The Last of Us, which is based on the video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog of the same name, was created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for HBO. The series starts with a mass parasitic fungal infection caused by a mutated strain of the cordyceps fungus which causes its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures, and this leads to the collapse of society. The story follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), who sees his daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker), shot down by the military when they and his brother, Tommy (Gabriel Luna), try to escape the outbreak to the safety of the city.

Twenty years later, Joel and his partner, Tess (Anna Torv), work as smugglers in the Quarantine Zone trying to trade for a working vehicle so that Joel can find and rescue his brother, who left the QZ and stopped sending messages, and he therefore believes to be in danger.

After being double-crossed by the man they try to buy a battery off of, they run into Marlene (Merle Dandridge), the leader of the Fireflies, a rebel group fighting against the oppressive regime of FEDRA. Injured, she promises Joel all the equipment he needs if he and Tess smuggle a teenage girl, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), out of the QZ and take her to the Firefly base.

On the way out of the QZ, the three are stopped by a soldier who scans them, and they discover Ellie has been bitten, however she reveals she is immune and therefore invaluable to the Fireflies, which is why Marlene had them smuggle her out. Tess, hoping that perhaps they can be redeemed for the bad things they have done, convinces Joel to agree to continue escorting Ellie to the Firefly base where Marlene has told Ellie there is a doctor who can use her to create a cure for the human race.

Much of the show follows the plot of the first game of the series, some scenes recreated almost shot by shot, creating a faithful adaptation. However, the story is also expanded in certain places, such as exploring the relationship between Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett) and adding in a scene with Ellie’s birth. Other things were changed, such as how the cordyceps have an interconnected network that allows infected individuals to react to threats collectively, and they do not explode spores that can transfer infection as in the game.

While the story of the game was already very moving, adapting it to a television series made it more so, letting viewers get to know the characters in a different way that helps you to really care about them, and there are moments of the series that are heartbreaking. That being said, there are also moments of levity, especially between Joel and Ellie.

The relationship between Joel and Ellie is my favorite part of the story. Joel is unable to open himself up after the death of his daughter, but Ellie slowly chips away at his gruff exterior. There are heartfelt moments between the two that definitely affected me. By the end of the series, he’s all in and will do anything to protect her. Even if you don’t necessarily agree with some of the choices Joel makes, it’s easy to understand why he does what he does, and the ending overall is very thought-provoking, if polarizing.

Besides their relationship, another stand-out part of the story is Bill and Frank’s love story, which is especially touching. It was surprising to have a whole episode devoted to the two of them, as they are not the main characters, but it really works.

In terms of acting, Pascal and Ramsey are very believable in their roles, but the acting across the board is excellent. I have no complaints about any of the performances; the cast was all well chosen.

The overall look of the series is absolutely gorgeous. It’s clear a lot of money went into the production, from the building exteriors that have been reclaimed by nature, to the run-down hotel. Each environment looks like it is something that would fit perfectly into the game. The design of the cordyceps is also fantastic, including not just the creepy clickers, but even the victims who have been overtaken by the fungus.

Honestly, I love every part of the series, even down to the iconic music that a lot of was brought over from the game, which really helped with the atmosphere.

It’s clear that the show was really a labor of love and that Druckmann and Mazin put everything into it. The script is brilliant, and the characters well developed.

Whether you are a fan of the game or just of great television, The Last of Us is definitely worth a watch, and here the quality is faithfully preserved in stunning 4K. I definitely recommend the set to fans and new viewers alike. The Last of Us is an exciting post apocalyptic series that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, and I enjoyed watching the series for the second time in its entirety. The Last of Us, in my own person opinion, is one of the best series currently on television.

Special Features

Inside the Episode
Each featurette gives a behind the scenes look at that episode with episode clips, behind the scenes footage, and interviews with the cast and crew. Each disc has two of these featurettes corresponding to the episodes, except for disc three, which has three.

