HBO's The Last Of Us Could Be The Next Television Masterpiece
PlayStation Studios are off to a good start.
Though fans were apprehensive to see the big boots of Nathan Drake by wee guy Tom Holland, Uncharted proved to be a box office stomper, and now with projects based on God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, and Gran Turismo on the way, it's clear that their ambition has either proven itself, or given the production company a hubris it can't handle.
Whichever way the quality of these adaptations swing, one thing is for certain - they have potential with a prospective success unmatched by any other studio.
And one of its upcoming projects has the potential to uproot how video game adaptations are perceived forever.
The Last Of Us On TV Is A Huge Deal
Click to enlargeThere is a lot to be said about The Last of Us, and a lot that has already been said. The resounding notion, though, is that the Naughty Dog icon boasts one of the best narratives that video games have ever been able to produce, and though many feel that the combat lacks in places, it practically smacked video game developers upside the head after their turning away from story-focused single-player games.
The many successes of Joel and Ellie's story proved in a split second that not only can video games boast great stories that rival books and film, but actively best them. The bottom line is that it's a bloody good story.
The story's arrival on televisions everywhere, then, is a win for everyone. Not only is the story worthy of attention from those who may have turned up their noses at the idea of a video game adaptation, but its appearance on HBO is giving fans of the game the opportunity to see their favourite characters brought to life by none other than Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.
But it's not just going to apply to great TV, either - it could genuinely change the way that video games are perceived in pop culture.
The Last Of Us Could Uproot The Perception Of Video Games
Click to enlargeThough relying on television networks to be responsible for quality television at large is growing increasingly difficult in the era of streaming, it's hard to deny the impact that HBO has made on TV, and the sheer sum of definitive shows it has produced.
Succession, Euphoria, and Game of f**king Thrones (maybe you've heard of it) are examples of the most critically acclaimed TV shows of the last decade, all presented by HBO and HBO Max. The Last of Us joining the prestigious list of shows here is undoubtedly a massive deal, and sets the series off on a great foot - but there's a lot else going on when it comes to the game coming to the screen.
Video game adaptations have performed well in recent years, making great strides to shake off its cultural recognition as the subject that produces the most tripe, especially when it comes to cinema. And though these moves have been great, there isn't one adaptation that really heralds the change. Werewolves Within was critically appreciated, but nobody saw it - and the likes of Uncharted and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 aren't exactly winning any awards.
The Last of Us sincerely stands a chance of doing this, with the potential to boast some breathtaking performances, cinematography, and storytelling. It could, in perhaps the most optimistic prediction we could make about the show, actually revert the grim claim that video games can't make for good adaptations. Novels have their Dunes, non-fiction has its The Irishmans, and hell, even Twitter threads have their Zolas. Who's to say that this upcoming series couldn't go on to define the medium's storytelling capabilities on the small screen and otherwise?
The Last Of Us Could Change Everything
Click to enlargeThough it might seem as though we're putting a lot of pressure on the series, it's pressure that the games are used to - the second instalment brought about furious fan backlash over Abby's character model of all things, and as both games stand as the best storytelling examples that the industry has ever seen, there's a lot of potential here to be tapped.
The Last of Us is perhaps one of the wisest choices for a bold new adaptation, and if we're lucky, it's going to shift public opinion of video games entirely. We know that Pedro Pascal is going to truly embody Joel, and that the game's final moments brought to life on the small screen are going to be utterly devastating. Now all we need is for it all to come together to save the video game adaptation for everyone. If anyone can do it, it's Joel & Ellie.