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[LordCBH]

It'll be very interesting to see if the audience reaction(i.e. viewership) tanks in response.

I'd also be interested to see if the audience reaction echos that of the game response, where people just..didn't like it.

I seem to recall that happened in Walking Dead after the

Spoiler

death of Glenn by Negan

. We'll see.

I knew that was coming in TWD and STILL hated it. But absolutely loved the villain character before and after.

Spoiler: TWD/TLOUPT Spoiler

Negan had actual charisma and was generally entertaining. Abby is just shitty with bad writing and no entertainment. Essentially a whiny baby who wasn't controlled and was allowed to go on a tantrum because the people she's was with were morons.

 

[Draugoth]

I just can't

 

[RedC]

All the older adult actors seem to fit the setting this season.

However, I struggle with all the young adults looking like suburban kids cosplaying as tough kids in the post-apocalypse.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

It'll be very interesting to see if the audience reaction(i.e. viewership) tanks in response.

I'd also be interested to see if the audience reaction echos that of the game response, where people just..didn't like it.

I seem to recall that happened in Walking Dead after the

Spoiler

death of Glenn by Negan

. We'll see.

The end of the first season also didn't cause nearly as much controversy as the end of the first game.

Different pieces of entertainment. That said, this episode will probably promote the show like nothing ever before. Will people care for this girl on girl revenge story though? It all depends on how much they liked Ellie and Joel together.

 

[RedC]

I now know how everybody else feels, because I feel like I don't care about the story anymore. LOL

 

[DragoonKain]

I mean Bella Ramsey's face and body type isn't gonna change. You're either all in or all out with her at this point as Ellie. I thought she did fine. Have to suspend some disbelief but you have to do that with many things. It is what it is. I'm just gonna enjoy it for what it is.

 

[Hugare]

So like in the game when Ellie tells Dina she was gonna watch a movie with Joel that night and Dina asks her if they talked about things and Ellie says they are working things through?

We already knew in the game they had talked before the moment happened and that they were going to meet later that day lol.

One thing is "working things through"

Other is "yeah, we are cool. I want to go on a patrol with him"

Uh. Did you play the game?

There was definitely a talk that happened that will be shown in flashbacks I imagine.

Are you fucking serious?

edit : Episode was great. Haters gonna hate.

Yeah, Ive played the game. 3 times. Doing my 4th run right now.

I know there will be a flashback (that happens at the end of the game). That's my point: happens at the end of the game.

Anyway, episode was good. Loved the infected chasing Abby.

I will accept eventually that we will have an ok adaptation of an amazing videogame.

It sucks to have an inferior adaptation, tho. Its not like it was impossible to make something as good as the game.

 

[LordCBH]

Will people care for this girl on girl revenge story though?

Spoiler: Game spoiler (Pt2 Ending)

if i remember right (it's been a long ass time since I've beaten Pt 2), we didn't even get the girl on girl revenge. Didn't it end with Ellie just….letting Abby go? Didn't even get the satisfaction of completing the revenge by Ellie just ending this piece of garbage.

 

[Dusktildawn48]

Ashley Johnson singing Through the Valley is probably the highlight of the series for me lol



In case anyone forgot, always wished her singing it was in the game.

 

[Gripsx]

My wife more upset that pedro pascal died lol.

She knows Joel deserves it but when I told her Ellie gonna go demon mode without spoiling too much she was like fuck yea.

We're in for a ride cus we all know this aint gonna be simple.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Damn...his body isn't even cold lmao.

They will be milking this throughout this week i'm sure.

 

[Draugoth]

My wife more upset that pedro pascal died lol.

She knows Joel deserves it but when I told her Ellie gonna go demon mode without spoiling too much she was like fuck yea.

We're in for a ride cus we all know this aint gonna be simple.

Can't wait to see people's reaction with Season 3

 

[WoJ]

I liked this episode much more than episode 1. I'm not a huge fan of Bella Ramsey as Ellie, but I actually thought she was excellent in the scene where Joel got whacked.

Overall I thought the major story beats were handled well.

 

[AJUMP23]

At least Pedro is off the show and can take a break to film something else.

 

[Strategize]

Bella is excellent in BIG scenes where she really gets to scream her lungs out. But Ashley Johnson and Naughty Dog's animation just can't be beat overall, no actress could do it as well, I truly believe that.

At least Pedro is off the show and can take a break to film something else.

He's not, there's still flashbacks.

 

[deriks]

Uh... The episode was great. A lot of tension, and well paced. Execution wasn't that great in comparison with the game, but if the game didn't exist, for sure everyone would love it

Doesn't mean the plot is great thou. Joel needs more time. I mean, for sure will have the flashbacks with Ellie's birthday or even the father/daughter scenes, but still

 

[saintjules]

no.

she said she made peas with Joel.

because it was dinner time.

