The Reel Rejects - THE LAST OF US EPISODE - Review & Breakdown | HBO | "Please Hold to My Hand"

Episode Date: February 6, 2023

HUNTERS! Greg & Andrew React To Season 1 Ep 4 "Please Hold My Hand" of TLOU giving our Breakdown, Ending Explained, Game Easter Eggs, & Spoiler Review where Joel & Ellie (Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey) are on the road leading to intense action with Game Differences, Jeffrey Pierce (Tommy), and Henry & Sam!  Become A Super Sexy Reject For Full-Length T.V. & Movie Reactions!  https://www.patreon.com/thereelrejects  #TheLastOfUs #thelastofushbo #TheLastOfUsEpisode2 #EndingExplained #Episode1 #TrailerBreakdown #TheLastOfUsBreakdown #endingexplained #TLOUEpisode1 #TheLastOfUsEndingExplained #EpisodeBreakdown #HBO #EasterEggs #LastOfUs #Theories #TLOU #Joel #Ellie #Clickers #Sarah #Bill #Frank #NickOfferman    - Support The Channel By Checking Out Our Bomb A** Merch:  http://shopzeroedition.com/collections/reel-rejects-merch  - POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-reel-rejects/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We have so much style under one roof because a friend knows you like options. Drop by or visit us at shanko.com. Shane Company, your friend and jeweler. Ah, tease. Such a tease. Can't go into it, though. We know what's going off, but we can't go out. Yeah, I mean, obviously, again, we're not going to go into spoilers, but, um, the future events, but, uh, oh, I'm so sad that's over.

That was, I'm telling you, the pacing of this shit, the through the first four episodes is unbelievable. I'm so bummed. I know. Like, no, I want more. Yeah, I thought that was, uh, I thought that was great. I'm really digging the show in an awful lot. Yes.

You know, like, um, it's great to tease at the end. I would like to go into it a little bit, but, like, yeah i mean even if you haven't played the game i think it's pretty obvious who those two characters are i should hope the audience who hasn't played the game knows who those two characters are they kind of mention them throughout the episode yeah yeah so uh it's it should be pretty apparent who they are um but i like the the way they ended off for an introduction with them here i think that's really great especially for non-gamers uh for people i'm not someone say non-games or just people who haven't played the game uh i think it's really smart but i mean

beyond that like the emotional focus and intensity of this episode i think is so solid you know like the something that we were talking about heavy spoilers video is how a common thing for a common phrase for actors is the this thing called um the prior moment basically like what is your prior moment before doing a certain scene so that often affects how your current scene is going to down right so sometimes in this show what they'll do is have these these scenes that are like dialogue-wise word-for-word but they'll more than just change location the prior moment leading into this scene where there's ripping straight out the dialogue from a scene it'll still feel completely different because it's got a different prior moment leading into it or a different placement of when

they decide to show this particular word-for-word scene like the scene on the staircase for example sample you know talking about hurting innocent people and stuff like that and other moments throughout you know like the car placement scene was almost like exactly from the game like at the very beginning also too with the magazine and with her with him in the game he gets extremely upset at her when she takes the gun and shoots the guy well yeah I mean yeah because that the whole that whole thing was very different in the game yeah now that we've gone to that point like there's this whole sequence that happened at a was at a hotel or something a hotel yes a little bit after no it was not a little bit after test died it was after after bill it was after the bill was it was around this time it was just a little further along than that specific location where they crashed the car but i love the addition that they do here because you know like in the game when she does shoot that guy it's just some random guy who tried to drown bill like it's just a ran not bill joel it's some random guy tried to drown joel and then here this dude's like humanizing moment begging my name's brian like please don't and it drives home that point of harsher decisions and like harsher choices you have to make for survival and

it's it makes it more heartbreaking because like i'm not heartbroken for the guy but you know it makes the choice a little bit harder to adapt to when oh now this person has a name this person has an identity this person's crying like it's it's a whole new ball game when you're you're dealing with that Love emotion. It feels more real. Yeah, it adds a more realistic touch and even cutting to Ellie, you know, on our own private time, you know, shedding a tear over what just happened, whereas it's a little more badass in the game and here you're seeing.

