The Last Of Us Episode 2 BLIND Reaction & Review! (HBO)

[@エル-d7e]

The reason they removed the spores cause is for realism, since we are breathing in spores and spores are everywhere, while it works on the game for obstacle path, it's different when it's live action

[@heatheraldazabal358]

Its better that they didnt keep that, its completely nonsensical. The only place where they would be able to breathe normally is in a clean closed space.

[@ethanhal2874]

Yeah plus the “tendrils” which is what the director said was replacing spores, are in my opinion, a lot more terrifying. Like I get how scary it must be to be constantly worried about accidentally breathing at the wrong time, but the tendrils are definitely more of a vicious method of transfer. And it makes it possible for incredibly violent, disturbing and invasive scenes to be shot with Ellie, who although immune, would still be traumatised if she had bits of fungus entering into her body. It’s definitely got potential for an especially disturbing kind of body horror.

[@larochejaquelein3680]

Dude, the healthy human body can easily defend itself against fungi spores. It is the concentration that matters.

[@Henrique-wv9xq]

@@larochejaquelein3680 You still wouldn't be able to know when the spores would be concentrated enough to infect you, it would be a constant gamble just trusting the air is clean enough.

[@Gatambwa]

Yes. The spores would be in the air al around and they would have to wear a mask 24/7 and not him when there are visible spores. The game is unrealistic because even when you can't see the spores they would be in the air infecting people. Removing the spore angle makes more sense if we want to see the characters faces and not wearing a mask the entire time.

[@bibbxp]

I found that the first 9 minutes were brilliant and contributed a lot to the game story adding new background information about what happened and how the infection started. They should develop more of these scenes and give us an explanation on how Ellie acquired her immunity.

[@kid_aeon]

"Solid 9 mins that i think doesnt gonna add up that much with the story" bro these cold openings add so much realism to the show which make it more scarier, it makes more sense to add the origin story of how it all started and how serious it is so we can understand the importance of Ellie as a possibility of the cure... instead of just copying how the GAME progress its storyline

[@Nekomamushiy]

mhmm

[@juupajuu60]

and without those extra 9 minutes, we would have just normal 45ish minute episode, like most of shows.

[@amel_bility]

Agreed, they may not add much to Joel and Ellie's story but they do expand the world building and origins of the infection in a way they couldn't explore in the videogame. I find it really cool so far personally

[@Marco-ii1sn]

That was definitely an L take. It adds so much more to the show. So I agree with you. It adds the extra touch of horror and realism. This is probably how it would really go down if it happened today. As someone who played the games, I absolutely love these new additions.

[@nelsonp86]

Also the tendrils are not in the game. They are introducing fungi mycelium and need to show that to the viewers. Mycelium interconnecting networks underground that have more connections than human synapses and communicate is real

[@rocinante4609]

As someone who hasnt played the game I am really glad that they are showing the origin of the pandemic and explaining the biological basis of this whole thing and how it went down. This type of stuff is fascinating to a lot of ppl and its also a way of distinguishing this show from dozens of other post-apocalyptic zombie type properties. The opening also ties back to the opening in the first ep when the scientist was warning everyone about this exact scenario.

[@LeonWagg]

The creators have already said that spore makes no sense in real life since the characters would have to wear masks all the time, and if you want to seriously take this spore thing to the end, every human would probably have been infected long ago.

[@curryinahurry3730]

It's even worse, if it was the spores it would get into our pores, so a mask wouldn't be enough. We'd have to be wearing full haz mat suits to avoid infection.

[@cm31572]

I mean, they talk on that in the end discussion.

[@lukaszzylik4437]

Yep. The Ophiocordyceps fungus evolved to withstand our body temps. So if they evolved that way there's no reason for them to only exist in cooler, underground areas and degrade in outside warm areas. The spores should be everywhere, not just clumped in cool areas. The way the show handles it is great. They fixed the problem by having the spores just live inside tentacles until broken. It's like it evolved enough to know not to explode and waste its spores on nothing being around in the wide open.

[@Atlessa]

What if it's not the temperature that kills it, but UV (or even visible) rays from the sun?

[@IAmThatBit--]

There is great foreshadowing in the first episode that the fungus is in the grain/flour. Every opportunity Sarah and Joel may have eaten it, the pancakes/cookies/cake, they do not take. The old couple who ate the cookies and got infected is further evidence. Also, in this episode, Ellie is eating bread without fear, further showing she is immune.

[@nangstalgic4423]

Also, the infected lady in Indonesia who attacked her colleagues worked at a flour Factory.

[@faresty7279]

I still don't understand how eating those would get you infected. Like I get it if they cooked using flour and got infected(like inhaled it or got it in mouth). But once it's In the oven fungus is dead.

