A new hilarious video imagines a non-gamer watching The Last of Us with someone who played the original video game. HBO's popular horror drama is based on 2013's Naughty Dog video game of the same name. Bella Ramsey stars as Ellie, a precocious 14-year-old orphan who is somehow immune to a fungal plague that has wreaked havoc across the world. When the Fireflies are attacked, the militant revolutionary faction hires weathered black market smugglers Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and Tess (Anna Torv) to escort Ellie out of the heavily-fortified Boston Quarantine Zone. It has become the most-talked-about show in the last two weeks, with immense praise for its storytelling and performance.
YouTuber KyFromDaWoods recently shared a funny video that mocks gamers watching HBO's The Last of Us with people who have never played the game before. Check out the video below:
The video highlights the struggle some audience members have when watching a movie or a show based on other media, with a dedicated fanbase well-versed in the original story. The YouTuber exaggerates the maligned overly-critical viewer, who wishes the source material was adapted with little to no changes.
HBO's The Last Of Us Earns Praise From Dedicated Gamers & Casual Audience
Just prior to the show's release, The Last of Us was met with glowing praise from critics, propelling the series to a near-perfect "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes after the series premiere. The show also garnered a high audience rating on the website, scoring a stellar 96%. Critic reviews and word-of-mouth helped The Last of Us episode 2 break a viewership record with 5.7 million viewers tuning in, resulting in a 22% increase from episode 1.
High viewership was expected due to the video game's popularity, strong support, and top-tier cast, but there was some expectation that the show would be review-bombed by a highly-critical portion of the fanbase. Following leaks of the critically acclaimed The Last of Us Part II in 2020, a group of the game's fans took to social media and complained about the game's bold and challenging narrative choices. This criticism led to hate and even death threats toward the game's creator and actors. The negativity shifted its focus toward HBO's The Last of Us before its release, primarily targeting the new cast. Ramsey was cognizant of the backlash leading up to the premiere and still struggles with the negativity. However, the show's strength seemingly won out, as is reflected in The Last of Us' ratings and rising viewership.
Although the zombie genre has come and gone in the past two decades, with stellar entries to include 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead (2004), Shaun of the Dead, Cooties, and Train to Busan, The Last of Us stands out due to its unique concept of infection coupled with a strong narrative. This allows the series to not only bring back the franchise's loyal fanbase but attract a wider non-gaming audience. With The Last of Us episode 3 airing Sunday which is an episode claimed to challenge expectations, it will continue the discussion between dedicated and newer viewers to see what else ensues in Joel and Ellie's journey.
Source: KyFromDaWoods