When You're Lost in the Darkness: Difference between revisions
→References: Update. |
Ce |
||
Line 39: | Line 39: | ||
"'''When You're Lost in the Darkness'''" is the [[series premiere]] of the American [[post-apocalyptic]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] television series ''[[The Last of Us (TV series)|The Last of Us]]''. Written by series creators [[Craig Mazin]] and [[Neil Druckmann]] and directed by Mazin, the episode aired on [[HBO]] on January 15, 2023. It introduced the character [[Joel (The Last of Us)|Joel]] ([[Pedro Pascal]]) and his daughter [[List of The Last of Us (TV series) characters#Sarah|Sarah]] ([[Nico Parker]]) during the chaos of a global [[pandemic]] outbreak caused by a mutated form of the ''[[Cordyceps]]'' fungus that turns its victims into bloodthirsty attackers. Twenty years later, Joel and his partner [[List of The Last of Us (TV series) characters#Tess|Tess]] ([[Anna Torv]]) set out to find Joel's brother [[List of The Last of Us (TV series) characters#Tommy|Tommy]] ([[Gabriel Luna]]) and are tasked with smuggling the young [[Ellie (The Last of Us)|Ellie]] ([[Bella Ramsey]]) in exchange for supplies. |
"'''When You're Lost in the Darkness'''" is the [[series premiere]] of the American [[post-apocalyptic]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] television series ''[[The Last of Us (TV series)|The Last of Us]]''. Written by series creators [[Craig Mazin]] and [[Neil Druckmann]] and directed by Mazin, the episode aired on [[HBO]] on January 15, 2023. It introduced the character [[Joel (The Last of Us)|Joel]] ([[Pedro Pascal]]) and his daughter [[List of The Last of Us (TV series) characters#Sarah|Sarah]] ([[Nico Parker]]) during the chaos of a global [[pandemic]] outbreak caused by a mutated form of the ''[[Cordyceps]]'' fungus that turns its victims into bloodthirsty attackers. Twenty years later, Joel and his partner [[List of The Last of Us (TV series) characters#Tess|Tess]] ([[Anna Torv]]) set out to find Joel's brother [[List of The Last of Us (TV series) characters#Tommy|Tommy]] ([[Gabriel Luna]]) and are tasked with smuggling the young [[Ellie (The Last of Us)|Ellie]] ([[Bella Ramsey]]) in exchange for supplies. |
||
The episode's original director, [[Johan Renck]], dropped out due to scheduling conflicts stemming from the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. His successor, [[Kantemir Balagov]], left the project due to creative differences and was replaced by Mazin. "When You're Lost in the Darkness" was originally written as two episodes, which were combined as HBO executives felt the original first episode would not compel viewers to return the following week. Mazin and Druckmann wrote additional scenes to expand the world and allow viewers to empathize with its characters. Filming for the series began in [[Calgary]], Alberta, in July 2021 |
The episode's original director, [[Johan Renck]], dropped out due to scheduling conflicts stemming from the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. His successor, [[Kantemir Balagov]], left the project due to creative differences and was replaced by Mazin. "When You're Lost in the Darkness" was originally written as two episodes, which were combined as HBO executives felt the original first episode would not compel viewers to return the following week. Mazin and Druckmann wrote additional scenes to expand the world and allow viewers to empathize with its characters. Filming for the series began in [[Calgary]], Alberta, in July 2021. |
||
The episode received critical acclaim, with praise for its writing, direction, and performances of Pascal, Ramsey, Parker, and Torv. It was watched by 4.7 million viewers on the first day, and almost 40 million within two months. The episode won [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)|Outstanding Sound Mixing]] and [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)|Sound Editing]] at the [[75th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards]], and Parker is nominated for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series at the [[7th Annual Black Reel Awards for Television]]. |
|||
== Plot == |
== Plot == |
||
Line 96: | Line 98: | ||
''[[MovieWeb]]''{{'}}s Julian Roman praised Mazin and Druckmann's writing in the episode's opening act, particularly due to the intensity granted through Sarah's perspective.<ref name="MovieWeb Review"/> ''Den of Geek''{{'}}s Boo found the cold open contextualized the narrative in a meaningful manner;<ref name="Den of Geek Review"/> ''[[IndieWire]]''{{'}}s Steve Greene called it "a deft bit of TV framing" to make the viewer both confident and anxious, though thought some of the rushed worldbuilding was awkward.<ref name="IndieWire Review"/> ''[[IGN]]''{{'}}s Simon Cardy similarly considered some introductions rushed but otherwise enjoyed the episode's pacing.<ref name="IGN Review"/> ''[[Total Film]]''{{'}}s Bradley Russell wrote the second half "feels like a safer [[Pilot episode|pilot]]" in comparison to its relentless first half.<ref name="Total Film Review"/> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''{{'}}s Daniel D'Addario compared the episode to Mazin's ''Chernobyl'' and wrote it demonstrated his gift "for demonstrating the breakdown of processes".<ref name="Variety S1 Review"/> ''Push Square''{{'}}s Bayne found the episode immersive and emotional despite his familiarity with the story.<ref name="Push Square Review"/> ''[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]]''{{'}}s Dais Johnston felt expanding the game's prologue allowed viewers to more closely empathize with Sarah.<ref name="Inverse Trick"/> |
''[[MovieWeb]]''{{'}}s Julian Roman praised Mazin and Druckmann's writing in the episode's opening act, particularly due to the intensity granted through Sarah's perspective.<ref name="MovieWeb Review"/> ''Den of Geek''{{'}}s Boo found the cold open contextualized the narrative in a meaningful manner;<ref name="Den of Geek Review"/> ''[[IndieWire]]''{{'}}s Steve Greene called it "a deft bit of TV framing" to make the viewer both confident and anxious, though thought some of the rushed worldbuilding was awkward.<ref name="IndieWire Review"/> ''[[IGN]]''{{'}}s Simon Cardy similarly considered some introductions rushed but otherwise enjoyed the episode's pacing.<ref name="IGN Review"/> ''[[Total Film]]''{{'}}s Bradley Russell wrote the second half "feels like a safer [[Pilot episode|pilot]]" in comparison to its relentless first half.<ref name="Total Film Review"/> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''{{'}}s Daniel D'Addario compared the episode to Mazin's ''Chernobyl'' and wrote it demonstrated his gift "for demonstrating the breakdown of processes".<ref name="Variety S1 Review"/> ''Push Square''{{'}}s Bayne found the episode immersive and emotional despite his familiarity with the story.<ref name="Push Square Review"/> ''[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]]''{{'}}s Dais Johnston felt expanding the game's prologue allowed viewers to more closely empathize with Sarah.<ref name="Inverse Trick"/> |