[@IAmThatBit--]

@@faresty7279 They said in the opening of the first episode that climate change had lead to the evolution of heat resistant fungi

[@faresty7279]

@@IAmThatBit-- Not heat resistant. They said they can survive in a human body(36,6 degrees Celsius). I doubt it can survive in a 200 degree oven.

[@stevemcgowen]

@@faresty7279 Yeah, it's 1 thing to survive at 98 degrees F, but another to survive at 350 degrees F...

[@Marco-ii1sn]

L take on the beginning. I think the first 9 minutes absolutely adds to the story. I love how they add these things not in the game. It gives more context and information about how this all started. Unlike the walking dead, this show actually goes into detail about how the outbreak started which is a great addition imo. Also because this is probably how it would go down if it really happened in todays day. So I love the extra backstory they’ve been adding in. Other than that, great reaction.

[@Hybrid980]

Yeah exactly, I hate short-sighted story telling philosophy like that, the first 9 minutes add so much realism and horror to the situation, it may not be directly related to the two main characters, but so what? It's extremely relevant to the world around them, which is an important detail to include in a story.

[@Marco-ii1sn]

@@Hybrid980 Yeah not sure what this guy was on about. I don’t see how he can say that it doesn’t add to the story when it in fact does. It might not seem like it’s directly connected to Ellie and Joel but it is. It shows you the severity of the infection and the importance of Ellie. This series does a phenomenal job of throwing you into this world and put you in the action. Having all this backstory and vital information about the infection gives the viewer a sense of urgency and also makes you root for Joel and Ellie even more to make it to their destination for the cure. As anybody would if this happened in real life. So far this show is absolutely flawless.

[@MUSBFRANK]

Headed to the comments section as soon as he said that, so ditto!!!

[@redzone6118]

He's one of those people that critcize a show for not following the story of game to the "T" and would complain about adding extra scene.

[@endubless]

They said that in the game they wear masks in certain areas but irl that isn’t realistic, realistically they’d have to wear masks 24/7 which is why they took the spores out. Also the fact that the fungi span over longer distances underground and can communicate like that is real. Neil also said that would’ve been a cool feature to have in the games that he wished he put in.

[@dissimilar5]

Regarding the removal of spores, it is partly due to not wanting have to have the characters in masks, but Mazin in interviews also says that it really doesn't make much sense that the spores would be isolated to certain areas, like in the game. If it was airborne, it would spread everywhere. I actually think he is right, not only for that reason, but that if there were spores, the gas masks wouldn't be enough. The spores would get onto people's hair, their clothes, their skin, the filters of the gas mask. As soon as they removed the mask, they still probably would have inhaled spores unless they were wearing a full hazmat suit.

[@MadSkillz76]

The opening was important to let everyone know this lady studied this stuff for years and confirmed that there is no medicine or vaccine to cure it, and makes Ellie's immunity that much more important because she just might be the savior to the world.

[@vincec082]

Lindsey nailed it with the reasoning of why spores would be troublesome. Could they have implemented them in the show? Probably. but I understand and am completely fine with the change. Great analysis of the show.

[@JacopoBasanisi]

5:50 I think all the original material, like the opening of the two episodes, along with all the focus on Tess, is for us (more like, the blind watchers) to really stress the significance of Ellie's immunity. On one side, they repeated a lot that there's no way people can survive the fungus, on the other side, they made us care about someone infected. Ellie's now the key to potentially save people like Tess, for example. edit: oh and even the change of the farewell scene indicates "human vs fungi", whereas in the game is "human vs human"

[@stevemcgowen]

Yeah, I think the back story content is great. Too many apocalypse/zombie type movies and shows just ignore this aspect, or gloss over it. More people will watch the show than just people who have played the game...

[@DegraTrip]

@@stevemcgowen If they only showed 1:1 what you played in the game then there would be no longevity in this series whatsoever. Catering strictly to gamers would be a failure. These openings make it way more fascinating.

[@stevemcgowen]

@@DegraTrip Exactly. At that point they could have just recreated the cut scenes to make gamers happy, but lost the larger audience...

[@JacopoBasanisi]

@@stevemcgowen I guess the main thing is, in the game you experience the drama yourself, so everything is more powerful, and you feel more weight on every chouce you make. My take is, this is all about a specific scene for the last episode (no spoiler pls people), more information means more weight on that moment.

[@Philar299]

Love the little things, where Ellie steps on something he gives her a look, but nothing happens and then steps on something and they get attacked.

[@JacopoBasanisi]

Same in the first episode when she clearly would have been spotted by the light outside the qz. Damn AI! 🤣

[@evanderdornelles]

I do miss the gas masks too, but it would cause a big problem in the adaptation. In the games, the game itself would have Joel put on a mask because we, as players (and humans) would never notice the spores until it was too late, given that the spores are not exactly visible and would kill you the moment you enhale it.

