diebartdie

Well, according to the writers/show runners, this entire episode underlined, highlighted and expanded on the theme of the show

That was amazing. If you don't know the game, I reckon you can head over to the other thread to learn about it so I will only say that I LOVE this portrayal of Bill + Frank. Main difference being that in the game one of those 2 ends up being more-or-less the object of a homophobic joke (mild but still) where this was just a wholly realized love story. That's what it was, "love" and I for one was so relived when it was that and not some boring softcore near porn thing. I'm so happy we're FINALLY getting stories like this because THIS is what all us gays have been asking for all along! Just show us as normal people. People from all over the political spectrum. People who fall in love and show kindness, tenderness (that love scene omg), vulnerability but also are like real people who argue over stupid shit. Just seeing that makes a world of difference. Regarding "rabid gamer guys", TLoU wasn't "queer" in any way, nor was it "straight" but TLoU2...well it was basically it's own giant Pride Parade (and I loved it for that). Maybe a day will finally come when we are just part of the tapestry of humanity and not noteworthy, not some "thing" to be enraged by. Episodes like this one go a long, long way towards building that future for all of us.

I'm starting this topic because I am just so blown away by the visual world building in this show. Pedro Pascal LOOKS like he's pushing 60 but he's only 47! Anna Torv LOOKS like she's had a HARD 50+ years but she's only 43! That's cool but easy, right? Yeah but LOOK AT THE BUILDINGS and the highways and the cars and seriously, LOOK at that cityscape! Now if you're like me, you watched your fair share of The Walking Dead and how many times were you jarred out of a scene due to a well manicured lawn? Roadways with the shoulders mowed down nicely? Hell, working cars and motorcycles and the fresh, clean gasoline to go into them? Now here's The Last of Us and EVERYTHING looks like shit. Glorious, beautiful shit, devastation on screen that you can really FEEL. Just looking at the cityscape causes my mind to instantly fill with all the untold stories. How many people were still alive in that building when it slumped over onto another building? How many people had to just abandon their families in those cars on the highway? How many proud Americans surrendered sheeplike to the fascist FEDRA just to have a CHANCE at a meal? Why did people move from one city to another? Everywhere I look, I see stories and stories and more stories and it's just incredible. It all looks real, looks like hell. And there there are the infected and honestly, right now I can NOT say they are "better" than TWD zombies because on TWD, ALL the money went into those zombies, never had a complaint about them. However, these Last of Us infected (not zombies as they are not dead) look amazing. Difference is (at least to me), zombies retain enough humanity in their faces it's hard not to feel sadness, empathy, pity. TLoU infected, especially those nasty "clickers" look much more like straight up monsters to me so they do not trigger empathy. Monster? Kill it! So, I am REALLY enjoying this show, it has far exceeded MY expectations and it really looks like every doller it cost to create is right there in the screen. It's awesome, it's haunting and it is carrying it's weight in a way TWD never ever was able to do.

TWD zombies are dead people. It looks like TLoU "zombies" are still alive. As Geoge Romero said, "I do have rules in my head of what’s logical and what’s not. I don’t think zombies can run. Their ankles would snap!" So dead things are slow things, living things can be fast things.

Um...absolutely no spoilers from me but my guy, the ending was the entire point of the whole thing. Without THAT ending, this is nothing, not even The Walking Dead level pointlessness.

I've not (yet) played the game but I've watched full play throughs twice because the story is so good. I very much enjoyed this episode and hope it keeps being so good. I liked the little tweaks and knew from interviews that gas masks were not going to be a thing and I'm glad about that really. I liked all the cast except the young lady playing Ellie but not for her acting which seemed fine, I just...well...this is terrible to admit but I don't like her face. UGH, I'm happy with her acting so I'll just have to ignore that tiny little baby face on that adult size head. Honestly, I wish the girl who played Sarah was playing Ellie (but maybe she's not yet ready for such a demanding part?) Anyway, I don't think the average viewer would watch this and instantly think "video game adaptation!" because structurally, it wasn't particularly game-ish. It felt far more "action movie" is certain parts...interestingly (to me), the most "action movie" bits were the bits that were directly lifted from the game (the chaotic truck escape at the beginning). I'm a huge, life-long fan of the zombie genre so of course I will stick with this show. I think it's a more realistic take on what might happen if a horrible *something* wipes out almost everyone and parts of governments and militaries attempt to rebuild some sort of society (instead of the dumb hodge-podge Rick and Co did for their 15 or so years).

