The Last of Us: Kin Show Only
February 19, 2023 8:06 PM - Season 1, Episode 6 - Subscribe
Joel and Ellie stumble upon an idyllic community, which forces them to face their biggest threat yet.
Another beautiful episode with not an infected in sight. Fantastic acting by Pedro Pascal as he quietly breaks down as realizes how much Ellie has changed him. Before he had a measure of peace, by keeping everyone away. Now that's someone is close to him again, here is no peace, and yet it's so much better for him, even at the end of the world.
I would like a 4-6 episode series about the older couple from the beginning, they were just amazingly funny with the dry wit exchanges.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:11 PM on February 19, 2023 [18 favorites]
I would like a 4-6 episode series about the older couple from the beginning, they were just amazingly funny with the dry wit exchanges.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:11 PM on February 19, 2023 [18 favorites]
I assume that the overall content of the video game is starting to thin significantly, so it’s interesting to see how the fill things in.
Wish he had found some nitro somewhere in the medbay for his angina.
The diva cup scene did it for me.
posted by sibboleth at 8:17 PM on February 19, 2023 [3 favorites]
Wish he had found some nitro somewhere in the medbay for his angina.
The diva cup scene did it for me.
posted by sibboleth at 8:17 PM on February 19, 2023 [3 favorites]
Guys is Joel dead cause I am seriously thinking Joel is dead and my heart cannot take it
posted by minervous at 8:41 PM on February 19, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by minervous at 8:41 PM on February 19, 2023 [5 favorites]
Was sort of subconsciously holding my breath, expecting this almost absurdly idyllic little town to be ruined, either by raiders or Infected or both, or to find out that they've got some kind of fucked up Shirley Jackson Lottery thing going on, or whatever. You know, like in Dawn of the Dead when they have a good thing going with the mall setup and then the biker gang comes along and fucks it up. Genre cliche... avoided, thank you, show. Not that there wasn't plenty of heartbreak anyway, with Joel coming around to realizing that he was terrified of fucking it up, only to realize that trying to avoid that was fucking it up, too.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:44 PM on February 19, 2023 [11 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:44 PM on February 19, 2023 [11 favorites]
A few minutes in, I posit that Joel has never, in fact, met a sheep.
posted by prismatic7 at 12:12 AM on February 20, 2023 [10 favorites]
posted by prismatic7 at 12:12 AM on February 20, 2023 [10 favorites]
The diva cup scene did it for me.
The Diva Cup!!! I squeed. I’m part of a movie club that’s been meeting for 2 years now: I’m the only female, and talk too often about how too many female characters in movies are just warm props put there to telegraph something about the MEN in the story. Most movies are stories by men about men written for other men. The Diva Cup scene was something I didn’t know I needed to see represented in my filmic world. It made me so happy.
A few minutes in, I posit that Joel has never, in fact, met a sheep.
Right? There is a line from a Terry Pratchett book, “…sheep are just a bag of teeth and bones and eyeballs looking for new ways to die.” And they do NOT do what they’re told.
The dialog in the bedroom felt flat to me — wrong, and (given what we’ve learned about Joel and Ellie to date) not what I’d expect either of them to say. Tho the writers did a great job of building up the series of gut-punches to Joel that would justify that sudden lashing out.
I’ve loved the care put into allowing all of the relationships to evolve and build over time. After they leave Jackson, the conversation has shifted from explaining the before-and after-times, to Joel trying to explain *football* to Ellie - in pointless detail. He’s moved into full Dad mode. I loved seeing it.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:12 AM on February 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
The Diva Cup!!! I squeed. I’m part of a movie club that’s been meeting for 2 years now: I’m the only female, and talk too often about how too many female characters in movies are just warm props put there to telegraph something about the MEN in the story. Most movies are stories by men about men written for other men. The Diva Cup scene was something I didn’t know I needed to see represented in my filmic world. It made me so happy.
A few minutes in, I posit that Joel has never, in fact, met a sheep.
Right? There is a line from a Terry Pratchett book, “…sheep are just a bag of teeth and bones and eyeballs looking for new ways to die.” And they do NOT do what they’re told.