||
Several critics praised Mazin's direction and Sereda's cinematography;<ref name="GameRevolution Review"/><ref name="Uproxx Review"/> ''Total Film''{{'}}s Russell found the camera work from Sarah's perspective emphasized the narrative's "suffocating tone".<ref name="Total Film Review"/> Several journalists compared the camerawork to the video game;<ref name="Polygon Easter"/><ref name="Vanity Fair Easter"/><ref name="Mashable Mechanics"/> ''IGN''{{'}}s Cardy applauded its usage to frame Sarah's viewpoint.<ref name="IGN Review"/> Conversely, ''[[/Film]]''{{'}}s Valerie Ettenhofer felt the shaky [[Hand-held camera|handheld footage]] lessened the impact of the world's introduction and considered the episode the season's weakest.<ref name="SlashFilm S1 Review"/> ''IndieWire''{{'}}s Greene noted Mazin's technique of telling stories in the background effectively added tension.<ref name="IndieWire Review"/> ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]''{{'}}s Daniel Fienberg called the episode "proficiently made" but found it "too familiar for [its] running time to sustain", noting it failed to reflect the video game's importance to new audiences.<ref name="THR S1 Review"/> ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s Sepinwall, who did not play the game, echoed this sentiment, but said the episode improved when Mazin stopped attempting to imitate the game's visual language.<ref name="Rolling Stone S1 Review"/> ''Den of Geek''{{'}}s Boo praised the production design for its authenticity to the game.<ref name="Den of Geek Review"/> ''Total Film''{{'}}s Russell wrote the score was used to "intensify, but never overpower, the ... emotional beats".<ref name="Total Film Review"/> The episode won [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)|Outstanding Sound Mixing]]{{efn|Nominees: re-recording mixers Marc Fishman and Kevin Roache; and production mixer Michael Playfair<ref name="Emmy |
Several critics praised Mazin's direction and Sereda's cinematography;<ref name="GameRevolution Review"/><ref name="Uproxx Review"/> ''Total Film''{{'}}s Russell found the camera work from Sarah's perspective emphasized the narrative's "suffocating tone".<ref name="Total Film Review"/> Several journalists compared the camerawork to the video game;<ref name="Polygon Easter"/><ref name="Vanity Fair Easter"/><ref name="Mashable Mechanics"/> ''IGN''{{'}}s Cardy applauded its usage to frame Sarah's viewpoint.<ref name="IGN Review"/> Conversely, ''[[/Film]]''{{'}}s Valerie Ettenhofer felt the shaky [[Hand-held camera|handheld footage]] lessened the impact of the world's introduction and considered the episode the season's weakest.<ref name="SlashFilm S1 Review"/> ''IndieWire''{{'}}s Greene noted Mazin's technique of telling stories in the background effectively added tension.<ref name="IndieWire Review"/> ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]''{{'}}s Daniel Fienberg called the episode "proficiently made" but found it "too familiar for [its] running time to sustain", noting it failed to reflect the video game's importance to new audiences.<ref name="THR S1 Review"/> ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s Sepinwall, who did not play the game, echoed this sentiment, but said the episode improved when Mazin stopped attempting to imitate the game's visual language.<ref name="Rolling Stone S1 Review"/> ''Den of Geek''{{'}}s Boo praised the production design for its authenticity to the game.<ref name="Den of Geek Review"/> ''Total Film''{{'}}s Russell wrote the score was used to "intensify, but never overpower, the ... emotional beats".<ref name="Total Film Review"/> The episode won [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)|Outstanding Sound Mixing]]{{efn|Nominees: re-recording mixers Marc Fishman and Kevin Roache; and production mixer Michael Playfair<ref name="Emmy"/>}} and [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)|Sound Editing]]{{efn|Nominees: supervising sound editor Michael J. Benavente; dialogue editor Joe Schiff; sound designers Christopher Battaglia and Chris Terhune; sound effects editors Mitchell Lestner, Jacob Flack, and Matt Yocum; music editor Maarten Hofmeijer; supervising foley editor Randy Wilson; foley editors Justin Hele and David Aquino; and foley artists Stefan Fraticelli, Jason Charbonneau, and William Kellerman<ref name="Emmy"/>}} at the [[75th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards]].<ref name="Emmy"/> |
||
== Notes == |
== Notes == |
||
Line 313: | Line 315: | ||
<ref name="Den of Geek Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-last-of-us-episode-1-review/ |title=The Last of Us Episode 1 Review: Does the TV Series Live Up to the Game? |last=Boo |first=Bernard |work=[[Den of Geek]] |date=January 15, 2023 |accessdate=January 17, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116033855/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-last-of-us-episode-1-review/ |archivedate=January 16, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
<ref name="Den of Geek Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-last-of-us-episode-1-review/ |title=The Last of Us Episode 1 Review: Does the TV Series Live Up to the Game? |last=Boo |first=Bernard |work=[[Den of Geek]] |date=January 15, 2023 |accessdate=January 17, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116033855/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-last-of-us-episode-1-review/ |archivedate=January 16, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
||
<ref name="Emmy |
<ref name="Emmy">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/awards/emmy-creative-arts-2023-winners-list-1235863331/ |title='The Last of Us' Grabs Eight Wins on Night 1 of 2023 Creative Arts Emmy Awards |last1=Tangcay |first1=Jazz |last2=Littleton |first2=Cynthia |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]] |date=January 6, 2024 |accessdate=January 7, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107052331/https://variety.com/2024/tv/awards/emmy-creative-arts-2023-winners-list-1235863331/ |archivedate=January 7, 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
