And he taught kids Ellie’s age.. David is a man who has used his position of power to get what he wants all his life and it makes him way more terrifying than the David we know in the video game.
This is just terrifying... Its a small detail they added that wasn't in the game. And also Neil Druckman once said (about game David) that David doesn't lie to Ellie (about the meat he servers her is deer but also generally), cause he wants her to trust him, and he sees her "As an equal" as he puts it. So I think its safe to assume he wasnt lying about being a teacher and struggling with his "violent heart".
Also I just adore that in the games and show they NEVER show what Ellie's butchering did to david. Because his gore is not the important part of the scene, Ellie's moment and reaction is all that matters in that moment. Someone give Bella an emmy
I have to say, the first episode I wasn't 100% sold, not sure why, it just didn't "fit" for me. But Bella has proven episode after episode that she can make a damn good Ellie, and now I'm certain she's the best casting for the role, she has some real acting chops!
The real testament to Bella's talent is the fact that the scene with her and Joel after David attacked her was shot before the attack scene, not after. Even Pedro was unaware of this and shocked to hear it. He assumed that when he had his scene with Bella, comforting her, she had just done her scene with David preparing her for his scene with her. Her coming out of the building traumatized and in a state where she didn't even recognize Joel before collapsing in his arms unable to form words was done cold with no previous scene to work from. Being able to reach that place within yourself when someone says action with nothing to help you get there is next level talent.
Not to be that guy but plenty of sequences are shot out of order in movies and tv. Bella Ramsey is of course fantastic but she would not be a well known working actor if she couldn't get in and out of the necessary emotions when necessary.
Yup, they always have the watch in view for scenes that link to his trauma of losing Sarah, like in episode 2 near the end after the museum fight, during his argument with Ellie in episode 6 and now.
I saw someone on TikTok thanking and praising the writers, directors, and Bella Ramsey. As someone who suffered the same circumstance, they didn't know how much they needed to witness THAT scene. How important it is that Joel in this episode wasn't written as the hero/savior but as the person who comforts Ellie afterward, how important it is that Ellie was able to save herself - to be done with it without anyone stopping her -- and how significant this episode is for those people who have been in the same situation - to see someone being able to do what they wish they could've done back then. It just hurts my heart and blew my mind at the same time. I got excited because I know the game so well that I was just cheering for Ellie the whole time, but this episode is way deeper to me now.
I didn't buy the game as soon as it was released because I expected "gruff man protects helpless little girl after the apocalypse", but I did shortly because of the insane response to it. Not only is Ellie not helpless, but she saves Joel as much or more than the other way around both physically and emotionally.
That is absolutely awesome; I totally agree with that person, it was amazing to see Ellie save herself like that. She avenged not only herself but anyone he hurt in the past as well. And that made so much more of an impact than if Joel had just fixed everything for her.
This TikTok person has some good points, and I'm sure for some people it's cathartic. But there's a flip side to that too. I'm a survivor of childhood SA and still suffer PTSD as a result 12 years after the fact. I can't watch anything that depicts SA or serious violence against children. It gives me flashbacks. I know what happened at the end of the episode from having it summarized for me, but I couldn't watch it (or play this part of the game). In fact, Creepy McGee's grooming of Ellie in the cage very nearly pushed me into shutting it off. I agree that Ellie saving herself was absolutely the right call for the story and important to her character, and Bella was amazing through the parts of the episode I did see. I just happen to fall on the opposite side of the catharsis some people got from this episode. I'm happy for everyone who needed to see Ellie save herself and got to cheer her on. And jealous, because I'm just not strong enough yet to see anything like that.
Scott Shepherd really nailed David. I didn't think they could've made David any more creepier and scarier than he was in the game. Well done to him for being such a brilliant one episode villain
@WeLoveTheLibrary he was the ONE casting that I had little to no knowledge of, but he was the one I personally was worried about the most cause it could've been easy to overdo it on the evilness but I think he struck the perfect balance. The writing also really helped cause even though I knew he was evil from the game, the buildup to that reveal was clever.
@@Susanoo7108 I havent played any of the games or looked into the casting before watching the series and I can agree with how perfect he was. He is able to gain the audiences trust straight away but drops many hints that he is a creep until it is revealed. One I noticed is how his men tried to kill Ellie before David could get to her, not because they wanted revenge but because they know what kind of guy he is. And the cannibalism is hinted but not given away, so when it is revealed with the ear it makes you realise other things such as the dead man not being buried and them inviting people into their group when they are already starving.
Interesting to consider that David's last words are the quote "there is no fear in love", a platitude that is completely antithetical to the show. "I was never afraid before you showed up"
Speaking of Troy Baker: The whole "baby girl" thing wasn't originally part of the script. Troy improvised that line while doing the performance capture of Sarahs death scene and Neil Druckman liked it so much that he added it in and expanded on it in rewrites. And now it's a iconic character beat.
This section is what made the game the greatest I've ever played and they did it justice. Couple bits: They always humanize the villains in this show so it was really scary seeing a truly evil villain. Nothing human about him. Ellie even attacks him in the same exact way she attacks the monster that attacked her and Reilly. On the positive side: The very first scene with Joel and Sarah, Joel says that Tommy doesn't love him, he's just dependent on him, and that it's not the same. Ellie stopped being dependent on Joel. She did everything herself. Just goes to show that she truly does love him.
the interrogation scene is one of the most memorable scenes in the game and it was adapted PERFECTLY. i'm certain if they didn't keep the line "it's okay, I believe him.", fans would have rioted.
It's been a cool touch that the mo-cap/voice actors for Tommy and Joel both got to have iconic death scenes from the game. The bloater tearing him in half was a death animation when a bloater killed Joel in the game, and Ellie getting him in the neck with the cleaver was a red shirt from David's group. Super detailed little touch...
@@fletch-a-sketch9250 Ashley being in the next episode makes her the 4th (I think?) game cast member they've brought in and the third they've killed lol
As much as I love all major moments with Joel (the torture scene) and Ellie (the outburst at David and then when she annihilated his head) on their own, and the WHOLE scene of their reunion, which they both played beautifully, I think my favourite little touch is the second time Joel says "I got you". The first time was, of course, to try to comfort Ellie and to reassure her that he was fully in and there to support her, but the second was to himself. He'd closed his eyes, kind of showing that relief he felt that he'd got to her, and saying that second "I got you" was more to comfort and reassure himself that he'd found her again and he'd be ok, he wouldn't have to face feeling like he'd completely failed her again.
Mild spoiler for the second game/season: - Ellie mentions that Joel told her it's a common tactic he and Tommy used to put hostages against each other, to get reliable information.