The dialog in the bedroom felt flat to me — wrong, and (given what we’ve learned about Joel and Ellie to date) not what I’d expect either of them to say. Tho the writers did a great job of building up the series of gut-punches to Joel that would justify that sudden lashing out.
I’ve loved the care put into allowing all of the relationships to evolve and build over time. After they leave Jackson, the conversation has shifted from explaining the before-and after-times, to Joel trying to explain *football* to Ellie - in pointless detail. He’s moved into full Dad mode. I loved seeing it.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:12 AM on February 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
You know what’s in Ellie’s backpack that would fit perfectly in a puncture wound? Chekhov’s Diva Cup. Half joking but I seriously hope they went for it as it’ll trigger the gAmErS.
posted by nathan_teske at 5:51 AM on February 20, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by nathan_teske at 5:51 AM on February 20, 2023 [12 favorites]
I would like a 4-6 episode series about the older couple from the beginning, they were just amazingly funny with the dry wit exchanges.
Graham Greene and Elaine Miles. I was delighted to see them, and have some hope we might see more.
I really liked this episode; it didn't do the usual things of having the colony harbor a deep, dark secret or be run by a homicidal maniac; Joel and his brother have a complicated relationship but can still trust each other; and Ellie and Joel now have a relationship that is more open and honest and affectionate as well. It matters now that Joel is hurt because it not only puts Ellie in danger; as she said earlier everyone she has cared about is either dead or has left her...and she chose Joel to take her the rest of the way.
I like the fact that this show has focused on the importance of relationships and human connection in the midst of the apocalypse.
posted by nubs at 6:22 AM on February 20, 2023 [7 favorites]
Graham Greene and Elaine Miles. I was delighted to see them, and have some hope we might see more.
I really liked this episode; it didn't do the usual things of having the colony harbor a deep, dark secret or be run by a homicidal maniac; Joel and his brother have a complicated relationship but can still trust each other; and Ellie and Joel now have a relationship that is more open and honest and affectionate as well. It matters now that Joel is hurt because it not only puts Ellie in danger; as she said earlier everyone she has cared about is either dead or has left her...and she chose Joel to take her the rest of the way.
I like the fact that this show has focused on the importance of relationships and human connection in the midst of the apocalypse.
posted by nubs at 6:22 AM on February 20, 2023 [7 favorites]
Oh gosh, this was a good episode. I teared up when Joel yelled "Tommy!" and they embraced. I loved the Diva Cup scene too, although I did wonder if a 20-year-old Diva Cup would still be good to use or if the material might be too degraded to be fit for purpose.
The scenery was breathtaking. Absolutely stunning country.
I am on tenterhooks waiting for next week. He can't be dead... he can't be ...
posted by essexjan at 6:49 AM on February 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
The scenery was breathtaking. Absolutely stunning country.
I am on tenterhooks waiting for next week. He can't be dead... he can't be ...
posted by essexjan at 6:49 AM on February 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
There’s a confirmed second season, he can’t be dead?!
The Last of Us Recap: Beyond the River of Death [Vulture / Archive]
Give It Up for the Last of Us Menstrual Cup [Vulture / Archive]
The Last of Us’s Rutina Wesley Found a “Fierce Stillness” in Maria [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 7:20 AM on February 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
The Last of Us Recap: Beyond the River of Death [Vulture / Archive]
Give It Up for the Last of Us Menstrual Cup [Vulture / Archive]
The Last of Us’s Rutina Wesley Found a “Fierce Stillness” in Maria [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 7:20 AM on February 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
Looking up Graham Greene and Elaine Myles, I'd forgotten they were both in the TV show Northern Exposure, and somewhat playing their roles from there in the cabin scene.
posted by kokaku at 8:33 AM on February 20, 2023 [16 favorites]
posted by kokaku at 8:33 AM on February 20, 2023 [16 favorites]
I feel like the hilarious bit about contractors was a shout out to The Postman (1997).
posted by migurski at 9:25 AM on February 20, 2023
posted by migurski at 9:25 AM on February 20, 2023
Looking up Graham Greene and Elaine Myles, I'd forgotten they were both in the TV show Northern Exposure, and somewhat playing their roles from there in the cabin scene.