 

[DragoonKain]

I want to see how they handle Tommy and Ellie's conversation in episode 3. He has a kid in the show, so him leaving will be even more painful of a decision for him to leave than in the game. I think Tommy is better in the show than in the game, he was kind of a pussy in the game tbh. I wonder if the show will cover his trek for revenge on-screen or will it be almost entirely off-screen like in the game.

 

[saintjules]

Uh... The episode was great. A lot of tension, and well paced. Execution wasn't that great in comparison with the game, but if the game didn't exist, for sure everyone would love it

Doesn't mean the plot is great thou. Joel needs more time. I mean, for sure will have the flashbacks with Ellie's birthday or even the father/daughter scenes, but still

How would you say the episode is great if the execution wasn't? I'm confused.

 

[March Climber]

Timeline B.

Anchor Point remains intact.

 

[AJUMP23]

I want to see how they handle Tommy and Ellie's conversation in episode 3. He has a kid in the show, so him leaving will be even more painful of a decision for him to leave than in the game. I think Tommy is better in the show than in the game, he was kind of a pussy in the game tbh. I wonder if the show will cover his trek for revenge on-screen or will it be almost entirely off-screen like in the game.

Well you don't know who survived the town.

 

[Jinxed]

She knows Joel deserves it

 

[Slothbeing1209]

I feel like a sadist watching this break people over and over again lol

 

[viveks86]

Dat IMDB rating. 9.5/10 with 22000 votes!

 

[Generic]

Dat IMDB rating. 9.5/10 with 22000 votes!

HBO audiences are used to characters being brutalized (see: Game of Thrones)

 

[Mibu no ookami]

So like in the game when Ellie tells Dina she was gonna watch a movie with Joel that night and Dina asks her if they talked about things and Ellie says they are working things through?

We already knew in the game they had talked before the moment happened and that they were going to meet later that day lol.

I love when people out themselves as being sticklers to things they think are important, but then they get the details wrong themselves...

Whelp .... this is gonna be a divisive episode for first timers.

I didn't like the episode but the episode has universal acclaim and has a 9.5/10 on imdb. It was divisive for babies who think characters should have unlimited plot armor, but tv audiences generally aren't as immature. People are sad for sure, but not only are they willing to accept what happened, they see that it was built up based on actions from previous episodes and that this was the logical progression of those actions.

The only people out here who still feel like this are divisive are the obsessive irrational gamer types who are review bombing the show on rotten tomatoes.

The games despite the price are also trending on PSN and Steam and we're only 2 episodes in here.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

HBO audiences are used to characters being brutalized (see: Game of Thrones)

It's not just HBO audiences. Main/important characters have been killed in media since we've had media.

The response to joel dying in the game is one of the only times I've ever seen a response like this and what's even funnier is that a good percentage of those people complaining have never played either of the games.

You just have a maturity problem with a lot of gamers and nerds in general. I can list like 100 movies or tv shows where a main character or the main character dies and no one lost their minds over it.

 

[Generic]

Joel isn't a victim, he made a career by killing people (including civilians)

 

[Slothbeing1209]

It was okay episode. 6/10.
The big fight is good but how it's end is lame, they released dogs and the next scene they just win?

Joel has 0,1% survive after got stabbed in the neck but Ellie dumbass pulled it out which caused him to bleed out lmao.

Another episode when everyone acting is good except Ellie. Amazing performance by Kaitlyn Dever.

Best part of this episode is when they play the song " Through the valley" sang by real Ellie.

 

[Nocty]

have to say, the murder scene was done quite well.

I still struggle with the Ellie casting, she appears too young, so the emotional impact of the scene felt a little odd. My wife who did not know what was coming actually laughed and said 'pedro pascal is the new sean bean?' which made me chuckle.

 

[VulcanRaven]

I'm a big fan of Part 2 but this episode wasn't very good. The action scene in Jackson wasn't needed. The game did all the things in this better. I liked the first episode more. I need to rewatch both.

 

[Lukaku's First Touch]

How do you not have any other defences in front of your wall. At least make some sort of chokepoint or whatever for the zombies to run into or make some pits with spikes whatever...

 

[AeonGaidenRaiden]

The response to joel dying in the game is one of the only times I've ever seen a response like this and what's even funnier is that a good percentage of those people complaining have never played either of the games.

