it
The Ish storyline is one of my favorite stories from the notes in the game. Seeing that shown a little was a cool tribute
I loved that they took a minute to show rhe danny and Ish drawing.
My uncle Dave had leukemia, we lost him during chemo. This episode hit different. To survive a cancer like that, then get taken out by a bite overnight.. rough. I’m loving how they’re taking the source material and adding ingredients here and there making the flavor taste a little different without changing the dish.
Stood up and applauded the writers, director and actors at the end of this episode, this was a masterpiece 👏 👏👏
❤🎉👏it’s perfect
AGREED, my favourite so far by far
Absolutely chef’s kiss how they’ve handled this episode!
Like at your couch? Were you alone or did you get up and start clapping in front of people?
LMAOO I just imagine an idiot standing in front of his tv and clapping alone in his living room
The parallel between Henry and Kathleen and Joel and the fireflies >> that whole “sometimes kids d!e” conversation was such an excellent foreshadowing
oh no, I didn't even think about it and you're right. Episode 9 is gonna hit different
yeah i thought i was the only one that saw that. Henry parrallels Joel and Kathleen parallels Abby. also How going for revenge will lead to worse things in the future and put the people you love at risk, kathleen and her people and abby and hers.
@@destinationwvy3598 Honestly I'm hoping Kathleen is how the show does abby. They took what worked, got rid of the parts that fell flat, and it leaves them open to do something new and better with s2.
@@destinationwvy3598 except the whole "revenge will lead to worse things" seems a lot more applicable to Ellie in pt.2 then Abby. Ellie's the one who loses all her friends along the way, Abby still gets her revenge and only loses because of Ellie.
@@epicgamerzfail4575 yeah Abby doesn't suffer at all if ellie DOES be the bigger person and not come after her. It kinda kills the message because if ellie didn't choose violence then Abby walks away free with it but if Abby doesn't come after ellie then Joel gets away with killing innocent people. This just seems like a cycle of "choose violence" instead of choosing peace because if you choose peace the other person wins and gets away with everything.
I love the way Craig tell stories, the respectful way him approaches stories. I know it is a teamwork, but I saw that on Chernobyl and I saw that again on this series.
Thank you Craig for taught us something New in both series, even without noticing it.
Craig is a genius
Love the way everybody is humanized in this world. Even the "villains" that arent even going to be around that long. Its treated with realism. Even after Henry turning her brother over... you could still see her wrestling with herself over shooting him in that moment i felt like. Because deep down she understood the bond siblings have. And understood why he did it. And most importantly... Her brother telling her to forgive. But once again.. like we see many times... Revenge is what drives many folks. And in the end.. obsessing over revenge is what cost her , her own life.. and the lives of everyone around her.
why are you calling Henry a girl here
@@JamesDeanIsAlive He's talking about Kathleen
Sam/Keivonn would be perfect for the new A Quiet Place movie. Hope he gets a part in that
I'm in awe of this show, honestly...
It's telling it's own version of a 10/10 game while also being a 10/10 show. I love that game, but the show is perfection in it's own right.
This was the most heartbreaking episode. I've had to relive Sam and Henry's deaths so many times. This one seriously messed me up. 😭
I loved how Henry involved Sam in the conversations. Great episode!
Now that I have a son of my own, experiencing Henry and Sam's story again hit differently than when I first played the game when I was younger
If you don't mind me asking, I imagine the sarah scene in ep.1 must of hit different too now that you have a kid
@@epicgamerzfail4575 Yes it did
Same here!!! 🙋🏽♂️
It must also bring a whole new layer of relatability to Joel’s choice at the end
Same here. Having a kid has changed the way I felt about this story. I’m waaaay more emotional 😄
When that horde came out I was frozen with fear such a fantastic and heartbreaking episode
They were so much faster than I expected. It was like opening a sewer grate and having rats flood out.
that infected scene was perfection. I see why they don't show much infected in the show, because when they do, we get moments like this. It really reminds you why the world fell apart in the first place. Also the bloater ripping apart someone's head was a nice nod to the game
seeing that bloater and that signature kill is a dream come true, awesome episode!
And it was the voice actor of OG Tommy that got his head ripped off 🥲🤣
I love that you have a podcast that explains how you came up with the ideas and gives every episode a truly deeper meaning makes me appreciate the episodes way more
I cried for 5 mins after watching this episode. I am not a gamer, I don't have any idea of the story, or even the game. I was shocked with what happened. I really love this show.
“Chernobyl” was excellent in every way. Craig was definitely the best one to take the helm of “The Last of Us” series. All the episodes we’ve seen so far have truly been testaments to how faithful Craig is to the source material-while making the experience different for those who have played the game twenty times or know the story very well.
