Since I do not play video games, I went into this show knowing nothing about it. Okay, that is note completely true. I knew it was about a guy and his daughter surviving in some post-apocalyptic land. Okay, I was sort of right, I knew there was a young girl. Once the opening scene started with the doctor talking about fungi, I realized that this was a zombie show.
Granted, this feels like a different take on zombies. Fungal infection that makes them into monsters, and they almost seem more like vampires (sucking blood and having more speed/mobility). Not going to lie, the scene where the daughter goes into the neighbor’s house was intense. As was the crazy escape from Austin. It felt like a video game, but not in a bad way.
Since Joel’s daughter was a different actress than Lyanna Mormont, I assumed she was going to die, but it did not make her death at the end of that scene any less heart-wrenching. I know I say this all the time, but child deaths hit so much harder now. It was also coupled in the end when he attacks the guard in a parallel of how his daughter died.
I think what I like the most so far has been how succinct the show has been. Instead of giving us flashbacks of Joel’s background, they just show a sticker on his truck letting us know that he was a combat vet. I mean, I am sure at some point we will learn more about him, but in the opening, we got what we needed to know.
I look forward to seeing if Joel and Ellie make it to Wyoming, or wherever they end up going. I may try to write about this show each week. We shall see.
