TV Series

The Last of Us. Warning — if you haven't watched this, and want to, spoilers. Don't read this post.

Ok, I know we've moved on from The Last of Us, so let me round up, as briefly as I can.

No, I shall not be watching the second series.
The zombie thing did not annoy me all that much, finally. It's used sparingly in the later episodes of Season 1, and in a justified way, by and large. Have you noticed, though, how all these zombies (ok, “infected”, as they're called) just have bundles of energy, in all these series? Not just this one. I mean, if they could stay on a track, they'd be a top sprinter, or a top hurdler. Usain Bolt level. Pity they're so erratic. These pesky Cordyceps fungi just never had the makings of a varsity athlete…
Oh and of course they've got to scream in the most blood-curdling way (not sure how the fungus finds that useful in propagation). Ah well, I suppose the genre has traditions, and those traditions must be respected…
No, it's Joel and Ellie. And Marlene. Joel is this top street fighter, with years and years of experience of urban guerrilla warfare behind him, both against “infected” and, apparently, not only Fedra personnel, but the Fireflies (he says at one point he fought on both sides). They go through this incredibly dangerous landscape, urban and rural, and every time they miraculously pull themselves out of it. But absurdly, every time they're coming into a town or city or just general area in which you know there's going to be extreme danger, far from becoming more silent and watchful, they start chatting together — they get almost chirpy. They saunter into these places, virtually. Of course, this is setting up the “jump scare” in the narrative. You actually always know it's coming, because as soon as they start saying “Well, we made it, let's high five at this point!”, you just know it's the cue for a zombie out to bite them, or a scavenger out to shoot them, or a government agent out to shoot them, or rebel also out to shoot them, to jump out from behind the rubble or a rusting car.
I mean, I know it's just a series, but are we really supposed to be that stupid?
Final episode strides way beyond the breaking-of-scepticism point. Marlene waits for Joel to come round, then tells him, knowing that he's bonded strongly with Ellie after all they've been through, what's going to be done to her. This is Marlene, leader of the resistance, who knows that Ellie is pure gold. In effect, the only hope for humanity, probably. She would, without any doubt, have simply had Ellie anaesthetised, carted off to the operating theatre post-haste, and put a bullet through Joel's head while he was still out. Even given that it would have been personally difficult to do all that, there is no other course of action that's even vaguely credible. Given the stakes, and given her position.
This series could have bitten the bullet in that final episode (in a manner of speaking): Joel eliminated. Ellie sacrificed. The beginnings of a vaccine being developed. Then it could have spun off in all kinds of interesting directions. Because just having a vaccine or a remedy for a world-wide pandemic (as we've seen all too recently) then creates its own problems. Just imagine if the secret got out. There could be commando groups flying in from China and all over to get hold of that thing. The neo-Nazi Fedra forces would send everything they'd got out there. Marauding bands wanting to get hold of it to monetize it (billions of dollars or whatever people have to barter, potentially). Of course, new strong characters would have to be brought in. But anyway, I've read summaries of the second season, and it doesn't take that route. Joel slaughters loads of people, leaves a trail of bodies on his way to rescuing Ellie, and everything's fine and dandy, because, aah, she's found a father, and he's found a daughter. (I know he gets bumped off in the second series). A complete cop-out, as far as I'm concerned, and just not in any way realistic.
Just my take. I'll leave it there.
 
yankblue said:
Just finished it tonight myself, really enjoyed it as well. Definitely set it up for a second season, I think I read it's based off a book series so they should have plenty of source material
Click to expand...
Finished it off myself on Sunday. Great series really enjoyed it, it took me a couple of episodes to get into it though.
I've heard its similar to Slow Horses. Is that worth a watch, I didn't persevere with that after the 1st episode
 
Just finished Bosch Legacy on Amazon Prime. An awesome series 9.5/10.

And yet, Amazon didn't renew the series for a fourth season in spite of its popularity, citing high production costs and an upcoming Bosch spinoff as reasons...

FFS - I'm sick and tired of networks cancelling popular series based on number crunching. How about don't launch the spinoff if you want to cut costs; or, even better - why was Bosch Legacy at first only available for free with commercials? - why not available for free with commercials or commercial free with Amazon Prime?
 
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