And that was, and I like that they did that because I remember in the game thinking Ellie might be a little bit more like what we actually saw here in the show where she does get like, they do have that conversation that you see, but this is something that I liked actually cutting to the perspective of her immediate aftermath and the struggle of what she just dealt with in that moment, you know? Yeah, for sure. I mean, it's interesting you say that about the, you know, the moment before that happens because that was literally what I was thinking,

you know, in terms of that specific moment where, you know, she shoots the guy in the game versus where she shoots him here and then the discussion that they have. Yeah, a lot of the dialogue is very similar, but because of, I mean, similar situations, but different parts, like, That whole exchange happens in the game, like, immediately after, with, you know, him getting very mad at her. Whereas in this, it happens a short time after because they've gone to hiding now where you made a great comparison, felt like World War II, where they're hiding from, you know, soldiers. So I thought that was a great comparison.

But, yeah, and also, too, I think an interesting touch that they did in this is in the game, for those of you have not played. We kind of mentioned it during the reaction. The hunters are not touched upon other than they're just hunting for whoever is out there and they just want to kill it. There's no specific reason other than they're just hunting you. There's cold-blooded assholes. Exactly. So I actually like the touch of, you know, there's no black and white. There is some gray there of, you know, these characters are more humanized now.

They've got this leader. Kathleen played by Melanie. Linsky. Linsky, Melanie Linsky from two and a half men and ever after with Drew Merrimore. But I actually like- She's made up, right? What? She's not in the game, right? No, no, no.

Kathleen saw that. I was like watching it going. Yeah, Kathleen is not a character in the game Again, with the hunters, we don't ever see a leader in the video game, so again, I thought that was interesting touch, the whole revenge story about

two certain specific character, or one specific character that she kept on mentioning, and again, it just adds a very humanizing touch to the character. It adds a lot more layer in depth. Now when you play the game, it's like, okay, no, even though in the, it's different contexts, of course, but you can play around in your mind now. But

that's one of the things I really love about this show is they're not slaves to the game. Yes, they want to get some, you know, visual imagery that they want to pay respect to. Yes, there are lines of dialogue. They do want to pay respects to, but they take, you know, they expand upon things. We've mentioned that plenty of times, but they do it in a very smart and provocative way. And again, I just, I really wasn't even thinking like, oh, yeah, watching the first three episodes, they're definitely going to expand upon the hunters and give an in-depth leader that, where I'm going to feel a little more, like, kind of sympathizing for the leader

on why they're searching for these characters but at the same time I don't want them to find the character so it's like again there's no there's no black and white there's a gray area in there so I thought that was a very smart decision by Craig Mason and Neil Druckman and again just really interesting expanding upon the hunters and I know I'm sorry I shouted so loudly when we saw Jeffrey peers

I was just so excited I wasn't expecting to see him right there but that was so cool that they got him in there Yeah, I made the joke. That'd be awesome if we could get him with Gabriel Luna. I want to get Troy Baker, do a scene with Joel. I want to get Ashley Johnson do a scene with belly. So let's make it happen, Neil Druckman. I know the show's been shot, but just re-edit.

Go back. It would be neat. I'm finding myself on a, on, and the experience of this is interesting because I'm finding myself, like, there are so many times where I'm like, that is from the game. But before, like, the first couple episodes, I'd be like, this is straight from the game. Like, I'd be freaking out. But now I'm like, I'm so immersed in the show that I'm just like having a kind of a quiet acknowledgement in my head. I'm like, that isn't a game. But I'm, I've just adapted so much to this new version that it's just kind of cool to take it on its.

I'm really finding myself taking it more on its own now more than ever versus just constantly thinking so much about the game. Even when I'm reminded of scenes of like, oh yeah, I remember this line of this, this exchange. stuff like that because they the way the the the friendship is the kinship i would say more so the kinship between ellie and joel is developing while similar it feels different yeah there's there's there's more of a offbeat pairing about the two of them you know in this one yet the chemistry and the coalition of them still it still gels very much it still gels very well yet the i think like physically there's just something about the way that they look that makes them a little bit more of an odd ball pairing but that makes it more charming to me