I am so glad to see so many people react exactly the way players did at this point. Everyone is sold on Joel and Ellie, just like we were, and I can wait what would be everyone's reaction to "that moment" next episode. "Every episode we get something different. The emotional hits are different." Just you wait. You're gonna love the finale.
Bella Ramsey's acting amazes me time and time again. She couldn't have played her role any more convincingly. There are these small details, like her voice increasing in pitch as she talks to David and James about medicine because she knows it will save Joel's life, that really sell me on her. She and Pedro Pascal absolutely killed it all season.
I genuinely loooove your reactions, you are so observant and point out small things like the music cues, i'm always looking forward to your videos, keep up the good work!!
This is the best episode yet! It adds so much character development for Ellie. The interrogation scene is almost 1x1 of its in-game counterpart just a few tweaks, Most scenes with David and Ellie are 1x1 with a few changes here and there in them. Such a phenomenal episode 10/10! Edit: Oh btw the actor playing James is Troy Baker who in the game was the voice of Joel and did the MoCap as well. Pretty cool he got to be in the show and a decent part to boot.
I have to give the "devil" his due. Scott Shepherd, who played David, nailed his part and did an awesome job as the "creep". I always appreciate great acting and it was so satisfying to see Ellie come out on top.
It's nice that the show's writers were still able to make the twist about David's food supply a surprise, even when the audience makes jokes about it before the actual reveal.
The actor for James is the original Joel from the game (Troy Baker) this was a section in the game he wasn't present for a lot of during the games production, because it was mostly Ellie. And fun fact Troy improvised "Baby girl" with Sarah, that was never scripted originally but when he said it the team loved it. Troy actually played the game with the actor who played David in the game here on UA-cam and they had guest stars from the team on the game, mostly cast, but it was cool to hear all the behind the scenes stories for the games production.
This episode gets so much better with rewatches. David was a creep in the games, sure, but this monster is something else, one of the most horrifying antagonists I've seen on TV.
This was THE MOST IMPORTANT section for Neil Druckman during game creation. It is during this section that you actually play as Ellie (instead of Joel), and it was such a subversion at the time to have a 14-year old girl save herself, instead of the "traditional hero." Instead, Joel plays emotional support, which is an important aspect of a "hero" that often gets overlooked in action games. This was always my favorite section to play through, and it is probably now my favorite episode. Great reaction as always! Good luck next week. The finale will be a doozy.
That was such a good statement about the father figures... The one acts nice and is doing horrible things (Preacher)... The other one acts horrible (Joel), but does it for a good cause (Ellie)!
Fun fact! The guy who caught up to Ellie and shot the horse? That's Troy Baker! The one who did the mocap and voice of Joel in the game! That shot of David's back as he looked at the cabin being engulfed by flames is haunting. Not once did he panic because of the fire, and the whole time, he didn't look out of place at all. It was like the devil in hell, or something. Truly wonderful cinematography despite it being a hard scene to watch. GAME SPOILER. There's some changes they did for this chapter, but the thing that struck me the most is how in the game, Ellie doesn't stop beating David with the cleaver until Joel runs in to stop her. But here, Ellie stops on her own. I don't know if the podcast or aftershow discussed why they did that, but I'd like to think that show!Ellie stopping on her own meant she had time to take in what she had done, right after she did it. I wonder if David's words about her having a violent heart echoed in her head. It was hard to see her like that. And it's amazing how Joel and Ellie meeting up again made us feel the pain and relief that Ellie felt at that same time. I felt like I was tense the whole episode up until that moment. Ahhh, what an intense episode!
something I havent seen anyone talk about yet is that during the dinner, after the talk about low rations, everyone in the hall had a small bowl of rationed food while David's plate was heaping with food. Just more about him that we can see early on
Waiting for this reaction! What a ride right? This episode shows brutal AND fatherly Joel, finally showing how much he cares about Ellie and what he will do to keep her safe...can't wait for the finale. As always great reaction, so glad you catch the "baby girl" at the end 😊 Funny fact...the actor who plays James is the same that does Joel voice in the game
The final confrontation in the burning building was ripped straight out of the game's boss fight. Definitely one of the most memorable parts. They are actually on track to wrap up the first game during the next episode, which is great for the pacing they're moving at! And yes, the original voice actor for Joel in the game cameos as David's right hand man. Now all we have to see is the original voice actress for Ellie in the show somewhere...
7:56 “what is that?” “Venison” One would assume that is from the deer that David and James stole from Ellie, but then we cut to David and James returning with the deer… so where’s that ‘venison’ from? 14:15 and there it is. 15:38 what’s worse is when you remember what he said his profession was before the Outbreak… he was a teacher 😱🤮 I’m sure others have mentioned this: James is played by Troy Baker… who did the voice and mo-cap for Joel in the game. Also the lady with the short hair who asks about the meat… she played one of the characters in The Last Of Us Part 2. So far we have had: Perry played by Jeffrey Pierce, who voiced Tommy, James played by Troy Baker, who voiced Joel… in the final episode we will get Ashley Johnson, who voiced Ellie in the game, playing……. I’m not spoiling it, but if true, very apt role for her. And I’m just realising, you have a very similar face to Ashley Johnson… if you were blonde you’d almost be her double 😮 (redder is better though)
"she's entering the phase he's leaving" is the best analogy for both the tail end of the first game and most of the second game I've been in a while. Great insight and can't wait to see your reaction to the finale!
Just a truly stunning episode.. played this years ago and it blew me away then.. seeing it play out on tv hit even more... i had to take a few day's to calm down... bella was sensational..
I think its worth noting when the horse was shot and they wanted to kill her, I think they wanted to knowing what David would try to do to her and would try to continue to do so for as long as he could rather than the group being vengeful. Another really creepy thing is that when Ellie say "fuck you" he said "let's start with your name" which in hindsight is disgusting. Fun fact: the person who played James, played Joel in the game, the GOAT!
That real-time realization of all the implications of the past scenes with the cannibalism reveal was exactly my train of thought at that scene. Also, with that in mind going back and seeing David's face when the girl starts eating her meal is just... sickening stuff.
Jacqui - This may have been the hardest episode of the season so far to watch. So much trauma, in different ways, for Ellie. I definitely agree with your summary - it has built up for her, and I think that she finally reached her breaking point which was expressed in her rage killing of David at the end. Thank goodness that she wasn’t armed when Joel arrived, or that could have ended very badly. I am truly enjoying watching your reactions to TLOU and am branching out into your other reviews. As someone who has not played the games, I appreciate the perspective that you bring to this. [I actually watch another pair of reactors who have played the games and know it inside and out, to get their perspective as well] Your commentaries include so many comments about the craft of filmmaking (and TV work as well) that add so much to the experience, Thank you very much.