Okay now I HAVE to see this.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:51 AM on February 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
Okay now I HAVE to see this.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:51 AM on February 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
Looking up Graham Greene and Elaine Myles, I'd forgotten they were both in the TV show Northern Exposure, and somewhat playing their roles from there in the cabin scene.
I am not a gamer, but it was seeing these two in the early, pre-release trailer that got me excited. Any showrunner that knew to cast THESE actors has my attention.
posted by Silvery Fish at 12:42 PM on February 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
I am not a gamer, but it was seeing these two in the early, pre-release trailer that got me excited. Any showrunner that knew to cast THESE actors has my attention.
posted by Silvery Fish at 12:42 PM on February 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
“The Last of Us” Cinematographer Eben Bolter on Episode 4 & More [The Credits]
The Last of Us’s Gabriel Luna on Finding Tommy [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 1:31 PM on February 20, 2023
The Last of Us’s Gabriel Luna on Finding Tommy [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 1:31 PM on February 20, 2023
Looking up Graham Greene and Elaine Myles, I'd forgotten they were both in the TV show Northern Exposure, and somewhat playing their roles from there in the cabin scene.I immediately picked up on Elaine Miles, like pointing at the screen and saying "That— that's Marilyn!" Graham Greene was just a little harder to place, but not that much. But then again, I'm finishing up rewatching all of Northern Exposure.
They sound the same. And yeah, act so similar.
posted by cardioid at 2:31 PM on February 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
I love that when Joel is explaining the rules of football to Ellie, she doesn't quite believe him.
posted by Mogur at 2:59 PM on February 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Mogur at 2:59 PM on February 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
I looked it up and Diva Cups are made of silicone so I think they'd be ok for quite a while.
In "it's the small things" news, when Ellie comes downstairs like a whirlwind Graham Greene's character exclaims "howa!" It's something I heard several times from my Ojibwe language teacher and according to him means something like "wow" in a good way. I don't hear it often but when I do it's a treat; one of the few words I recognize! I'm guessing that was improv.
posted by traveler_ at 3:11 PM on February 20, 2023 [12 favorites]
In "it's the small things" news, when Ellie comes downstairs like a whirlwind Graham Greene's character exclaims "howa!" It's something I heard several times from my Ojibwe language teacher and according to him means something like "wow" in a good way. I don't hear it often but when I do it's a treat; one of the few words I recognize! I'm guessing that was improv.
posted by traveler_ at 3:11 PM on February 20, 2023 [12 favorites]
Graham Greene and Elaine Myles
Someone get these two a spinoff!
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 3:42 PM on February 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
Someone get these two a spinoff!
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 3:42 PM on February 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
You know one cliche I really don't like is "tough dude is mean to people he cares about because he doesn't know how to do an Emotion and he wants them to forget about him," and the reason I don't like it is it really gets me every time, even when I know (as I knew) that Joel would go on anyway.
Kind of baffling that they were watching a Neil Simon movie, of all the things they could have chosen. I don't know if there was a storytelling reason for this or it's just one of those things that end up happening when licensing for something else doesn't work out.
posted by Countess Elena at 5:41 PM on February 20, 2023
Kind of baffling that they were watching a Neil Simon movie, of all the things they could have chosen. I don't know if there was a storytelling reason for this or it's just one of those things that end up happening when licensing for something else doesn't work out.
posted by Countess Elena at 5:41 PM on February 20, 2023
Kind of baffling that they were watching a Neil Simon movie,
Been a whole since I've seen the Goodbye Girl but I think the fear of abandonment theme kind of fits with the epsiode, doesn't it?
posted by nubs at 5:55 PM on February 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
Been a whole since I've seen the Goodbye Girl but I think the fear of abandonment theme kind of fits with the epsiode, doesn't it?
posted by nubs at 5:55 PM on February 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
Part of the story of Goodbye Girl is that the romance is complicated by the fact Marsha Mason's character has a daughter. Richard Dreyfus has got to get the daughter to like him, too.
posted by crossoverman at 6:46 PM on February 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by crossoverman at 6:46 PM on February 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
Kind of baffling that they were watching a Neil Simon movie, of all the things they could have chosen. I don't know if there was a storytelling reason for this or it's just one of those things that end up happening when licensing for something else doesn't work out.
