Adapting beloved material is often a thankless task. Creating another version of something fans hold so dear involves great detail and care, something the creators of the HBO series The Last of Us, based on the 2013 PS3 game, took seriously. It probably helped that writer and creative director of the game Neil Druckmann helmed the series alongside writer Craig Mazin (who created the HBO miniseries Chernobyl). With the first season now available on a limited edition 4K UHD Steelbook edition, it’s the perfect time to watch (or re-watch) the greatest video game adaptation to date.
The show, like the game, takes place 20 years into an infection caused by a mutated fungus that’s ravaged America. Joel (Pedro Pascal) works as a smuggler in a safe zone, regularly risking his life to get essential supplies to keep the few remaining humans alive. Joel is hired to smuggle a young girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) into the hands of the rebel Fireflies. But Ellie isn’t just some kid; she has a natural immunity to the fungus and could be the only source of hope humanity has to turn the tide and ensure its survival.
