The Last of Us: Kin Books Included

February 19, 2023 8:37 PM - Season 1, Episode 6

After ignoring the advice of the locals, Joel and Ellie descend deeper into dangerous territory in search of the Fireflies - and Tommy.

Books included means the playstation games the series is based on.

posted by dis_integration (10 comments total)

This episode makes Joel’s decision to massacre the Firefly hospital a lot more understandable. It isn’t just that he loves Ellie, and is too selfish to care about anything else; he loves and has *failed* Ellie, repeatedly, and he cannot bear another failure. He’s just too broken and traumatized to accept the prospect of “failing” again - even if Ellie would want him to.
posted by Mr. Excellent at 11:05 PM on February 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

I’m glad we got to see Jackson here the way we didn’t in the first game. This makes me imagine that it was cut for time, or because they didn’t have the resources to build a whole town and populate it with people, or it just didn’t lend itself to a mid-level gunplay interlude.

The diary scene in the bedroom plays way better when it’s not just Ellie stealing a horse and riding out to some random house.

And the University scene is better for not being so incredibly over-the-top, to the extent that they arguably underplayed it. I remember watching Joel stumble over a balcony and have a piece of rebar go straight through his torso, and thinking, “well, this is a weird place in the game to kill off Joel.”

And next week we get the DLC flashback and lots of people will be livid that they have to wait another week to find out what happens to him.
posted by savetheclocktower at 11:14 PM on February 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

I thought Joel's emotional breakdown asking for help was much more effective (and with really great acting by Pedro Pascal, it was completely unexpected and moving to me) than the game version where they get into a dustup before they're interrupted by raiders. Still, I think it would have been more effective to have Ellie run away and have to be rescued, having Joel show that he *can* protect her and also making him have a moment of realization that the reason he's so anxious and afraid is because he loves Ellie like he loved his daughter. It would be a moment for him to see that he can have a second chance at the relationship that was taken from him and the loss that sent him down the dark path that has him at odds with his brother.

Incredible that they gave us a Joel-strangulation/kneck break takedown, complete with the camera angle you get if you spin the camera around in the game during the takedown (which I do all the time to make sure nobody else is about to come up behind me). It was bizarre pure fan service and almost took me right out of the show.
posted by dis_integration at 7:27 AM on February 20, 2023 [3 favorites]

I thought Joel's emotional breakdown asking for help was much more effective
Yes! Very yes! The choice to change it from the game motivation (which was basically "I don't wanna, you owe me, the fireflies are your people") to this ("I'm too broken to make it and I can't risk failing her") was soooo effective.


(from the show-only thread)
There’s a confirmed second season, he can’t be dead?!

....lol.
posted by coriolisdave at 2:19 PM on February 20, 2023 [7 favorites]

Somebody give Pedro an emmy! Joel's breakdown in front of Tommy gave this version of Joel a really rich tapestry of motivations. The Official podcast with Troy Baker this week had some really rich contrasts on video game Joel vs. TV Joel - fascinating, make sure to check it out.

I'm still playing TLoU Remastered in sync with the show; looks like it's time to fire up the Left Behind DLC in preparation for next week.
posted by WedgedPiano at 9:59 AM on February 21, 2023 [1 favorite]

This whole world just wrecks me. They are nailing the best parts of the emotional tone of the game. Only minor gripe is I think the last bit of this episode moved too quickly, but still very well done and better than the game for TV. Joel falling after fighting off a ton of guys would have seemed off in a show. The stage is set for revenge, too, since Joel killed one of “them.”
posted by glaucon at 5:35 PM on February 21, 2023

Oh god.... Ełlie made Joels sheep raaaach :c
Loved the old couple and was chilled to see Joel do "his trick", loving them incorporating these small things, it's killing me.
Loved to see Rutina Wesley, she was my absolute fave in True Blood. How Tommy "no he can't" teach her how to snipe, but we know he will. SHIMMER!!! Yesh I'm live blogging

Can't believe they are in Jackson, that works for me. It looks fucking amazing 😍
Omfg my heart breaking at Joel being awful about Tommys baby news. Joel, say congrats! Ooh the hoodie, i love all the clothes. Maria is such a bad bitch! Love how she and Ellie already started dancing.
posted by Iteki at 11:42 AM on February 22, 2023

complete with the camera angle you get if you spin the camera around in the game during the takedown

OMG yes! I was thinking the exact same thing (I do the spin around thing as well).

Still no bricks.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:03 AM on February 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

And no giraffes :(
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:27 AM on February 23, 2023

depending what this week's episode involves, giraffe's should be next week, I think.
they're in SLC, on the run into The Final Bit
posted by coriolisdave at 7:06 PM on February 23, 2023 [1 favorite]