This was addressed on the most recent episode of the official podcast; it was an intentional choice that came from Craig Mazin.
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 8:48 PM on February 20, 2023
This was addressed on the most recent episode of the official podcast; it was an intentional choice that came from Craig Mazin.
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 8:48 PM on February 20, 2023
Loved this episode, loving this show. When the first episode established that they had to go from Boston to Wyoming I said “What?? How are they going to cover that distance in 8 to 10 episodes!” When the super “Three Months Later” came up I said “What?? How are they going to skip over so much potential story!” I guess I’m never satisfied.
I very much appreciated that a major conflict this episode was Joel being afraid that he wasn’t up to the task of delivering Ellie to the fireflies alive. It cut very much against the usual video game baseline of “you’re the best at everything, because obviously the game can’t continue when you don’t succeed.” Video games would be both much more interesting and much more boring if halfway through you had an option to select “I quit, my brother will do this instead.”
posted by ejs at 9:29 PM on February 20, 2023 [8 favorites]
I very much appreciated that a major conflict this episode was Joel being afraid that he wasn’t up to the task of delivering Ellie to the fireflies alive. It cut very much against the usual video game baseline of “you’re the best at everything, because obviously the game can’t continue when you don’t succeed.” Video games would be both much more interesting and much more boring if halfway through you had an option to select “I quit, my brother will do this instead.”
posted by ejs at 9:29 PM on February 20, 2023 [8 favorites]
Kind of baffling that they were watching a Neil Simon movie,
This is the theory from the Vulture review I linked above:
It’s not exactly Iron Man, but that might be part of the point. Kids would probably be more fascinated by a comedy set in the times before the Infected than an action movie. (It’s reminiscent of the scene in the kind-of-underrated Kevin Costner film The Postman where a bunch of post-apocalyptic tough guys are shown really digging The Sound of Music on movie night, then get angry when the film switches to the violent Universal Soldier. )
posted by ellieBOA at 12:54 AM on February 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
This is the theory from the Vulture review I linked above:
It’s not exactly Iron Man, but that might be part of the point. Kids would probably be more fascinated by a comedy set in the times before the Infected than an action movie. (It’s reminiscent of the scene in the kind-of-underrated Kevin Costner film The Postman where a bunch of post-apocalyptic tough guys are shown really digging The Sound of Music on movie night, then get angry when the film switches to the violent Universal Soldier. )
posted by ellieBOA at 12:54 AM on February 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
That Vulture point rings true to me. In their situation, what could offer a greater sense of escapism and wonder than a movie showing everyday peaceful life in the pre-crisis world? What could be more unimaginably exotic and fascinating to get a glimpse of?
Give it a century or so, and our grandchildren may want to watch our 2023 soaps and sitcoms with equal fascination. "Look: you could go out without a hazmat suit! The coastal cities were still above water! What must that have been like?!"
posted by Paul Slade at 1:58 AM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Give it a century or so, and our grandchildren may want to watch our 2023 soaps and sitcoms with equal fascination. "Look: you could go out without a hazmat suit! The coastal cities were still above water! What must that have been like?!"
posted by Paul Slade at 1:58 AM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Reminder that many folks here avoid watching previews for the next week's episode, so it's polite to not include references to those in your comments.
posted by mediareport at 6:41 AM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by mediareport at 6:41 AM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
The movie's normalcy is mirrored by Ellie's disbelief at the inane things worried about in the diary.
posted by kokaku at 7:19 AM on February 21, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by kokaku at 7:19 AM on February 21, 2023 [8 favorites]
My theory WRT The Goodbye Girl was simply that they had a limited stock of movies and they'd watched the more popular ones (and stayed away from the zombie movies, for obvious reasons).
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:27 AM on February 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:27 AM on February 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
I absolutely loved that The Goodbye Girl was playing. I like that movie a lot. And it's an unexpected choice to show versus choosing something that's "LOL s0 RAndoM!!" But I think it also showed that there is a finite amount of DVDs and VHS tapes still in existence. So people would probably watch every kind of movie or show they could find. And yes, it's about a sort of normal slice of life which would have evoked warm, sad memories for older people and genuine fantasy/curiosity for younger people.