[@blakpasta141]

In defence of the intro scenes, i think they highlight and foreshadow the theme of these episodes: for the first it was both an explanation of the fungi invasion and a way to introduce the fatalistic approach Joel and the World takes on after 2003. For the second sequence, i feel like it's about sacrifice in very simple ways, how bombing and in term sacrificing cities worth of ppl is the only choice to suppress the infection as much as possible /how Tess' sacrifice is her only choice to make sure Joel and Ellie dont die. It's not the most useful scenes ever and i may be reaching hard but yeah that's how i feel about it

[@joits]

I love the cold openings adding more to the backstory of the overall story.

[@rocklockster3326]

Same with the first episode, I personally really love the beginning of this episode and the exposition for people that HAVE NOT played the game. It's a tv show after all, they need to explain things to the non 'elitist I played the game' club ;) They need to hook people that have no idea what's going on.

[@dukerollo1116]

Also the opening scene proves why the neighbors got infected and joel and sara didn't because they didn't eat the flour from the cookies , bisquits cake ect. That was very important. Also in the game it said it spread through food

[@tnk1041]

Small little thing I loved about the ep - tension from doors creaking which sound exactly like the clickers even before they actually encounter one. Sound design in general was really on point.

[@aPhatPhoenix]

I get it, I like the spores from the game too, however I completely understand why they didn’t include it in the show. The gas mask thing is one thing but it’s mainly because It wouldn’t be realistic because spores are microscopic and wouldn’t be seen in the air like you can in the game, also it would get all over their clothes and body and stuff and they would have to constantly wash all their gear and bodies and clothes.

[@randomviewer2370]

i think the flashbacks from where it started is gonna be significant in the future

[@saddany3254]

I mean how spore works in the game doesn't really make sense. Like they can take off mask 1 meter away from the "area" and be fine. Irl spores literally flies everywhere, they don't localise in certain areas. Sure some place has more spore densities than the other but what prevents you from inhaling one speck of spore in an area where you think it's safe? So realistically if spore exist in the show, they need to wear mask 24/7 if they wanna live. Edit: shoot Lindsay literally said what I said. I commented midway into the video lol

[@thattrickytrickster612]

The creators of the show already confirmed that the cordyceps work differently in the show than in the game. Because they also knew that spores would be too unrealistic.

[@Jamal-zs5mm]

Maybe the spores can only thrive when passed from person to person

[@tnk1041]

Luckily Lindsay does mention it at the end of the review.

[@vibesonly420]

The timing for this release was PERFECT. Got home from work, watched the newest episode, hopped on youtube and BOOM get to watch the reaction 😁

[@mnimh8933]

I think you're letting your fandom (which I completely understand) of the original game color her opinions of the show. I kinda wish she can react and form her own opinion of the show without hearing what doesn't follow the game exactly - at least until after the episode is over.

[@sneekz07]

Yeah, she has some great reactions and theories. And he just keeps going on about the game. If you want an exact copy of the game just go and replay it.

[@juupajuu60]

My little concern with the show was when they announced this, that they would just be using masks every other interaction with the infected without adding anythig valuable for the plot. Good change.

[@BenyaminLorit]

They removed spores and replaced it with the tendrils. Yes, mechanically, it's impractical to have actors in gas masks for long shoots but it's also an element that existed in the game primarily to just be a gameplay mechanic. (It wasn't until in Part II that it was properly utilized for a couple of story beats but I digress.) Narratively, keeping it in also makes for a bit of a tough sell in this medium because if spores were that common as a mode of transmission and is widely known like it was in the game, then in reality, everyone would just be wearing masks everywhere all the time.

[@roop94]

You guys are working your ass off getting these reactions out so fast

[@moviesandcheesecake4128]

38:33 the moment Lindsay realizes that is true and Tess is infected, priceless… that reaction is a great example of what react channels is all about, seeing people expressing emotions, in this case the emotion is disappointment mixed with sadness I guess cause Lindsay realizes she’s loosing a character she’s gotten attached to. Love it

[@frankthatank4900]

The Boldcats being in the back round it made the reaction very wholesome plus the reaction near the end, epic.

[@sirkillian]

I think is was the director who said it but if the infected had spores there would have been no survivors. :)

[@frostedcrabcake1592]

Hey to give you some reasoning as to why they took out the spores being inhaled, the main reason was because the way it would work in real life wouldn't be like in the game. I don't know if y'all are watching the after credits behind the scenes clips, but the one after this episode explains why. One of the directors said that the way spores would spread would be everywhere rather then just sitting in one place. So for example, rather than one floor of a building being just spores, it would more likely be the whole building. Kinda like how dust collects, it'd be everywhere even outside contaminated zones of fungus. Meaning the survivors would practically have to wear a gas mask everywhere just to survive, so they changed it up to the new fungus network. Spores are replaced by this, still giving a good way to spread the infection and create the tension that those spore zones did in the games without going against the real world reality. Just wanted to help out and explain if y'all didn't watch it yet, as I was also confused as to why they took it out of the show. Hope it helps explain a bit!