||
<ref name="Emmy Win">{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/2023-creative-arts-emmys-winners-list-1235696511/ |title=Creative Arts Emmy Awards Winners List (Updating Live) |last1=White |first1=Peter |last2=Cordero |first2=Rosy |last3=Rice |first3=Lynette |last4=Tinoco |first4=Armando |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]] |date=January 6, 2024 |accessdate=January 7, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107035606/https://deadline.com/2024/01/2023-creative-arts-emmys-winners-list-1235696511/ |archivedate=January 7, 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="GameRevolution Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/931985-the-last-of-us-tv-series-hbo-max-review-episode-1 |title=The Last of Us on HBO Max Review: Episode 1 |last=Falconer |first=Daniel |work=[[GameRevolution]] |publisher=[[CraveOnline]] |date=January 15, 2023 |accessdate=January 17, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116031454/https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/931985-the-last-of-us-tv-series-hbo-max-review-episode-1 |archivedate=January 16, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
<ref name="GameRevolution Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/931985-the-last-of-us-tv-series-hbo-max-review-episode-1 |title=The Last of Us on HBO Max Review: Episode 1 |last=Falconer |first=Daniel |work=[[GameRevolution]] |publisher=[[CraveOnline]] |date=January 15, 2023 |accessdate=January 17, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116031454/https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/931985-the-last-of-us-tv-series-hbo-max-review-episode-1 |archivedate=January 16, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
Revision as of 07:43, 7 January 2024
"When You're Lost in the Darkness" | |
---|---|
The Last of Us episode | |
![]() | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1 |
Directed by | Craig Mazin |
Written by |
|
Featured music | Full list
|
Cinematography by | Ksenia Sereda |
Editing by | Timothy A. Good |
Original air date | January 15, 2023 |
Running time | 81 minutes[3] |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"When You're Lost in the Darkness" is the series premiere of the American post-apocalyptic drama television series The Last of Us. Written by series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann and directed by Mazin, the episode aired on HBO on January 15, 2023. It introduced the character Joel (Pedro Pascal) and his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) during the chaos of a global pandemic outbreak caused by a mutated form of the Cordyceps fungus that turns its victims into bloodthirsty attackers. Twenty years later, Joel and his partner Tess (Anna Torv) set out to find Joel's brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and are tasked with smuggling the young Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in exchange for supplies.
The episode's original director, Johan Renck, dropped out due to scheduling conflicts stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. His successor, Kantemir Balagov, left the project due to creative differences and was replaced by Mazin. "When You're Lost in the Darkness" was originally written as two episodes, which were combined as HBO executives felt the original first episode would not compel viewers to return the following week. Mazin and Druckmann wrote additional scenes to expand the world and allow viewers to empathize with its characters. Filming for the series began in Calgary, Alberta, in July 2021.
The episode received critical acclaim, with praise for its writing, direction, and performances of Pascal, Ramsey, Parker, and Torv. It was watched by 4.7 million viewers on the first day, and almost 40 million within two months. The episode won Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing at the 75th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and Parker is nominated for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series at the 7th Annual Black Reel Awards for Television.
Plot
On a talk show in 1968, epidemiologists Newman and Schoenheist discuss the potential of a global pandemic. Newman suggests fungi are a grave threat given lack of preventative treatment or cure. Schoenheist points out the impossibility of fungal infection in humans due to fungi's inability to survive body heat. Newman agrees but notes fungi could evolve to overcome this weakness as the world gets warmer, at which point humanity would not survive.
In 2003, in Austin, Texas, 14-year-old Sarah is awoken in the middle of the night and discovers her neighbors attacked by their relative, a once-senile elderly woman. Sarah's father Joel returns with his brother Tommy and kills the woman. As Joel, Tommy, and Sarah flee through crowds, debris from a crashed airplane overturns Tommy's truck. Joel runs while carrying an injured Sarah but gets cornered by a soldier, who shoots at them. Tommy kills the soldier, but Sarah is fatally wounded and dies in Joel's arms.
Twenty years later, in 2023, after the global pandemic of the Cordyceps fungi destroyed human civilization, Joel lives in a military quarantine zone in Boston, Massachusetts, managed by the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA). He and his partner Tess smuggle and sell contraband. Joel plans to leave for Wyoming in search of Tommy, with whom he lost contact. Fourteen-year-old Ellie is held by the Fireflies, a resistance group against FEDRA. Their leader, Marlene, reveals she placed Ellie into FEDRA military school as a child for her protection but now plans to transport her west.
Joel and Tess purchase a car battery from Robert but get double-crossed when it is sold to the Fireflies. They find the deal has gone awry, leaving Robert and most Fireflies dead. Marlene begs Joel and Tess to take Ellie to the Massachusetts State House in exchange for supplies; they accept. The trio wait until nightfall to leave. They are caught by a soldier and forced to comply with an infection check. Ellie stabs the soldier in the leg. He threatens to shoot Ellie, reminding Joel of Sarah's death; he beats the soldier to death. Ellie's scan is positive, but she swears she is not infected since she was bitten weeks earlier. Joel, Tess, and Ellie enter a biological contamination area in Boston's commercial district to flee pursuing soldiers.