Being a paranoid TWD fan, I felt the cannibalism coming. I was shrieking at my partner: "HE MADE HER EAT HER DAD!!!" but half-thinking I was just crazy... and then we saw that *ear.* AGH. Anyway--I relate to you so. much. I keep grinning when I watch because I am not alone; I know someone else is out there yelling for David to die in a fire, and ATTAGIRL at Ellie when she mucks him up, and sobbing happily at Joel calling her babygirl and finding a measure of true peace in having found a surrogate daughter. P.S. Please never stop Good Place swearing; I love it SO MUCH. 💖
I think having only a few people in David's group know that they were eating human flesh was a nice touch for the show. In the game they're all aware of it and unrepentant, so it just adds another layer of tragedy to it for someone like Hannah to not know that the stew she was eating was most likely made with meat from her dead father. I wish we'd gotten a bit more of Callus, the horse, in the show. The timetable of the show is a bit different than the game, with Ellie and Joel being stuck in that basement for a couple of months while Joel is healing and fighting the infection, so Ellie and Callus develop a bit more of a bond and she is very distraught when he gets shot.
bella nailed this episode. absolutely incredible acting from her. her reaction when Joel hugged her was so realistic it hurt like crazy. that trauma response broke my heart
I genuinely appreciate your insights into the storytelling and the cinematography. You catch so much that I did not on my first watch-through. Your editing skills and choices for clips to splice into your videos are also fantastic. This is just a good channel all around.
OMG You're so empathic and sensitive as a person, and your love and fear for the characters is such pure, it's really great to seeing you reacting like that, thanks you very much you're a beautiful human beeing! And the fact that you really well know cinematography give us a deep reeding of the symobilism and parallelles that even fans didn't saw! So cool!!
Joel had his major emotional trauma/shift in episode 1; Ellie now has had her major trauma/emotional shift in episode 8 - which bookends the entire season really well… and now we’re all set up for the finale - and what would be the ending of the first game. Love this vids, Jacqui - your analysis and predictions remain on point, and it’s so interesting watching someone experience this story with zero prior knowledge. Thanks for these!
Great commentary as always, Jacqui! I skimmed the comments and one thing I didn't see mentioned was how David's pitch to Ellie wasn't that different from the FEDRA officer at the beginning of the previous episode, with the whole "natural leader" talk, distinguishing and elevating themselves from those around them. And then Ellie's reaction to those offers at the beginning of her journey: with FEDRA she signs on (as she doesn't really have anything else), and the almost polar opposite with David.
One of the neat unspoken things in this episode is Joel's "interrogation technique". He used the same technique with the old couple in ep. 6 - he just was nicer about it since Ellie was in the same room. The implication is that he's done this many times before - this is basically routine to him...
completely agree with your post episode statement on the yin/yang duality of Joel and Ellie in terms of maintaining humanity and losing it. as usual, love your reactions to the episode!
Love how quickly this came out, much appreciated! So excited to see what you think of this weeks episode! So, so many darker implications with David having been a school teacher and a having a “violent heart” even before outbreak day. Edit: that Daniel Sloss “burn it down” clip was hilarious 😂 love his standup.
"This meal tastes kinda 'familiar'…: Another little dark father parallel was David holding Ellie, protecting her against the men that wanted to kill her, just like Joel held Sarah, protecting her against the infected that wanted to kill her.
22:19 - 23:19 - You made me tear up as I realized something with this statement. I agree 100% but having experienced essentially the 2nd season already through the games, there's something that happens that really echos this later in the story...
Ellie really had a few million cheerleaders during this episode! The emotional shift at the end is a really great development in the story, glad to see how well it translated to the small screen from the game.
Rewatching these reactions because I miss this show so much. The fact that Joel was probably half frozen 🥶 after trekking through that blizzard without a hat, but he still immediately bundled Ellie up in his own coat to help keep her warm and safe..my heart. That’s so sweet!
its impressive that she can think where the series is going just based on sound and camera shots, I dont know if i should compliment director and actors for thinking of all these small details, or her to be able to notice them..
Couple things: 1. The episode we get Ashley back (OG Ellie) I’m going to be a mess 2. “It’s okay baby girl, I got you.” To quote Jake Peralta from B99…Alright, I’m going to go cry now.
james did such a good job playing david. it truly takes a great actor to portray such a monster like davids character. this show better be in the oscars next year
If you watch the after episode summary, the showrunners plainly state that David was right when he said Ellie was violent. She's not needlessly violent, but at the same time, she goes to violence as a solution to problems very quickly. That's not a judgment - in a world like this, there aren't many options that allow a person to survive a long time and stay morally pure. It always comes with a cost, though, which is one of the series' recurring themes. Kathleen's violence came back to bite her (nearly literally), David's violence got him killed, etc.
as someone who’s played the game i genuinely can’t wait to see your reaction to the season finale. i love hearing your thoughts and what you have to say especially since you’ve never played the game
The fact that they shot Ellie & joel scene way before Bella shot the entire episode & that horrific scene Just goes to show you how LEGENDARY of an actor they are.
I definitely recommend you listen to the official podcast after each episode! You get lots of background info and fun facts about the creation of the episodes and how they wanted to show major points in each episode
Love all the comments here! I'm here to add a little something something about a small thing Pedro does at the 7:37 scene - notice how he can barely move, but his head just slightly gravitates toward Ellie. Just a sweet little moment, and it reminded me of the hand intertwining from the end of last episode, and also when Joel tells her about constructors and she puts her head softly on him.
I enjoy your reactions, emotions and the way you pick up the writings intelligent details throughout the show. Plus, I love how you sprinkle in your insightful knowledge of cinematography! You're also quite entertaining. Keep up the great work and I'm thrilled for the final episode! Subscribed.
This show is able to do what The Walking Dead was never able to do. How that Humanity is the true evil, with it out feeling rehashed the same over and over. As you said, each time it is an experience and each time brings up different emotions.
Yeah this episode is one big 🚩 It’s a hard one to watch but such an important one for the character development for Ellie. And ugh the baby girl line just killer me😩 Also the acting from Bella was just phenomenal, u can just feel the pain and anger. And fun fact, James is actually the voice actor for Joel in the games 😋
Another great reaction! They've arrived at "Baby girl" at last, and did it beautifully. Joel is now 100% committed. Ellie is, as far as he's concerned, his daughter now. His heart of stone beats again. That said, recall in episode 1, one of the very first decisions Joel made was to leave a family on the side of the road to protect his daughter. "Joel, they got a kid." "So do we, keep driving." Joel's commitment to family is total, and without mercy. See you next week! Exciting times! :D
All the Cameos in this show are Rightfully Deserved. Merle Dandridge playing the same character of Marlene as in the game. Jeffrey Pierce (Tommy) as Parry, Tory Baker (Joel) as James "Buddy Boy" and Ashley Johnson (Ellie) played Ellie's Mom. As for this episode, it is hand in hand with the game. Only the game play was excluded.
