S01 - When love becomes the last reason to stay human

When I first heard that my beloved The Last of Us was being adapted for television, the first question that came to mind was simple: who would play Ellie? As for Joel, apart from Hugh Jackman, whom I considered an ideal choice, Pedro Pascal was definitely among my top picks. So, when the lead cast was finally announced, Bella Ramsey's casting as Ellie sparked plenty of discussion, particularly among fans of the game.

Two seasons later, having now watched the first sixteen episodes of the television adaptation, I'm still not entirely convinced that Bella Ramsey was the best possible choice for the character. Initially, I thought she was unsuitable for the role, mainly because her appearance and features didn't match the Ellie I had come to know through the game. As time went on, however, I began to recognize that she had some genuinely strong moments, capturing the intelligence, anger, humor, and vulnerability of a girl forced to grow up in a world where childhood has become almost a luxury.

On the other hand, Neil Druckmann's involvement was one of the strongest guarantees of quality for me. As the creator of the game and one of the people who helped shape Naughty Dog's identity, he understood the original work from the inside. Paired with Craig Mazin, the man behind the outstanding Chernobyl, the two formed a creative team that was difficult to ignore. One understood the soul of the source material, while the other had already proven his ability to turn tragedy into compelling television. The question was whether they could bring to the screen not just the events of the game, but the kind of emotional experience that stays with you for years after the credits roll.

And this is where the essence of The Last of Us lies. It's not simply a story about infected people, ruined cities, and a mission that could save humanity. It's a story about loss, guilt, loneliness, and the need to find someone who gives you a reason to keep living.

FROM CATASTROPHE TO THE SEARCH FOR HOPE

The first season opens with one of the most effective introductions a series of this kind could ask for. In 2003, Joel Miller's life is turned upside down within a matter of hours as a fungal infection begins to spread and society collapses. His attempt to escape with his daughter, Sarah, ends in tragedy, an event that will shape every decision he makes over the next twenty years.

Pedro Pascal's performance in these opening scenes is crucial. Joel doesn't need to explain what he has lost or describe his pain. His desperation, his inability to protect his child, and the shock of watching reality collapse around him are enough. Nico Parker, playing Sarah, has limited screen time, yet her presence is so meaningful that her loss remains palpable throughout the entire season.

Twenty years later, Joel has become a hardened survivor who cares more about getting through each day than about any grand vision of saving humanity. Alongside Tess, played brilliantly by Anna Torv, he navigates a world where human life has lost much of its value. Quarantine zones, military forces, the Fireflies, and people who have abandoned every sense of morality create an environment where nobody can ever feel truly safe.

The mission Joel takes on initially seems like an ordinary smuggling job. He must get Ellie out of the quarantine zone and escort her to the Fireflies. It soon becomes clear, however, that the girl is no ordinary passenger. She has survived being bitten by an infected without developing the expected symptoms, potentially making her the key to developing a cure.

Their journey across the United States forms the backbone of the season, but the real story lies in how their relationship evolves. Ellie is impulsive, curious, sarcastic, and often provocative. Joel, by contrast, is withdrawn, suspicious, and determined to maintain his emotional distance. She constantly tries to get closer to him, while he treats their growing connection as a risk that needs to be contained.

Their journey, however, isn't simply an endless series of chases and encounters with enemies. Every meeting with other survivors reveals a different side of this world and different ways people deal with loss. Some choose isolation, others build small communities, while some turn their fear into violence. Through these stories, the series repeatedly asks the same question: what remains of humanity when the rules of civilization no longer exist?

JOEL AND ELLIE — TWO CHARACTERS LEARNING TO TRUST AGAIN

For me, the greatest achievement of the first season is the development of the relationship between its two leads. Joel doesn't suddenly become a loving father, and Ellie doesn't stop being a difficult, unpredictable kid. Their bond grows through small moments, disagreements, jokes, and situations in which each is forced to trust the other.

