The last of us tv series is based on a popular video game on PlayStation consoles. It was so popular they are releasing it on other consoles which usually doesn't happen. I watch many streaming shows adapted from books and video games and i believe this might be one of the best adaptations I've ever seen.
The last of us is a show about a zombie apocalypse. If you've ever seen the walking dead then you would understand this world immediately. They are fighting for their life at every turn. It’s the end of the world and everyone is invited. Who makes it is anyone's guess. One of the fun things about these apocalyptic genres is putting yourself in their shoes and seeing if you would be able to survive as the people in the show did. It leads to so many questions we never ask ourselves during our boring 9-5 job-centered lives.
There are a few reasons why I loved this show.
1. It stays true to the original material
I've watched a lot of streaming shows originating from other sources and one of my pet peeves of watching a book or video game coming to the tv or movie world is they ignore the source material. Shows like The wheel of time, movies like Eragon, and The Halo series on paramount are all examples where they leave out the source material and make a new world on top of the source material. It frustrates me to no end because in my mind the source material is worth the source. If the material is so good then why adapt it to another plot? It boggles my mind why people feel the need to take something that's beautifully written and constructed and put their own spin on it.
The reason Im watching an adaptation is because I usually love the source material. When people decide to ignore the bulk of the plot it takes away from the feelings that originated from playing the game or reading the book. This is why you usually hear people say the book was better when asking if the movie or the book was better. I understand that sometimes a book's language doesn't show up well on camera but usually what happens is tv shows and movies tend to change the direction of the source material altogether so it feels like a different plot completely. The last of us doesn't do that at all. In fact, it takes scenes from the game and puts it exactly in the show word for word. I've never played the game but i loved this idea. It's staying true to why people loved the game and it should be considered more by people who make TV and movie adaptations.
I understand the need to be creative. It's how we got the play hamilton which is an adaption from our U.S. history. It beautifully told the story of our country while making leaders of our country different nationalities. To this day it's one of my favorite plays for its creativity. So I'm not against changes but to deviate completely from a source material makes me so sad that i usually can't finish a show or movie.
2. The actors were amazing
Pedro Pascal plays Joel and Bella Ramsey plays Ellie in the Last of Us show. These two are great actors in my opinion. Pedro Pascal is currently doing the Mandalorian as well and I love that show. A lot of times we might think that acting is a gimmick but when I watch shows like this I began to see that not just anyone could play these roles and make me feel the way I do. I wish to God i could see a black batman but honestly, it's always been a white guy and I kinda don't care to see otherwise. I have no special love for skin color in films. If you can act you should get the role but I don't limit people to their color. I remember watching Jim Carrey act on In Living Color with an all-black cast where they did comedy sketches. He became a legend there. To me, it implies that color doesn't fit us together as much as purpose. When you get with people that have an equal purpose then you get creative beauty.
The acting between these two was dynamic. Not only that but the supporting cast was just as believable. There was one episode that showed a gay couple. I can't stomach watching two men kissing (just personal preference, I don't judge anyone for how they live) but the way they told that story of isolation to understanding, to acceptance, to love, and then to commitment was beautiful. Romeo and Juliet have nothing on that story. Many times people think love looks only a certain way and the show proved that love can grow and we should allow for that.
All around i can't suggest this show The Last of Us enough. It was deeply moving in a way that TV show adaptations should be. In the end, i would rather be moved by the original source material than some mixed-mash creative guru. There is a space for all creativity but Im tired of seeing good source material trampled up in rewrite rooms. If history has proven anything at all, it's proven that people love rewriting history. They would rewrite the bible if they could. But lucky God ain’t about that life.
Some people might say they did translate the bible wrong but I don't think they did completely. There is a big difference between an inspired word of God and men's ability to comprehend that word. Just because you can read it doesn't mean you understand it. I really don't enjoy adaptations that don't understand the source material. Anyway please go watch the last of us streaming on HBO. It's worth the monthly subscription.
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