Because when it was leaked, first and foremost we always played as Joel so of course this could only mean Ellie would be the only playable character. On top of that he was brutally murdered by an oversized woman, at the peak of wokeness in gaming when literally every main character was a female and talks about female empowerment and female strength was at an all time high. So yeah, without context, seeing Joel murdered at the very start of the game by a woman at that time was not people being immature but people getting sick of pushing this agenda how all of a sudden every female is as strong if not stronger than a man.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Watched two scenes from this season. Acting was awful and seemed really amateur... Like the first season! "That" scene is incredibly awful compared to the game. Standards gotta be at an all time low for TV to think that's good. Both lead actresses have zero charisma.

 

[CrimsonSquall]

Im a very surprised yall havent mentioned the changes done so far here on E2

Changing to have Tommy not be there is pretty big imo. Changes like that shifts the motivations.

I mean its obviously ride or die for ur brother regardless but Tommy knowing his enemies was what made him an even more legit threat against Abby n co the whole playthru for me.

I still felt the tension this episode but man, the show watchers are absolutely getting a altered experience (still very good!). Even something like knowing Abbys crew existed to hunt Joel earlier than the game was imo a big change to soften the experience of meeting Abby

 

[Roufianos]

Spoiler: Game spoiler (Pt2 Ending)

if i remember right (it's been a long ass time since I've beaten Pt 2), we didn't even get the girl on girl revenge. Didn't it end with Ellie just….letting Abby go? Didn't even get the satisfaction of completing the revenge by Ellie just ending this piece of garbage.

Lol, correct. Complete ass storytelling.

Thoroughly enjoyed both episodes, awful humour aside. I despised the 2nd game but hoping this can partly redeem it.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Because when it was leaked, first and foremost we always played as Joel so of course this could only mean Ellie would be the only playable character. On top of that he was brutally murdered by an oversized woman, at the peak of wokeness in gaming when literally every main character was a female and talks about female empowerment and female strength was at an all time high. So yeah, without context, seeing Joel murdered at the very start of the game by a woman at that time was not people being immature but people getting sick of pushing this agenda how all of a sudden every female is as strong if not stronger than a man.

You're still pushing the immaturity five years later. It's pretty wild.

Were you complaining about Kill Bill back in 2004?

 

[kittoo]

The end of the first season also didn't cause nearly as much controversy as the end of the first game.

Different pieces of entertainment. That said, this episode will probably promote the show like nothing ever before. Will people care for this girl on girl revenge story though? It all depends on how much they liked Ellie and Joel together.

Thats the key and for me and personally, I just didnt care for them in the show. Mostly due to the casting. I loved both Joel and Ellie and their dynamic in the game. That never happened for me in the show. Both are miscast, with Ellie being far more so. Just my opinion.

 

[RoadHazard]

Good episode! Didn't think they would actually get it done this early in the season, but glad they did.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Im a very surprised yall havent mentioned the changes done so far here on E2

Changing to have Tommy not be there is pretty big imo. Changes like that shifts the motivations.

I mean its obviously ride or die for ur brother regardless but Tommy knowing his enemies was what made him an even more legit threat against Abby n co the whole playthru for me.

I still felt the tension this episode but man, the show watchers are absolutely getting a altered experience (still very good!). Even something like knowing Abbys crew existed to hunt Joel earlier than the game was imo a big change to soften the experience of meeting Abby

I mentioned this and I think it was a change for the worse. Part of the reason I gave the episode an F.

I get why people like the episode, but as an adaptation and as a tv episode, I don't think it actually landed. It felt super cheap in a lot of places. And the writing, dialogue, and line delivery is super rough in a lot of places.

But Tommy not being there is one of the biggest changes they've made in the show, right up there with not having spores in Season 1 which they're not trying to retcon because so a couple big scenes in Part 2 has to do with spores. All they needed to do is have one or two scenes with the spores in season one and it actually would have helped differentiate itself from other "zombie" media. Now spores showing up out of no where is going to be pretty farfetched. It's decisions like these that are so short sighted that I have a problem with.

Tommy's motivations don't change at all, but I think that scene was lesser with Tommy not being there. It gives Dina more motivation for going with Ellie and it let you have this big chaotic scene at Jackson, but I don't think that helped the series, though it's absolutely part of the reason why people are grading the episode so highly. It just wasn't worth it.

There are some others costs to the changes they made as Dina and Ellie's relationship is going to feel more rushed as a result of this because they weren't together on patrol when this happened. Maybe they feel like they have 3 seasons to develop that relationship and they don't think they've lost much.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

How do you not have any other defences in front of your wall. At least make some sort of chokepoint or whatever for the zombies to run into or make some pits with spikes whatever...

