Future Days

Writing is disappointing. Why would you give away who Abby is from the very beginning of the episode instead of building her and her team like total strangers and shock the audience with the things they do later on? It was really a bad decision. The game did it better by slowly building everything.

Also the beginning of the game with Joel telling what went down to his little brother was much much better. Writers need to learn when it's not broken they shouldn't try to fix it.

Acting is so flat in this episode like they stopped caring about portraying their characters. Especially Pedro Pascal. Younger ones' acting also feel so.... fake.

They made Ellie annoying. She acts like a spoiled brat, doesn't follow orders and risks the lives of people around her but somehow everyone looks up to her and her friend Dina.... Did Craig Mazin forgot how to write stories? I really hope not.

Also I gotta say it again: portraying a strong female character doesn't mean they need to have a scene where they beat a man twice their size. It comes out so fake and cringe especially knowing that the skinny Ellie in the game hides and carefully and slowly hunts down her enemies Of course you can go full action with her but especially after playing as Abby you can easily tell which character the developers made for stealth gameplay and which is made for action gameplay.

It feels sad knowing that this episode could have turned out helluva lot better but the writing, directing and acting really took a few steps back from the 1st season.

I'm gonna watch the next episode too just to see the notorious Golfing scene, and then maybe I'll continue, I don't know, I'll see.

The show is nearly perfect - great writing, pacing, atmosphere, and outstanding performances by most of the cast. But Bella Ramsey as Ellie is a disaster. She completely ruins every scene she's in. Her face, voice, expressions, and awkward delivery just don't match Ellie at all. It's baffling how the creators thought she was a good fit. She drags the whole show down and makes it hard to stay immersed. Every other aspect shines, but her presence is a huge stain on an otherwise incredible and emotionally powerful series. Fans deserved better casting for such an iconic and beloved character - not this.

This was a really great first episode. It was mainly just set up and setting the scene. Introducing new character and showing how the dynamics between certain characters has changed.

What i enjoyed:

Dina is cast perfectly. Isabela Merced is incredible and she works really well with Bella. Their chemistry is so good.

The other casting i really like was Young Mazino as Jessie. He looks and sounds just like the game version.

The introduction of the new types of infected. They did those scenes perfectly and the special effects look really good.

We got to see a lot of new characters, many of whom are not in the game. They are all quite interesting at the moment and i look forward to seeing how they develop.

What i didnt like:

The pacing of the episode is not as good as i expected it to be. Especially the beginning sequences. After that it wasn't too bad.

Ellie comes off a bit unlikeable in the first episode. As someone who has played the games, I understand why. But for new viewers that may be confused about the sudden shift in emotional tone with Ellie.

Overall, a really great episode that sets the scene for what's to come. I can hardly wait for the next episode.

The episode is pretty decent, but as a season opener, it doesn't feel as exciting (to jump into this world) and engaging as the pilot.

So if you're expecting the same highs that you experienced from the first episode of season 1, this is gonna disappoint you.

But personally, I don't have much of a problem with it, because it does what a first episode should do pretty well. It introduced a new group of antagonists and their motives in a short time, and it sets up what's about to come in this season with the new villains and romantic interests, and the state of Ellie and Joel's relationship.

But it is still a decent episode, even though I think it feels like a second or mid-season episode because of the pacing. Something like Disney would've coupled this episode with the next one and dropped the first two episodes since there's not much happening in here, apart from a zombie scene in the middle, and the rest is pretty much setting up new relationships, characters, villains, and new types of smart zombies.

Overall, it's one of those episodes you hope you watched when binge-watching the whole thing instead of waiting for a week for the next one, but it's still a decent episode nonetheless.

A sluggish and poorly paced episode that offers little to no engagement. The only sequence that held the potential to deliver suspense ended up falling flat, lacking both impact and originality. If the rest of the series continues to unfold in this manner, the overall experience will likely be disappointing. This episode fails to captivate, as it emphasizes drama at the expense of the action and suspense elements that made the source material so compelling. Furthermore, the rushed and superficial attempt at a romantic subplot results in a lack of depth and relevance. On a positive note, the technical aspects and performances are executed flawlessly, leaving room to believe that a more balanced approach could have significantly improved the episode.