[@nikjovan4816]

I like the addition of if you step on fungus it will alert the clickers, because they removed the breathing in of spores. So at least the substitued the danger that was the breathing in of spores for this new thing. With this they didn't significantly weaken the danger level, because if there are spores you just need a mask and your normally fine, but with the steping on fungus, you have to be careful with every step.

[@BamBam-3886]

They might still add the spores later.

[@nikjovan4816]

@@BamBam-3886 Yes, maybe they will change their minds, so they can always add it later . To increase the danger level even more.

[@yololoyo7379]

@@BamBam-3886 with the bloater probably

[@OsefKincaid]

Opening scene adds a justification for the bombing of the cities that we address later in the episode, +introduction to the scientific approach to the virus that will obviously be relevant to Ellie's story

[@kaitlany1196]

Thankfully you're not Craig Mazin and he is giving us more backstory. This isn't a game, this is a TV show. If he wasn't adding in all these elements it would be a terrible show to watch. He has created more depth and texture, which makes it an en enjoyable show. For the people who played The Last of Us, this isn't a game, it's a TV show that needs many more layers and depth.

[@LittleReadingNook]

I think the openings of the last two episodes act as exposition but more importantly they're BUILDING up the miracle that IS Ellie. Not one of these professionals thought Ellie would even be possible, and we're starting to see the sacrifices people have made to contain this. This professor knew she and her family would be the trade off to potentially save humanity/restore even a little hope. And by building up what a miracle Ellie is and how much hope she represents throughout the show, it intensifies the ending of it. There's a reason they cut straight from the Professor sacrificing herself and her entire family, to Ellie being bathed in light, in the fetal position, and surrounded by nature. She represents a potential new hope/start/life for humanity.

[@captply4468]

Ok its 9 minutes of the actual story you cant have an out break with out a starting point. just my thoughts not an attack

[@mrmr4622]

Have to disagree. That whole segment from Indonesia is one the best parts of this episode.

[@jemazondo9331]

29:52 Pascal said in an interview that he would like to have more scenes in the Mandalorian with the helmet off. There was a rumor in the past that there was a rift with him and the showrunners because he was lobbying to have Din Djarin take off his helmet more. I'm sure he didn't want to have another role were his face is covered a lot. Plus it makes sense from HBO's point of view to get rid of the masks. These are big money actors they are paying for. You gotta show the goods.

[@Akbar_and_Shaa]

Also spreading by spores like the game would have ended humanity already.

[@mikdoubled]

Reports of Pascal saying he wants to show his face on the show more are baseless rumors, I'm pretty sure. If you watch his interviews he's debunked them for hundreds of times now, even recalling a time in the first ep of s3 where the creator wanted to show him with his mask off and Pedro said to hold off until the stakes are high for him to show his face. Saying that he would rather uphold the integrity of the story than ruin it by showing his face just for the hell of it (this was from his most recent interview with Variety). So I don't think that would be the reason for the spores to be not included in the show ( I don't think anyone, A-lister or not would have that much power on the story of a million-budget show). It really just comes down to realism bc if the infection is airborne everyone would just die (except for ppl like Ellie ofc).

[@JynxedKoma]

The intro clips revealing the pre-pandemic stages are by far my favourite parts of the series so far. I love the dark atmosphere it creates. Yet despite it being original material, you're pretty much complaining... Like, seriously?

[@WarNeverChanges9191]

As a super last of us fan I have to say my hats off for the special effects team they totally nailed it to the core with the detail. This episode was just as great as the first episode I am still super impressed with the series so far.

[@Norien711]

FYI, there is a “making of” episode for this where the directors explain why they made the shift away from spores to make the fungus make more sense. Also probably to stop masks on the main characters, but I’m down with the changes for the show

[@kyledepaepe194]

Lol, the intro to this video showcases my friends and my reaction to that last night perfectly. I will have nightmares for the rest of my life having seen that scene. Listening to Lindsay's analysis at the end, I think she raises a good point about the spores. I hadn't thought of that issue and so it makes sense why they would have to adjust it.

[@darnellf6564]

I love that they got rid of the spores the showrunner said it best that wouldn't work in a real-life scenario it's great for a game he said Spores don't localize it will be everywhere outside not just in a building in certain sections it will move through the air

[@matheuskeunecke1335]

About the flashbacks. I think it's gonna be important in future episodes especially in relation to Ellie. It also helps to expand the universe.