versus the because like what what i mean by that is if if you were to just show me the cover of the Last of Us game and you showed me Joel and Ellie and you said they were father and daughter I'd be like okay like they would look like they look like their father and daughter right where here you get you really get

the sense of strangers who are forming a kinship here and I like that kind of odd pairing between them it makes it drives home that character development even more and having these like things with the riddles and the little jokes that they're making

in the puns yeah yeah the puns then went to place them at riddles went to pull this was the hot hardcore riddles but the placements of of of those scenes and like having the camping moments and um watching watching in the private time of his protection for her growing and i i love the scene when he is struggling to connect with her and open up yeah he'd be like hey are you all he needs to be like is are you okay and it's cool watching pedro pascal do it because we've seen him do so many performances and to see him play a guy who has like an actor's job is to connect and be vulnerable so to see a guy really like be such a believable version of someone who can't do that is uh is really uh it's

intriguing to me on a lot of levels there was one thing specifically i mentioned if all else fails there's one thing they have this was during our trailer reaction uh the final trailer reaction of the show if all else fails there's one thing they have to nail on the show if all else fails there's one thing they have to nail on the show. And that's the relationship and the chemistry between Joel and Ellie. And so far through four episodes,

I mean, hook, line, and sinker. It's been absolutely beautiful. It's endearing. It's adorable. Yeah, there are some, you made really good analysis on some differences from the game to what we're seeing on the show.

In spirit, I feel a lot of similarities. But, yes, I agree with what you're saying. But, I mean, there's just so many little character moments that I just deeply appreciate and I'm just getting so emotional. I mean, obviously, I'm emotionally connected with these characters in the game, obviously, but I'm talking just straight up from the show. The chemistry that these two actors have with each other with Belly and with Pedro Pascal is just unbelievable.

They just, the rapport they have, you just instantly get, at least for me, you just instantly get connected with these two characters. I just really love watching them. I think my favorite part, too, yes, it's the softer, more vulnerable moments that I deeply appreciate. Those are probably some of my favorite moments, but I love when they're. bag on each other like there's just something so in there's something so cute and endearing about that and also too as i pointed out when he was showing her how to use the gun like again i normally wouldn't say that that's cute but that was really that was really adorable i just again just everything they do

it just gets me more emotionally attached these two characters and they're both just doing such a wonderful job i know everyone when bellie was originally cast like she doesn't look like ellie now granted i had never seen game of thrones i heard she does a phenomenal job on that show but I mean, to me, she's just doing such an amazing job as Ellie. She's just like, again, she's got that badass persona and that smart mouth. But the chemistry that she invokes with Pedro Pascal, it's just, it's really beautiful to watch. They're so electric together on screen. And it's just really, it's really beautiful to watch.

It's so endearing. So I really love what they're doing with each other. The rapport that they have with each other, it's just, it's, it's really sweet. well yeah i'm really taking it i find myself comparing way less and just taking the show on its own merits as time goes on i love i love that experience and i think episode three really helps set yeah the movie the playing field for that good good point like episode three is so different that it is easier to kind of just take whatever i'm getting now on like just what is the show doing and just leave it at that you know and because like you know pager pascal's version

of Joel feels very different to me than Troy Baker's. And it's cool to have Bella Ramsey here, whose version feels very akin to Ashley Johnson. To Ashley Johnson. It feels so akin to it, yet doesn't feel like she's playing Ellie. It feels like she's, it sounds so pretentious to say. It sounds like, sounds like she's being Ellie, you know. And I love that you kind of, you got one that feels very, in a lot of ways,

very accurate to the game and then one that feels like they're they are doing their own thing but both feel very natural and nuanced and lived in and uh yeah i'm really falling for the the tone of it and so much of the character development of these two seems to be in a lot of just moments of quiet like quiet moments yeah uh private moments moments where just exchange of looks and not like big dialogue scene like the dialogue is important but so much of the character development and and the understanding of them seems to just be in the body language and in the eyes and and again like the private moments i i think that's really neat like to have a moment like where ellie's crying by herself and then if you and then the next scene when she's with joel it's

It's like she wasn't crying. She doesn't even play it like she's covering up. You know what I mean? Like, if they deleted the whole thing of her crying, you would not have thought for a second that she's covering up tears. And I think that makes it even more real because it's a real version of covering up. Yeah. No, and just adding on to what you say, too,

like that one of the last scenes that we saw there were, Joel just thought that that pun joke was just so stupid. And you see him finally smiling, letting his guard down. And you just kind of see that humanity starting to come back towards Joel and that love that he felt the love he had for Sarah and the love and protection and now it's, you know, that he feels that way

towards Ellie and it's just really blossoming really nicely. So, I love it. And granted, we're not going to talk about what we think was underground that was starting to come up. Although gamers, you probably know what. You know what the vote. You know what's coming off on the ground.