Production
Conception and writing
The Last of Us was created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, based on the 2013 video game which Druckmann wrote and creative directed. A television adaptation was announced in the planning stages at HBO in March 2020,[5] and the series was greenlit in November.[6] Johan Renck, Mazin's collaborator on Chernobyl, was announced as executive producer and director of the pilot episode in June 2020;[7] he dropped out by November due to scheduling conflicts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[8][9] He was replaced as director in January 2021 by Kantemir Balagov,[10] who had been interested in adapting the game for years and was set to direct the first few episodes.[11][12] In October 2022, Balagov said he left the project a year prior due to creative differences[13] and his work would not be featured in the show;[14][15] after it aired, he said around 40 percent of the first 40 minutes was his work.[16] The Directors Guild of Canada revealed Mazin was assigned to direct an episode in August 2021,[17] later revealed to be the pilot.[18] Mazin and Druckmann wrote the episode.[4] Rotten Tomatoes revealed its title in December 2022.[19]
"When You're Lost in the Darkness" was originally written as two episodes; the first would have ended shortly after the 20-year time jump. HBO and HBO Max chairman and chief content officer Casey Bloys felt the original first episode would not compel viewers to return the following week, particularly due to the limited usage of Ellie, and suggested combining the two.[20]: 22:27 Mazin was initially worried by the suggestion and lamented the loss of some scenes, but trusted Bloys's instinct and ultimately felt it was the right decision.[21][22] Mazin pitched the episode's cold open to Druckmann twice. Their original idea was to create their own version of an educational clip from the documentary series Planet Earth, which had inspired the game, but they found it boring. The concept of the television talk show was inspired by The Dick Cavett Show; Mazin wrote the script as if he had encountered a transcript from a 1969 episode. Druckmann was initially hesitant but became open to the idea as main production was nearing its end. He found it effective both as an educational introduction and a contextualization of future events, particularly to fans of the game to which the open is a deviation.[20]: 8:43 Mazin considered it a reference to the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating to viewers that similar viruses have occurred before and likely will again.[20]: 10:54 He borrowed this approach from his work in writing Chernobyl, implying humanity knew of the potential risk for some time.[23] The design of the talk show set was inspired by the television shows hosted by Dick Cavett and David Susskind.[24]
Druckmann was open to changing any aspects of the games but always wanted a strong reason,[25] ensuring he and Mazin considered the impacts on events later in the narrative.[26] The game's outbreak takes place in 2013, while its post-apocalyptic narrative occurs in 2033; this was changed to 2003 and 2023, as the writers felt the story taking place simultaneously with the show's release was more interesting and real, and did not fundamentally change the story.[27][28] Mazin and Druckmann wrote additional scenes with Sarah to allow viewers to empathize with her, imitating the game's opening gameplay sequence wherein players briefly assume control of Sarah. Brief scenes were written to imply her personality and make viewers question her future had she survived. Druckmann found the demonstration of an outbreak from a child's perspective unique. The writers experimented with different reasons for Joel to leave Sarah in their house; they found Tommy being in jail allowed them to build the world and characters simultaneously.[29] Mazin blocked Sarah's death similar to the game to remind players of the scene; Gabriel Luna similarly drew inspiration from the "physical geometry" of Jeffrey Pierce's in-game portrayal of Tommy.[1]
Casting and characters
Casting took place virtually through Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[30] Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were cast as Joel and Ellie on February 10, 2021.[31][32] The producers primarily sought actors who could embody Joel and Ellie individually as well as imitate their relationship.[33]: 14:42 Pascal and Ramsey did not meet before filming began but found they had instant chemistry which developed over the course of production.[34] Pascal was cast as Joel due to his ability to portray a tough, tortured, and vulnerable character who suppresses his emotions until necessary.[30] A non-gamer, Pascal watched his nephew play the beginning of the first game because he lacked the skill to play it himself; he found Joel to be "so impressive" but was concerned about imitating the games too closely, instead choosing to "create a healthy distance" and allow the showrunners to decide the characterization.[35] More than 100 actors had been considered for Ellie;[36] the producer's sought a performer who could portray a resourceful, quirky, and potentially violent character.[30] Ramsey was encouraged not to play the game after their audition to avoid replicating the original performance, instead watching some gameplay on YouTube to "get a sense of it".[37] Ramsey, who is English, learned an American accent for the role.[38]
Nico Parker's casting as Sarah was announced on June 30, 2021.[39] Parker watched videos of the game years before getting the role.[40] She wanted to "stay away from the game version" and provide her own interpretation of the character;[41] she felt intimidated at the prospect of portraying Sarah's death due to its impact in the game.[42] Parker and Pascal did little rehearsal of Sarah's death as they wanted to "savor" the feeling.[43]: 2:02 Pascal felt an instant bond with Parker, with whom he filmed scenes first.[44] Luna's casting as Tommy was announced on April 15, 2021.[45] He was enthusiastic for the role, having lived in Austin, Texas around the same time as the show's setting.[46]: 2:20 Luna approached the role similar to a biopic, reasoning Tommy had a ten-year history for fans of the game, and elected to translate elements of Pierce's original performance he considered important to himself and fans.[1] Merle Dandridge was confirmed to reprise her role of Marlene from the video games on May 27.[47] Anna Torv's casting as Tess was announced on July 22.[48]
Music
The episode's early scenes use the songs "Tomorrow" by Avril Lavigne and "White Flag" by Dido.[49] Stylist's Kayleigh Dray suggested the lyrics of "Tomorrow" foreshadowed Sarah's fate, while "White Flag" added a hopeful message, signifying Joel refusing to give up despite his struggles.[49] The episode's final scene and credits feature the song "Never Let Me Down Again" by Depeche Mode;[50] Mazin chose the song due to its blend of upbeat sounds and dark lyrics. He felt its title referred to the relationship between Joel and Ellie, and noted it would recur later in the season in a different manner.[20]: 40:25 The song topped two Billboard charts in the week preceding January 28: LyricFind U.S., due to a 999 percent increase in lyric searches and usage; and LyricFind Global, a 182 percent increase. It charted seventh on the Alternative Digital Song Sales and eighteenth on Rock Digital Song Sales, following 1,000 downloads (a 1,199 percent increase) and 552,000 streams (210 percent increase) in the United States.[51]
Filming