[@supman49]

I don’t think he realizes niel druckman worked on this and added changes to make the story realistic

[@the-first-of-her-name]

yeah, he doesn't seem to understand why video game adaptations have failed so terribly. it's because they lacked moments that rooted them to the real world. we need those scenes in order to connect with this world.

[@tierneycandlewick68]

They didn't film the intro to show what it's like around the world. It was shot to follow the trail of how the virus started. It (the virus) was in the flower & grain in the largest manufacturer of them. The biscuits & cake in the first episode was a tip. Also, these aren't zombies. Zombies are beings from the dead, this virus keeps its victims alive, and mind controls them (see intro to first ep).

[@kevinscottbailey8335]

These coldopens are perfect. Provides background and understanding for non game players. Love this channel but I wish you would try to see this from the perspective of a non game player. As a game player myself that's what I've had to do with these coldopens.

[@SohiHien]

You are the only person I have seen that is nitpicking about the spores and gas masks. I was glad they got rid of the spores because it was so unrealistic in the game. They just put masks on after noticing spores? Yeah by then it's too late. Also their clothes and hair would be covered in spores and they would just breathe them in that way and get infected since they don't change clothes, wash or wear biosuits before going into spore areas. Also spores only staying inside some buildings? Yeah no, that stuff would be everywhere you would need to wear masks all the time. The mycelium is a great compromise and a new way to show and develop spread and infection.

[@EF-fc4du]

They got rid of spores as a means of transmission because they didn't think they could justify spores being localized. Putting on a mask in one area and taking it off in another doesn't actually make sense. IE If it's spread through spores there would be no safe place where they could take off a mask. Spores would be everywhere aside from a laboratory environment.

[@ShuffleUpandDeal32]

Fun fact, the actors who voiced the Clickers in the game reprised their roles here and did a great job again.

[@ptsteelers]

Just found your stuff guys and I am enjoying it. Thanks and keep up the goodness. That said, I hope you now realize just how much the opening of this particular episode did add to the story ;)

[@fennecfox1441]

carson continues to talk like he thinks he's smarter than he actually is , it's kind of hilarious

[@wllulu]

Spores don't stay in the same place, in real life they would've to wear the mask 24/7 basically Sarah when she gets into the old lady house she would be infected, also you can't see spores in real life

[@gundamgunpla4685]

Also once the body dies the Cordyceps uses the rest of the nutrients to spread out, and can cover an entire building :) So the dead ones add to the communication through all the added mycelium being spread out (Mycelium being the form of communication in Fungi)

[@djdoug242]

The podcast hosted by Troy Baker for episode 2 interview with Druckman and Mazin goes into Druckman's and Mazin's ideas behind the "cordyceps kiss" - and there's definitely a ton of subtext. Highly recommend listening to those podcasts for lots of great information

[@mrthing308]

I believe the last kiss shows that the infected are connected, she wasn't rushed and attacked even though they can see her. I guess they can sense these infections.

[@ShuffleUpandDeal32]

There's behind the scenes stuff you can see on KZbin, they did decorate a lot of the outside stuff from what i've seen. They also ditched the masks because if spores were airborne they would infect everyone.

[@dalo267]

My only critique is that Ellie would never joke about her infection, it's a touchy subject for her because of Riley

[@weirdversions]

I think the mask issue would be a mess in the adaptation... It makes sense in a game (part of the mechanics... here you need it, here you don't), for television drama, it's no benefit at all. In the game, you are the character, you only see their faces in cutscenes most of the time. In the adaptation, it's all about their reactions and stuff...

[@lukaszzylik4437]

Hey great reaction!a few thoughts on some of your comments: The game has 2 hours and 32 minutes of cinematics and story through gameplay (which includes the characters just walking and talking) A lot of the episodes will be 80 to 90 minutes in length (next episode will be 80 minutes) So what are they supposed to do with the other 7+ to 9+ hours of the show? I personally love the added background science of the ophiocordyceps fungus, it answers questions some of us had about the fungus. Its one of the reasons I think they chose Maizen as a showrunner. If you watch Chyrnoble you can see how specific and detail oriented he is. I personally think it works well in the show. I feel like those sections were made for fans who always wondered about the world and background. I'm also a marine biologist, so I naturally gravitate to that kinda stuff. I also really like this version of the ophiocordyceps infection. In real life there's no reason for the fungus to evolve to withstand human body temps. There's no change in their natural environment that would kill off the fungus if it doesn't go through forced adaptation so it's a mutation of convenience. But if the Cordyceps evolved to withstand higher temperatures there's no reason why the spores should decay in open weather the way they do in the game. The spores should be all over the place, infecting everyone. The show changes it so that instead of the tentacles tips exploding spores, the spores evolved to live in the tentacles, which makes it so that they are still dangerous out in the open. It just never made sense for the spores to only exist in cooler underground areas in the game and degrade in warmer Temps. I like the shows explanation better because it makes more sense to the conceit of the explanation of why they evolved. Also Neil Druckmann did an amazing job directing this episode imo. He is really good with building tension.