Pedro Pascal portrays a man who has learned to survive by suppressing anything that might make him vulnerable. His silence often says more than his words, while his reactions to Ellie gradually reveal how deeply the father he once was has been buried inside him. Sarah's death isn't simply a traumatic event from his past. It has become the lens through which he views every new human connection.

Bella Ramsey, meanwhile, faces a difficult task. Players get to know the game's Ellie over dozens of hours, with her humor, aggression, and emotional contradictions becoming integral parts of her personality. The television version must convey all of this without the game's interactivity, relying entirely on the performance of the actor playing her.

There are moments when Ramsey genuinely won me over, especially when Ellie reveals her childish side or uses humor to cope with fear. At other times, my own image of the character still creates a certain distance. The discussion surrounding her casting, therefore, wasn't entirely unjustified. However, it's important to distinguish between how closely an actor resembles the character we know and how effectively they can convey that character's essence.

There's also an interesting behind-the-scenes detail worth mentioning. The creators considered more than a hundred candidates for Ellie, ranging from children to women in their twenties. Mazin had already become familiar with Ramsey through Game of Thrones, where she played Lyanna Mormont. When he saw her audition, he was so impressed that he worried the other members of the team might not see what he saw. Ultimately, Druckmann agreed with him. Her casting wasn't a random decision, nor was it an attempt to reproduce Ellie's physical appearance from the game.

It's worth clarifying something about the alternative casting choices, though. Names such as Kaitlyn Dever and Maisie Williams had been associated with fan casting and discussions about Ellie before the show's announcement. However, there is no reliably documented official shortlist of three finalists that would justify presenting them as the three actresses who reached the final stage alongside Ramsey. Dever, in fact, was later cast as Abby in the second season. It's an interesting reminder of how differently a production's casting process can unfold compared with the audience's initial expectations.

HUGH JACKMAN, PEDRO PASCAL, AND THE BIG CASTING QUESTION

If Ellie's casting sparked the first major debate among fans, Joel was a different story. Hugh Jackman was one of the names that frequently came up in discussions among players, largely because of his performance in Logan. There, he had already demonstrated his ability to portray an exhausted, violent, emotionally wounded man forced to protect a young girl in a hostile world.

The similarity between the central dynamics of the two stories made the fancasting almost inevitable. A hardened man, a child who changes his life, and a mission that develops into an emotional bond. Jackman could have given Joel a more imposing, physically powerful presence, while his experience playing characters who conceal profound sadness behind aggression would have been particularly useful.

Other names that appeared in fan discussions included Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, known for Game of Thrones, and Josh Brolin. Both have the toughness and physical presence many fans associated with the game's Joel. These were hypothetical audience choices, however, rather than a confirmed list of actors who officially competed for the role.

Pedro Pascal ultimately proved to be a different but extremely interesting choice. He didn't try to mechanically reproduce the game's Joel. Instead, he emphasized emotional exhaustion, inner tension, and the difficulty of being someone who is afraid to form another attachment. His relationship with Ellie isn't built solely on protectiveness or physical strength. At its core is the fear that if he allows himself to love again, he will lose someone again.

This is also why the scene with Sarah remains so important throughout the season. Joel isn't simply carrying memories of the past. He's trying to avoid any possibility of experiencing the same loss again. Ellie doesn't replace Sarah. She gives him a second chance to become the man he was before the world fell apart.

BILL AND FRANK — A LOVE STORY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE APOCALYPSE

If I had to single out one episode that proved the series could move beyond the limitations of a conventional video game adaptation, it would be Long, Long Time. This third episode temporarily moves away from Joel and Ellie to tell the story of Bill and Frank, two men who meet after civilization collapses and build a life together in a world that has lost almost every trace of humanity.

Nick Offerman, best known for his comedic role in Parks and Recreation, delivers one of the most unexpected performances of his career. His Bill isn't simply a suspicious survivor who has filled his town with traps. He's a man who has built his entire existence around the belief that he doesn't need anyone. Murray Bartlett, as Frank, represents the opposing force: someone who continues to seek beauty, communication, and human connection.

