I don't know what I was expecting, but it was certainly not one of the most beautiful love story in a TV show I've seen in a while. Anybody else got 'Up' vibes from this? 😭 And here are timestamps for the video: 0:00 intro 2:54 reaction 38:28 thoughts on the episode 44:22 outro And here are some of my thoughts: - I've explained quite a lot what I think about Ellie's characterization so far, but I would like to hear what you guys think! - The song I was looking for DOES play in The Arrival (and also Shutter Island!), and it's called On The Nature of Daylight by Max Richter. - Also the use of the giraffe song at 32:17 like how dare?! That's so good but oh lord my heart 😭 - Ellie taking the red shirt (looking just like in the game) and JOEL TAKING FRANK'S FLANNEL SHIRT (also looking just like in the game) is just..... please why 😭😭😭 That's it, I don't have much else, I think I said everything else I needed to say in the video. The only thing though... I'm am NOT ready for the whole Henry & Sam storyline 🥲

The final scene looking through the window gave me chills. It's like the spirits of Bill & Frank were looking out the window watching Joel & Ellie leave.

Thx for a wonderful reaction. Like a lot of people who played the game, this episode blindsided me but who cares how different it was. It was so good. I always thought Frank's note in the game was pretty cruel and I'm glad he didn't go that way. By the end Bill is a completely different person because he could give love to someone.

I never played the game and I have really been liking the show, they have managed to make the Bill and Frank story even more heartbreaking and I love the changes

Hearing that music at 30:10 immediately makes me emotional and I knew then this was going to wreck me; after hearing it in Arrival and Shutter Island it always gets to me and now there is yet show/movie with it! It’s such a beautiful/hopeful yet tragic song and it works perfectly here. I heard a lot of good reviews of this episode (and bad of course) I was curious of the direction they would take it and it had me in tears in the end. I’m so happy to see people have heartfelt reactions to this episode

I can't believe how much this show is going to make me cry lmao

I think they are making this Ellie with the knowledge of the events that happen in Part 2. That is why there is small hints of her dark side all over the place. For instance, When Joel beat the guy to death she seemed more intrigued than scared. When Joel was scared the mass grave would bother her but she was not fazed at all. When she cut open and killed the Stalker they made sure to put a closeup of her face to show you this was coming from a dark place through her facial expressions. The fact that her killing the stalker did not bother her at all because she was her normal self right after when she was talking to Joel. All these hints will make future events in part 2 not seem like they are coming out of no where.

For Druckmann and Mazin the character development is different from the game. Druckmann is keeping the overall story themes the same as the game but the characters can be fleshed out more. The game Ellie seems more like an NPC in the first game with no real development until the story moves forward. TV Ellie seems to have more of a developed and real human character. This is also a 19 year old trying to play a 14 year old so she is able to put more acting in the character than a normal 14 year old would probably be. In the end the game is the game and the show is the show. The direction and changes fit this story. Ellie is a bit dark but honestly kids born into this world should be fairly dark.

You caught it too. When the song played in Arrival I also had the same reaction - remembering it from Shutter Island. Max Richter - On the Nature of Daylight

The Last of Us is one hell of a show! I’m utterly impressed by the show’s writing and direction it took. Unlike other video games turned to movies are bad, except the first Resident Evil. Have a great weekend!

That scene with Ellie and the Infected, in my opinion it is: Ellie cuts him to see if he would, somehow, react as a human being. In ep2 she asks Joel if its hard to kill them knowing they were people once. So, IMO, she cuts the infected maybe trying to see some glimpse of a human being and when she realised he dont react to the cut at all, she kills him with ease, cause she sees no human being there

the music at 30:10 is "On the Nature of Daylight" for Max Richter

Finally, somebody says that Ellie in the TV show is a different character than Ellie in the game. I'd say in the show she is more older and hardened even as a petty criminal.

My take on the “darker Ellie” vibe is that maybe they are setting up better for her blood lust in part 2. Just a thought

On the nature of daylight is the tune you were thinking about... the one from Arrival which is an amazing film

Fun fact: Nick Offerman who plays Bill was going to pass on it the script but his wife made he accept it because she read it and was impressed. Also I agree with you I think she is angry about what happened to Riley.

