(This is so late because writing and posting from the hospital and rehab places has been super difficult! I am sorry! Please send well wishes to Mama Megs! She is coming home this week YAY!)
This episode ended up being worse than I could have imagined, and my scribbled notes stopped about halfway through. So, I am rewatching it for this blog post.
Okay, episode three, and away we goooo-
🙁 Very sad moment, but the show quickly points out there are a LOT of dead people. It is not just Joel, a massive departure from the game. Joel’s death in Jackson Hole feels somewhat less significant to the community, and it also feels like they are trying to stress that Jackson IS a community at the same time. Confusing writing.
And then quick to point out there is a LOT of wounded. Jackson was hit hard by the attack (that Abby started). I also clearly missed what happened to Ellie in the last episode that caused her to need a blood transfusion.
A brilliant change, but also very rude 🙁
Um, what? Lol
3 months? This changes the context of so much. Ellie’s motivation, Tommy’s motivation….I guess let’s see where this leads 🤷 but this is a pretty huge departure and I cannot see the justification for it.
She’s been in the hospital for THREE MONTHS?!?! WHAT IS GOING ON!?! What was this injury?? This entire scene was confusing. I understand that the audience needs to have Ellie’s emotions explained to them more clearly, but this was a bit overboard.
Three months later, the flowers are still fresh. Fake flower theory confirmed #iykyk
Joel was not wearing this scarf -as seen below – so idk what the blue thing is- it is NOT a pair of jeans. Please note Joel’s jeans are destroyed during his death scene. I have done extensive research on the topic of this scarf, so it was important for them to get it right. They did not, and chose to recreate a shot from the game instead of being loyal to the source material. SMH, production designer simply didn’t look a the model art.
ANYWAYS, it’s fine, now on to the main event!
This scene was fine, I suppose, it gave Dina’s motivations clearly. It showed Ellie’s clear, unrelenting need for revenge. But we are relaying heavily on Dina’s memory and then Eugene’s word for most of this.
This is also a flawless drawing to make on the spot and Dina should for real consider being an artist.
This scene played SO much differently than Tommy in the game, I don’t even really wanna compare them. Game Tommy is grieving deeply when they speak, and wants justice too, however, he tries to mask it by telling Ellie they have responsibilities to Jackson and they might not have all the information needed to go after them.
This comes across much differently in the show here. Taking it to the council? What?
And jump cut to Seattle with no context
Without context, which is impossible for me to do, the Seraphites appear sympathetic here. they wrote this scene as if we should care about them and for them. They even show them being kind to their children – WACK!! This was never ONCE shown in the game. You never have an encounter with the Seraphites where they show anything but violence towards you as the playable character (Ellie or Abby). (I am excluding two characters who I DO NOT consider seraphites because of their character arcs in the game, but spoilers for season 3!) and yet this entire scene you are made to believe and feel sympatric to whatever they are seeking.
They also fundamentally changed their belief system with the way this father Seraphite was speaking. But okay, let’s see where this leads, I guess.
Also, side note, that’s how I be looking at a hammer when I get one in the game. Bonk Bonk 🔨
So far, Jesse has been the only rational person in this show. Perfect scene. Perfect Jesse.
This is where I stopped taking notes. I was corn man.
This scene was crazy. I would like to know the justification. I thought I was tripping when Seth got his redemption arc here. I don’t have any other thoughts on this, except – Why? The game zeroed in on Ellie’s point of view for revenge, and her desperation as she loses everything in her pursuit of it. Is this to set up for the eventual return? Will she be kicked out of Jackson for defying the council? Is the audience supposed to feel more desperate because no one will help?
I am afraid. Thank you, Gail. Having to continually explain to the audience the most basic emotions on this show is a little baffling to me, and Gail’s only function so far as a character. Please, I hope they have her serve a better purpose.
I actually started screaming during this scene. When did Ellie become so dumb? And why is Dina so smart? Ellie crossed the entire country with Joel and learned absolutely nothing, apparently. Not one thing, according to this scene, because Dina literally does all the work getting them ready. And orders Ellie around of what to do to prepare. What did I miss in the last 5 years of Ellie’s life where she forgot everything from Part I? And Joel?
And this is the part where I actually exited out of my browser. I had to be convinced by friends to continue.
Seth, bestie, let’s go! For a full minute, I thought Seth was coming with us to Seattle, and I lost my mind. I don’t have much to say i guess, but what a bizarre change/addition!
Seth seems sincere with his apology in the last episode, and aids Dina and Ellie here as they go on an almost certain suicide mission. I guess Neil did not like all of the bigot jokes thrown around for the last five years at this random ass character (even though he deserved it, in the game his apology is not sincere and its obvious he doesn’t mean a word of it he is only keeping the peace for Maria). So here, have a little redemption HBO Seth, I guess you were deemed worthy by craig!
AND WE ARE OFF TO SEATTLE FINALLY !!!!
Okay, I will admit. The coffee beans on Joel’s grave got me. 😭
It got me a lot. I hope Joel gets all the coffee. I love you forever Joel miller. even though I pretend to hate you (shh don’t tell anyone) im just like ellie frfr
This entire traveling sequence was gorgeous! I liked Ellie naming bands and the bonding happening, and the flirting between the two. Ellie’s mention of Riley 🙁
I have wrestled with my feelings about this scene a lot. I am still really angry about it. ‘You’re gay, I’m not” is just bad writing. Dina was never confused about her choice in the game, nor was she confused about her identity. Adding this internal conflict feels like extra unnecessary drama for a TV audience.
And here is where I knew they just confirmed the biggest plot point for Dina 🙄 God forbid a woman throw up at the sight of dead bodies.
Also, this is a wild line from Ellie. Never once in the game does Ellie show any compassion for anyone other than her circle of friends, and even then, Ellie becomes blinded once they reach Seattle and puts all of her friends in extreme danger. Never once in the game was I lead to believe that Ellie cares about children.
We made it! Yay!
I have never seen more hair extensions in my life. WLFS have access to military grade weapons and a beauty salon. Let’s go!
overall i was unimpressed and baffled by most of the changes. 3 months is a long time. this entire episode changes the context of why ellie went to seattle and how ellie went to seattle. the most baffling change was how incredibly dumb they made ellie appear in this episode and how dina essentially became the main character. the entirety of part one was about the bond between joel & ellie and the harrowing journey they undertook across the country and everything joel did to help and eventually save ellie. he helped her learn to survive. part 2 she throws it all away piece by piece until is she literally left with nothing and is completely alone.
with this show she has already thrown everything away because she apparently retain no knowledge to use in this journey. she is only following dina at this point.
I hope i am wrong but dina is the main character moving forward and this change only hurts the story because this has and always will be ellie williams story.
(episode four real soon, i swear 😉)
Josh Vallejo Content 