Their relationship develops through small, everyday moments, from sharing a meal and having a conversation to discovering music that brings them closer. The piano scene featuring Linda Ronstadt's Long, Long Time perfectly illustrates how the series uses music. It doesn't try to manufacture a grand cinematic moment through spectacular effects. Instead, it allows two people to discover that even after the world they knew has ended, there is still something worth protecting.

Bill and Frank's story differs substantially from the game. There, Frank never appears alive alongside Bill, and their relationship is revealed through traces of the past and a bitter note. The television adaptation chooses to show us their life together, from their first meeting to the end. This isn't merely an addition to the source material. It's a new interpretation of the same world, giving greater depth to two characters who primarily served as part of Joel and Ellie's journey in the game.

The episode received overwhelmingly positive reactions and was considered by many critics one of the most significant television episodes of the year. Personally, I see it as a perfect example of how an adaptation can add something meaningful to the original work without undermining its identity. The apocalypse doesn't erase love. It makes it more precious.

There's another reason their story works so well. Bill and Frank don't save the world. They don't discover a cure or change the course of humanity. They achieve something much more personal: they create a life worth living, even when everything around them has fallen apart.

HENRY AND SAM — THE OTHER SIDE OF SACRIFICE

Henry and Sam's story is one of the first season's harshest emotional tests. Henry tries to protect his younger brother in a world where one person's love isn't always enough to save another. Their encounter with Joel and Ellie creates a temporary sense of safety, while the relationship between the two boys gives Ellie an opportunity to connect with someone who understands her need for companionship.

Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard bring sensitivity to two characters who occupy very different positions when it comes to danger. Henry is forced to make decisions that haunt him, while Sam still retains the innocence of a child who hasn't fully understood the world he lives in. Sam's use of sign language adds another dimension to his relationship with his brother and with Ellie.

The end of their story is one of those moments that is difficult to forget. Ellie tries to believe that her immunity can protect Sam, but reality proves merciless. When he turns into an infected and Henry is forced to shoot him, the tragedy is completed by a second, equally devastating act: unable to cope with what has just happened, Henry turns the gun on himself.

For Joel and Ellie, this loss serves as another reminder that survival isn't the same as living. You can protect someone for years and lose them in a matter of seconds. You can do everything right and still fail. It's one of the series' harshest lessons, offering no easy consolation and refusing to turn tragedy into a mere plot device.

RETURNING TO THE PAST — ELLIE'S TRAUMA

Left Behind is an important chapter in Ellie's journey, taking us into her past and her relationship with Riley. Through Ashley Johnson, the actress who portrayed Ellie in the original game, the series creates a special connection between the two versions of the character. Johnson appears as Anna, Ellie's mother, in the finale, but her presence in Left Behind is thematically connected to Ellie's story and everything she has lost.

As Riley, Storm Reid gives Ellie something that has been missing from her life: the feeling that there might be someone with whom she can share moments of joy, excitement, and tenderness. Their trip through the abandoned shopping mall, the games, the music, and the feeling of freedom create a temporary escape from the harsh world surrounding them.

What makes the story so painful is the contrast between the innocence of these moments and their eventual outcome. Ellie has already learned that loss is part of her life. Yet she hasn't stopped hoping that things could be different. Riley becomes one of the people who shape the way Ellie understands love, guilt, and responsibility.

This story also sheds light on an important aspect of Joel. He sees Ellie as a child he must protect, while we gradually understand that her own journey has already been shaped by losses he knows nothing about. Their relationship gains greater depth because neither of them has emerged from their past unscathed.

DAVID — THE ENEMY WHO DOESN'T NEED TO BE INFECTED

David, played by Scott Shepherd, represents one of the darkest elements of the season. His group initially appears to be a community of survivors trying to remain united. It soon becomes clear, however, that behind the religious rhetoric and the image of a leader lies a man who uses fear and power to control others.

