After only a single episode, HBO's The Last of Us has already broken a Breaking Bad record. The Last of Us follows the adventures of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they travel across the continental United States on a journey to find the mysterious Fireflies, a gang of revolutionaries attempting to overthrow the American military in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. With Ellie holding the keys to immunity in her genetic code, Joel needs to deliver her safely, or else risk the entire world losing the fight against the infected.
The Last of Us episode 1 introduced viewers to its world and gave a taste of life shortly before the infection and 20 years after. The premiere has received rave reviews from critics and audiences, and the latter response has already translated to an incredible feat. On IMDb, voters have already rated The Last of Us the #1 TV series of all time with 9.5 stars, putting it just ahead of the beloved Breaking Bad. It is worth noting that Breaking Bad has notched far more votes than The Last of Us has, and that the latter series has only aired one episode so far, so this ranking could change.
How The Last Of Us Broke The Video Game Adaptation Curse
Unfortunately, The Last of Us stands alone among video game successes, as most other adaptations tend to flop when they hit screens, with Assassin's Creed among recent examples. Fortunately, The Last of Us avoids game adaptation issues by expanding on story elements or removing them where necessary. Where the game focuses on Robert's conflict with Joel and Tess for an entire arc, the show sidesteps that plot with a Firefly bomb and Marlene's appearance. It manages to get the point across without being bogged down by video game elements that are only intended to provide information about mechanics and controls.
The Last of Us also benefits from the character-driven nature of the games. Rather than focusing on gameplay and shooting, the core of The Last of Us has always been about the characters of Joel and Ellie, and it shows on screen with the emotional pilot and Ellie's fiery personality. The show has also changed some major elements about the infected rather than sticking too closely to the game. Though removing the spores is disappointing for the aesthetic of the show, it helps ground The Last of Us in realism and also helps prevent the actors from wearing gas masks for an entire episode.
What To Expect From The Last Of Us Going Forward
The elements that have changed in The Last of Us are here to stay, and there are more to come in future episodes. As Ellie and Joel begin to bond, the show will center on their relationship, but that doesn't mean they won't face new struggles along the way. The Last of Us features new characters who will raise the stakes of the show, but the overall plot will remain the same as the games with Joel trying desperately to get Ellie to relative safety. The show will also break from the source material's timeline by showing off key elements of Ellie's history long before the video game did. Hopefully, The Last of Us will continue to excel and draw comparisons to Breaking Bad and other groundbreaking shows.
Source: IMDb