Posted in: HBO, Review, TV | Tagged: anna torv, Bella Ramsey, craig mazin, neil druckmann, Pedro Pascal

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Adventures in Babysitting

Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and Anna Torv anchor a powerful second episode of HBO's The Last of Us that establishes the Cordyceps threat.

Published Mon, 23 Jan 2023 07:41:12 -0600

by Tom Chang

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The second episode of The Last of Us is another deviation from the video games showing the reach of the Cordyceps pandemic when we see an Indonesian epidemiologist being shown a mysterious case of a victim found. After finding out how the fungus mutates, she delivers a grim message about how to handle the outbreak in its cold opening. We then shift to the aftermath of the premiere episode involving Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and what her escorts, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Tess (Anna Torv), will do. Clearly, on edge, the two reluctantly agree to carry on the mission Marlene (Merle Dandridge) tasks them on.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Adventures in Babysitting — Image: HBO

The Familiar Urban Crawl in "The Last of Us"

It's there where we get to know the crumbling urban foundation that The Last of Us is largely built. Dilapidated buildings are largely on the verge of collapse, and our adventurers trying to find a way through. It's one thing to create the details in the game; it's another with the meticulous production design and use of space. Already founded on a contentious and shaky foundation, we see the first real signs of Joel and Ellie bonding while Tess is focused on the task at hand.

We get more deviations from the game as creators Craig Mazin (who wrote the episode "Infected") and Neil Druckmann (who directed it) compress a 15-hour game into a nine-episode season. While the world of The Last of Us is about as expansive as The Walking Dead as far as balancing the infected and human factions, the series at this point is far more focused on establishing the main characters, the infected in the world they live in, and the places they travel. There isn't an ensemble cast to establish, which benefits the series in terms of exposition.

The episode was about Joel, Ellie, and Tess, which makes it a great follow-up to the premiere episode "When You're Lost in the Darkness." Pascal, Ramsey, and Torv make the best of their shorter time. While the game predicates itself more on more non-stop action, the series expands, allowing the audience to immerse themselves into the three characters, not just their environments recreated from the game. There is another dramatic change I'm sure some fans will get upset about, but again, we're compressing a 15-hour game into nine episodes, and it works. Credit goes to the actors, production design, and the attention to detail on the practical VFX (especially with the clickers) and subtle CG.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 2: "Infected"

Review by Tom Chang

8.5/10

Neil Druckmann follows a powerful premiere from his co-creator Craig Mazin in his first directing effort for HBO's The Last of Us. Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and Anna Torv make the best of their time immersing viewers into the world once exclusive to fans of the Naughty Dog PlayStation games while also expanding upon it for the sake of a deeper, more enriching viewing experience. Plenty of action, but even more nuanced exposition between the characters leads to a powerful finish.

Credits

Director

Neil Druckmann

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