The last scene in the original game did not make me cry, yet it made me stare at the screen and feel hollowness and sorrow. It stuck with me and did not let go. Instead, the finale of the show was more like a sprint in an unknown direction, a retracing of the storyline with the purpose of... repetition. Not adaption.

I have found that the reliance on game material, as in the dialogue, the camera angles, and even the speed at which the words are being pronounced was often too heavy. My favorite episodes were the ones where they concentrated on a specific idea and committed to it (Riley, Sam, Bill). Not everyone has to like these episodes and I understand them as well. It does go in extremity either way. The show either erases the whole plot and makes up a new story or it completely replicates the game without adapting and transforming it fit for television. None of this works.

The pacing being too fast is a direct problem of not adapting the show. While in the game you have an open world to explore and interact with, through which you actually engage with your surroundings and comprehend their meaning, there is no such opportunity in the show. The show, instead, is like a short summary of key points that have happened in TLOU. They did not manage to make up for that interactive part, which, unfortunately, ruined the immersion and did not achieve the very goal of this series being made. That is why the pacing is so fast, and that is also why it feels like we just kept jumping from one idea to the next without forming any meaning around it. It also doesn't help that there is a lack of horror, thrill, suspense that could somewhat diversify the viewer's relationship in consuming the plot. It ends up quite blank, linear, and grounded.

Regarding acting, Pedro was just not embodying Joel. I love the guy, as we all do. However, it is the same issue as the pacing. It's hard to relate and empathize with him when in many episodes he is found non reactionary, silent, and observant. The game makes up for that as you interact with the world and learn Joel's identity through this. Here, you retrace his steps, you aren't emerged into the world or the characters as you simply have no time for that.

As to the directing, it is very lacking. This feels like an amateur cinematography major's second project, not a show produced on a higher budget than Game of Thrones. There were many moments where the choices in cinematography and editing were just confusingly oblivious. These are student-level mistakes that should not be visible in such a big production. Poor directing has often ruined emotional and heavy scenes where it could amplify them and add something new. I know that there were some issues with the cinematography guy whom they had to let go of. Most of the crew here also has very limited experience. Neil himself does not have experience directing a TV show and while the lines between cinema and gaming continue to be blurred, there are still rules and expectations that apply specifically to the world of cinematography. And it is very clear that Neil is just not informed of them as it maintained a quite simplistic approach to shooting throughout. These factors have not done the show justice as they removed the potential of telling the story using the techniques of cinema's language, which could instead make up for some of the pacing issues made.

Lastly, obviously I love the show. Despite its issues, it's still a well done story. It deserves a watch and all the love it receives.

Unfortunately, it is still quite bleak.