I'm enjoying this show overall. I like that they are keeping the episodes notably different from each other and add in quirks like Goodbye Girl.
And I recognized Elaine Miles immediately! I did not recognize the actor she was with, though. Great to see them again. She still looks amazing 30 years after Northern Exposure!
posted by SoberHighland at 10:51 AM on February 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm enjoying this show overall. I like that they are keeping the episodes notably different from each other and add in quirks like Goodbye Girl.
And I recognized Elaine Miles immediately! I did not recognize the actor she was with, though. Great to see them again. She still looks amazing 30 years after Northern Exposure!
posted by SoberHighland at 10:51 AM on February 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Me, realizing not everyone knows who Graham Greene is. For a while, that guy was in everything (at least if it needed an Indigenous character) and, I think, he's just in a lot of Canadian stuff in general so maybe I'm more used to seeing his face (though it's been a while, I guess, since I was momentarily surprised by how old he's gotten).
Overall, a good episode, though I'm waiting for Tommy or someone else from Communist Utopia to betray Joel and Ellie, given the whole foreshadowing of "only the ones you trust can betray you."
posted by asnider at 12:53 PM on February 21, 2023 [8 favorites]
Overall, a good episode, though I'm waiting for Tommy or someone else from Communist Utopia to betray Joel and Ellie, given the whole foreshadowing of "only the ones you trust can betray you."
posted by asnider at 12:53 PM on February 21, 2023 [8 favorites]
I sort of assumed said betrayal would happen this episode and was surprised when it didn't, unless the random biker dudes were connected to the town in some way that will be revealed next week.
posted by asnider at 12:54 PM on February 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by asnider at 12:54 PM on February 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Absolutely fascinating that some people think the choice of movie was random or just whatever the production could afford, given that it's produced by Sony Pictures Television and released by HBO/Warners. They could afford anything.
posted by crossoverman at 2:15 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by crossoverman at 2:15 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
In the podcast they say that they deliberately chose that movie. The found father/daughter plot points in the movie parallel the themes in the show.
posted by antinomia at 3:53 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by antinomia at 3:53 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
For me, the quintessential Graham Greene role is playing demolitions expert Edgar Montrose on The Red Green Show.
posted by mrjohnmuller at 7:39 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by mrjohnmuller at 7:39 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Kind of baffling that they were watching a Neil Simon movie, of all the things they could have chosen.
Teenage girl is wondering if her father figure is going to abandon her. Seems thematically apropos.
posted by oneirodynia at 8:34 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Teenage girl is wondering if her father figure is going to abandon her. Seems thematically apropos.
posted by oneirodynia at 8:34 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
I think the betrayal was Joel, the one she trusts the most, telling he's leaving her in Tommy's hands. The twist then is that he is trustworthy, so maybe not every bit of "former DA" wisdom hits the mark.
posted by OHenryPacey at 8:44 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by OHenryPacey at 8:44 PM on February 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Mod note: One deleted. Reminder not to reveal info about upcoming episodes!
posted by taz (staff) at 1:42 AM on February 22, 2023
posted by taz (staff) at 1:42 AM on February 22, 2023
I will not rest till I've shoehorned the following exchange into my conversation.
[Other person expresses surprise or delight about anything at all.]
Me: "First time seeing a monkey?"
Them: "First time seeing a monkey."
posted by Paul Slade at 4:18 AM on February 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
[Other person expresses surprise or delight about anything at all.]
Me: "First time seeing a monkey?"
Them: "First time seeing a monkey."
posted by Paul Slade at 4:18 AM on February 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
Graham Greene of course became much more famous when he was in Dances with Wolves with Kevin Costner. I recognized him immediately.
posted by Fleebnork at 4:23 AM on February 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Fleebnork at 4:23 AM on February 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
I think the betrayal was Joel, the one she trusts the most, telling he's leaving her in Tommy's hands. The twist then is that he is trustworthy, so maybe not every bit of "former DA" wisdom hits the mark.
