This article contains spoilers for both The Last of Us games and TV show.
So, okay, HBO made this adaptation of The Last of Us, and it’s like—it ain’t just a screenshot of the game, y’know? I mean, they took liberties, like really went off-script, with stuff like what happened with Bill and Frank, and Ellie’s timeline with Riley—stuff that was either kinda different or not there at all in the game. And honestly? That’s keeping things fresh. Keeps both the game and the show from stepping on each other’s toes, if you catch my drift.
Imagine if they just slapped the game onto a screen with no changes? Boring as toast. Nothing new to chew on. But they didn’t do that, thank heavens. They switched up character motives, tweaked pacing, and opened up side stories so even if you’re one of those die-hard fans who can recite game dialogue in your sleep (been there), you’re still finding something new in the show. Like, it breathes fresh life into it all. New viewers? They’re getting pulled into the gaming world, too. Everyone’s winning here. Kinda mind-blowing, frankly.
Now, switching gears a bit, Joel—y’know, the dude with the emotional baggage—he opens up way sooner in the show than he does in the game. Maybe it’s ‘cause the show can’t just lean on gameplay to crank up the tension. And that choice? It totally works. The game has its own rhythm, with players controlling characters, dealing with scarce resources, sneaking around—it’s different, but the show doesn’t really lose anything because of that. It’s weirdly cool how both versions hold their own ground.
Unlike other game adaptations, like Arcane or whatever, which expand teeny-tiny stories, The Last of Us was bursting with narrative from the get-go. So, yeah, these subtle detours in the show? They don’t mess things up; they just make the map bigger. Saves us from boring “which did it better” debates, right?
And speaking of different strokes, the way they handle, like, Kathleen or the FEDRA stuff in the Kansas City bit? That stuff wasn’t even in the game. It’s just there to paint the canvas around Joel and Ellie without scribbling over what made us all love the game’s adventure. I guess—it’s like, games use pauses and silence to build tension, while the TV show might throw in dialogue and flashbacks. It’s wily—I dig it.
The best adaptations give some elbow room, instead of just mirroring each other. With the HBO series doing its own thing, game fans have a reason to dive back into the source and still get something unique. It’s like… double the flavor, no loss of original recipe. Staying rigidly faithful? Nah, it’d make half the fans yawn. The Last of Us TV show totally nails this balance and keeps the franchise feeling alive and kicking. It’s kinda brilliant how they kept tinkering without losing the spark that got us hooked on the game in the first place.