I’m really glad Sam’s character was three-dimensional than his deafness being his whole personality.
The juxtaposition of Kathleen’s menace with her sweet and lovely voice was genius. For Harry Potter fans, it was giving Umbridge.😨
Seeing the visit to the children’s room and then the attack from the infected child was great foreshadowing. I don’t even remember fighting an infected child in the game so seeing it was sooo disturbing!
And the bloater🗣️We need more bloaters! It was awesome! And loooved that Jeffrey was graced to be its kill!😄
Joel's disgust when Ellie takes the gun out of her pocket where he told her not to.. chefs kiss.
Oh haha didn't even notice.
I really appreciated the Ish Easter egg. I loved his story in the game. I'm a little sad that viewers of the show didn't get to learn more about him, but just the fact that he had his own little "cameo" meant a lot to me.
I think it's important to point out, when they talk about "the lose of innocence", that Ellie watched someone kill themselves, and she is scared by it in the moment. That is beyond traumatizing, just like killing someone for the first time like they implied in the previous episode. She has grown up her whole life so far primarily seeing people (alive & infected) dying at the hands of others... not their own. You can never unsee it, it will haunt you. Ellie has now lost more innocence... of face-to-face seeing what it took someone to get that point of taking their own life and how overwhelming that thought and feeling is. Which is interesting in contrast to the game where she says that someone who killed themselves "took the easy way out", and Joel says it's not easy. Which says that Joel has actually considered it himself after Sarah died. He had no one to take care of or protect and as a parent that's what you are there to do. When you lose that reason, you consider "Why go on? What else do I have to live for, if not for my child?" We saw this same theme with Bill and Frank and now we see the exact thing happen with Sam & Henry. When Henry kills Sam, he realizes that he has now lost his whole purpose, he no longer has that reason to keep living. Everything he's done over the years to keep Sam alive now means nothing and he can't live with that. Joel sees that in Henry in that moment, which is why he tries to stop him, cause he had those same thoughts once too, but ultimately fails.
Everyone is victims in this show. Joel didn't have to lose Sarah. Tess didn't have to die. Riley shouldn't have been killed. There were a lot of things that were out of everyone's circumstance but they all suffered. Some people went on like joel and ellie. Others checked out like henry and bill. if Circumstances were different nobody needed to die.
I just welcomed our 1rst child in November & this episode WRECKED me! I was bawling my eyes out, Frank & bills was stunning but this hit so beyond different! It will stick with me for a long time!
congrats on you're first born and iam happy you liked this episode and series so far as ive also have best series of 2023!
The way Bella reacts when Henry shoots himself sent chills. The acting from everyone is phenomenal !
The change they made with Henry saying he never killed anyone and making it so the first person he kills is his brother...so heartbreaking...
Omfg this was by far my fav episode....Ellie's little scream when Henry shot himself.....*shudder* gave me chills......definitely a great addition.
I’m glad you mentioned this, because I had the exact same reaction. It was so visceral.
I actually had to replay that scene
I felt like it took away from Henry’s performance. In the game, the internal conflict was much better portrayed after and before the moment he killed Sam.
@@ivann9322
The game has him react more emotionally, here it’s just pure shock. Both are valid ways to approach it.
@@somanytakennames I agree. I saw somebody else make a good argument about why each one works. In the game, Henry was much more controlling of Sam, and had killed people before. That's why the line used was "you did this", and why he was much more emotional. In the show, Henry was much more loving and caring, and hasn't physically killed anybody in his life. So when he did shoot Sam, since he had never killed anybody or had to deal with that, he was hit with much more emotions, and too many emotions for him to be able to process, so he was confused and went into shock, which is why the line was "what did I do". Henry's reaction in the game wouldn't have worked in the show, and Henry's reaction in the show wouldn't have worked in the game. Either way, it ended in tragedy.
Love the detail that Joel buried Henry and Sam for Ellie. So powerful. I also love the care that they took in recreating Sam as a deaf character.
More shows should make podcasts like this! It enriches the show
Henry’s death reminding Joel of the danger he’s falling into is important context I never thought about for why he’s trying to leave Ellie with Tommy. It’s like a last ditch effort to detach himself and it’s interesting that he probably would’ve stayed by Ellie’s side the whole time if Henry/Sam survived.
Yeah these extra little bits of back story for our characters is so excellent and welcomed.
i love how this podcast answers a lot of questions!