That could be. It'd fit with the relative subtleness of a lot of things in the show, rather than a big and obvious betrayal full of guns and "sorry, bro, I'm gonna be a dad now, you understand" that other post-apocalyptic shows would tend toward.
posted by asnider at 8:01 AM on February 22, 2023
That could be. It'd fit with the relative subtleness of a lot of things in the show, rather than a big and obvious betrayal full of guns and "sorry, bro, I'm gonna be a dad now, you understand" that other post-apocalyptic shows would tend toward.
posted by asnider at 8:01 AM on February 22, 2023
I think this is the first cliff hanger they've left us on, isn't it?
I can't even decide if it *is* even a cliff hanger, because how can he be anything but dead? Yet surely Joel *can't* be dead? Yet they don't seem to follow any usual rules regarding protaganists dying. They seem to relish it.
I am going to find it hard to resist sitting through a game walkthrough so I don't have to wait another 5 days to find out!
posted by chill at 8:18 AM on February 22, 2023
I can't even decide if it *is* even a cliff hanger, because how can he be anything but dead? Yet surely Joel *can't* be dead? Yet they don't seem to follow any usual rules regarding protaganists dying. They seem to relish it.
I am going to find it hard to resist sitting through a game walkthrough so I don't have to wait another 5 days to find out!
posted by chill at 8:18 AM on February 22, 2023
It's confusing, 'cause Joel did the one thing you should never do after being stabbed, he pulled the stabbing implement out. That's usually a death sentence, so by all rights, he should probably be dead.
But this isn't real life, it's fiction, and Pedro Pascal is one of the stars of the show. There's currently no other character that's been set to take his place, by the usual narrative laws, so he probably isn't dead.
It would be a very big deal if he was though! Just can't see it happening. But if it did, that would be almost like what happened to Ned Stark in the first season of Game of Thrones, and incredibly exciting, narratively!
But most of the internet would probably need therapy if that happened.
*quickly Googles to see if the creators have any relatives or spouses that are therapists*
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:26 AM on February 22, 2023
But this isn't real life, it's fiction, and Pedro Pascal is one of the stars of the show. There's currently no other character that's been set to take his place, by the usual narrative laws, so he probably isn't dead.
It would be a very big deal if he was though! Just can't see it happening. But if it did, that would be almost like what happened to Ned Stark in the first season of Game of Thrones, and incredibly exciting, narratively!
But most of the internet would probably need therapy if that happened.
*quickly Googles to see if the creators have any relatives or spouses that are therapists*
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:26 AM on February 22, 2023
we all thought Bill must be dead after getting gut shot, but the next time we see him its years later and Frank is in the wheel chair. so yeah....
re the choice of movie, yes, we know it was deliberate, but of course it was. I always try to check the titles of 'prop' movies or books lying around in a scene. they are never random. (ie CHUDs being shown in the background in the opening sequence of Us.)
I used to do very low budget video content production and if we needed a book for a prop we used one of the ones in my house, but we always chose for best context, or at least humor, value. compared to the truly challenging things they are doing in this show, picking a thematically appropriate movie is piffling.
posted by supermedusa at 8:45 AM on February 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
re the choice of movie, yes, we know it was deliberate, but of course it was. I always try to check the titles of 'prop' movies or books lying around in a scene. they are never random. (ie CHUDs being shown in the background in the opening sequence of Us.)
I used to do very low budget video content production and if we needed a book for a prop we used one of the ones in my house, but we always chose for best context, or at least humor, value. compared to the truly challenging things they are doing in this show, picking a thematically appropriate movie is piffling.
posted by supermedusa at 8:45 AM on February 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
God, the song drop at the end was bloody awful though wasn't it
(apparently the daughter of a director / producer? You're better than this, show!)
posted by ominous_paws at 11:42 AM on February 22, 2023
(apparently the daughter of a director / producer? You're better than this, show!)
posted by ominous_paws at 11:42 AM on February 22, 2023
I thought the cover of the song - a callback to the song at the end of the first ep - was lovely.
posted by crossoverman at 2:28 PM on February 22, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by crossoverman at 2:28 PM on February 22, 2023 [7 favorites]
Good episode. I think with all the gruff loner vibes I'd missed how much Joel has been really alone. Obviously he has Ellie, but even when he can admit he cares for her, she's still a kid he's responsible for, and as much as part of him longs for that, she's not someone he's going to unburden himself to. Tess is dead, Bill and Frank are dead, Henry could've been a friend but he's dead, for a long time there was a really good chance Tommy was dead. Given all that, I don't know why I was a little surprised by him having an emotional breakdown almost the first chance he got, and Ellie and Sarah were understandably at the center of it but yeesh, he's had that coming for a while.
posted by jameaterblues at 6:28 PM on February 22, 2023 [11 favorites]
posted by jameaterblues at 6:28 PM on February 22, 2023 [11 favorites]
Since Tommy was set to go, I was surprised he didn't join them and go as a group.