Ksenia Sereda was the episode's cinematographer.[29] Members of the cast and crew arrived in Calgary in June 2021; Balagov posted an image of himself and Pascal in Calgary on June 29,[53] and Luna posted the first photo from set alongside Balagov, Pascal, Parker, and Sereda on July 2.[54] Filming began in Calgary, Alberta,[55] on July 12,[56] a week later than originally scheduled.[57] Filming took place in High River in the evenings of July 13–19, including some driving scenes requiring traffic detours.[58] The town was used for Joel and Sarah's cul-de-sac,[59] the buildings through which they flee the infected,[60] and the burning house they drive past.[61] The shoot at the cul-de-sac took several days due to the choreography and special effects required.[62] Production designer John Paino found several Canadian towns had similarities to American architecture, particularly Texas.[63] Some trees were wrapped in different types of bark as the large Canadian fir trees did not resemble Texas.[24]
Technical rehearsals in the town of Fort Macleod took place in the evenings of May 20 and June 18, 2021, requiring the closure of Main Street.[52][64] Preparations in the town took place from July 5–12, including polling businesses and residents;[52][65] storefronts were changed to fit the show.[66] Production moved to Fort Macleod from July 19–24;[52][64][67] The driving sequences were filmed at night over four weeks in Fort Macleod,[1][29] using hundreds of extras; several background actors crafted their own brief stories and moments.[1] Filming required a mount in which a stunt driver controls movement from a dune buggy atop the vehicle, allowing Sereda full movement in the back. The sequence was written in the script as a long take.[68] Mazin considered the sequence difficult to film, partly due to the limited hours of darkness in Fort Macleod; the cast and crew would rehearse from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., and film until around 4:30 a.m. Mazin and Druckmann continued adding minor elements to set dressing until minutes before filming. The plane crash was achieved by flashing powerful lights at the camera to mimic the effect of an explosion. The actors and crew were instructed not to look directly at the lights to avoid damaging their eyes.[29] Parker found filming the chase scene immersive and frightening due to the use of practical effects, allowing her to react in real-time.[43]: 1:22
Production returned to High River in the evening of July 29 to the following morning, with the filming of a traffic jam requiring the closure of a highway interchange and rerouting of traffic.[69] Filming moved to Calgary in August.[70] Paino was unable to locate empty and abandoned locations for production in Canada despite his expectations, requiring his team to build the Boston quarantine zone;[63] three blocks near Stampede Park were transformed over several months.[71][72] The crew looked at the Gaza Strip[24] and slums and council housing in England, France, and India for visual inspiration.[63] Joel and Tess's apartment was designed to imply a loving family had lived there beforehand.[24] Balagov's work on the show had completed production by August 30;[73] he later left the project entirely due to creative differences.[13] By September, Torv was filming in Canada.[74] The crew were granted a budget to reshoot scenes in the episode; additions included Tommy at breakfast and calling Joel from jail at night, which the writers felt allowed a better understanding of the character.[75] Reshoots for Texas scenes took place in Olds in late May and early June, with several local businesses contracted to assist with construction and design;[76][77] a mural painted for the production, originally scheduled to be removed, was later approved to remain in the town.[78] Reshoots took place in High River in June, which required redressing the set for Joel and Sarah's cul-de-sac.[62]
Reception
Broadcast and ratings
While the series was originally indicated to begin airing in 2022,[79][80] Bloys denied this in February 2022 and clarified it would begin in 2023.[81][82] Following leaks from Sky and HBO Max,[83] on November 2, HBO announced the series would premiere in the United States on January 15, 2023.[84] The first episode received its red carpet world premiere in Westwood, Los Angeles on January 9,[85] followed by theater screenings in Budapest and Sydney on January 11,[86][87] and New York City on January 12.[88] The episode had 4.7 million viewers in the United States on its first night of availability, including linear viewers and streams on HBO Max, making it the second-largest debut for HBO since 2010 behind House of the Dragon.[89] That figure increased to over 10 million viewers after two days,[90] 18 million after a week,[91] 22 million within twelve days,[92] and almost 40 million within two months.[93] It was streamed for a total of 223 million minutes in its first three hours.[94] On linear television, it had 588,000 viewers on its first night, with a 0.17 ratings share.[95] In Latin America, the series premiere was the biggest HBO Max debut ever.[96] In the United Kingdom, the video games increased their sales following the premiere: The Last of Us Remastered by 322 percent over the previous week and The Last of Us Part I by 238 percent, with both reentering the charts as a result.[97] On January 27, the episode was released for free on HBO Max in the United States, and on Sky's YouTube channel in the United Kingdom.[98][99]
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, "When You're Lost in the Darkness" has an approval rating of 100 percent based on 40 reviews, with an average rating of 9.1/10. The website's critical consensus called the episode "a haunting premiere that benefits immeasurably from Nico Parker's endearing contribution".[103] Critics praised the cast performances, particularly Pascal, Ramsey, Torv, and Parker.[100][101][102] GameSpot's Mark Delaney lauded Pascal's ability to stir emotions in portraying different sides of Joel before and after the outbreak.[104] Push Square's Aaron Bayne found Pascal reflected Joel's torment without speaking,[105] and Den of Geek's Bernard Boo felt Torv matched Pascal's nuance.[100] Kotaku Australia's David Smith called Ramsey "perhaps the pilot's greatest triumph", especially in their scenes with Pascal.[106] TVLine named Parker an honorable mention for Performer of the Week;[107] Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall lauded her performance for establishing Sarah as likeable, and wrote that John Hannah's performance "sells the innate fear" of the infection.[108] Den of Geek's Boo felt each actor "brought their own take on the material".[100] Parker is nominated for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series at the 7th Annual Black Reel Awards for Television.[109]
MovieWeb's Julian Roman praised Mazin and Druckmann's writing in the episode's opening act, particularly due to the intensity granted through Sarah's perspective.[110] Den of Geek's Boo found the cold open contextualized the narrative in a meaningful manner;[100] IndieWire's Steve Greene called it "a deft bit of TV framing" to make the viewer both confident and anxious, though thought some of the rushed worldbuilding was awkward.[111] IGN's Simon Cardy similarly considered some introductions rushed but otherwise enjoyed the episode's pacing.[101] Total Film's Bradley Russell wrote the second half "feels like a safer pilot" in comparison to its relentless first half.[112] Variety's Daniel D'Addario compared the episode to Mazin's Chernobyl and wrote it demonstrated his gift "for demonstrating the breakdown of processes".[113] Push Square's Bayne found the episode immersive and emotional despite his familiarity with the story.[105] Inverse's Dais Johnston felt expanding the game's prologue allowed viewers to more closely empathize with Sarah.[114]