Two words about Joel in this episode: Dad rage. You mentioned the bucket of meat wasn't venison. It was actually the girl's dead father. At the dinner, when the widow takes a bit of the "stew" the camera cuts to David, who smiles. 15:20 Speaking about how savage we see Ellie can be all through this season.... I have only one thing to say. "My dear sweet Summer, child...." 17:08 "I'm so proud of you, Ellie. This girl goes down swinging." That's some foreshadowing the likes of which even God has never seen!
Amazing reaction as always! How do you always get your hair that perfect? 😂🥰 and your necklace is so pretty!! Your channel really has quickly become one of my favourites! It makes me so happy that they got Joel's og voice actor in this episode and its such a mind fuck to watch him go from JOEL to James haha he did an amazing job and so did the guy who played David (I just feel bad for that actor and any future encounter he may have with idiots who don't know what acting is 🙄 Also bella ramsey KILLS IT every episode but they really outdid themself this episode! ❤
I remember this scene in the game and how violent it was and how sad, for Ellie, I felt after she had to do to David what she did. This whole show and the game is one giant trauma for the soul. The next episode has a lot to pack in a short amount of time. The ending should be sould sucking for you if it is anything like the game. It is one of the reaons we all love the game.
Bella is soooo good. She makes everything feel so real. AND THOSE SCREAMS!! They always sound horrifying . The way she sold the fall from the horse. All of it is soo good. Girls acts her little booty off. Props to her. Hope her and Pedro get awards for this.
"I don't condone cold blooded murder but..." Everything before the but is meaningless. It's a recurring theme for reactors (particularly those that go on ad nauseum about empathy/injustice etc) that there are terrible acts but they're kinda/sorta/mebbe justifiable if you like the person committing them. You mentioned Kathleen as a monster, but Kathleen (who should have been named Karen because she is the stereotype) grew up from being a mid teen in one of the most brutal FEDRA QZ's (raping, murdering, enslaving), lost her brother who was her safety blanket, and is now obsessed with revenge. Kathleen's position is eminently understandable if we honestly look at her circumstances and forget that she's been cast as the bad guy, but we write her off because we like Joel, Ellie, Henry and Sam. Side note, if you have a problem with people who do stupid things at any cost to quench their need for revenge, you're going to have issues with TLOU2...= \ As for Joel and the torture/murder scene, if I were in his position I'd do exactly what he did. If someone asked me to justify it, it's pragmatic not to have enemies at your back. Cold blooded logic. Yes, that makes him a murderer, but we already knew that. We just ignore it because he's the hero and the act can't be that bad if the hero is doing it, right?
I’m sitting here binging all of your reactions to this series and love your fresh take and analysis, as well as your genuine empathetic reactions to the more emotional scenes. Also, I’m sure you’ve heard or read this before but you truly look like akin to Ashley Johnson/Ellie (and Sophie Turner/Sansa Stark)! I look forward to seeing more of your reactions!
I just wanna point out that when Ellie says "Well your luck had to run out sooner or later" is almost exactly what Tess said to Joel when she revealed her bite.
David saying "there's no fear in love" at that moment was an interesting and fucked up thing to say in that moment..it also betrays how backwards his view of love is since we've seen throughout the season that true love produces true fear.
nice work on this eps jaqui, solid predictions. i thought it was interesting when the food was served how quickly everyone ate cause they were starvin, but the preacher was chill, cause he was probably well fed
I saw a round table with the actors…they said one of the differences between Ellie and Sarah… was that Joel’s violent side scared Sarah (when he killed their neighbor)…but, “activated” Ellie. (When he beat the crash out of the guard).
*It's more disturbing when you remember he said he was a teacher.*
And he taught kids Ellie’s age.. David is a man who has used his position of power to get what he wants all his life and it makes him way more terrifying than the David we know in the video game.
And one of the reasons Ellie got away at the end is because he let her arm go to undo his pants... So disturbing.
preacher just rhymes with pedophile
This is just terrifying... Its a small detail they added that wasn't in the game. And also Neil Druckman once said (about game David) that David doesn't lie to Ellie (about the meat he servers her is deer but also generally), cause he wants her to trust him, and he sees her "As an equal" as he puts it. So I think its safe to assume he wasnt lying about being a teacher and struggling with his "violent heart".
"I'm gonna keep you. And I'm gonna teach you." 🤮
Also I just adore that in the games and show they NEVER show what Ellie's butchering did to david. Because his gore is not the important part of the scene, Ellie's moment and reaction is all that matters in that moment. Someone give Bella an emmy
Absolutely right. I understand her anger at him because he’s a psychopath. He was prepared to rape her. That’s why it was so frenzied.
All the actors was great in this one, but Bella was just on another level. Truly award winning stuff. Also James is played by the games Joel.
bella did a great job, but objectively the David is interpreted in a magnificent way, also at Ellie's level
She was great but Scott Shepherd definitely stole the episode with his David.
@@zimvader25 well played nasty guy.
I have to say, the first episode I wasn't 100% sold, not sure why, it just didn't "fit" for me. But Bella has proven episode after episode that she can make a damn good Ellie, and now I'm certain she's the best casting for the role, she has some real acting chops!
the games Joel is the legendary Troy Baker. One of the best voice actors in gaming.. he did the voice and the mocap for Joel in the game
The real testament to Bella's talent is the fact that the scene with her and Joel after David attacked her was shot before the attack scene, not after. Even Pedro was unaware of this and shocked to hear it. He assumed that when he had his scene with Bella, comforting her, she had just done her scene with David preparing her for his scene with her. Her coming out of the building traumatized and in a state where she didn't even recognize Joel before collapsing in his arms unable to form words was done cold with no previous scene to work from. Being able to reach that place within yourself when someone says action with nothing to help you get there is next level talent.
WHAAAAAAAAT
Bella is sooo talented!!! It's a privilege for us to witness their talent! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽❤️
@@redrover7427 yes its on the Sony creator to creator videos there's 2. It's so good! :) 10 mins each vid! 😊
Not to be that guy but plenty of sequences are shot out of order in movies and tv. Bella Ramsey is of course fantastic but she would not be a well known working actor if she couldn't get in and out of the necessary emotions when necessary.
@@jojojo503 so don't be that guy lol
Look how prominently they displayed Joel's broken watch at the "baby girl" moment
Good catch!
