There’s a new show on your horizon and it’s going to have you hooked. The Last of Us is starting Express from the US on Monday 16 January at 03:00 on M-Net and if you need any more reason to watch it (or just want to know more), we’ve got it for you here.
You’ve played the game
The show is already causing a hubbub, as did the video game ten years ago when it was released. It’s beloved by gamers everywhere, who are understandably intrigued by this series adaptation. Hooked on the game and attached to the characters, they're excited about seeing it brought to life, but they'll have great expectations and high standards for the show.
The critics are raving about it
Video game adaptations are notoriously meh, but the good news about The Last of Us is that critics who’ve received a sneak preview are loving it, calling it one of the best (if not the best) game-to-screen adaptations ever. Each to their own, of course, but it does give fans a boost of confidence knowing there’s already a lot of love for the show, especially if some of the critics are gamers too.
You haven’t played the video game
But you needn’t have played the game to watch this. Whether you love science fiction, action, or engaging characters, this show has them all and no prior knowledge of the game or its story and characters is needed.
The music
If the music in the trailer is anything to go by, then this show’s soundtrack promises to be epic. The trailer features a haunting cover of a-Ha’s Take On Me. Listen to it here …
… and now here's the original.
How excellent is that!? The character Ellie plays it on an acoustic guitar in the game and now we’ve got another version playing in the trailer to equally awesome effect. As for the show’s original score, that’s composed by Argentinian Gustavo Santaolalla who also composed the score for the game. It’s an incredible score and it’ll be interesting to see (or should that be hear?) whether he reprises any themes from the game for the series.
It’s relatable
Set in a post-apocalyptic 2033, the world got that way thanks to a little something called the Cordyceps infection. Cordyceps is a fungus that turns ants into “zombies”. We are not even joking, that is a real thing that happens when the fungus infects foraging ants through spores and takes over their behaviour. This is pretty much what happens in the game, but to humans. While we’ve not turned into zombies (although we act like it sometimes), we can certainly relate to a raging pandemic. Covid might not have turned our world into a nihilistic desolation but sometimes it feels like we’re headed that way. How do we keep the faith? Through relationships, whether it’s the family life gave you or the family you build – and this is what the show will surely seek to do through the various characters, particularly Joel and Ellie.
The cast
And all these great characters deserve great actors. We’ll get just that with a powerhouse cast full of familiar faces.
What are you looking forward to in The Last of Us? Watch the premiere episode Express from the US on Monday 16 January at 03:00, or in prime time at 21:00, on M-Net channel 101.
Feature image: HBO