I was inspired to illustrate the "sheep farm on the moon"
posted by mikepop at 6:36 AM on February 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
I was inspired to illustrate the "sheep farm on the moon"
posted by mikepop at 6:36 AM on February 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
But if it did, that would be almost like what happened to Ned Stark in the first season of Game of Thrones, and incredibly exciting, narratively!
Oh, good! If this comes true, I will get to know what that felt like for people who hadn't read the book first! (Although, to be honest, it was still fairly shocking and unexpected in the book, since it was deliberately made to seem like Ned would be one of the main protagonists, as the patriarch of the family that most of the book was focused on prior to his execution.)
posted by asnider at 9:56 AM on February 24, 2023
Oh, good! If this comes true, I will get to know what that felt like for people who hadn't read the book first! (Although, to be honest, it was still fairly shocking and unexpected in the book, since it was deliberately made to seem like Ned would be one of the main protagonists, as the patriarch of the family that most of the book was focused on prior to his execution.)
posted by asnider at 9:56 AM on February 24, 2023
Reiterating my earlier comment (sorry, forgot that trailers count as spoilers)
Loved seeing GG and Elaine in the episode. Her delivery is still that great deadpan and dry thing she did in Northern Exposure. Their interaction was great in reflecting that old married couple vibe.
The show really does love hammering home "pairs" at us to reflect on Joel and Ellie and their progress.
I hadn't really even thought about the fact that Joel was having panic/anxiety attacks - brain went naturally to heart attack - but we see it after what - the warning from the old couple about the river of death and his seeing the Sarah doppleganger, so it tracks - big emotional stress, his fear of failing another person, etc.
Dude's not only internalized the gruff macho loner code, he's had no real choice to do anything but internalize it.
Also, I loved how angry, bitter, betrayed and wounding Ellie gets and that it felt true that Joel hadn't told her about Sarah and how dangerous his anger felt when she said her name.
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:51 AM on February 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Loved seeing GG and Elaine in the episode. Her delivery is still that great deadpan and dry thing she did in Northern Exposure. Their interaction was great in reflecting that old married couple vibe.
The show really does love hammering home "pairs" at us to reflect on Joel and Ellie and their progress.
I hadn't really even thought about the fact that Joel was having panic/anxiety attacks - brain went naturally to heart attack - but we see it after what - the warning from the old couple about the river of death and his seeing the Sarah doppleganger, so it tracks - big emotional stress, his fear of failing another person, etc.
Dude's not only internalized the gruff macho loner code, he's had no real choice to do anything but internalize it.
Also, I loved how angry, bitter, betrayed and wounding Ellie gets and that it felt true that Joel hadn't told her about Sarah and how dangerous his anger felt when she said her name.
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:51 AM on February 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Labeling the fungi in The Last of Us intro (Vox short)
posted by ellieBOA at 3:17 AM on February 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 3:17 AM on February 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm just catching up with this show, but one thing I'm really noticing (especially with this horsey episode) is just how much of a captain tightpants vibe Joel is giving off. Maybe I've just been subconsciously primed by the group called fireflies, though...
posted by Acari at 8:55 AM on March 2, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Acari at 8:55 AM on March 2, 2023 [1 favorite]
Graham Greene and Elaine Myles
I recognized her, or rather her voice despite never having watched Northern Exposure except for commercials. I didn’t recognize him, even though I’ve seen him in many things, with short hair.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:11 PM on January 5
I recognized her, or rather her voice despite never having watched Northern Exposure except for commercials. I didn’t recognize him, even though I’ve seen him in many things, with short hair.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:11 PM on January 5
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posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:06 PM on February 19, 2023 [1 favorite]