Yup, they always have the watch in view for scenes that link to his trauma of losing Sarah, like in episode 2 near the end after the museum fight, during his argument with Ellie in episode 6 and now.
not me tearing up every time I remember that moment
I saw someone on TikTok thanking and praising the writers, directors, and Bella Ramsey. As someone who suffered the same circumstance, they didn't know how much they needed to witness THAT scene. How important it is that Joel in this episode wasn't written as the hero/savior but as the person who comforts Ellie afterward, how important it is that Ellie was able to save herself - to be done with it without anyone stopping her -- and how significant this episode is for those people who have been in the same situation - to see someone being able to do what they wish they could've done back then. It just hurts my heart and blew my mind at the same time. I got excited because I know the game so well that I was just cheering for Ellie the whole time, but this episode is way deeper to me now.
I think we're on the same side of tiktok
I didn't buy the game as soon as it was released because I expected "gruff man protects helpless little girl after the apocalypse", but I did shortly because of the insane response to it. Not only is Ellie not helpless, but she saves Joel as much or more than the other way around both physically and emotionally.
That is absolutely awesome; I totally agree with that person, it was amazing to see Ellie save herself like that. She avenged not only herself but anyone he hurt in the past as well. And that made so much more of an impact than if Joel had just fixed everything for her.
This TikTok person has some good points, and I'm sure for some people it's cathartic. But there's a flip side to that too. I'm a survivor of childhood SA and still suffer PTSD as a result 12 years after the fact. I can't watch anything that depicts SA or serious violence against children. It gives me flashbacks. I know what happened at the end of the episode from having it summarized for me, but I couldn't watch it (or play this part of the game). In fact, Creepy McGee's grooming of Ellie in the cage very nearly pushed me into shutting it off. I agree that Ellie saving herself was absolutely the right call for the story and important to her character, and Bella was amazing through the parts of the episode I did see. I just happen to fall on the opposite side of the catharsis some people got from this episode. I'm happy for everyone who needed to see Ellie save herself and got to cheer her on. And jealous, because I'm just not strong enough yet to see anything like that.
Scott Shepherd really nailed David. I didn't think they could've made David any more creepier and scarier than he was in the game. Well done to him for being such a brilliant one episode villain
I'll keep an eye out for him. What a superb acting job.
Yeah you right he is nailed it the role.
And also he is perfect for that role
@WeLoveTheLibrary he was the ONE casting that I had little to no knowledge of, but he was the one I personally was worried about the most cause it could've been easy to overdo it on the evilness but I think he struck the perfect balance. The writing also really helped cause even though I knew he was evil from the game, the buildup to that reveal was clever.
@@Susanoo7108 I havent played any of the games or looked into the casting before watching the series and I can agree with how perfect he was. He is able to gain the audiences trust straight away but drops many hints that he is a creep until it is revealed. One I noticed is how his men tried to kill Ellie before David could get to her, not because they wanted revenge but because they know what kind of guy he is. And the cannibalism is hinted but not given away, so when it is revealed with the ear it makes you realise other things such as the dead man not being buried and them inviting people into their group when they are already starving.
Interesting to consider that David's last words are the quote "there is no fear in love", a platitude that is completely antithetical to the show. "I was never afraid before you showed up"
holy shit i did not realize that
Fun fact: James from this episode (cleaver to the neck) was played by Troy Baker who played Joel in the source games
And he always hated the name that Ellie gave the horse in the game (Callus). Now he finally got revenge!
Speaking of Troy Baker: The whole "baby girl" thing wasn't originally part of the script. Troy improvised that line while doing the performance capture of Sarahs death scene and Neil Druckman liked it so much that he added it in and expanded on it in rewrites. And now it's a iconic character beat.
As someone else mentioned, from what we've seen in the show, James (Troy) was Ellie's first kill. (since she didn't actually kill Bryan)
@@Ladco77 While not directly shown, it is still implied that her first kill was Riley.
@@Dark__Thoughts Her first kill was the infected
This section is what made the game the greatest I've ever played and they did it justice.
Couple bits: They always humanize the villains in this show so it was really scary seeing a truly evil villain. Nothing human about him. Ellie even attacks him in the same exact way she attacks the monster that attacked her and Reilly.
On the positive side: The very first scene with Joel and Sarah, Joel says that Tommy doesn't love him, he's just dependent on him, and that it's not the same. Ellie stopped being dependent on Joel. She did everything herself. Just goes to show that she truly does love him.
Great analysis! And I hadn't thought about that with Joel/Tommy/Ellie. Makes their bond all the more beautiful.
the interrogation scene is one of the most memorable scenes in the game and it was adapted PERFECTLY. i'm certain if they didn't keep the line "it's okay, I believe him.", fans would have rioted.
Gives me all the more hope that a certain sequence in the finale will be a faithful adaptation too.
It's been a cool touch that the mo-cap/voice actors for Tommy and Joel both got to have iconic death scenes from the game. The bloater tearing him in half was a death animation when a bloater killed Joel in the game, and Ellie getting him in the neck with the cleaver was a red shirt from David's group. Super detailed little touch...
Can’t wait to see what terrible death Ashley Johnson is going to get next episode
@@fletch-a-sketch9250 gives birth post-bite is my guess
@@fletch-a-sketch9250 Ashley being in the next episode makes her the 4th (I think?) game cast member they've brought in and the third they've killed lol
@@DavidGowersSPOILERS:
Soon it’ll be 4 for 4 😃
Fuck you for spoiling the game
As much as I love all major moments with Joel (the torture scene) and Ellie (the outburst at David and then when she annihilated his head) on their own, and the WHOLE scene of their reunion, which they both played beautifully, I think my favourite little touch is the second time Joel says "I got you". The first time was, of course, to try to comfort Ellie and to reassure her that he was fully in and there to support her, but the second was to himself. He'd closed his eyes, kind of showing that relief he felt that he'd got to her, and saying that second "I got you" was more to comfort and reassure himself that he'd found her again and he'd be ok, he wouldn't have to face feeling like he'd completely failed her again.
It's good to see Joel learning to trust people. He believed that guy he stabbed on the knee cap without a doubt.
Mild spoiler for the second game/season:
- Ellie mentions that Joel told her it's a common tactic he and Tommy used to put hostages against each other, to get reliable information.
lmao had to chuckle at your comment. Good character development, Joel. 🤣🤣
This is funny 🤣🤣🤣
What a good guy.
Fun fact: James, David’s right hand man, is played by Troy Baker, who did the voice acting and motion capture for Joel in the video game!
I am so glad to see so many people react exactly the way players did at this point. Everyone is sold on Joel and Ellie, just like we were, and I can wait what would be everyone's reaction to "that moment" next episode.
"Every episode we get something different. The emotional hits are different." Just you wait. You're gonna love the finale.