[@QroMan13]

spores only work in the game, in real life the whole planet would have spores airborn making it impossible to go outside plus the masks would be a pain for 2 reasons, 1 they cover the face and 2 they would have to explain how they get more oxygen unless in the game they are filter masks i dont remember.

[@gregm117]

Also, it was the flour that was the substrate for the fungus to spread. Which from commentators said Joel, Tom, Shara never ate. Pancakes, cookies, ect.

[@amandaray_art]

2:00 I feel the exact same way. I feel the strong urge to hum the GOT theme song every time!!

[@BOLDcast]

😆

[@CrimsReacts]

So it turns out it has been 1 year exactly since I've become a member of your channel. I love your content and will continue to still support you.

[@BOLDcast]

Thanks so much man that’s huge! Glad we’ve been making stuff you enjoy for that long, and hope to keep going !

[@ChibiHoshiDragon]

It IS important to know everything. If you don't know everything you can either, underestimate and end up being ripped off or if you are going to over estimate and ask for way too much and you get killed/nothing for the audacity/being unreasonable. Like if you pawn jewelry thinking it is cheap and it was solid gold... you get ripped off. You also don't want to assume that piece is solid gold and try asking for tons and get nothing because it was only plated and your buyer thinks you are not worth the future problems. The fungus still lives, you aren't killing the fungus when you shoot or strangle. They aren't zombies in that if the body dies, there is no brain to hijack to send motor signals to move muscles. Sever the spine, they can't MOVE to attack and infect you. Destroy the brain stem, they can't move to attack and infect you. Stop the heart/make them bleed enough blood to drop blood pressure to the brain and the brain/muscles gets less oxygen and affects motor function to move to attack and infect you. I think the reason they went with Human v Fungi instead of adding Human v Human now is to make it more impactful later. Start and Emphasis the obvious threat and LATER add the existential treat of the fall of humanity. Starting with both makes the trip more, Why Bother. Not worth it. I saw the "Kiss" as trying to connect. If anyone has seen Fringe Epi 403: The Morgue blob comes to mind I must be the only one who isn't disturbed by the Tendrils. They are EYWA to me.

[@Taubi81]

Tess was infected, the runners leave her alone. The one guy with the kiss kissed her to pushed her faster to transform to a runner.

[@rashad0026]

You should check New Rockstar's Easter Egg video. That opening sequence was perfect and had so many clues that tied into Episode 1 and foreshadowed actions the US ended up doing to their own cities.

[@MJR_heyfunny]

I disagree that it doesn't add to the story because it hits home how serious the situation is that scientist was the LEADER in the study of that type of organism. She told the general she had been trying to find a way for her entire life, and there was nothing that helped, no vaccine, nothing to slow it down. And that the only way to fight it is to basically nuke the entire area and everywhere else nearby just in hopes of getting every last infected. But this was before they knew how it spread. In the game, it was airborne thru spores, but the show is different. And is much more terrifying. But it's like if this specialist found no possible way to fight it; this whole time. It sounds like maybe that medical talk show from the '60s this woman probably saw as a teen or something since this is 2003 and devoted her life to finding a way with no luck at all, what hopes do the firefly scientists have? It's just like the guy on the talk show said "We Lose"

[@DarkKnight2037]

In the game, im pretty sure the soldiers are there is because they think theyre kinda trying to get at some fireflies, not pursuing the trio

[@fruitpunchsamuraidavid]

It's crazy how Pedro got Joel's voice down and also FUCKING ANNA TORV is the Goat, she's amazing in every role I've seen her play

[@alsims2007]

the removal of spores is more than just about covering the actors face. while realistic that the fungus would spread through spores, to realistically portray them would require CGI spores, and then you would still need to answer how do they remove the spores from their body or why is it only contained in certain areas. the show is trying it's best to stay as grounded as possible which adds to the creepiness but it's a regrettable exclusion that fully makes sense. I hope before the end of the series they find at least 1 reason for them to need to wear a mask

[@coverscollection8775]

cmon man has some respect on the beginning. im from indonesia bro

[@bobandy13]

You get the bolt action rifle early on. It's the automatic assault rifle you don't get till the end.

[@yohanespaskal9352]

In this show like this, those additions became important to the story and context.

