The Last of Us TV show is a hit with critics
HBO's TV adaptation of Naughty Dog's award-winning video game has impressed in early screenings
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: The Last of Us TV show
👀 The first reviews of The Last of Us TV show are in
😲 Some critics have said it’s “the best video game adaptation ever”
🧟♀️ While others have said it puts AMC’s The Walking Dead “to shame”
📆 The Last of Us TV show airs on January 15
The Last of Us TV show starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey airs on HBO Max and Sky Atlantic on January 15 – and it’s already impressed critics who were treated to an early screening of Naughty Dog’s award-winning video game series.
The BBC had no reservations in calling The Last of Us the best video game adaption ever. “For fans of the game, it is an adaptation of the utmost skill and reverence, yet one still capable of surprise; for people who have never picked up a controller, it is an encapsulation of the game's heart and soul – its full-blooded characters, its neat plotting, its mature themes of love and loss.”
Digital Spy went as far as to say that The Last of Us is the first contender for best show of the year. “Like Joel and Ellie themselves, The Last of Us is gloriously defiant and strong-willed, always taking the path that makes the most sense for it rather than the path others might want it to go on. And the story is all the better for it.”
IGN also shared a similar sentiment to the BBC and Digital Spy, awarding the show a 9 out of 10 and an Editor’s Choice award. “HBO's The Last of Us is a stunning adaptation that should thrill newcomers and enrich those already familiar with Joel and Ellie's journey alike.”
Empire was equally impressed and gave The Last of Us Season 1 a perfect score, saying the show is, “Comfortably the best adaptation of a video game ever made: one that deepens the game’s dystopian lore, while staying true to its emotional core. Like the game, it’s a masterpiece, too.”
The Last of Us joins a growing number of video game adaptations for TV and film. Netflix recently shared that a Gears of War live-action movie and animation TV series is on the way, and Amazon is working on a TV series of Fallout. Paramount Plus was also the home to the Halo TV series, which became the service’s biggest show of 2022.
Sony is particularly invested in turning its iconic IPs into films and TV series. The Japanese company has already turned the Uncharted games into a film, and there are plans for a God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn adaption in the future.
A Gran Turismo film is the next big release from PlayStation Productions and is due to release on August 11 this year. You can watch the latest trailer below.
But it’s not just Sony and Microsoft that are cashing in on gaming’s popularity and cultural status. Sega released two Sonic the Hedgehog films to great success in recent years, and Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Movie starring Chris Pratt is tipped to be one of the biggest films of 2023 when it premieres on April 7.
Of course, gamers will rightfully tell you that TV and film adaptations can’t hold a candle to actually playing the titles they're based on, and I wholeheartedly agree. If you want to experience Joel and Ellie’s adventure in interactive form, Sony released The Last of Us Part 1 for PS5 last year.
While it didn’t do enough to cement itself into the top 15 of our best PS5 games list, it’s a must-play for fans of the series and for those who may have missed the game’s releases on PS3 and PS4.