Spoiler for the first episode of the second season of The Last of Us.
Let me say right from the start: there was also a lot of good things on the first episode of the second season of The Last of Us and in general the first season was already good television. But ultimately she did not really do justice to the phenomenal template - or at least she added nothing but the really beautiful third episode of the existing story that the game would not have done better.
In fact, I had the feeling several times that the makers were shining back from the scattering of the game. After the premiere of the second season, the same feeling suffers me again. Already the first scene (or the firstnew scene, because at the very beginning there is a flashback at the end of season one) a structural adaptation, which leaves a lot of air out of the procedure and which in mind, what is still coming now.
The art of telling us things at the right time
Who the hell had the idea of humanizing Abby at the very beginning? Instead of experiencing them as a cipher that turns noble into an ruthless revenge angel, we will meet her at the very beginning with her group mourning at the grave of the Fireflys, which Joel murdered at Ellie's rescue. Right from the start, we will witness how much Joel has destroyed the life of these young people and that they are now - understandably - on revenge.
In the game, Abby's connections to the Fireflys are discussed much later, it is the central twist of the action that the young but terrifying woman, has understandable motifs, are "good" and "evil" only a question of perspective and that we are more and more felt with her.The game started as it started so that we could hate Abby and in the bloody cycle of guilt and retaliation. The second part could only achieve its effect because we did not know Abby's motives. The series now seems as if it found that the TV audience could not expect that. Yes, I almost look like a reaction to the backlash against Abby. I found that very disappointing.
Otherwise, a long -term kind of quality
Especially because I liked the rest pretty much. Katherine O'Haras Gail urgently gives a psychologist who talks Joel to a conscience to face his demons. Isabela Merceds Dina has an excellent chemistry with everyone with whom it shares the screen, which is a key attribute for this figure. The scene is partly borrowed from the game and the infected action is really exciting. Bella Ramsey is still excellent in the role of Ellie and Pedro Pascal is always a bank anyway.
I am not yet sure what to think that one of the destroyed cords of the cordyceps threatens to penetrate Jackson, but at least it is a new tension element, the course and meaning of which I cannot estimate in advance. I hope that this is not used as a mere excuse to accommodate a pure action sequence in this very character and plot-driven series-whose second season only contains seven episodes-which otherwise does not contribute to the plot. We will see.
In this respect: that was fine. Nevertheless, I very much regret to have come from the first episode with a strange feeling. I am very curious to see if the series can make any capital from it to introduce us to Abby's true motivation so early. At least it indicates that the showrunner threw the entire two -part approach of the game overboard. But hey, if Season two - like the first season - should remain good, but ultimately not necessarily essential accompanying material for fans of the games, I see this as confirmation that the best video games now have a lot ahead of television and films.
