The Last of Us ( HBO TV Series )

We are five Episodes into The Last of Us - the HBO Original Show based on the bestselling game of the same title and from when they dropped the first episode premiere, it has been a hoot. And there are no signs of slowing down. An absolutely exquisitely made TV adaption that is true to the original writing and shines fearlessly bright. I daresay that this is possibly the best HBO series ever made. 

Calling The Last of Us just a zombie apocalypse show would be unfair and reductive. For it is a lot more than a zombie apocalypse. It's in fact, a searing unflinching study of human emotions under extreme duress, a story heartfelt and horrific, a buddy road movie and lots more. As the creators of the show, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, from Naughty Dog who created the original game for PlayStation, prove again and again  (Presenting evidence A: the series premiere, evidence B: Episode Three or evidence C:  Episode Five that dropped a few days back ) they are out to redefine the limits of TV.  Poignant storytelling that combines horror with heart, the Last of Us features the inimicable Pedro Pascal and Billie Ramsay leading the amazing cast of survivors in this desolate heartless landscape. 

So yes, the basic premise is that by 2023, our world is a dustbowl ghost-town, most of the population having been "infected" by the cordyceps fungus; that take over the host brain and convert the human being into a hungry ravaging mindless monsters with just a primal instinct to bite and spread the infection. The cities in the United States are patrolled by the military - a sort of dictatorial organisation known as FEDRA tasked with not just protecting the leftover citizens but also put some order back into the system. But the downtrodden citizens are not content to be hemmed into the QZ (Quarantine Zones) and there are resistance cells that pop up in every city. Suffice to say. that life is very hard. Constant warfare, the threat of the infected and lack of resources means we get a hard-hitting picture of survival, grief and grit in the face of ever-mounting danger all around. 

In comes Joel, a black market smuggler, also a grieving father who lost his daughter to the very first wave of the infection along with Ellie, a smart-and-sassy fourteen year old who's only ever known the post-apocalyptic world. Ellie could possibly be the 'cure' to this infection and in a rather strange and unwitting sequence of events, Joel is saddled with taking Ellie across the country. The best part about the games have been the buddy relationship between these two unwilling and total opposites. And in possibly a first, the show creators stick true to this premise. Line by line, scene by scene. 

To see the fantastic game landscape come alive in this post-event dust-bowl America is a pleasure. Do you need to play the games to enjoy this show? No and no. This one's easy to get into, and the initial premise about the zombie mayhem is quickly dealt with. But the show isn't just about the world-building or the zombies who are at best, a distraction. What the show does, is laser-focus on the absolutely endearing relationship that blossoms between the two lead characters. How each obstacle in their paths draw them closer. Ellie is an absolute hoot - played so well by the talented Billie Ramsay. She is too smart for her own good, has a deadly sense of dark humour and is absolutely earnest. While Pedro Pascal is in his natural elements. Silent and gruff on the outside, a man toughened by his ruthless surroundings, doing what he must to survive. A man with a golden heart who silently learns to smile with his young aide. 

The portentous scenes are many, littered throughout these five episodes that I have seen. But the show also slows down in the middle of these harrowing action-driven scenes to give us a bit of sunshine and smiles. Take the relationship between Bill and Frank - two old men, driven to loneliness in this world, and how they find true love and meaning in each other. It is one of the saddest TV episodes I have seen in my life. And then the side-quest for Henry and Sam, brothers doing their best to dodge the vengeful citizen-militia. Their backstory is a welcome distraction from the ordeals of Joel and Ellie. And yet by the end of episode five, yet another cracker of an episode, I was shocked, sad and silent. It's a very powerful piece of storytelling and makes for uncomfortable viewing and finds its mark. I am sure, there are many out there who would claim this one takes the cake yet. 

The Last of Us is the finest TV series running today. I like it a lot more than GoT and that's saying a lot. We may not associate the terms romantic to what's unfolding, but the Last of Us throws light on a loving relationship in a loveless bitter world. It's not all rainbows or sunshine.  It will possibly set off debates about what it means to be doing the right thing in a broken world but it maintains that we all do anything possible to just survive. What it is, is a shocking, gritty and absolutely riveting piece of storytelling masterpiece that is the right balance of horrific and hopeful. What it is, is highly recommended television.