SPOILERS! Don’t scroll any further if you haven’t seen Episode 1 of TLOU
Before I start the review, I’m going to be honest; I don’t like writing reviews. I have a valid reason for this; I’m not very good at writing them. This stemmed from university and having to write at an academic level. I studied Film and TV Production and one of my semesters was focused on writing film reviews. I’ve read a lot of reviews as I bought Empire magazine every month and used that as my inspiration which was part of my downfall. Rather than giving my reviews their own unique spin and making them more personal, I tried to write them at an industry level which I found tough. I know some of this is because I’m dyslexic and it’s something that does frustrate me, but that shouldn’t stop me from wanting to write reviews.
I only decided a few days ago to review each episode of TLOU (I started writing this the day after the UK got Episode 3, 30th Jan 2023). I know I’m going to struggle with it, but it’s something I could grow to enjoy. My reviews aren’t going to be like what you read in magazines and papers. It’s going to be me rambling and discussing my thoughts on what I loved about each episode.
Since Episodes 1-3 are out, you’ll have already seen numerous takes on the show so far whether it’s been through tweets, Tik Toks or reviews because I certainly have. But sometimes it’s nice to see different people’s opinions. It’s been nearly three weeks since the show premiered and I’m still learning new things about each episode and my love for them keeps growing. Anyways, enough about me and everyone else, you’re here for my thoughts and opinions (I told you I like to ramble).
I’ve been excited for TLOU TV adaptation since it was first announced way back when. At the time I hadn’t even played the games, but I already knew so much about them. In February 2021 Pedro Pascal (one of my favourite actors of all time!) and Bella Ramsay had just been cast as Joel and Ellie. It was starting to feel more and more real. From that moment on, I knew the show was in great hands and had total faith in Pedro, Bella and HBO.
I was determined to play the first game before the show came out. However, I didn’t own a PS4 (we’re an Xbox household. I say we, it’s my dad’s). In January 2022 I finally bought a PS4 and the first game. I won’t go into detail about my experience with the game (you can read that in my Tips/Advice post which I’ll drop the link at the end). But to be brief, I fell in love with the game immediately, even if it did stress me out. The relationship between Joel and Ellie is beautiful and I’ve grown to really care for them. During 2022, my anticipation for the show grew. Every image, poster, trailer, and review made me even more excited. I don’t think I’ve had any low expectations waiting for its release. If anything, my expectations have been that high I didn’t think they could be exceeded. I was wrong. Episode 1 exceeded them by a mile. A mixture of tension, horror, sublime acting, and extraordinary production design made this one of the best TV pilots of all time.
Prologue – 1968
This is one of my favourite scenes from the episode. It opens with what a lot of people are now calling the greatest opening of an episode/TV show of all time. The pilot of a TV show is what draws and hooks you in. A great pilot will leave you wanting more. With TLOU, it didn’t matter to those who played the game if the pilot wasn’t great as we would continue watching the show as it’s a story we know and love. But for those who haven’t played the game, it wouldn’t have taken the entire episode to draw them in. It would only take the first 3 minutes.
The episode opens with a prologue that isn’t included in the game but is a worthy addition to the show. It creates tension and adds more background to the outbreak and leaves you disturbed. It starts with two scientists on a chat show in 1968, 35 years before the Cordyceps outbreak, discussing global pandemics. Epidemiologists Dr Neuman (John Hannah) and Dr Schoenheiss (Christopher Heyerdahl) are being asked about the possibility of a pandemic happening in the future. Schoenheiss is more concerned about diseases such as influenza but it’s Neuman that steals the show. Neuman is concerned about fungus and goes on to explain that fungus is a greater threat to mankind rather than bacteria. He proceeds to describe Cordyceps and how it affects the minds of ants. Neuman states that if the Earth got slightly warmer, mutation is possible and fungi could mutate and infect humans and if it happened, humanity would not survive.
The way Cordyceps was explained to the audience felt so real. I felt like I was watching an actual scientist talking about fungus and that’s one reason that makes the prologue fantastic. On top of this, Neuman’s calm demeanour whilst chatting so casually about something so daunting makes you feel very uncomfortable and so begins that feeling of being uneasy and on edge (which stays with you for the entire episode). He makes you believe that this could actually happen. It’s such a simple scene and yet it’s so effective. It shows you don’t need a large amount of special effects or a big action sequence to draw an audience in. A simple conversation will do and it sets the tone beautifully for the rest of the show.
The Beginning of the Outbreak
After a beautiful title sequence, we find ourselves in 2003 in Sarah’s bedroom. From this moment on, we (those who’ve played the game), know roughly what to expect. We know everything that’s due to happen during the start of the outbreak, but what we wanted to know was whether it would be as good in a live adaptation as it was in the game. I think it was better.
Since I knew what was coming, I didn’t expect to fear for the characters’ lives as I knew their fates. But I’m not just saying this, I have genuinely never been so on edge in my life and that’s what makes this show so remarkable. When Sarah is at The Adlers’ house, she asks to borrow a DVD. Whilst she’s looking for one, in the background behind Sarah is Nana Adler who has been unresponsive the entire time she’s been on screen. But for a few seconds, something changes. She starts to twitch and spasm. Even though she’s not in focus, it’s really creepy to watch and immediately you start to fear for Sarah’s life. What I like in regards to hints of the infection is that they go unnoticed by nearly all the characters or they don’t think anything of it, yet we pick up on every detail. Even Mercy the dog knew what was up.