Like many others, I just don't get the hate for this adaptation. Both the first two episodes as well as this one. I feel like it's a breath of fresh air. TV shows replicating a game don't *have* to be identical. I've seen episode 3 via several reactors and each time I get a little teary. I'm not a huge crier, but man it hits the right notes 😢

Oh I've so been looking forward to this! Got my tissues ready...

I like the way the show portrays Ellie's anger at the infected in the basement scene. She just learned that they're a hive mind and Tess was just bitten and died because of them. That was personal what she did with the infected. Also, it's totally normal to find Nick Offerman attractive lol. He's a good lookin dude! Sexy mountain man!

At first I was afraid, I was petrified. Didn't know if I could ever live without Bill beside Joel's side? But then after so many nights I kept thinkin maybe I was wrong? And I grew strong; And I learned how to get along....

This episode had more to do with Joel's character than many realize. Even if you haven't seen him. Bill and Joel are both bitter and alone. However, the development of Bill clearly showed the differences, as one of them was willing to let a person into his life. As a result, despite the almost similar mindsets at the beginning, Bill got a long full and happy life. Joel, on the other hand, is stuck. So yes, the episode was important and not just because of the farewell letter at the end. It showed that there is hope, even if Joel doesn't have one yet. This episode showed that people are important to be happy. We are usually herd animals. The parallel to the infected is Frank here in this episode. The head is clear, but his ALS or MS (confirmed) has control over his body. The infected are at least partly aware of their actions, at least in the first stage. In the game, they even cry. They also cry while eating their friends. And through this episode we also know that Tess and Joel have known each other for more than 13 years and that they were still "decent" people 7 years after the outbreak. At least that's what Joel says to Bill here. I think that is doubtful. I think Joel just wanted to do business. I think Joel pulled Tess down emotionally over the years that followed and made her harder and ruthless. Tess told Ellie that they weren't good people and just before her death she told Joel to do all the shit they did right.

It could have been sadistic cruelty, but my take is that she's technically infected, and might wonder what's happening inside her own body, or what could have happened to her. She looked disgusted.

I think the decision to make Ellie more grownup is, that you can't just let her run after Joel for 9 Episodes like she basically does in the game. In the game she was literally a child, sassy but a child running after a grown up. Besides some exceptions of course and we all love her!!! For an adaptation they probably wanted an Ellie that has WAY more conversations with him. Maybe they were afraid that people find it boring. I wouldn't mind tho : )

I was just telling my brother (he's never seen the game but watched the show) they make Ellie cuss more in this show. Good observation about her seeming like a grown woman in a teen body.

Hey, Whimsy. Yeah, it's Pete. I've been quiet for a bit, but I've been here... watching your vids, lurking your livestreams, and now absolutely following you on this journey. I'm SO happy you decided to put this on your channel. I think it was really smart, and I know *I* appreciate it. Your insights and emotional investments are always on point. Just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for all you do, and that I'm still here supporting you with my sub on Twitch and membership here, even though I've been quiet lately. This was, by far, my favorite episode of television in years, possibly ever. I watched with my mom and I was a sobbing wreck by the time the "last day montage" came around. My mom thought I was having a breakdown, but people who didn't play or weren't rabid fans of the game don't get hit as hard. (Although I'm sure it is still emotionally devastating for some.) I swear all I've done this week was watch reactions to this episode and now I'm dehydrated from the tears. Now, to watch yours, but I'm already confident you'll be my favorite of them all!

Thanks for the reaction! It was emotional to say lmao and yeah that part where Ellie was with the infected it seemed dark and you explained it perfectly lol seems like she wants revenge or she’s really curious

Your laughter is contagious! Cool channel!

Yes, in the most ideal situation, we would like to go together at the end. I envy Bill & Frank.