[@Dexiray]

Ngl I wanted more Tess just cus I love the actress, loved her in Fringe 😁

[@endubless]

I recommend watching the last of us podcast on hbo’s channel after every ep. It’s hosted by Troy baker and the first two eps have the co-creators explaining their thought process behind each ep, they also explain why they removed spores and why the cold opens were put in.

[@JADTO]

The original material is awesome and definitely adds to what we already know. It gives context to things that happens later

[@trulybtd5396]

Joel was a contractor. He has walked scaffolding before.

[@moonchild2560]

I agree that the original material isn't necessarily needed all the time, but then again, there are a lot of people who are coming into the series completely blind and void of any existing knowledge of the games. It may not do much for us who understand the nuances of the story from the knowledge gained from the games, but it is very much needed for those who aren't so familiar with the games and the genre of video game adaptations as there are likely a lot who aren't in tuned with video games in general. The pacing from video game compared to a series on demand could differ at times and I feel like it may not be essential, but its appropriate. However I do side with you guys as a fan of the games watching along.

[@PejaObr]

I loved your comparison great reactions just small thing.. about the mask , before entering the building joe tested the fungus on the ground it was dry dead , I believe fungus can shed spores only when alive thus not needing masks.

[@evacombs9720]

The show is asking, What would you do? What is (more) morally correct? [There aren't answers to these questions, it's meant to be chewed over in your mind/discussed] This is why we meet this scientist and this Indonesian miliary commander - Okay, this is the point at which we understand what's/happening about to happen, what do you do? Bomb (and she says this knowing it will kill herself and her family as well as millions in her city)? That shocks most reactors. Why would it shock people watching? What would you recommend? The moral thesis of the show is weather you should protect one person (someone you know and love: Kathleen's brother (Kathleen dooms hundreds+ for her brother), Sam (as Henry knowingly traded the life of the good man resistance leader against brutal FEDRA for his brother's), the scientist in Indonesia and her family, Ellie) over the protection of hundreds, thousands, millions, billions - or as some reactors have pointed out, the trolly or train problem [you control a switch, you can save one person or the life of everyone on a train, either way, there will be death, what do you choose?]

[@richardnalbandyan]

Lindsay always with the big brain on the spores part, that's exactly what the creator thought of when changing it. Also guys not everyone needs to have the same opinion and even if they're in a minority doesn't mean they shouldn't say it. I don't agree with a lot of thoughts that reactors say but isn't that why we watch these? To hear other people speak their minds about the shows we love.

[@BamBam-3886]

That ending with Tess is gonna haunt me forever. I prefer her death in the game. The Clickers were awesome

[@Cknows_]

I like her death in show death way better, they made it more unsettling and actually seeing her death this time was a plus.

[@xeox4280]

@@Cknows_ but it makes less sense

[@logicalvibes9896]

I think it also makes sense as to why they didn't do the mask and spores thing aside from not wanting the actors to wear masks all the time. Because realistically even if you had a mask on and where in a spore infested environment it would get on your hair and clothes so when you would take off the mask it wouldn't really matter cause spores from mold and other things for example could stick to those which is why people would wear hazmat suits to prevent from post contamination like that (Edit: think of the spores as Cologne if it's out in the air and breathe it in you are inhaling the fumes. You spray it on your clothes or skin it will stick to you for a while and you can still breathe in the smell. Applying that with the spores it wouldn't make sense realistically if they were to take off the masks and be fine which could be another reason as to why they changed it to the new hive mind like edition)

[@FatLittleButterfly]

Spores adds to gameplay, but it does nothing for TV. Its an obstacle for playing the game, but in TV show, it just doesn't make sense that spores are limited to certain spots.

[@Henrique-wv9xq]

I loved this episode, just like the first one, but I felt really weirded out by the "kiss" at the end, idk why she would just let that happen, maybe she couldn't control herself 100% or didn't want to move and make it get aggressive at her idk, it was just a strange way for her to go

[@Cknows_]

rewatching the scene I actually think the fungus was stopping her from being able to move properly.

[@nelsonp86]

The sign on the wall said if bitten on neck it takes 5 to 15 minutes for full change so I believe it's the fungus taking control of her and why she's twitching and struggling to light the lighter.

[@_gnit]

spoiler comment about tess in this episode only.. I took that weird mouth hug as "The Kiss of Death" she probably would have loved to give Joel a last kiss goodbye but couldn't for obvious infection reasons. instead she got deaths kiss as karma for the "bad sht" she claims to have done.

