When the line is blurred what is left?

When the line is blurred what is left?

Review: The Last of Us – Season 1

The Last of Us has concluded its nine episode first season and now seems like as good a time as any to dissect the HBO show that is more popular than its recent offering House of the Dragon.

The series was developed by Craig Mazin, the creator of the critically acclaimed series Chernobyl.

For those of you who don’t know, it is also based on a popular video game of the same name and has been adapted for the screen by the games creator Neil Druckmann.

The story follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a teenage girl who may hold the key to humanity’s survival, as they navigate a post-apocalyptic world full of infected humans. Post Covid, the show seems more prescient than ever.

Joel and Ellie, develop a complex relationship over the course of the series. As they journey together, they become more than just traveling companions; they become a surrogate family for each other.

Throughout the show there is exploration the dynamics of other relationships, such as those between parents and children, siblings, and friends. Particular stand out episodes, such as episode three spent ten years with Frank (Murray Bartlett) and Bill (Nick Offerman) who were side characters in the game and their relationship was explored in depth in one of the series longest episodes.

Among the many take-aways from the first season would be when the rules of society break down, what is right and wrong becomes less clear-cut. Characters are forced to make difficult decisions that often have no easy answers. For example, in the game, Joel is faced with a choice at the end that challenges his morality and has significant consequences for the story. The show explores these ethical dilemmas, and how characters navigate them in great detail and in the process deepening character relationships and dynamics.

The series reflects the struggle for survival in a world where hope, sacrifice, forgiveness, and human connection are crucial and nowhere is this more evident than in the central duo – Ellie and Joel. Eschewing much of the violent gameplay the show opts to use the violence as a counterpoint to character development, which is what makes many of the actions taken so heartbreakingly poignant.

The Last of Us was so popluar that it has already been greenlit for a second season, which will further make fans happy.

The Last of Us is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged series that provides viewers with a glimpse into a world where the line between right and wrong is often blurred, and where faith, hope, and love are essential for survival.

All nine episodes of The Last of Us are available with a subscription to Foxtel or Binge

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