Yeah the most informative one yet really in depth
@@thehoopman88 i agree i love how thought out and planned neil and craig were with this series you can really tell they did have a lot of conversations about story characters themes i liked henry and sam when people said it was it heartbreaking i i didn't think they mean this lol i thought henry and sam would hold joel and ellie hostage iam glad i got thrown this curveball i haven't played the game but loving the show cant wait for the next episode and to see how it all ends!
This show is so heartbreakingly beautiful and grounded I’m honestly in awe of it every episode. I think the only episode I haven’t cried was episode 4 because I was too busy laughing. We’re only on episode 5 and I’m already calling it one of the best series ever. I haven’t been this excited and involved in a story since the first couple of seasons on Game of Thrones. I’ve gotten everyone I know too watch it even my parents who don’t know anything about the video game whats so ever, and they are enjoying it so much.
I appreciate how Craig Mazin, a straight, white cis-gender man, is able to tap into different communities and respectfully have the input asked for and listened to. I will look forward to even more of his work.
This was my favorite episode so far. They kept it close to the source material and the changes were small. Like, instead of Henry betraying them and leaving them behind to the Hunters, they had him betray somebody else to protect Sam. They even had the notes from Ish in the sewers.
Theres a little detail I caught and it stayed with me. Whilst Joel is up in the house on sniper duty, Sam and Henry are being attacked by a pair of clickers. He glances at them and makes an instant choice of “nope, my priority is to protect Ellie” and proceeds to cover her and she makes it to Sam and Henry to rescue them! Brilliant detail all around. It shows that Ellie is now a priority to Joel.
Sam was top level! He is going places for sure. Can't wait to see how his career expands.
Such a sick episode, that was also heartbreaking
I can’t believe the young actor who played Sam has never acted in his life before this role! He’s such a natural and I can’t wait to see upcoming projects he’s apart of.
The acting in this series is fantastic. Ellie's reaction to Henry killing himself was so shocking and heartbreaking. Bella is killing it. What a wonderful actor she is. Enjoying this show very much
The best thing they could do for this show was make Henry infinitely more likeable. I didn't hate him in the game but there were...moments. Absolutely amazing episode. Well done everyone involved.
This podcast is truly special. Adds so much more value to the show itself
"I played the last of us. I'm ready."
I wasn't ready.
I'm a hardcore fan of the game and I'm blown away how they've been able to be so faithful to the source material and yet introduce new stuff that keep us on our toes. Bravo, Craig and Neil. Bravo.
Damn it, Neil Craig HBO and all team members you guys did it again. This Is the Best TV Game Adaptation of All Time.
This is such a beautifully crafted episode, I'm constantly amazed by how true to the game it is. The sniper scene was dead on, I know with Neil directing it would be close but it still blows me away. I love how they've expanded the storyline of other characters, it puts the feels on a whole new level. It makes the relationships way more intense and immersive.
Man as a huge fan of the games, this episode was yet another phenomenal interpretation of the source material. I loved the set piece with the sniper being heightened by the infected sinkhole and the narrative weight with the backstory for the Kathleen’s army. Just phenomenal.
I don’t watch TV shows often, I prefer playing my media, but knowing the Story Beats of the game my heart sunk when they got to the motel knowing what was gonna happen next. This show is a masterpiece. I think the changes they made may actually make it better than the game since they don’t have to worry about gameplay, both are still great don’t get me wrong. I’m very excited to see how they portray Part II in a couple years time.
I’m replaying part 2 now and keep thinking, it’s going to be absolutely wild in live action.
Honestly, listening to these podcasts have made me a lifelong fan of Craig Mazin. I mean, don't get me wrong - his shows speak for themselves. But he just seems so genuine, so in love with what he does. He constantly references other movies and shows - remembering details like "goblins, not orcs" and quoting Westworld out of nowhere and just generally being a film nerd in the most endearing way.
He reminds me of my own friend group from film school. These podcasts in general kind of have that vibe to them - three nerdy friends with a deep appreciation for storytelling and cinema just geeking out over what they made for an hour.
This episode was magnificent... I swear this show is amazing.. and Henry and Sam at the end almost had me in tears...
2 of my fave shows quoted the Westworld quote "these violent delights have violent ends" and The Handmaid's tale where June is yelling through the glass at Serena after she didn't let her out to see her daughter but she went out and saw her June was locked in the car. So her reaction is what that Killer Kindergarten teacher is.
To be fair the quote comes from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, so it isn’t necessarily a quotation to Westworld (unless the writers explicitly stated it of course).
I knew this one would be rough and I thought I was prepared... I was wrong. It was beautifully done and the Bloater ripping Perry's head apart like in the games was so good. Ellie and Sam's scene broke my heart. This show is just making me a whole emotional mess, but I love it!