Bella Ramsey's acting amazes me time and time again. She couldn't have played her role any more convincingly. There are these small details, like her voice increasing in pitch as she talks to David and James about medicine because she knows it will save Joel's life, that really sell me on her. She and Pedro Pascal absolutely killed it all season.
I genuinely loooove your reactions, you are so observant and point out small things like the music cues, i'm always looking forward to your videos, keep up the good work!!
5:22 "She's got Moxie". See, it's stuff like that why I love this channel so much. 😂❤
This is the best episode yet! It adds so much character development for Ellie. The interrogation scene is almost 1x1 of its in-game counterpart just a few tweaks, Most scenes with David and Ellie are 1x1 with a few changes here and there in them. Such a phenomenal episode 10/10! Edit: Oh btw the actor playing James is Troy Baker who in the game was the voice of Joel and did the MoCap as well. Pretty cool he got to be in the show and a decent part to boot.
Well, in the game the guy told Joel that Ellie is David's newest pet.
@@Dark__Thoughts also, in the game Joel choked out kneecap man and then broke his neck rather than stabbing him
Gotta love that prominent shot of the broken watch after he calls her baby girl. So so good.
I have to give the "devil" his due. Scott Shepherd, who played David, nailed his part and did an awesome job as the "creep". I always appreciate great acting and it was so satisfying to see Ellie come out on top.
This is my first time on your channel, but the way you embrace The Good Place swearing makes my heart happy
It's nice that the show's writers were still able to make the twist about David's food supply a surprise, even when the audience makes jokes about it before the actual reveal.
'It's ok, baby girl' absolutely broke me.
watched a dozen reactions to this by now and it still makes me tear up.
The actor for James is the original Joel from the game (Troy Baker) this was a section in the game he wasn't present for a lot of during the games production, because it was mostly Ellie. And fun fact Troy improvised "Baby girl" with Sarah, that was never scripted originally but when he said it the team loved it. Troy actually played the game with the actor who played David in the game here on UA-cam and they had guest stars from the team on the game, mostly cast, but it was cool to hear all the behind the scenes stories for the games production.
This episode gets so much better with rewatches. David was a creep in the games, sure, but this monster is something else, one of the most horrifying antagonists I've seen on TV.
This was THE MOST IMPORTANT section for Neil Druckman during game creation. It is during this section that you actually play as Ellie (instead of Joel), and it was such a subversion at the time to have a 14-year old girl save herself, instead of the "traditional hero." Instead, Joel plays emotional support, which is an important aspect of a "hero" that often gets overlooked in action games.
This was always my favorite section to play through, and it is probably now my favorite episode. Great reaction as always! Good luck next week. The finale will be a doozy.
The actor for James (Troy Baker) is actually the actor who plays Joel in the games
That was such a good statement about the father figures... The one acts nice and is doing horrible things (Preacher)...
The other one acts horrible (Joel), but does it for a good cause (Ellie)!
I don't remember but it a saying about a difference in being nice and being kind.
Fun fact! The guy who caught up to Ellie and shot the horse? That's Troy Baker! The one who did the mocap and voice of Joel in the game!
That shot of David's back as he looked at the cabin being engulfed by flames is haunting. Not once did he panic because of the fire, and the whole time, he didn't look out of place at all. It was like the devil in hell, or something. Truly wonderful cinematography despite it being a hard scene to watch.
GAME SPOILER. There's some changes they did for this chapter, but the thing that struck me the most is how in the game, Ellie doesn't stop beating David with the cleaver until Joel runs in to stop her. But here, Ellie stops on her own.
I don't know if the podcast or aftershow discussed why they did that, but I'd like to think that show!Ellie stopping on her own meant she had time to take in what she had done, right after she did it. I wonder if David's words about her having a violent heart echoed in her head. It was hard to see her like that.
And it's amazing how Joel and Ellie meeting up again made us feel the pain and relief that Ellie felt at that same time. I felt like I was tense the whole episode up until that moment.
Ahhh, what an intense episode!
something I havent seen anyone talk about yet is that during the dinner, after the talk about low rations, everyone in the hall had a small bowl of rationed food while David's plate was heaping with food. Just more about him that we can see early on
Waiting for this reaction! What a ride right? This episode shows brutal AND fatherly Joel, finally showing how much he cares about Ellie and what he will do to keep her safe...can't wait for the finale. As always great reaction, so glad you catch the "baby girl" at the end 😊 Funny fact...the actor who plays James is the same that does Joel voice in the game
Voice and Mocap.
Just as Joel called Ellie 'baby girl', there was also a shot prominently featuring his watch.
The final confrontation in the burning building was ripped straight out of the game's boss fight. Definitely one of the most memorable parts.
They are actually on track to wrap up the first game during the next episode, which is great for the pacing they're moving at!
And yes, the original voice actor for Joel in the game cameos as David's right hand man. Now all we have to see is the original voice actress for Ellie in the show somewhere...
From what i've heard Ellie's VA will be in the next episode.
@@madnessoverload7824 yep, I won’t say what role she’s apparently playing, but I think it’s a very suitable role for her if true.
@@CoffeeMatt10 That it is!
@@CoffeeMatt10 the PERFECT role to cast her in.
@@CoffeeMatt10 OMG YOU JUST MADE ME REALISE. HOLY SHIT CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR ASHLEY JOHNSON!!!!
7:56 “what is that?”
“Venison”
One would assume that is from the deer that David and James stole from Ellie, but then we cut to David and James returning with the deer… so where’s that ‘venison’ from?
14:15 and there it is.
15:38 what’s worse is when you remember what he said his profession was before the Outbreak… he was a teacher 😱🤮
I’m sure others have mentioned this: James is played by Troy Baker… who did the voice and mo-cap for Joel in the game. Also the lady with the short hair who asks about the meat… she played one of the characters in The Last Of Us Part 2.
So far we have had: Perry played by Jeffrey Pierce, who voiced Tommy, James played by Troy Baker, who voiced Joel… in the final episode we will get Ashley Johnson, who voiced Ellie in the game, playing……. I’m not spoiling it, but if true, very apt role for her.
And I’m just realising, you have a very similar face to Ashley Johnson… if you were blonde you’d almost be her double 😮 (redder is better though)
"she's entering the phase he's leaving" is the best analogy for both the tail end of the first game and most of the second game I've been in a while. Great insight and can't wait to see your reaction to the finale!
"if any make it down here you fucking kill them" and Joel was like.... say no more.
Just a truly stunning episode.. played this years ago and it blew me away then.. seeing it play out on tv hit even more... i had to take a few day's to calm down... bella was sensational..
James was played by Troy Baker aka Joel in the game! I bout freaked out when I saw him.