Ellie finds herself alone again while Joel is seriously injured. For the first time, her need to protect herself isn't simply about confronting infected creatures or armed opponents. She comes face to face with a man who sees vulnerability as an opportunity to exploit someone.

Bella Ramsey's performance in these episodes is among the strongest of the first season. Ellie is no longer just the clever, sarcastic girl who tries to make Joel smile. She's a character forced to defend herself against a threat that goes far beyond anything she has faced up to that point.

The final confrontation with David is violent and emotionally exhausting. Ellie manages to escape, but the experience has changed her. Joel finds her outside the burning building and embraces her, calling her "baby girl." The phrase, associated with his memories of Sarah, reveals just how deeply Ellie has become part of his life.

For me, this moment is more important than any battle in the series. Joel no longer sees a girl he simply needs to deliver to her destination. He sees someone he loves and doesn't want to lose.

THE FINALE — THE TRUTH JOEL CANNOT BEAR

Warning: spoilers for the season finale.

When Joel and Ellie finally reach the Fireflies, their mission is nearing its conclusion. Ellie is about to be examined, as her immunity could provide the basis for developing a cure. For Joel, however, reaching their destination no longer means he can simply hand the girl over and carry on with his life.

His emotional transformation has already taken place. Ellie has become the family he thought he would never have again. The prospect of losing her triggers his deepest fear and leads him to a decision that defines the moral complexity of the entire story.

The Fireflies determine that the procedure that could lead to a cure would require removing Ellie's brain and would kill her. Marlene, played by Merle Dandridge, believes that sacrificing one person could save countless lives. Joel refuses to accept this outcome. Without giving Ellie the chance to decide her own fate, he launches a bloody assault against the Fireflies.

The hospital sequence is devastating precisely because it doesn't portray Joel as an unquestionable hero. He kills people who believe they are trying to save humanity, ultimately reaching Marlene, whom he shoots to ensure she can never come after Ellie. His decision is simultaneously an act of love and an act of selfishness. He wants to save the child he loves, but he does so by taking away her right to choose and potentially depriving humanity of a chance at salvation.

The most interesting aspect is that we don't know for certain whether the Fireflies would actually have succeeded in developing a cure. Their planned procedure would have killed Ellie, while its success was never guaranteed. This uncertainty makes Joel's decision even more complicated. We don't know whether he saved Ellie from a certain death that would have achieved nothing or destroyed humanity's only chance of saving millions of people.

When Ellie wakes up, Joel tells her that the Fireflies had found other immune people and abandoned their efforts to develop a cure. He conceals the truth, choosing to build the next chapter of their relationship on a lie. He's not simply trying to protect her from what happened in the hospital. He's trying to ensure that she never has to confront the possibility that he himself took humanity's last hope away.

Ellie, however, isn't naive. She has experienced enough to recognize that something doesn't add up in Joel's story. In their final conversation, she asks him to swear that everything he told her about the Fireflies is true. He does. Ellie simply replies, "Okay."

That "Okay" is the real ending of the first season. It doesn't necessarily mean forgiveness, nor does it prove that Ellie fully believes Joel. It's a moment of doubt, acceptance, and silence in which both of them know that something between them has changed. Joel has secured the chance to continue his life with her, but their relationship now rests on a truth he refuses to reveal.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID — ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT VIDEO GAME ADAPTATIONS

The first season of The Last of Us received an exceptional response from professional critics. It earned approximately 96% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 84/100 on Metacritic, with the majority of critics recognizing that the series had overcome many of the usual weaknesses associated with video game adaptations.

The performances of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, the cinematic presentation, the production quality, and the emotional approach to the source material were among the most frequently praised elements. Many critics described it as one of the best, if not the best, video game adaptations ever brought to television at the time. Neil Druckmann's involvement in the creative team was also considered an important factor in preserving the identity of the original work.

The series wasn't immune to criticism, however. Some viewers felt there was less action than expected from a survival story featuring infected creatures, while others argued that certain episodes slowed down the central narrative too much. There was also discussion about changes to the source material, particularly Bill and Frank's story, as well as the casting of Ellie.