They were prepared to take on raiders or hundreds of infected, not thousands. If you saw the size of the town, you'd realize how unrealistic it would be to try and create choke points. You'd have to have them like that 100% of the time and everywhere. Pits were also not something that would work well with the snow.

What they should have done better is barricade the buildings where people were sheltering or going to roofs. The roofs should have been prepared to be barricaded a lot better. No infected should have been able to reach them on the roofs without bringing the buildings down at least.

 

[HoodWinked]

Bella continues to be so distracting in the role like an elephant in the room. Like it's just weird watching her in every scene where everyone else looks like they're supposed to be there while she sticks out like a sore thumb but no one can acknowledge how ridiculous this is.

The town battle started off good but then goes full on ridiculous plot armor with Tommy where he's running towards the zombies horde and putting himself into a dead end, just bizarre stuff. Also Intergalactic bald makes an appearance she looks as dumb in the real life.

Otherwise Abby was good and the pacing was good, the makeup team did an incredible job on Joel's face.

 

[N30RYU]

Tables have turned in the show... now I don't wanna see Ellie make up with Dina... I wanna se Abby get fucked instead...

 

[Giallo Corsa]

Bella continues to be so distracting in the role like an elephant in the room. Like it's just weird watching her in every scene where everyone else looks like they're supposed to be there while she sticks out like a sore thumb but no one can acknowledge how ridiculous this is.

The town battle started off good but then goes full on ridiculous plot armor with Tommy where he's running towards the zombies horde and putting himself into a dead end, just bizarre stuff. Also Intergalactic bald makes an appearance she looks as dumb in the real life.

Otherwise Abby was good and the pacing was good, the makeup team did an incredible job on Joel's face.

"Distracting" would be the right word, it's simple biology when the brain perceives something as "off" , it has nothing to do with "Hollywood high beauty standards", nothing to do with being "crude" or "insensitive", the girl unfortunately didn't win the genetic lottery and has also been extremely miscast, it's not the viewer's fault in the end.

it's also not the viewer's fault that she chose to be an actor, a job which - literally - requires you to expose yourself to millions of people.

Of course, the usual internet holier than thou white knights will be happy to defend it by any means necessary regaling epithets left and right like they haven't used even once the term "distracting" or "ugly" in their lives, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone" and all that jazz.
9 out of 10 comments wherever you look have to do with her distracting appearance /being incredibly miscast, but nope, everyone is apparently wrong, a "troll", a "-ist" and/or a "-phobe" - hypocrisy at its finest...

 

[Bert Big Balls]

It's not just HBO audiences. Main/important characters have been killed in media since we've had media.

The response to joel dying in the game is one of the only times I've ever seen a response like this and what's even funnier is that a good percentage of those people complaining have never played either of the games.

You just have a maturity problem with a lot of gamers and nerds in general. I can list like 100 movies or tv shows where a main character or the main character dies and no one lost their minds over it.

Yeah, this has become a thing in the last few years. GoT killed off people every week near enough, no one moaned about it. Same with plenty of other movies and shows. People get way too emotionally attached to characters now, it's weird. Just ignore it and if you enjoy the game or show, great. I put off plying part 2 for ages due to online backlash, when I eventually played it I thought it was fantastic.

 

[Slothbeing1209]

 

[Insane Metal]

This episode was really good IMO. Easily the best in the series so far.

 

[Paasei]

They better have a cinema versions of the boss fights in this show.

Spoiler

Don't we all want to see the Rat King?

 

[Mibu no ookami]

They better have a cinema versions of the boss fights in this show.

Spoiler

Don't we all want to see the Rat King?

They're in a bit of a bind, especially if they try to stretch this to 4 seasons.

Right now as it stands you probably have this season end with the Nora boss fight. I don't think you want to split up the Rat King into a separate season, but regardless of that, the next big jumping off point is the theater.

That leaves Santa Barbara for season 4... and honestly, that's going to be a weak season.

 

[TrebleShot]

Yeah really good episode, love the new Jackson big action scene, wish that happened in the game.
Also was really worried about Bellas acting ability in the second season, have to say I am impressed. Her "Ill fucking kill all of you" I really believed it, you felt that, in the game I remember it being a little more just Ellie being mad as she spits and scowles.

I thought the finality of that scene is good, in the game there was a few moments where you think, no, surely not. But in this, its yup, that happened.

Dina being the one to be there instead of Tommy was good too, means she has more motivation to get revenge and go with Ellie, similar with Jackson, makes it more interesting.

I really liked Tommy as well, Im hoping he is more present in the series. When he was having his face off I was fully expecting a girl boss saviour moment from Maria and was so happy it didnt, the world is healing?