HBO’s The Last of Us is a masterclass in adaptation
By Mark Lynch
The Last of Us gets you attached to the characters
One of the most important aspects of any project is the characters. There has to be some sort of emotional attachment to them. You don’t have to like the hero or hate the villain but being indifferent isn’t a good thing. That’s how people become disinterested in projects. Thankfully, that’s not the case with The Last of Us.
Right out of the gate, you get more involved in Joel’s relationships with his daughter Sarah and his brother Tommy than you do in the video game. Things happen quickly in the source material; there isn’t a lot of time to learn about Sarah before she’s killed. Granted, you do get to play as Sarah while the world turns horrible and there’s the birthday gift scene, but that’s the extent of what you know. When it comes to Joel’s brother Tommy, you don’t know much of anything.
In the show, Sarah’s death hits harder because you spent a little more time with her. You also get a better idea of who Tommy is. He’s not just a screw up. He fights for people. This will make his inevitable reappearance better. Moreover, it’s an example of a change made that was better than the source material. Now the viewers will have a better connection to everyone when things get good and then eventually terrible.