When i see an episode has a 9.5/10 i expect greatness. Greatness as in Breaking Bad's Chicanery, The last season of Better Call saul, Season 3 of the Walking Dead and certain iconic episodes of GoT.
My expectations were not met. I am a longtime fan of the franchise, played all the games multiple times and really love the world that Naughty Dog & Neil Druckmann created.
This episode is good in terms of production value, lighting, Pedro Pascal and Sam & Henry but it has some major flaws.
Let me elaborate;
In the game the Pittsburgh chapter on which this and the previous episode are based has some truly iconic scenes.
Think about the humvee chasing Joel & Ellie, the sneaking out while avoiding the search light and in general the whole flooded and desolate apocalyptic city with the occasional hunter encounter.
This epsiode basically shows an entire city taken over by hunters who have an arsenal and multiple cars and trucks. The feel is just different. There is no feeling of an unknwon threat looming.
Sam & Henry were convincing, it was nice to hear more about Henry's backstory. However some iconic scenes from the game were missing completely (Toy store robot, suburbs exploration)
Overall this had a Game of Thrones season 8 vibe. When the writers try to be creative and stray away too far from the brilliant source material, this is the result. Like the night king and the ex machina's in the long night episode, visually stunning but it leaves no lasting impression.
Will continue watching this show. But a 9.5? Not even close.
My expectations were not met. I am a longtime fan of the franchise, played all the games multiple times and really love the world that Naughty Dog & Neil Druckmann created.
This episode is good in terms of production value, lighting, Pedro Pascal and Sam & Henry but it has some major flaws.
Let me elaborate;
- The main antagonist is not convincing at all,Kathleen never comes across as scary or unpredictable.
- At a certain point, Joel is in a sniper's nest and multiple cars with villains arrive. The first thing Kathleen does, is to sent 4 men around to take out Joel. Somehow these 4 men never reach Joel and Joel made his way out and is outside of the house after the zombie horde slaughters it's way through the baddies.
- About this zombie horde; somehow they are triggered by a car sliding down into a basement? But not by the big trucking plowing it's way through car wrecks or the multiple shots fired before?
In the game the Pittsburgh chapter on which this and the previous episode are based has some truly iconic scenes.
Think about the humvee chasing Joel & Ellie, the sneaking out while avoiding the search light and in general the whole flooded and desolate apocalyptic city with the occasional hunter encounter.
This epsiode basically shows an entire city taken over by hunters who have an arsenal and multiple cars and trucks. The feel is just different. There is no feeling of an unknwon threat looming.
Sam & Henry were convincing, it was nice to hear more about Henry's backstory. However some iconic scenes from the game were missing completely (Toy store robot, suburbs exploration)
Overall this had a Game of Thrones season 8 vibe. When the writers try to be creative and stray away too far from the brilliant source material, this is the result. Like the night king and the ex machina's in the long night episode, visually stunning but it leaves no lasting impression.
Will continue watching this show. But a 9.5? Not even close.
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