Several critics praised Mazin's direction and Sereda's cinematography;[115][116] Total Film's Russell found the camera work from Sarah's perspective emphasized the narrative's "suffocating tone".[112] Several journalists compared the camerawork to the video game;[2][117][118] IGN's Cardy applauded its usage to frame Sarah's viewpoint.[101] Conversely, /Film's Valerie Ettenhofer felt the shaky handheld footage lessened the impact of the world's introduction and considered the episode the season's weakest.[119] IndieWire's Greene noted Mazin's technique of telling stories in the background effectively added tension.[111] The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg called the episode "proficiently made" but found it "too familiar for [its] running time to sustain", noting it failed to reflect the video game's importance to new audiences.[3] Rolling Stone's Sepinwall, who did not play the game, echoed this sentiment, but said the episode improved when Mazin stopped attempting to imitate the game's visual language.[4] Den of Geek's Boo praised the production design for its authenticity to the game.[100] Total Film's Russell wrote the score was used to "intensify, but never overpower, the ... emotional beats".[112] The episode won Outstanding Sound Mixing[a] and Sound Editing[b] at the 75th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[120]
Notes
- ^ Nominees: re-recording mixers Marc Fishman and Kevin Roache; and production mixer Michael Playfair[120]
- ^ Nominees: supervising sound editor Michael J. Benavente; dialogue editor Joe Schiff; sound designers Christopher Battaglia and Chris Terhune; sound effects editors Mitchell Lestner, Jacob Flack, and Matt Yocum; music editor Maarten Hofmeijer; supervising foley editor Randy Wilson; foley editors Justin Hele and David Aquino; and foley artists Stefan Fraticelli, Jason Charbonneau, and William Kellerman[120]
References
- ^ a b c d e f David, Brian (January 16, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Star Gabriel Luna Breaks Down the Series Premiere's Most Emotional and Harrowing Moments". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Carpenter, Nicole (January 15, 2023). "Every The Last of Us Easter egg in the HBO show". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Fienberg, Daniel (January 10, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Review: Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in HBO's Powerful Video Game Adaptation". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ a b c Sepinwall, Alan (January 10, 2023). "'The Last of Us': A Finer Version of 'The Walking Dead' and HBO's Next Big Hit". Rolling Stone. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (March 5, 2020). "'The Last of Us' Series in Development at HBO From 'Chernobyl' Creator". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ White, Peter (November 20, 2020). "'The Last Of Us': HBO Hands Series Order To Video Game Adaptation From Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- ^ Galuppo, Mia (June 8, 2020). "'Chernobyl' Director Johan Renck to Helm 'The Last of Us' HBO Pilot". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
- ^ Porter, Rick (November 20, 2020). "'The Last of Us' Series Gets HBO Greenlight". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
- ^ August, John; Mazin, Craig (January 19, 2021). "Time Lords". Scriptnotes (Podcast). Archived from the original on July 3, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Kit, Borys (January 15, 2021). "'Last of Us' HBO Series Finds Its Director With 'Beanpole' Filmmaker (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ Gredina, Natalia (January 17, 2021). "Российский режиссер Кантемир Балагов будет снимать сериал HBO от создателя "Чернобыля" (!!) по игре The Last of Us (!!!)" [Russian director Kantemir Balagov will shoot the HBO series from the creator of "Chernobyl" (!!) based on the game The Last of Us (!!!)]. Meduza (in Russian). Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- ^ August, John; Mazin, Craig (April 6, 2021). "Screenwriting in Color". Scriptnotes (Podcast). Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
- ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (October 28, 2022). "Kantemir Balagov to Direct 'Butterfly Jam' for Square Peg, AR Content (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
- ^ Balagov, Kantemir [@KBalagov] (October 28, 2022). "Three important things from this news" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Balagov, Kantemir [@KBalagov] (October 28, 2022). "Все правильно. Не будет" [Everything is correct. Will not.] (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Balagov, Kantemir [@KBalagov] (January 17, 2023). "And 40% of the first 40 minutes of ep1" (Tweet). Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "DGC Alberta Production List" (PDF). Directors Guild of Canada. August 11, 2021. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ Deckelmeier, Joe (January 7, 2023). "Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann Interview: The Last Of Us". Screen Rant. Valnet. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
- ^ Coulson, Josh (December 19, 2022). "The Last Of Us Producer Confirms Leaked Episode Names Aren't Accurate". TheGamer. Valnet. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Baker, Troy; Mazin, Craig; Druckmann, Neil (January 15, 2023). "Episode 1". HBO's The Last of Us Podcast (Podcast). HBO. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (February 22, 2023). "HBO's Leading Man: Casey Bloys on Perfecting 'The Last of Us,' HBO Max Streaming Merger and Axing Shows". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Hibberd, James (August 16, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Showrunner on Season 2 Plan, Casting Abby and His Favorite Scene". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
- ^ Vary, Adam B. (January 15, 2023). "How HBO's 'The Last of Us' Avoided the 'Mistake' of Video Game Adaptations: 'Let's Only Have as Much Violence in This Story as Is Required'". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Weiss, Josh (February 11, 2023). "'The Last of Us' production designer on building the 'repurposed' apocalypse of HBO's hit series". Syfy.com. NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ Hayner, Chris E. (January 6, 2023). "The Last Of Us Co-Director Had One Rule For Changing Game Canon On HBO TV Show". GameSpot. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Miller, Liz Shannon (January 6, 2023). "How Will HBO's The Last of Us Be Different From the Game? And Other Questions Answered". Consequence. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Keane, Sean (January 6, 2023). "'The Last of Us' HBO Adaptation Goes Far Beyond the PlayStation Game". CNET. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Metz, Axel (January 6, 2023). "The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann explains the HBO show's timeline change". TechRadar. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Romano, Nick (January 15, 2023). "How HBO's The Last of Us pulled off its first big shocker: 'An extreme Halloween Horror Nights'". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c Manfredi, Lucas (January 6, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Creators Talk the Scrapped Movie Adaptation and How Changes From the Game Were Made With 'Care'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 10, 2021). "Pedro Pascal To Star As Joel In 'The Last of Us' HBO Series Based On Video Game". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ Kit, Borys; Goldberg, Lesley (February 10, 2021). "'Last of Us': 'Game of Thrones' Breakout Bella Ramsey to Star as Ellie (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. MRC. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ Coley, Jacqueline (January 6, 2023). "The Last of Us Stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey on Their Post-Apocalyptic Chemistry". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Connolly, Denny (January 6, 2023). "The Last of Us - Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal's Friendship Developed A Lot Like Ellie and Joel's". Game Rant. Valnet. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ King, Jack (April 13, 2022). "Pedro Pascal talks The Last of Us, being Nicolas Cage's number one fan, and returning to the set of The Mountain and The Viper". GQ. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