Yeah, you know it's coming. But I think, like, one thing I did appreciate about that moment with Kathleen is... She's so blinded by revenge, which, again, I can't go into spoiler territory about future events, not in the first game. I just think it's an interesting theme, again, being so blinded by revenge to get your target that you're going to sacrifice everything else and, you know, lose your humanity over it. It's an interesting, you know, theme to come by and just to see that. Again, I like when they play around with that. I think it's very interesting.

so I'm yeah I again I just didn't expect to get so many different layers there with the hunters I just that was just I should have thought about that you know with what they did in episode three and what how much they've expanded just in general with the first two episodes but that's why this show is so smart I'm like I don't give any dams about the hunters in in the game like shoot and kill them all but like here it's again while I of course want them to defend themselves I don't want you know Joel Ellie and the two characters we saw at the end to get hurt.

Of course, I don't want any of them to get hurt. Of course not. But again, just when you humanize and give us an emotional connection to these characters and a relatability, it's like, damn, Neil and Craig. Very nice touch, because I hated,

I hated these assholes in the game. Like, I wanted them to die so bad. Well, that's the cool part about it is this while there's, you know, like that whole thing with, when the truck gets smashed and then they fight the hunters and stuff. Like, while there's like some good

visual motifs that make you that harken back to the gameplay of that moment what i like about what the show does so well is that it doesn't feel like they're just trying to recapture what the gameplay looks like they're they really drive home the the humanity and the violence like the violence hits and they they more go so go for the emotion that the characters must be experiencing in this moment more than let's do a cool visual recreation of the gameplay of because there's those there's a scenario where you could do that that's what most do a game annotations would attempt to do and really fail at it and then here they don't even seem bothered by it while there's like little parts for the most part i'm not like oh damn they're

doing that thing that looks like just a cool moment from when you're playing in the game it's and i like that they lean more into they keep it all thematically and emotionally based and even even in these scenes where they could just easily go let's recreate what the gameplay's like yeah for sure And it's also interesting too In the last two episodes We barely I mean obviously in this episode We didn't really see any infect

I don't think we saw any infected In the last episode I mean there's a big part of last of us Is man versus man Yeah no no no of course But I'm my point is that That's why I try and tell people Who have never played the game like

Yes there are zombies are infected Whatever you want to say Yes they are in there But they're really a backdrop part of the game They're not it's not a zombie Infected type of game Where that's the main focus like that's just it's a part of the world but that's what a primal survival

humanity is where this shows about the world is is is uh is about yeah yeah but i think they're doing a great job of like you know taking a little break from the infected on a couple episodes and then you know getting into the humanity these characters flushing out these characters you know showing us uh survival of the fittest moments and all that stuff so and again just the stuff they're doing with ellie and joel is i really love these two actors so much they're just so they're great so great so great together so I'm I and also too I mentioned this right right at the start of the review this show I know we're only four episodes in again this is through four episodes this is one of the best

pace shows I've ever seen it's really well paced it's really there's never moments where I'm like even on the last episode what was like an hour and 15 whatever it was I was like I'm even when they go slow burn when they go action I'm never like this is really dragging it's really off balance with with the the pacing is really not there in they're always right and again that's not it for someone who is like watched other people and know people who work in the film industry it's not an easy thing to to balance and get something well-paced it's very hard actually and through four episodes absolutely they've nailed it in my opinion they're executing the shit out of this and I'm loving it

all right guys what did you think about this episode leave your thoughts down below um look out for john and Tara's reaction and you can follow and you're on twitter thank you guys so much for hanging out with us especially if you made it this far in the video please subscribe if you haven't done so and we will talk with you all soon thank you for being here