Inside the Episode #1 [5:14]
Inside the Episode #2 [4:17]
Inside the Episode #3 [3:24]
Inside the Episode #4 [4:30]
Inside the Episode #5 [6:15]
Inside the Episode #6 [5:11]
Inside the Episode #7 [5:16]
Inside the Episode #8 [7:02]
Inside the Episode #9 [8:26]

Controllers Down: Adapting The Last of Us [11:44] - In this feature Druckmann and Mazin talk about how they went from a narrative action game to a different genre and more serious tone. They talk about casting the characters and what each actor or actress brought to them. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, who played Joel and Ellie in the game, also weigh in.  The cast of the series also talk about bringing the characters to life and working with each other. Featured cast include Pascal, Ramsey, Parker, Luna, Torv, Dandridge, Offerman, Bartlett, Keivonn Woodard, and Lamar Johnson. Besides interviews, there are also scenes from both the series and the game shown, including some comparison shots, as well as some behind the scenes footage.

From Levels to Live Action [11:51] – The design of the clickers and bloater and how they created them with prosthetics and practical effects is discussed by Mazin, Druckmann, Prosthetics and Creatures Designer Barrie Gower, and VFX Producer Sean Nowlan. The producers talk about the iconic scene from the game where Joel tells Ellie he is leaving and how they kept it beat for beat the same but how the performers made it their own. Next is a discussion on the relationship of Ellie and Riley and both Ramsey and Storm Reid, who plays Riley, weigh in. Also discussed is expanding the character of David (Scott Shepherd), Ashley Johnson playing Ellie’s mother Anna, the scene in which they used a real giraffe, and the final scene of the first season/first game and the debates it has sparked.

The Last of Us: Stranger Than Fiction [23:44] – Scientists talk about some of the real science behind fungal parasites, how infections spread, etc. A survival expert talks about how society would collapse and what the aftermath might look like. Druckmann and Mazin talk about different aspects of the cordyceps, such as coming up with the opening, how they used biting and mycelium threads instead of spores to spread the infection in the series, as well as how nature would reclaim our domain. Ramsey, Pascal, and Offerman are also featured. Some clips from the series appear throughout the feature.

Ashley Johnson Spotlight [2:23] – Johnson, the original Ellie, talks about playing Anna, including the stunt when she was attacked by the infected woman and Anna’s relationship with Marlene. Behind the scenes clips are interspersed with clips from the show.

Getting to Know Me
Each performer answers various questions about themselves, such as what they were doing when they found out they were cast, what they took from set, what would be in their survival bag, and more.

Gabriel Luna [3:46]
Merle Dandridge [2:25]
Nick Offerman & Murray Barlett [4:41]
Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey [4:45]

Is This a The Last of Us Line?
The performers are given quotes and have to guess if they are from The Last of Us or other (HBO/Max) TV series. Clips of the quotes are shown.

Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey [5:12]
Merle Dandridge & Gabriel Luna [2:40]

The Last Debrief with Troy Baker
Host of The Last of Us podcast and the original Joel answers various questions from fans. Some topics discussed are Easter eggs, his favorite parts of the series, what the series added to the IP and more.

The Last Debrief with Troy Baker #1 [5:10]
The Last Debrief with Troy Baker # 2 [6:12]
The Last Debrief with Troy Baker #3 [6:01]
The Last Debrief with Troy Baker #4 [7:04]
The Last Debrief with Troy Baker #5 [7:30]

Final Thoughts:
The series itself is definitely worth a watch. The disc set contains nearly three hours of special features, although the “Inside the Episode” featurettes are the same ones that aired on television, and some of their content was taken directly from the other special features, so a bit repeats. I would have really liked to see more in depth into the creation of the environment and stunts as opposed to mostly about characters and adaptation, though that’s more of a personal preference. That being said, it’s enough to make the set worth the purchase if you are a fan, especially with the 4K quality and the steelbook. However, if you already own the original 4K edition, other than the steelbook, the edition is identical. I highly recommend this disc set.