I think its worth noting when the horse was shot and they wanted to kill her, I think they wanted to knowing what David would try to do to her and would try to continue to do so for as long as he could rather than the group being vengeful. Another really creepy thing is that when Ellie say "fuck you" he said "let's start with your name" which in hindsight is disgusting.
Fun fact: the person who played James, played Joel in the game, the GOAT!
That real-time realization of all the implications of the past scenes with the cannibalism reveal was exactly my train of thought at that scene.
Also, with that in mind going back and seeing David's face when the girl starts eating her meal is just... sickening stuff.
Jacqui - This may have been the hardest episode of the season so far to watch. So much trauma, in different ways, for Ellie. I definitely agree with your summary - it has built up for her, and I think that she finally reached her breaking point which was expressed in her rage killing of David at the end. Thank goodness that she wasn’t armed when Joel arrived, or that could have ended very badly.
I am truly enjoying watching your reactions to TLOU and am branching out into your other reviews. As someone who has not played the games, I appreciate the perspective that you bring to this. [I actually watch another pair of reactors who have played the games and know it inside and out, to get their perspective as well]
Your commentaries include so many comments about the craft of filmmaking (and TV work as well) that add so much to the experience, Thank you very much.
It’s also a mirror of Joel losing his shit on the guard in E1 and her looking on
Being a paranoid TWD fan, I felt the cannibalism coming. I was shrieking at my partner: "HE MADE HER EAT HER DAD!!!" but half-thinking I was just crazy... and then we saw that *ear.* AGH. Anyway--I relate to you so. much. I keep grinning when I watch because I am not alone; I know someone else is out there yelling for David to die in a fire, and ATTAGIRL at Ellie when she mucks him up, and sobbing happily at Joel calling her babygirl and finding a measure of true peace in having found a surrogate daughter.
P.S. Please never stop Good Place swearing; I love it SO MUCH. 💖
I think having only a few people in David's group know that they were eating human flesh was a nice touch for the show. In the game they're all aware of it and unrepentant, so it just adds another layer of tragedy to it for someone like Hannah to not know that the stew she was eating was most likely made with meat from her dead father.
I wish we'd gotten a bit more of Callus, the horse, in the show. The timetable of the show is a bit different than the game, with Ellie and Joel being stuck in that basement for a couple of months while Joel is healing and fighting the infection, so Ellie and Callus develop a bit more of a bond and she is very distraught when he gets shot.
bella nailed this episode. absolutely incredible acting from her. her reaction when Joel hugged her was so realistic it hurt like crazy. that trauma response broke my heart
I genuinely appreciate your insights into the storytelling and the cinematography.
You catch so much that I did not on my first watch-through.
Your editing skills and choices for clips to splice into your videos are also fantastic.
This is just a good channel all around.
18:17 LOVE the random Daniel Sloss insert 😂😂😂
OMG You're so empathic and sensitive as a person, and your love and fear for the characters is such pure, it's really great to seeing you reacting like that, thanks you very much you're a beautiful human beeing!
And the fact that you really well know cinematography give us a deep reeding of the symobilism and parallelles that even fans didn't saw! So cool!!
Ellie Borden grabbed an axe, and gave the preacher 22 whacks.
Joel had his major emotional trauma/shift in episode 1; Ellie now has had her major trauma/emotional shift in episode 8 - which bookends the entire season really well… and now we’re all set up for the finale - and what would be the ending of the first game.
Love this vids, Jacqui - your analysis and predictions remain on point, and it’s so interesting watching someone experience this story with zero prior knowledge. Thanks for these!
Great commentary as always, Jacqui!
I skimmed the comments and one thing I didn't see mentioned was how David's pitch to Ellie wasn't that different from the FEDRA officer at the beginning of the previous episode, with the whole "natural leader" talk, distinguishing and elevating themselves from those around them.
And then Ellie's reaction to those offers at the beginning of her journey: with FEDRA she signs on (as she doesn't really have anything else), and the almost polar opposite with David.
One of the neat unspoken things in this episode is Joel's "interrogation technique". He used the same technique with the old couple in ep. 6 - he just was nicer about it since Ellie was in the same room. The implication is that he's done this many times before - this is basically routine to him...
I played the games originally, but I recently had a daughter and that baby girl hits different now.
James is played by Troy Baker, who played Joel in the game.
completely agree with your post episode statement on the yin/yang duality of Joel and Ellie in terms of maintaining humanity and losing it. as usual, love your reactions to the episode!
as i watched this ep when it came out, i also answered his question about Elli's name with "Veronica" :DD all thanks to you
Love how quickly this came out, much appreciated! So excited to see what you think of this weeks episode! So, so many darker implications with David having been a school teacher and a having a “violent heart” even before outbreak day.
Edit: that Daniel Sloss “burn it down” clip was hilarious 😂 love his standup.
"This meal tastes kinda 'familiar'…:
Another little dark father parallel was David holding Ellie, protecting her against the men that wanted to kill her, just like Joel held Sarah, protecting her against the infected that wanted to kill her.
Slowly becoming one of my favourite reactors and I was waiting for this
One of the very few reactors who hasn’t played the game or seen gameplay of it, so is going in blind.
@@CoffeeMatt10 yes I’m very much enjoying that she hasn’t
22:19 - 23:19 - You made me tear up as I realized something with this statement. I agree 100% but having experienced essentially the 2nd season already through the games, there's something that happens that really echos this later in the story...
Ellie really had a few million cheerleaders during this episode! The emotional shift at the end is a really great development in the story, glad to see how well it translated to the small screen from the game.
Out of all the reactions I've seen to this episode, you're the only one that mentioned the blanket being green. Blew my freakin' mind. Plausible!
Rewatching these reactions because I miss this show so much.
The fact that Joel was probably half frozen 🥶 after trekking through that blizzard without a hat, but he still immediately bundled Ellie up in his own coat to help keep her warm and safe..my heart. That’s so sweet!
its impressive that she can think where the series is going just based on sound and camera shots, I dont know if i should compliment director and actors for thinking of all these small details, or her to be able to notice them..
Couple things:
1. The episode we get Ashley back (OG Ellie) I’m going to be a mess
2. “It’s okay baby girl, I got you.” To quote Jake Peralta from B99…Alright, I’m going to go cry now.
james did such a good job playing david. it truly takes a great actor to portray such a monster like davids character. this show better be in the oscars next year
If you watch the after episode summary, the showrunners plainly state that David was right when he said Ellie was violent. She's not needlessly violent, but at the same time, she goes to violence as a solution to problems very quickly. That's not a judgment - in a world like this, there aren't many options that allow a person to survive a long time and stay morally pure. It always comes with a cost, though, which is one of the series' recurring themes. Kathleen's violence came back to bite her (nearly literally), David's violence got him killed, etc.
as someone who’s played the game i genuinely can’t wait to see your reaction to the season finale. i love hearing your thoughts and what you have to say especially since you’ve never played the game
The fact that they shot Ellie & joel scene way before Bella shot the entire episode & that horrific scene Just goes to show you how LEGENDARY of an actor they are.