[@tenkiforecast]

I'm really appreciating the cold opens. This show, as well as Castlevania/Arcane/Cyberpunk Edgerunners, are all taking different approaches to the nightmarish problem of adapting a video game into a non-interactive medium. TLoU may be taking the most difficult route of going beat by beat through the video game in a medium that *really* does not line up with the game's mechanics or pace. So, use the opportunities to take advantage of the new medium. The cold opens are another way to provide exposition, but they are absolutely a result of COVID. The 1960s show bit and this moment are a response to COVID to say, "this is much, much worse than what we went through." However it's also expanding the narrative outside of Joel and Ellie. In-game, you only get their perspectives. Here, you're seeing more of the world and how people reacted, and especially how it created Joel. Showrunners confirmed the change from spores to the mycelia was a game/tv mismatch. Having the actors wear gas masks constantly would be a nightmare for performances, and even then it wouldn't make sense given how much time passed--if it spread through spores, everyone would be dead. So they used an alternate way that fungi spread, even working it into different narrative tension. Seriously, there are so many notes to take about what this adaptation's doing, what works, and why.

[@mcfearsun]

The opening shows us there was no hope, and why Ellie is so important as a character. Not everyone has played the game so I think it definitely has purpose in the show

[@gundamgunpla4685]

Can I ask Lindsay whats going on with her eyes? That looks so cool! Very unique and beautiful look. You are both awesome keep em coming :) Played the games so love the blind reactions!

[@BOLDcast]

Lindsay has heterochromia, that’s why her eyes look like that I remember when I first met her that I thought she got punched in the face lol Thanks for watching!

[@gundamgunpla4685]

@@BOLDcast Well I hope its not offensive to say that it looks badass! And hell yeah Ill be following you guys

[@justanotherjake1492]

Honestly, as someone who loves the game, I don't want to hear about how X is different or how Y is the same. I just find that very surface level, uninteresting commentary. Best part of a blind reaction is hearing unbiased first impressions, I don't wanna hear about how you prefer some scene in the game, or like something directly translated from the game.

[@zakariachellak6881]

The same feelings when I see HBO logo ( game of thrones) I miss those days 😞

[@rubenjoe7488]

L takes regarding the openings

[@elheber]

I think the first 9 minutes is part of the show justifying Joel's actions more than the game. I won't go into details, but just stop reading if you haven't played... The show is leaning heavier on the impossibility of a cure or vaccine. Unlike the game, the Fireflies we have seen here are ineffective, fuled by aspiration, desperate for a win, and are pinning everything on this one hope. I bet that their top scientist will examine Ellie for days on end and conclude that nothing can be done... But the desperate Firefly leaders will deny it and demand more extreme measures. Even if Joel himself ends up believing in a cure, the show has said otherwise and will have justified his actions to us, unlike the game.

[@samcox308]

You keep saying things aren’t part of the story, the whole idea of this adaptation is to not only stay true to the games story but adding context to how the virus would spread for real

[@kingespada17]

Damn what a L take about the beginning other than that good video and interesting discussions lol.

[@DugTheDog]

Heterochromia is so cool and rare. Suits the girl, makes her look even more interesting. Sorry the comment is not about the show or reaction but once I noticed I couldn't not comment. Awesome eyes!

[@bebomac5]

You’re over thinking this, and undervaluing the added context. Way off the mark. I thought it was fantastic! I doubt many will agree with you.

[@backinmydaycartoons7957]

39:20 I feel like if you want a more world building explanation, since they seem to be trying to flesh out the infection and make it more 'realistic', it might not make sense for them to have spores at all. When things evolve, they put their energy into the things that are the most effective form of reproduction and increased lifespan, and things that are less efficient at this end up going away via relaxed selection (meaning that trait isn't useful anymore due to an environmental change, and therefore the positive selective pressure reproducing the relevant genes of that trait is no longer present.) With the fungus developing such an efficient method of reproduction, using human bodies to transmit the fungus via bites and,,,,,, whatever the fuck that was with Tess, it's possible the fungus just lost the ability to produce spores somewhere along the way. I also feel like the trade between the spores and the fungal networks is a good one. The gasmasks thing only poses a threat in bizarre circumstances where a mask is removed by another person or particularly aggressive zombie etc, but the network poses different elements of not only needing to be quiet, but needing to watch your step at ALL times, adding suspense to the watcher, and the added time element of alarming the network, and then having tense scenes of them trying to figure out an escape route and plan on the go before all the zombies arrive. I feel like it'll definitely give the show a more game-like feel overall, where the masks were just an aesthetic thing as far as i'm aware. I hope this is something they explain and elaborate on though, cause although I'm plenty used to headcanoning explanations to help enjoy a show more rather than not, it is obviously way more enjoyable when the show does it for you. Also, to be clear I have a VERY bare bones understanding of evolution and fungus, but it isn't like the show is a real life parallel, and I think the reasonings I gave are close enough to real world explanations of similar things for it to fit within the shows half realism half fantasy setting.

[@nicjuancarlospe1866]

replacing spores with the fungal connectivity is dub for me ngl