I think she was looking to see if there was any humanity left in the infected. Then realizing there wasn't and what happened with Riley she aggressively killed it. The other point reactors have missed with the Raiders and Bill being out in the street shooting at them, is because he did it every night keeping watch while Frank slept.

Need to watch it now. Can't wait! Love that green top, suits you really well! 03:00 I like the intro animation. I can't remember you talking about it, but I like how the fungus grows to looks like a city and then you see it spread on the floor to another "fungus city" and of course at the end where it looks like Joel and Ellie being in the light and fungi is surrounding them. 03:55 Yeah, she is definitely smarter. It's a bit like they wanted to show that kids grow up faster in the apocalypse, because they NEED to? Because they can't have a childhood? 06:05 It's so cool that they got the Mortal Kombat license for this! 07:35 That was such a WEIRD scene. It's a bit too much. I mean if she'd killed the infected out of hatred, sure, fine. But it's more like torture. Exactly! Like cutting a defenseless animal! I hope they will explain that a bit more later on. I didn't super like that. 11:30 It makes so much sense that Bill was a prepper. 😂 12:15 The music choice in this Episode is so good. I mean beyond the OST. 16:30 His faaaace! He's so happy! 17:50 It's so fucking funny that Americans think 1948 is antique. 😂😂😂 19:40 How Bill is so tense. It's adorable. 21:35 Love that cut to the next scene. 😂 22:55 Tess looks so good! 25:35 THAT GIGGLE! 😭😭😭 26:55 Why the hell is he in the middle of the streets? He has all prepped up, but doesn't have a sniper hideout or something? 30:20 It was so familiar to me as well! Didn't know where I knew it from. 32:25 Is that the music that plays when you find the giraffe? 38:00 I heard someone saying that the window could also be the starting screen of the game. 39:15 Yeah, I missed the interaction between Ellie and Bill. Also, no Bloater yet. But this was more then fine like that as well! 40:30 Right? I liked your comparison with the beginning of "Up". It's really like that. 42:00 Ellie in Part II was way more mature, all that hate built up over such a long time. I'm not liking that different part of the TV show Ellie so far. Of course I liked this reaction! It was such a good reaction, as always! I was excited to hear your thoughts! Hope you have a nice day, Whimsy!

Show just keeps getting better each episode! They are doing so well by hitting the major points of the game, but it does something a little different! I love the last shot where they give Bill and Frank their dignity and not show them as they are, but we get to remember them as a couple in love!

8:24. She got bit, and should have turned into one of those things, so she was probably curious at least.

Bill and Frank is a beautiful love story episode ever 😍🥰🥰

Spoilers for the episode, my thoughts are below: This episode threw me at every single turn, it subverted every single expectation I had. - When Bill found Frank, I thought Frank was going to turn and that would cause Bill to become more introverted/never help outsiders again, basically choosing never to trust anyone again. - Then when Frank turned out to be fine, and got fed, and flirted with Bill asking him to shower, I thought Frank was going to steal all his stuff and leave, I refused to believe it was as wholesome as it seemed. - Then when it went ahead a few years and they were fighting, Frank wanting to start fixing up some shops and invite friends, I thought it was an origin story to one of the communities we'd see later. - I actually thought Bill died on that table, and that they had uno reversed the characters, meaning Frank would be alive for Joel to meet, not Bill. - And then when Frank opted to drink the pills when they were older, I did expect Bill to drink them as well, but more sercretly than that, I didn't expect he would admit it like that. - I also wondered if perhaps they'd both drink the pills, but Bill would somehow accidentally survive, as maybe he got a lesser dosage, because obviously in the game he is alive and meets with Joel, so I kept expecting him to survive somehow, but this also didn't happen. They changed his arc completely in the series, so everything I thought/expected never actually happened, the entire episode just took so many turns I was never expecting. I'd give anything to experience it blind all over again.

I saw Ellie as a combo of mature and very childish. In some ways, she is very smart and mature, but in others her age really shows.

