[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Quantum Boy

I dunno mang... I'm trying really hard to like it/to just see it as a completely different story, but they're absolutely wrecking "Older Ellie" as a character this season. Some of the decisions with the changes are straight up bad... aspects of the character make very little narrative sense.

[edit to add] Season 1 was spot on BTW, something has changed drastically for season 2.

Spoiler:

In what way?

[Ammi]

…thing is…for me and other viewers who haven’t been familiar with any game storyline and are just looking at it as a stand alone plot and stand alone characters etc…

Spoiler:

…I think the last episode was excellent in showing that breakdown of the relationship with Joel and Ellie that we had seen at the beginning at the from the dance scenes but hadn’t really understood…and also that difficult relationship with the character of Gail was fully explained also…I didn’t really think that I could see Joel as anything other than someone who did what he needed to do …but he didn’t give Ellie the chance to decide whether she wanted to ‘fulfil her destiny/her purpose’ in what she could have meant to others…what she could have meant to humankind, really…and in doing that he didn’t give others, potentially so many others to be disease/virus free….what he did, even doing it for love was pretty horrendous….

[Quantum Boy]

Originally Posted by Benjamin

Spoiler:

In what way?

Spoiler:

Well for one they've at times made Ellie seem a bit thick - Ellie is meant to be clever/resourceful... yes early in game at one point she's saved by Dina, but in the show I swear they're making it seem like she wouldn't last 5 minutes on her own. That part aside... her still having the jokey/upbeat nature of S1 Ellie makes ZERO narrative sense. TLOU2 Ellie is rage-fuelled, depressed, and single-minded and the character HAS to be that because -- objectively speaking -- the Seattle mission is a suicide mission. They're entering a strange city full of soldiers to track down and kill a group of killers. Ellie being unable to see past her rage and trauma is half the plot. But the show has her wisecrackin' and telling jokes like "young Ellie" ... the whole point is that Joel's death broke her ... the Ellie who is in the headspace of the Ellie in the show wouldn't be in Seattle. You could argue that she's masking her trauma but if that's what it's meant to be, it's not selling. The key example I suppose is the "I suck at math and don't know what a protractor is hehe" scene... shocking writing IMO. Like yes it's fine as a throwaway joke. Prolly not when Dina is in the process of trying to figure out where Joel's killer is in a city full of soldiers . It would only make sense if she was more herself/jokey when distracted/when they're just hanging out, before getting back to business. Joking about the actual search? It does not make sense.

And don't get me started on Dina's "I'd track them down forever and never stop" speech like wtf that is going to be a major stumbling block later on, unless they've entirely changed another crucial part of the plot and theme . Show Dina is also out for revenge. Game Dina is only there because she loves Ellie. It's a huge and important plot distinction. And [double spoilers] it's going to make Dina look like an absolute dick if the post-seattle farm/2nd mission/return plays out the same way.

I'm not a stickler for adaptations changing things from original version but with this they're doing something really odd; changing major details like this, whilst NOT changing the overall direction of the plot/major "set piece" moments, and the result doesn't make sense. Like by all means change it but that would have knock on effects.

[Ammi]

….I just realised yesterday when I saw that a finale trailer was showing on NOW TV…that Monday is the final episode of season 2…

[Jessica.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

….I just realised yesterday when I saw that a finale trailer was showing on NOW TV…that Monday is the final episode of season 2…

It has gone so quickly!!

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Ammi

….I just realised yesterday when I saw that a finale trailer was showing on NOW TV…that Monday is the final episode of season 2…

What already!? It doesn’t feel anywhere near ready for a finale.

I guess why they are doing that is it’ll be a natural start for Abby’s story for season 3 to lead back into season 4 with both of them. I imagine that won’t be too long for a release either.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Benjamin

What already!?

…yeah it’s just a 7 episode season, I think…it was 8 for the first season so one less than that…