Heavy duty, I'm an old skool gore film watcher and this epsiode even made me go WOW
I definitely recommend you listen to the official podcast after each episode! You get lots of background info and fun facts about the creation of the episodes and how they wanted to show major points in each episode
Love all the comments here! I'm here to add a little something something about a small thing Pedro does at the 7:37 scene - notice how he can barely move, but his head just slightly gravitates toward Ellie. Just a sweet little moment, and it reminded me of the hand intertwining from the end of last episode, and also when Joel tells her about constructors and she puts her head softly on him.
I enjoy your reactions, emotions and the way you pick up the writings intelligent details throughout the show. Plus, I love how you sprinkle in your insightful knowledge of cinematography! You're also quite entertaining. Keep up the great work and I'm thrilled for the final episode! Subscribed.
This show is able to do what The Walking Dead was never able to do. How that Humanity is the true evil, with it out feeling rehashed the same over and over. As you said, each time it is an experience and each time brings up different emotions.
Yeah this episode is one big 🚩
It’s a hard one to watch but such an important one for the character development for Ellie.
And ugh the baby girl line just killer me😩
Also the acting from Bella was just phenomenal, u can just feel the pain and anger.
And fun fact, James is actually the voice actor for Joel in the games 😋
Bella said she sounded weird because she was freezing cold xD
Another great reaction! They've arrived at "Baby girl" at last, and did it beautifully. Joel is now 100% committed. Ellie is, as far as he's concerned, his daughter now. His heart of stone beats again.
That said, recall in episode 1, one of the very first decisions Joel made was to leave a family on the side of the road to protect his daughter. "Joel, they got a kid." "So do we, keep driving." Joel's commitment to family is total, and without mercy.
See you next week! Exciting times! :D
All the Cameos in this show are Rightfully Deserved. Merle Dandridge playing the same character of Marlene as in the game. Jeffrey Pierce (Tommy) as Parry, Tory Baker (Joel) as James "Buddy Boy" and Ashley Johnson (Ellie) played Ellie's Mom. As for this episode, it is hand in hand with the game. Only the game play was excluded.
first time in 20 years since joel called someone baby girl.
Two words about Joel in this episode: Dad rage.
You mentioned the bucket of meat wasn't venison. It was actually the girl's dead father. At the dinner, when the widow takes a bit of the "stew" the camera cuts to David, who smiles.
15:20 Speaking about how savage we see Ellie can be all through this season.... I have only one thing to say. "My dear sweet Summer, child...."
17:08 "I'm so proud of you, Ellie. This girl goes down swinging." That's some foreshadowing the likes of which even God has never seen!
Amazing reaction as always! How do you always get your hair that perfect? 😂🥰 and your necklace is so pretty!!
Your channel really has quickly become one of my favourites!
It makes me so happy that they got Joel's og voice actor in this episode and its such a mind fuck to watch him go from JOEL to James haha he did an amazing job and so did the guy who played David (I just feel bad for that actor and any future encounter he may have with idiots who don't know what acting is 🙄
Also bella ramsey KILLS IT every episode but they really outdid themself this episode! ❤
I remember this scene in the game and how violent it was and how sad, for Ellie, I felt after she had to do to David what she did. This whole show and the game is one giant trauma for the soul.
The next episode has a lot to pack in a short amount of time. The ending should be sould sucking for you if it is anything like the game. It is one of the reaons we all love the game.
I like the sped up walk at the end. lmao
Bella is soooo good. She makes everything feel so real. AND THOSE SCREAMS!! They always sound horrifying . The way she sold the fall from the horse. All of it is soo good. Girls acts her little booty off. Props to her. Hope her and Pedro get awards for this.
"I don't condone cold blooded murder but..."
Everything before the but is meaningless. It's a recurring theme for reactors (particularly those that go on ad nauseum about empathy/injustice etc) that there are terrible acts but they're kinda/sorta/mebbe justifiable if you like the person committing them.
You mentioned Kathleen as a monster, but Kathleen (who should have been named Karen because she is the stereotype) grew up from being a mid teen in one of the most brutal FEDRA QZ's (raping, murdering, enslaving), lost her brother who was her safety blanket, and is now obsessed with revenge. Kathleen's position is eminently understandable if we honestly look at her circumstances and forget that she's been cast as the bad guy, but we write her off because we like Joel, Ellie, Henry and Sam.
Side note, if you have a problem with people who do stupid things at any cost to quench their need for revenge, you're going to have issues with TLOU2...= \
As for Joel and the torture/murder scene, if I were in his position I'd do exactly what he did. If someone asked me to justify it, it's pragmatic not to have enemies at your back. Cold blooded logic. Yes, that makes him a murderer, but we already knew that. We just ignore it because he's the hero and the act can't be that bad if the hero is doing it, right?
I’m sitting here binging all of your reactions to this series and love your fresh take and analysis, as well as your genuine empathetic reactions to the more emotional scenes. Also, I’m sure you’ve heard or read this before but you truly look like akin to Ashley Johnson/Ellie (and Sophie Turner/Sansa Stark)! I look forward to seeing more of your reactions!
I just wanna point out that when Ellie says "Well your luck had to run out sooner or later" is almost exactly what Tess said to Joel when she revealed her bite.
David saying "there's no fear in love" at that moment was an interesting and fucked up thing to say in that moment..it also betrays how backwards his view of love is since we've seen throughout the season that true love produces true fear.
Jacqui's master classes on cinematic symbolism!
nice work on this eps jaqui, solid predictions. i thought it was interesting when the food was served how quickly everyone ate cause they were starvin, but the preacher was chill, cause he was probably well fed
BTW, James is the original Joel!!!!! So I was hearing Joel a lot in this episode
Fun fact the aid to David who got the cleaver to the neck is the voice actor for Joel in the game.
20:12 Bella. Fucking. Ramsey! This mix of panic, terror, befuddlement and relief. Absolutely incredible.
TV Ellie kills in-game Joel. That's some epic stuff! And next episode we get OG Ellie!
"I already have Fireflies in my stomach", taking a page from David's book XD
I saw a round table with the actors…they said one of the differences between Ellie and Sarah… was that Joel’s violent side scared Sarah (when he killed their neighbor)…but, “activated” Ellie. (When he beat the crash out of the guard).
Your expression about preacher. Anger and I think you could fry an egg on your forehead. What stare of anger. Empathy for Ellie all the way.
1:32 Right out of the gate, Jacqui is spitting truth, S & M Style...😊