TV review: The Last of Us puts the wow into Apocalypse Now

Praising The Last Of Us as the greatest video game adaptation ever is a bit like giving a prize for the world’s shortest giant.

It’s not like its forbears (an inauspicious bunch of duds that includes the likes of Mortal Kombat, Super Mario Bros and Tomb Raider) offer up much competition.

What is impressive though is that in an increasingly crowded landscape, this grim post-apocalyptic drama stands out as one of the best things currently on television.

The set-up will be familiar to anyone with a passing interest in horror.

The Last Of Us hits a number of touchstones we expect from the zombie genre but then spins them in new and unexpected ways.”

Set a couple of decades after a zombie uprising – the Z-word isn’t mentioned in this, they’re called “the infected” – The Last Of Us hits a number of touchstones we expect from the genre but then spins them in new and unexpected ways.

Whereas The Walking Dead had an unapologetically schlocky sensibility, complete with surprise deaths and cliffhangers, this nine-part series takes the collapse of the world very seriously indeed.

Traversing the zombie wasteland from Boston to Wyoming are Joel (The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal), a dad who lost his daughter during the early days of the disaster, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a mysterious 14-year-old who may or may not be the key to the salvation of the human race.

The scale of the series, complete with toppled skyscrapers and abandoned cities, is simply staggering and by far out-apocalypses anything seen on The Walking Dead.”

The scale of the series, complete with toppled skyscrapers and abandoned cities, is simply staggering and by far out-apocalypses anything seen on The Walking Dead.

But as anyone who gave up on that series will tell you, zombies eating people’s heads can only get you so far. It’s in the characterisation of Joel and Ellie that The Last Of Us excels.

The grief-stricken dad and surrogate daughter he’s forced to look after may sound a bit of a trope, but it gives real heart and soul to a genre not known for its emotions.

Apocalypse wow, indeed!