HBO’s The Final of Us episode 8 ruins one of many sport’s finest villains

Andrew: Even with no information of how this performs out within the sport, I agree that this episode felt tremendous rushed and uneven in a method that makes me extra pissed off about final week’s flashback episode. Not that final week’s episode was dangerous in any respect! However this arc clearly wished one other episode to breathe, like the Kansas Metropolis arc bought. As a substitute now we have to cram all these items right into a single hour.

David suffers probably the most. It’s just like the present wanted to stuff him stuffed with purple flags to be sure that viewers actually didn’t like him or really feel dangerous for him, however it additionally makes him right into a cartoon character in a present the place a lot of the antagonists have already been a little bit flat.

Andrew: Yeah, in a TV present, there are some locations the place I’m extra prepared and in a position to droop disbelief—like when Joel goes from laid-out-on-his-back-delirious-with-infection to full-on Rambo-killing-spree within the area of 45 minutes. A extra real looking restoration would take a very long time to point out and to observe! Bo-ring!

However I didn’t imagine for even one fraction of 1 second that Ellie was in any hazard of becoming a member of up with this creepy fundamentalist/mushroom cultist/child-hitter/cannibal man, and it makes it weirder that the final sequence between them is framed as this large emotional showdown.

And likewise… this neighborhood had a variety of different individuals in it? The place did they go? A extra natural and satisfying model might need had David’s personal neighborhood seeing what a creep he’s and turning on him, moderately than a giant dramatic one-on-one confrontation between David and Ellie on the earth’s most flammable restaurant. It doesn’t sound like that’s the way it goes within the video games, however it additionally sounds just like the character is simply dealt with basically otherwise.

Andrew: I don’t suppose the viewers is supposed to imagine that David might be an excellent man at any level. The scene the place you meet him is simply too stuffed with significant appears and ominous pauses, and apparent concern on the a part of the opposite individuals in the neighborhood.

The primary scene the place David and Ellie meet, alternatively—I may see it! David (performed by Scott Shepherd, a reasonably prolific character actor who has a kind of “what have I seen him in?” faces) has a sure reassuring avuncular charisma to him. Sadly, we’ve already seen too many Unhealthy Man markers from him, even earlier than you discover out that he’s been studying To Serve Man.

Andrew: Joel is clearly being pushed each by his dawning acceptance of Ellie-as-daughter determine (his “child woman” after they lastly meet again up is extraordinarily loaded) and his established trust-no-one views of life post-apocalypse. However that doesn’t make it any much less uncomfortable to observe. This can be a dated reference, however I used to be reminded of Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer, from the Conflict On Terror-era present 24. Positive, he tortures individuals, and certain, he appears only a hair too captivated with it, however he will get outcomes!!

And also you’re proper that Ellie’s butchering of David on the finish of the episode goes on only a bit too lengthy for consolation. I’m simply unsure what to make of it. Certainly Ellie has been traumatized as a lot as she may presumably must be for story functions. It’s not as if David was shut sufficient to her to actually betray her. Between the 2 of them, Joel and Ellie do sufficient violence this episode to bitter their tearful reunion a bit. Which isn’t actually the place I wished to be heading into the season finale of a present I’ve in any other case principally appreciated.

Andrew: They nonetheless must get her magic blood out to some Firefly-affiliated scientists! The one factor I’m assured sufficient to claim is that they’re lastly going to get the place they’re going, and the scientists are going to finish up being weirdo creeps who aren’t completely on the extent.

I’d like to be pleasantly stunned! Possibly the present has settled into this predictable rhythm to make it particularly mind-blowing subsequent week when all of the scientists find yourself being tremendous chill {and professional}.