The critically acclaimed video game The Last of Us, written and co-directed by Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, introduced a post-apocalyptic, heart-shattering epic firmly rooted in a broad spectrum of moral grey. It centered around an unlikely pair that unwittingly forged a profound connection amidst their grim reality, balancing hope with darkness. Something that Chernobyl series creator Craig Mazin seemed uniquely well suited to adapt. Mazin and Druckmann more than succeed with their adaptation; HBO’s “The Last of Us” is a stunning triumph.
The series introduces Joel (Pedro Pascal) in 2003 as a contractor working with his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and raising teen daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) on his own. The introduction to their everyday existence coincides with a bizarre Cordyceps mutation that cataclysmically destroys modern civilization and plunges the world into a bleak dystopia.
Twenty years later, a hardened Joel lives in an oppressive quarantine zone with Tess (Anna Torv) and finds himself tasked with smuggling cargo across a dangerous country. That cargo comes in the form of young Ellie (Bella Ramsey). What initially begins as a simple job becomes a grueling journey full of devastation and hope.
Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO
Mazin, who co-wrote and executive produced with Druckmann, captures the video game’s core essence and story beats while expanding upon it in triumphant ways organic to the source material. How Mazin and Druckmann build upon backstories and flesh out supporting characters leads to some of the finest hours of television of all time. Joel and Ellie’s voyage through various pockets of post-apocalyptic America leads to harrowing scenarios and perilous obstacles they’re forced to work around. Each encounter profoundly shapes them and their reluctant bond. Some meetings affirm that trust shouldn’t be placed lightly, while others instill hope for humanity.
In the latter department, Nick Offerman makes his brief appearance as Bill stand out among the series’ best performances. His portrayal of Bill transcends the source material with emotional resonance that highlights our need for connection in such a thoughtful way while serving as one of the optimistic peaks in Joel and Ellie’s journey. And there are so many highs and lows along the way that’ll leave you laughing and crying in equal measure.
Pedro Pascal is perfectly cast as the hardened smuggler with a profoundly checkered past. Joel is a textbook antihero, prone to making ruthless choices in the name of survival and, occasionally, love. Yet Pascal ensures he never loses empathy, even when perhaps he should. Bella Ramsey’s Ellie is a complex teen who exudes vivacious youth while internalizing the weight of the world. Both leads suffered traumatic losses that shaped their present, and how their journey forces them to reckon with their survivor’s guilt and past trauma creates compelling arcs for both.
Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO
Mazin and Druckmann craft a densely packed world with live-in characters. It’s a deeply human story that often seeks to explore the intricate minutiae of humanity in the quiet stretches. That only becomes an issue in the inaugural season’s back half, when backstory works to undermine momentum in parts, but it’s minor comparatively. Helping is the unrelenting sense of dread that hangs over Ellie and Joel at every step, even with no immediate threat in sight. That has as much to do with the human threats as it does the Cordyceps-infected monsters.
“The Last of Us” covers so much ground, narratively and geographically, breathing new life into the zombie story. At its core, it remains firmly committed to exploring the remnants of humanity in the wake of an apocalyptic event. Still, it’s the exploration of immoral grey that sets it apart. Every single character introduced does what they can to survive, but it’s in their approach that most fascinates. Those that desire connection find it, even if not always how they’d hoped. Those who place stock in fate or revenge meet the wrong end of it. What you put out into the world comes back around eventually, but it’s the how that surprises. “The Last of Us” isn’t afraid to ask challenging questions with no easy answers; or no answers at all. That it’s so exceptionally and meticulously crafted means that it has effectively shattered the ceiling for video game adaptions.
The nine-episode first season of “The Last of Us” debuts Sunday, January 15 at 9:00p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream in 4K on HBO Max.
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