- ^ Kile, Meredith B. (January 6, 2023). "'The Last of Us': Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey on Fan Expectations for the Upcoming Series (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. CBS Media Ventures. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Ryan, Patrick (October 7, 2022). "'Catherine Called Birdy': Bella Ramsey on why that 'more hopeful ending' differs from the book". USA Today. Gannett. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- ^ "IGN Interviews the Cast of The Last of Us HBO". IGN. Ziff Davis. January 6, 2023. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (June 30, 2021). "'Last of Us' HBO Series Casts Nico Parker as Joel's Daughter". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ Johnston, Dais (January 6, 2023). "HBO's 'The Last of Us' cast "took as much liberty" with the material "as they wanted to"". Inverse. Bustle Digital Group. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan; Vary, Adam B. (January 12, 2023). "Welcome to 'The Last of Us': How the HBO Cast Brought The Video Game Characters to Life". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ Roots, Kimberly (January 15, 2023). "The Last of Us Premiere: Nico Parker on What Pedro Pascal Told Her Before Shooting Their Pivotal, Heartbreaking Joel/Sarah Scene — Watch Video". TVLine. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ a b The Last of Us | Inside the Episode - 1. HBO Max. January 15, 2023. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Turchiano, Danielle (January 6, 2023). "How and Why HBO's 'The Last of Us' Adaptation Expands Character Arcs". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 15, 2021). "'The Last Of Us': Gabriel Luna To Play Tommy In HBO Series Based On Video Game". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
- ^ Simpson, Kay; Luna, Gabriel (October 24, 2021). Gabriel Luna Chats About "The Last of Us" HBO Series. What Would Kay Say?. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (May 27, 2021). "'Last of Us' Game Star to Reprise Role in HBO Series (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. MRC. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
- ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (July 22, 2021). "'The Last of Us': Anna Torv To Recur In HBO Series Adaptation Of PlayStation Video Game". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on July 22, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ a b Dray, Kayleigh (January 16, 2023). "The Last Of Us episode 1 recap: why that heartbreaking bait-and-switch is so significant". Stylist. DC Thomson. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ Russell, Bradley (January 16, 2023). "Here's what song was playing at the end of The Last of Us premiere – and why it's so important". Total Film. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ Rutherford, Kevin (January 26, 2023). "Depeche Mode Leads LyricFind Charts After 'The Last of Us' Synch". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ a b c d McTighe, Frank (June 23, 2021). "Schedule set for TV series filming in Fort Macleod". Fort Macleod Gazette. Macleod Gazette. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ Marchetto, Claudia (June 29, 2021). "The Last of Us di HBO ecco Pedro Pascal fotografato con il regista dell'episodio pilota" [HBO's The Last of Us here is Pedro Pascal photographed with the director of the pilot episode]. Eurogamer.it (in Italian). Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ Makuch, Eddie (July 2, 2021). "First Set Photo From HBO's The Last Of Us Shows The Miller Family Together". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on July 2, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Dryden, Joel (March 30, 2021). "HBO's The Last of Us adaptation to shoot in Calgary area, starring Mandalorian, Game of Thrones actors". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ "DGC Alberta Production List" (PDF). Directors Guild of Canada. June 30, 2021. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 2, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Bakhurst, Adam (April 2, 2021). "The Last of Us HBO Series to Reportedly Begin Filming in Calgary in July 2021". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ^ "High River to Host Major Movie Production". Town of High River. July 12, 2021. Archived from the original on July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ Greene, Steve (January 17, 2023). "How 'The Last of Us' Turned Its Terrifying Outbreak Day Into a 'Period Piece'". IndieWire. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ Di Donato, Nicole (January 17, 2023). "High River diner, residents thrilled to see a bit of themselves in 'The Last of Us'". CTV News. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ Wallace, Kevin (January 17, 2023). "Local diner highlighted in The Last of Us premiere episode". High River Online. Golden West Broadcasting. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ a b Risdon, Melanie (February 5, 2023). "RISDON: A glimpse behind the scenes of The Last of Us". Western Standard. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c Canfield, David (January 23, 2023). "How The Last of Us Was Built—And Unbuilt—For TV". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ a b Qazzaz, Mo (May 19, 2021). "Filming — LAST OF US". Town of Fort Macleod. Archived from the original on July 4, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ "Filming Road and Parking Lot Closures". Town of Fort Macleod. July 13, 2021. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ Marks, Sean (July 13, 2021). "Don's Barber Shop ready for its closeup as HBO's 'The Last Of Us' prepares for filming in southern Alberta". CTV News. Archived from the original on July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ Marczuk, Karsen (July 23, 2021). "Filming of HBO's The Last of Us is taking over Fort Macleod". Bridge City News. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ Bennett, Tara (January 15, 2023). "'The Last of Us' showrunners take us inside series premiere, break down changes from the video game". Syfy.com. NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Lackey, Angela (July 19, 2021). "High River's council approves filming of The Last of Us TV series in town". The High River Times. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ Kanygin, Jordan; Dormer, Dave (August 4, 2021). "Filming of HBO series The Last of Us, the largest-ever production in Canada, underway in Calgary". CTV News. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- ^ Kanygin, Jordan; Dormer, Dave (August 3, 2021). "Filming of HBO series The Last of Us, the largest-ever production in Canada, underway in Calgary". CTV News. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ Volmers, Eric (January 6, 2023). "The year of the zombie: How HBO's mega-budgeted The Last of Us took over the province from Waterton to Grande Prairie". Calgary Herald. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ "Кантемир Балагов завершил съёмки своего эпизода The Last of Us для HBO" [Kantemir Balagov completes filming of his episode of The Last of Us for HBO]. Igromania (in Russian). Igromedia. August 31, 2021. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
- ^ Connaughton, Maddison (September 24, 2021). "From Mindhunter to Newsreader: Anna Torv on how she chooses her next role". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ Dornbush, Jonathon (January 18, 2023). "A Father's Love – Building The Last of Us Episode 1". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ Calver, Brent (January 10, 2023). "Filmed partly in Okotoks and High River, The Last of Us premieres Jan. 15". Airdrie Today. Great West Newspapers. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
