Sundays are becoming fkn great this month, from Mobland, Formula 1, Godfather of Harlem and The Last of Us, all packed in a single day but I got to say this weekend the weak link has to be The Last of Us Episode 4. This episode had some great action scenes and gave us context on what is coming, I'm still skeptical if Ellie is going to be enough character to keep the series going and been the first episode without Joel I think it was enough but the ending was something different and a mix bag.
Its the hole genre thing but for a very long time this kind of situations has always been present on apocalyptic series, basically everything goes. From previous episode we already knew Dina and Ellie had feelings for each other but the overall "I'm pregnant" leading to having sex to then holding hands and going at the WLF "together" with Dina been pregnant, I can already tell there are going to be scenes of her picturing having a belly, shooting, been torture, etc in a very like TWD style. Evert hing else I would say was fine with me, I'm not familiar with the real story from the game so I can't tell how accurate it is, I was not expecting it to take this turn, yeah I knew they had feelings with each other but Ellie also saying "I'm going to be a dad", its just that they seem to be to loud about it making it cringe.
- IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3581920/
- Platform: PRIME VIDEO
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The episode starts with a very powerful flashback scene showing Isaac's backstory, him been a FEDRA sergeant who becomes disappointed with the corruption and fascism of officers under his wing along with the system over all itself this is very present when he explains why citizens are called voters as mocking them because FEDRA took their right to vote almost making them prisoners of the system. In a shocking event during the first scene he betrays his FEDRA officers by throwing grenades into their vehicle, killing them all except for one young soldier named Burton who he sees potential in or rather think he is too weak and decides to spare him, when I say weak also mean naive. Issac character seem to be a very moral one, from betraying for the right cause but also saving Burton as he couldn't save himself from the system. From TWD Jeffrey Wright makes it to TLU playing the role of Isaac, we already know he is business when it comes to this kind of apocalyptic series, a very calm, calculative and violent person that makes the character very disturbing at times during the little screen time he ha on this episode, specially latter on the episode when we see him torturing a man who is a Seraphite or how they call them "Scars", they kept him prisoner for interrogation a very savage interrogation.
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The episode although is most about Ellie and Dina exploring Seattle searching for the WLF and specifically Abby. The city is beautiful as nature covers the most part of it, its not like on other series where cities seem all rusted and dry in its post apocalyptic state. As they enter Capitol Hill, a neighborhood with rainbow flags and Pride symbols all over the place, there is a brief moment of peace that immediately put spidey senses on high alert waiting for danger to appear, instead they find an old tank and other signs that this was once a battleground with skeletons of death soldiers. I like how the series keeps this old habit of apocalyptic scenarios that generate suspense through peace and quiet moments like this, proof of it is when Ellie shot the tank door making this huge noise and they both expect something or someone to appear, its like the hole city is a character itself.
Ellie and Dina's exploration of the city feels authentic and pace is very good since the episode takes its time to tell a bit about what went down at the city before them, they do the classic scavenging for supplies in an old pharmacy and discussing their next moves. Their discovery of the WLF logo painted on a satellite dish at a television station gives them their first real lead, but Dina wisely suggests they wait until nightfall before investigating, making her the more tactical from the two, compared to Ellie who is more impulsive.
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The episode also does a good job of building on Ellie and Dina's relationship, that is something I have to admit even though I'm not a fan of the direction it takes but it is character development after all. Their couple feels natural and unforced for the most part, again until the end part, with both characters are well balanced with different strengths to each other. Ellie's recklessness is balanced by Dina's caution making things more believable, also generate certain tension between them that adds depth to their dialogue.
As mention above, my problem is particularly the massive news bombs they drop and their intimate moments between Ellie and Dina in the theater, felt somewhat heavy handed, in contrair I enjoy a lot the tense part when Dina couldn't believe Ellie was immune, I really though she knew already. After escaping the infected and WLF soldiers, they take refuge in an abandoned theater where the two major revelations occur, Ellie is forced to reveal her immunity to Dina after getting bitten while saving her and Dina telling Ellie she's pregnant. At first I though Dina was mostly upset because Ellie got herself bitten to safe her but it was the fear she would turn.
The timing of both news happening together felt rush in my opinion and that is why it felt like too much besides the cringe moments of them making out, it all seemed like the show was trying too hard to push certain messages rather than letting the relationship develop more organically. It's not that I have an issue with their relationship been of the same genre, that's the new normal in many series though, but how these two type of news were stacked on top of each other in a way that felt more like plot devices than natural character development.
The episode also does an awesome job at leaving a ton of questions open to imagination like, what will they find at lakehill? will they find Abby? how they going to deal with Dina's pregnancy and if it will drastically affect the mission?, because I can tell how Ellie is very revenge oriented and for a brief moment stops to think about Dina's pregnancy telling her to stay behind but the on contrast, backwards almost, Dina decides to move forward with Ellie plans!! Also lead me to think if they will join forces with the Seraphites to go against the WLF? and many more ideas that come to mind and that makes me really want to keep watching the series despite this not been my favorite episode or a really bad one comparing to the other 3.
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