My view is that the series succeeded where many other adaptations had failed: it understood that it didn't need to reproduce every scene from the game to remain faithful to it. The game uses action, exploration, and player participation to develop its characters. Television has different tools, and some of the series' best moments emerge precisely because it uses those tools rather than attempting to imitate the game's interactivity.

On the other hand, the limited presence of the infected in several parts of the season can make their threat feel as though it has receded too far into the background. The Last of Us is more interested in people than in the creatures roaming among them. This is a deliberate creative choice that strengthens the drama, although it may disappoint viewers expecting a more intense horror and survival series.

TRIVIA — THE DETAILS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

One of the most interesting aspects of the production is that Neil Druckmann wasn't merely a consultant brought in to approve the final result. He co-created the series with Craig Mazin and actively participated in shaping its television narrative. This allowed the production to expand stories and characters without abandoning the emotional core of the game.

The music of Gustavo Santaolalla, who composed the original game's soundtrack, returns in the series and connects the two versions of the story. The familiar musical themes serve as an emotional bridge for those who had already experienced the adventure on PlayStation, while creating a distinctive atmosphere for newcomers.

The third episode includes a reference to Mortal Kombat II, which is connected to Ellie's memories and her relationship with Riley. It's a small detail that reminds us that, before the apocalypse, children had the same everyday obsessions and played the same kinds of games as children in our own world. The creators also incorporated numerous visual references to the original game, from clothing and objects to recognizable scenes that fans can immediately identify.

Another interesting detail is the involvement of actors from the games themselves. Troy Baker, the original voice of Joel, appears in the series as James, while Ashley Johnson, who provided Ellie's voice and motion capture, plays Anna, Ellie's mother. Merle Dandridge, who portrayed Marlene in the game, reprises the same role in the television adaptation. This creates a connection with the original cast without limiting the series to reproducing the same performances.

Finally, the season finale follows the main structure of the first game's ending, preserving the moral dilemma surrounding Joel's decision. The series offers no easy answer as to whether he did the right thing. Instead, it leaves viewers to decide whether love justifies his actions or whether his personal need to avoid losing someone again overpowered every other consideration.

MY VIEW — A STORY THAT DOESN'T END WHEN THE CREDITS ROLL

Looking at the first season as a whole, I believe The Last of Us succeeded in bringing one of the most emotionally powerful journeys in video game history to television. The series doesn't rely solely on impressive production values or the recognition attached to its name. Its real strength lies in its characters and the decisions they make when there are no longer any rules to shield them from the consequences.

Pedro Pascal won me over as Joel, portraying a man who has lost almost everything and tries to convince himself that nothing remains worth loving. Bella Ramsey, on the other hand, left me with more complicated feelings. I recognize her strongest performances and the way she conveyed Ellie's vulnerability and anger, yet I still wonder whether a different casting choice might have captured the character I knew from the game even more effectively.

That doesn't take away from the series' overall success. Bill and Frank's episodes, Henry and Sam's story, Ellie's journey into her past, and Joel's final decision create something that goes beyond a conventional apocalypse narrative. Every character offers a different answer to the question of what it means to remain human when the world no longer functions as you once knew it.

What ultimately stays with you isn't the infected, the gunfights, or the ruined cities. It's the image of a father who lost his child, a girl who never knew a normal world, and a relationship born out of necessity, shaped by fear, and ultimately powerful enough to challenge the very idea of salvation.

The first season's ending doesn't ask us to decide whether Joel is a good or bad person. It asks us to consider what we would do if we were in his position. Would we sacrifice someone we love for a chance to save millions of others? Or would we destroy every hope of salvation to avoid experiencing the same loss all over again?

There is no easy answer. And perhaps that's the greatest reason The Last of Us remains so powerful.

Because, in the end, this isn't just a story about the end of the world. It's about what we're willing to do to hold on to the people who give us a reason to keep going.

And sometimes, the hardest part of survival isn't staying alive. It's living with the truth of what you did to save someone you love.