- ^ Collie, Doug (May 31, 2022). "Filming of TV series scenes in Olds good for economy, say businesspeople". Mountain View Today. Great West Newspapers. Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ Collie, Doug (July 26, 2022). "Planning commission says HBO TV series mural can stay on Olds business". Mountain View Today. Great West Newspapers. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ Garbutt, Emily (July 12, 2021). "The Last of Us TV show director hints at potential release date". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
- ^ Hibberd, James (July 22, 2021). "HBO's 'The Last of Us' Casts Anna Torv in Key Role". The Hollywood Reporter. MRC. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 16, 2022). "'The Last Of Us': HBO Chief Gives Premiere Date Update On Video Game Adaptation". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (July 12, 2022). ""Every Show Has Got to Work Harder": HBO Boss on Emmy Nominations Haul". The Hollywood Reporter. MRC. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ Kennedy, Victoria (November 1, 2022). "Looks like HBO's The Last of Us adaptation debuts in January". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan (November 2, 2022). "HBO's 'The Last of Us' Sets Early 2023 Release Date". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
- ^ Reeve, Justin (December 24, 2022). "HBO's The Last Of Us Red Carpet Event Will Take Place January 9, 2023". TheGamer. Valnet. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ^ Zalaba, Ferenc (December 12, 2022). "Nézd meg velünk premier előtt moziban a The Last of Us pilotját!" [Watch the pilot of The Last of Us in the cinema with us before the premiere!]. IGN Hungary (in Hungarian). Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- ^ "Binge celebrates the Australian premiere of The Last Of Us". Mediaweek. January 12, 2023. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
- ^ Rangel, Felipe (January 5, 2023). "The Last Of Us To Have 3 Days Early Cinema Screenings". Screen Rant. Valnet. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Porter, Rick (January 17, 2023). "TV Ratings: 'The Last of Us' Scares Up Big Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Makuch, Eddie (January 18, 2023). "The Last Of Us Season 1 Premiere Hits Huge Viewership Numbers Thanks To HBO Max". GameSpot. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ Hailu, Selome (January 23, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Scores HBO's Largest-Ever Viewership Growth for a Drama From Premiere to Episode 2". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Petski, Denise (January 27, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Renewed For Season 2 At HBO". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ Hailu, Selome (March 13, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Season 1 Finale Scores 8.2 Million Viewers, Reaching Series High Despite Oscars Competition". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ^ Hailu, Selome (February 9, 2023). "Nielsen Streaming: 'The Last Of Us' Was Viewed for Over 200 Million Minutes In Its first Few Hours on HBO Max". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- ^ Salem, Mitch (January 18, 2023). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 1.15.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ Toledo, Marina (January 20, 2023). "Série "The Last of Us" tem a melhor estreia da HBO Max na América Latina" ["The Last of Us" series has the best debut on HBO Max in Latin America]. CNN Brazil (in Portuguese). CNN. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Dring, Christopher (January 22, 2023). "The Last of Us Part 1 sales jumped 238% after TV show launch | UK Boxed Charts". Gamesindustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Makuch, Eddie (January 31, 2023). "HBO's The Last Of Us Is Free Right Now For Episode 1". GameSpot. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ Middler, Jordan (January 27, 2023). "HBO and Sky have put The Last of Us – Episode 1 on YouTube for free". Video Games Chronicle. 1981 Media. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Boo, Bernard (January 15, 2023). "The Last of Us Episode 1 Review: Does the TV Series Live Up to the Game?". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Cardy, Simon (January 15, 2023). "The Last of Us: Series Premiere Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Phipps, Keith (January 15, 2023). "The Last of Us Series-Premiere Recap: Fungus Among Us". Vulture. Vox Media. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ "The Last of Us: Season 1, Episode 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ Delaney, Mark (January 10, 2023). "The Last Of Us (HBO Show) Review - Faithful, Additive, And Excellent". GameSpot. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Bayne, Aaron (January 16, 2023). "TV Show Review: The Last of Us (HBO) Episode 1 - Faithful Retelling Deviates in the Right Ways". Push Square. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Smith, David (January 12, 2023). "Everything I Liked About The First Episode Of The Last Of Us". Kotaku Australia. Pedestrian. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ "Performer of the Week: Alan Cumming". TVLine. Penske Media Corporation. January 21, 2023. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ Sepinwall, Alan (January 15, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Premiere Recap: Welcome to the Apocalypse". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Complex, Valerie (June 15, 2023). "Black Reel 7th Annual Television Awards Featuring Gender Neutral Categories Announces Nominations; 'The Best Man: Final Chapters' Leads With 18 Noms". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
- ^ Roman, Julian (January 10, 2023). "The Last of Us Premiere Review: A Faithful & Visceral Adaptation of the Blockbuster Video Game". MovieWeb. Watchr Media. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Greene, Steve (January 15, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Review: 'When You're Lost in the Darkness' Is How You Start a TV Show". IndieWire. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c Russell, Bradley (January 16, 2023). "The Last of Us episode 1 review: "Expands on the games – and often betters them"". Total Film. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ D'Addario, Daniel (January 10, 2023). "'The Last of Us,' From 'Chernobyl's' Craig Mazin, Is a Promising, Moving Zombie Saga: TV Review". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ Johnston, Dais (January 15, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Episode 1 makes the game's best trick even better". Inverse. Bustle Digital Group. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Falconer, Daniel (January 15, 2023). "The Last of Us on HBO Max Review: Episode 1". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Toomer, Jessica (January 15, 2023). "'The Last Of Us' Survival Odds: 'When You're Lost In The Darkness' Is Pure Apocalyptic Chaos". Uproxx. Warner Music Group. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Wigler, Josh (January 15, 2023). "The Last of Us Season1 : All the Easter Eggs You May Have Missed". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Connellan, Shannon (January 15, 2023). "How 'The Last of Us' successfully translates the game's best mechanics to TV". Mashable. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Ettenhofer, Valerie (January 10, 2023). "The Last Of Us Review: A Thrilling, Character-Driven Achievement For Game Fans And Newcomers Alike". /Film. Static Media. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ a b c Tangcay, Jazz; Littleton, Cynthia (January 6, 2024). "'The Last of Us' Grabs Eight Wins on Night 1 of 2023 Creative Arts Emmy Awards". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 7, 2024. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
External links
- 2020s American television series premieres
- 2023 American television episodes
- The Last of Us (TV series) episodes
- Television episodes directed by Craig Mazin
- Television episodes set in Boston
- Television episodes set in Texas
- Television episodes written by Craig Mazin
- Television episodes written by Neil Druckmann