10:14 Great callback to Episode 1 - Joel essentially survived the apocalypse by not having pancakes made by his daughter on his birthday I see what you are saying about Ellie. It is jarring at first but I think we will get more insight into her later on. She has had to grow up in a harsh world. It's entirely possible that if she were not smart and wary, even at 14, that she would not be alive. It is also clear to me that she has been subject to some trauma already (not just the obvious stuff with the world ending and Riley, but likely involving her mother and how she ended up with Marlene. This is just my speculation for now though). I love everything about Bill and Frank in this episode. There are things that work very well in video games that would not make for great TV, and vice versa. But seeing Bill and Frank have love and good lives together just adds so much that you wonder, after you see the episode, what you ever did without it. At least, that's how I feel. People online having been saying that Nick Offerman deserves an Emmy for his acting here, and it's honestly hard to argue with them. Murray Bartlett is also great as Frank. Perhaps they'd let him win one too.

Love your reviews ;)

This episode was beautifully good!

Love the reaction. Hate the constant Ellie complaining. If you've watched the show so far and haven't fallen in love with her performance I really don't know what to tell you.

Kleenex is out of stuck because of this episode hahaha 😂😅😅😅😂

We already know why she’s a darker character. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Are you from Quebec ? Your accent sounds just like it.

Did Ellie get infected in this episode in this basement?

Joel isn't the greatest at showing emotion, he's terrible at it actually. So Ellie I think uses her defences of snappy-ness and sarcasm with him more than if he wasn't as damaged as he is. With her finding the rubble crushed Seeker in that basement, I think she was curious about what it did to that person (the cordyceps) and what it's doing to her. She never became a monster and her anger and confusion over it. She stabbed it i think for two reasons: As a catharsis for what the bites she suffered are doing to her and to put it out of it's misery as the infected aren't really dead.

I actually agree about Ellie. In the game ( was thinking about this while playing it, not necessarily in contrast to the show) they wrote her in a way that carefully balances this sort of maturity; resourcefulness, cunning, somewhat desensitized, juxtaposed with the innocence and naiveté of a 14 year old, maybe even more than a normal 14 yo in a lot of ways for HAVING both grown up post-apocalypse and sheltered in a military prep school. They touch on this in the show too of course, but I guess just the way she thinks and talks is like an adult, like you said. In the show it's harder to imagine her stopping to marvel at real fireflies with childlike awe. There's some moments they try to do that, like the arcade game The Turning - I mean - Mortal Kombat II, but they just fall a little flat for me I guess. I noticed in ep 1 or 2 she's a bit more volatile and prone to outburst in general. The convo about Tess was a stark contrast. And the thing with the infected was just weird. Basically, all around she's much more of a sociopath now. 😅 But I get things will be different, and I look forward to seeing what this new story becomes. The performances, the delivery of lines is going to be very different, by design, "It's a feature not a bug", as they were all directed specifically to not look up the source material so that they truly can reinvent the characters and story. It's especially jarring with the lines that are verbatim from the game. I try to keep an open mind, I just don't like change. 😆 ...Which reminds me, I was sad about losing all the Bill, Joel, Ellie interaction. I love that part, and I think it's important to developing the relationship between the latter two (not that they can't do that in other ways, like they did somewhat pointedly with the letter). That said, this was an AMAZING story, I remember stopping and thinking how I can't wait to see the finished product, the larger story that unfolds that this is just a small glittering gem in.

Damn Madame, spoilers much?! Yes, the infected slice Scene is easily explained knowing the background.No Brain, just Mycelium.

Pleeeeeease stop pausing

If they wanted to expand the story it should be Joel and Tess relationship first. 26:55 middle of the street, full light and so on... For me worst episode so far.

I did not like this episode. As an isolated story, it was well done, well-acted, etc., but as an adaptation of The Last of Us, I thought it failed hard. It veered too far away from Joel and Ellie's story and Bill felt like a completely different character. We never even got to see him interact with Ellie, which was one of my favorite aspects from that section of the game. This just felt like a filler episode that didn't really do much to further the main plot. I thought it was handled far better in the game, where Bill's relationship with Frank was subtly implied and did not distract from the overall momentum of the story. This was all unnecessary and came off as pandering to me, imo.