As a huge fan of the game series, I practically pooped my pants when a live-action rendition of “The Last of Us” was announced. “The Last of Us” is a video game franchise by Naughty Dog. It follows Joel Miller 20 years after the start of a viral zombie apocalypse. He is tasked with transporting young Ellie Williams through the terrain. 

Originally a PlayStation exclusive, “The Last of Us Part I” is coming to PC this April. “The Last of Us Part II” continued Ellie’s story in 2020. 

As a fan of Pedro Pascal in general, I was super excited when he was cast as Joel. Although he’s far from a niche celebrity, I always feel a weird sense of pride when I see him in roles. 

Finally, the day was upon us! The first episode of the mini-series was released Sunday, January 15 on HBO Max. 

One thing I’ve always loved about “The Last of Us” franchise was its take on the zombies (which, like “The Walking Dead,” are never referred to as such), specifically, the concept of a fungal virus that seeks to control people. Explanations like these have always made zombie flicks more interesting. 

I had chills for pretty much the entire duration of the episode. Some scenes were so reminiscent of cut-scenes from the game, both in visuals and audio, that it felt like I was watching a play-through of the game again. 

The first episode mainly covered the exposition of the story, which, now and in-game, is super important for understanding Joel’s character. 

Although Ellie, one of my favorite fictional characters ever, hasn’t made much of an appearance in the series yet, I already adore Bella Ramsey portraying her, and I can’t wait to see her more in the series. So far, she’s perfectly captured Ellie’s character. 

“The Last of Us” does well in creating a world that feels real. I feel like some apocalyptic movies fall flat in this aspect, but “The Last of Us” truly feels like something that could feasibly happen. Both the video game and TV series excel in this. 

Even if you’re not a fan of the game, “The Last of Us” is worth the watch. Fans of apocalyptic media and people who simply have good taste alike will likely enjoy this series, and I can’t wait to see this stunning adaptation continue.