So, I am well aware there is a vocal segment of this forum/fandom that absolutely hate Carol with a burning passion but here's my 2cents. I started watching this show because the website io9 turned me on to the comics which lead to the tv show. In the comic (spoiler for a really old comic), Carol was so different. She was so traumatized, at one point she came on to both Lori and Rick, wanting to create a thrupple. When they rejected her, she ended up committing suicide via chained up zombie. She was a weird, barely there character with hard to understand motivations. The tv show Carol started out that way and was that way for 2 seasons and then she just changed. That sudden, complete about face really threw a lot of people and I think maybe that lead to some of the above mentioned ire towards Carol. For some people, that kind of sudden change represents some deceit or for the more literal minded, a plot-hole instead of character development. Im a survivor of domestic violence and I grew up seeing important women in my life (mother, grandmother, great aunt) suffer under extreme domestic violence. I saw my mom and later myself behave like season 1-2 Carol, meek, withdrawn, quiet but more importantly I saw my grandmother go the route of season 3 Carol. No more taking shit. No more being the punching bag. No. More. So why say all this? Because for me, Carol was the most important, most relatable character on TWD followed closely by Daryl. I totally got that weird, unexplained sudden transformation between seasons because I had seen it in real life. Sometimes you really do JUST CHANGE. It's change or die and she chose to change. She did so many heroic things but no way was she a hero. No, she was still damaged, still fucked up from all the trauma. What else could possibly explain her horrible psychological abuse of Sam? I mean, she really did a number on that poor child and this marked yet another change in her character, her descent into what looked like psychotic depression. She went downhill for a long time, a real long time. Her decisions grew ever more reckless, her paranoia grew and she began to develop obsessions that nearly got herself and those she loved killed, over and over. I think by the end of the series she had made yet another change, the one called menopause, the one big ass change that really puts a person's whole life in perspective. I think the Carol we saw at the very end of the show was the best, most balanced, most psychically integrated she had ever been. Strong, brave, nothing left to prove, able to love and care and protect without the insanity. I loved this inspiring character, she was the show for me with filthy Daryl as a very close second (the wounded child grown into fierce protector). I prefer this ending for her instead of her racing off to fucking France. So now I cry instead of when cypher Rosita died, lol.

Well, as far as series endings go....it was better than the end of Xena, less annoying but very similar to Battlestar Galactica reboot ending and it could only dream of being anywhere near to the endings of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. I didn't hate it, I did get misty eyed over Rosita but it didn't hurt my heart, not like losing Carol would've. Did they earn that sappy ending? Sure, why not, who cares. I did NOT like the coda with Rick and Michonne, I feel like the actors made the choice to leave the show and they should've just kept walking but I think Clutterbuck misses the paycheck and the constant fan adoration and Danai, well she's trying to get as big creatively as possible as fast as possible and I respect that but even she should've just kept walking away because frankly, for a LOT of people when Michonne abandoned her children she became almost equal to Negan in villainy. I know I lost all my respect for her (Michonne) when she left (but at the same time, nothing but respect for Danai....until she decided to come back for the R&M thing). Maybe it's just me but I still do not understand what the point of The World Beyond even was. Z-virus came from France... ok? Rick is wearing a CRM jacket and was picked up by a CRM helicopter with Jadis who somehow was secretly CRM... ok? That's just all so stupid and pointlessly convoluted and seriously, The World Beyond looked dumb, only hardcore nutballs even watched it (yes, referring to myself here) so IDK....plus really seriously why tf would Michonne be dressed in Dora Milaje cos-play?!?!?!? THAT WAS SO WEIRD!!!!! I guess when it's all said and done, The Walking Dead seems to have turned into a missed opportunity and having missed it, certain parties are trying desperately to create something, anything to recapture that lightning....too bad because the last season of TWD did not do the franchise any favors and really, the show ought to have ended years ago (before Negan IMO). It's been so great posting here with you all fellow hardcore nutballs, especially the few of us who came from TWOP and are still here! We've had so many awesome conversations, some of you mf-ers are some of the smartest people I've ever "met" and I'm so grateful. I'm not going anywhere, I'll be around but I reckon this subforum will slowly die, as all things should.

but Daryl woulda just blew up all the fuel anyway!

The Andrea one was wild!

Oh...oh yes....zombie bomb go boom....yessssssssssss

Oh no, right, that was Hornsby, my bad

Was that zombie the talking dead host?

...rosita?

Lydia looks just fine (nobody ever ever got an infection)

there were far more fake baby judiths than folks realized

The zombies were all looking the best I think they've ever looked

Adrenalin got them all hulking out

rosita....

MILTON OMFG!!!!

I feel like Luke shoulda done been gone.

I only have AMC+, Im watching it live on amc+

love this montage

Rick is my favorite villain

Seems like he and possibly Danai will be...fingers crossed!