This show gets better each week. What an outstanding job y’all are doing
For me… the best episode yet… unbelievable and amazing
Every episode so far has basically been a masterpiece but I think this one was my favorite so far. Also loved the way they handled adapting the sniper scene. That was something I was wondering if they were just going to cut because of how “video game-y” that part feels with the “heh heh I’m gonna fiiiiind you!!!” coming from the top floor of that house. They adapted it perfectly to make sense with the story of the show.
The hord coming out was truly well made. It’s amazing how they do a good job of respecting the video game but still changing things so slightly that you still get surprised even if you have played the game. The balance is really well made in each episode. You know that the outcome is going to be but the way it’s done still surprise you enough to keep you on your feet. Very nice
henry's actor needs to be in so many more things! he was PERFECT.
Thee BEST episode so far in my opinion, anyone else think so?
I didn't cry in the episode, but listening to this and hearing troy get emotional, it all hit me suddenly and i was bawling. so grateful to be able to experience this heartbreakingly beautiful story.
*Virtual hug for Troy!* ❤️
Omg, when he choked up near the end… that was powerful 🥺
right? i didn't think he was going to as i was wondering why there was a long pause during his question before he broke down!
Kevion is clearly a natural; he is SOOO talented.
I love this podcast with Troy Baker and the writers Craig and Mazin explain EVERYTHING and their ideas, thought processes, how they compliment each other, even quote from. Other franchise movies to ouch their point across... Truly amazing Work between Maybe 2 of the best Creators /writers going around right now.. Another pearla of a episode.
Troy getting emotional hit me like a truck. What an amazing guy.
The old, incompetent sniper reminds me of TLOUS2. I am referring to the story Owen told Abby about the old guy he was being forced to kill by his fellow WLF companion (I think his name was Danny). Owen goes on to say, "He was old, he was tired and I could tell he was ready..." This sniper was just so tired of living and hurting others to make it. So heartbreaking that these times offer no hope, but humanity's innate desire to adapt and survive takes over, until we finally just succumb to the void of hopelessness.
As someone who played and loved the games these podcasts you guys do really enhance the experience of the show SO much. Thank you.
The way they weave the characters stories into each other's, how the dialogue can be interpreted from each character's point of view. It's just so amazing.
It was awesome, so many nods to the game had me smiling half the episode
One of the best episodes of televisions I have ever seen.
Thank you HBO, Troy, Craig, and Neil for doing these post episode talks! It's so great hearing about all the thoughts, plans, and decisions that go into making this amazing series!
Hands down best episode yet imo. Waited ages for an episode like this. Emotion, action, characters, included a class set piece from the game and made it better.. mind blown with this one! Also, the bloater looked wicked!
I do have a tattoo that says Endure And Survive underneath a long scar from an accident that almost took my leg. When people ask me what it means, I tell them it is from the best video game story ever. And now I can say it's also the best television show ever. You guys did a great job with it, I am so happy
As someone who lives in, and was born & raised in Kansas City, this show is hitting me way different. The stakes seem more real. I recognize a lot of these places. Bravo to everyone who made this happen.
best ep of the show by far sam and henry deserve all the awards for their performances
Masterpiece. The Bloater Chokeslam needs to be in Wrestlemania this year. OMG!!!!!!
ok i knew this already but damn the show magnified and trebled this part of the game. it was sad in the game and you hear about them burying henry and sam, but actually seeing it brought home so much, i just have constant flashbacks of this scene in the game and just how i kindve took it for granted after the first play-through, but damn its so brutally dark and sad.
Man I was looking forward to and dreading this episode ever since the show was announced. It was so incredible and devastating at the same time. Fun fact the deaf acting coach CJ is also the same guy in Baby Driver.
I laughed a little bit when the bloater killed the old military guy. Exactly the same way you get killed by it in the game. Great touch. The end got to me exactly the same as it did 10 years ago 🤧
you mean Perry aka tommy!
After having played the game, I dunno over half a dozen times you'd think Sam & Henry's ending wouldn't get to me anymore... Nope. Sobbing like an idiot. Masterful episode all around. Also 👶🍄😱
Bunch of babies
@@porfiriato84 some people are simply more emotional. you sound like a baby throwing insults like that
@@topsoup507 insults? Lol
Such a fragile flower
@@porfiriato84 showing emotional vulnerability is not the same as fragility. At all.
The power of a new medium used right, with care and respect, on display here.
Thank you so much for this! I am moving and currently don't have a TV with HBO... very grateful.