As the night progresses, we eventually arrive to what is the start of the game. As Sarah goes to the neighbours to try and return a frightened Mercy, she discovers Nana Adler feeding on Mrs Adler. This is our first look at the tendrils which have replaced the spores and I think the tendrils are better. I don’t think the spores would have been as effective or as scary as the tendrils. The tendrils are disgusting and strange, especially the way they grow and move hanging out of the mouth. This was also our first look at a runner (first-stage infected) in action, and boy they can move. When Nana Adler spots Sarah, she immediately stops feeding and runs after her like an Olympic athlete. I think they’ve made them even faster than in the game. At this point, I was panicking that Sarah would get caught and eaten by Nana even though I know her fate. As Sarah makes her way out of the house, Joel and Tommy arrive and Joel smacks Nana in the head with a wrench. Things only get worse from here.
Whilst the trio try leaving the city, we see some familiar scenes. They recreated shot for shot the entire scene where Tommy, Joel and Sarah drive through town trying to find a way out. They pass the burning building, the family stuck by the side of the road and eventually the car crashes. It took a lot in me not to constantly point and click at the TV like Leonardo DiCaprio or shout ‘THAT’S JUST LIKE THE GAME’. But as the events were unfolding, I was getting tenser.
After the car crash when Joel and Sarah are separated from Tommy, they come across some newly infected and are chased by one. I was freaking out. I even started biting my nails I was that scared but I knew that they would survive this encounter (just like Sarah survived Nana) as I’ve already experienced it. This is what I love about the show. Even though I know what’s coming, I feel just as on edge as when I was playing the game. The fact I felt the same way whilst going through the same thing in two different forms of media is extraordinary. I think when adapting a game, it’s harder to get those same reactions as you know what the re-created scenes could look like as most adaptations stick to similar designs. With a book adaptation, it’s different because as much as you can visualise it, you know it won’t look exactly how you imagined it. So, when you finally see a book adaptation, even though you know the events, you’ve never seen them before which gains a bigger response! This is where the writers and creators of the show deserve all the praise they can get. They pulled something off that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before.
Sarah’s Death
The same can be said for Sarah’s death. I’d already prepared myself for this. When Sarah died in the game, I was shocked. It was one character’s death I had no idea about and I knew seeing it in live-action would be just as sad. It was worse; it was heart breaking. It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and stamped on. Nico Parkers’ performance as Sarah, although it was only short, was phenomenal. She added more depth and personality to a character who is barely in the game and yet she left us all in an emotional state when she died. She nailed it. To add even more emotional damage to us all was Pedro Pascals’ performance as Joel. As much as it was very similar to the game, Joel’s reactions still had me on the verge of tears. I didn’t think I would be as distraught as I was when Sarah died in live action, but those performances made it heart-breaking, and I think they affected everyone. Not once, but twice, Sarah’s death floored me.
Ellie
20 years after the outbreak, we’re introduced to the quarantine zone, life under FEDRA, the fireflies and our main star of the show; Ellie. Ellie is a character I’ve become very attached to whilst playing the game. Seeing her in live action for the first time was something I couldn’t wait for, and I was not disappointed. Bella Ramsey IS Ellie. The mannerisms, the facial expressions and the line delivery just scream Ellie. I honestly wanted to cry with happiness at how much Bella had captured Ellie as well as bringing their own take to the character. Thinking back, I was already sold on their performance the moment Ellie pretended to start twitching in the trailer as it was definitely something Ellie would do! I really can’t wait to see more of Bella’s portrayal of Ellie throughout the show.
I know a lot of fans struggled to accept Bella’s casting at first. I could understand some of it to an extent as when a character you love so much is going to be brought to life, you want it to be perfect as they mean so much to you. It happens with every adaptation. That being said, my view on it was to wait and see. You can’t judge a person’s performance when the show isn’t even out yet. This episode shut a lot of those people up. What has been nice to see though, is everyone’s reaction to Bella after the episode dropped. The amount of praise they’ve received is well and truly deserved. A lot of the audience seemed to be sold on their performance the moment they started counting to 10 and ended it with ‘fuck you’. That’s our Ellie alright! I think it’s safe to say, Bella was the right person and the only person who could play Ellie. I said it at the start of this review, and I’ll say it again, I knew that Joel and Ellie would be in safe hands with Pedro and Bella.
Depeche Mode
Whilst in Joel and Tess’s apartment, Ellie discovers a radio code in the form of music. ’60s is ‘nothing in’, ’70s is ‘new stock’ and we eventually learn that ’80s is ‘trouble’. As the trio leave the QZ and enter the city, the scene cuts back to the apartment and the radio turns on playing Depeche Mode’s 1987 hit ‘Never Let Me Down Again’. As the song plays out, we get the last look of our trio as the episode ends and it looks like a nightmare. They’re in trouble. Not only does it indicate trouble, but the lyrics of the song symbolise Joel and Ellie’s journey;
‘I’m taking a ride with my best friend, I hope he never lets me down again, He knows where he’s taking me, Taking me where I want to be, I’m taking a ride with my best friend’.
Right now the lyrics don’t necessarily mean anything since we’re in the very early days of Joel and Ellie’s relationship but as the show progresses, they’ll become a lot more significant. I do hope we get to hear it again later in the show. It’s been great seeing so many people discover Depeche Mode because of TLOU. It reminds me of last summer when people discovered Kate Bush because of Stranger Things. I’ve always found TV/film a great way to discover artists as you never know who you’ll discover.
There’s no point in me saying ‘I can’t wait for the next episode’ as I’m to date with the show, I’m just really behind with my reviews. What I will say is from what I’ve seen already, I do believe this will be one of the best TV shows of all time.
Here’s the link for my Tips and Advice post:
Everything & I 