The HBO adaptation of the popular video game ‘The Last of Us’ is quickly gaining popularity worldwide. The story takes place 20 years after civilization has been destroyed due to a deadly fungal infection. As stated on HBO’s official website: Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. 

This is not your typical zombie-thriller show. The fatal “cordyceps” fungal illness takes control of humans who are bitten and turns them into ravenous beasts. The infected use echolocation to get around, making them extra keen to noise, and a much more menacing opponent.

Created and directed by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, the show stars Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Rated 4.5 stars, The Last of Us has received overwhelming support from fans of drama, thriller, and fans of the original video game. 

The show is excellent at keeping you on the edge of your seat with its intense, emotion-provoking, and suspenseful scenes leaving you anticipating more. The Last of Us explores a world where humans, like the infected creatures, are monsters willing to do anything to survive. 

However, Joel and Ellie’s relationship is the most significant part of the show. As the episodes go on, viewers experience their bond grow, and it’s hard not to fall in love with the dynamic duo. Joel and Ellie are opposites personality-wise. Joel is shown as this grim and cold individual, although compassionate and caring. Ellie is more lively and laid-back, sometimes even reckless. 

Although the show is a cinematic masterpiece, it is not exempt from having flaws. Each episode has fast pacing due to them only being approximately 40 to 50 minutes. This can be troubling for viewers to adjust to when a new character is introduced just for them to be killed off 20 minutes later. The audience loses any connection that could have been made with characters that are not Joel and Ellie. This goes for antagonists as well. The rivals don’t affect the audience as much as they would if the show was more slow-paced. With the series only having 9 episodes, it is understandable that they would need to speed things up. Even so, it feels unfulfilling. That is easy to look past though, as the way this show is adapted from a videogame to television is brilliant. 

This is a must-watch. If you like post-apocalyptic dramas, this show is perfect for you.