Tag: TV

The Last Of Us – Review

Being a blogger who loves reviewing TV shows, I felt that it was time to look back on the series I just finished. To do a proper ‘The Last of Us’ review I need a whole blogpost as it is quite complicated. Hopefully I can take a balanced look at a series that has got the world talking.

This shell reminded me of the worn out buildings in The Last Of Us.

Not really being a person who plays computer games, I hadn’t heard of this title before. However, when I started seeing trailers involving Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, both of whom were in Games of Thrones, it piqued my interest.

What’s ‘The Last Of Us’ All About?

Well…. it is hard to know where to start. In the first episode we were introduced to Joel (Pedro) and his daughter and they seemed to be living a normal life. Little did they know a kind of apocalypse was just around the corner.

In a one hour and twenty-one minute pilot episode, they took us on a rollercoaster ride from normality to chaos. Joel was forced to run away from some seriously creepy people who had been infected by a fatal fungus. He came across Ellie (Bella) who had survived being bitten by an infected. She then joined him on a journey of discovery, awkwardness and danger.

With military forces penning communities into quarantine zones (QDs) and countless infected everywhere, life became challenging. Joel and Ellie had already both suffered losses and the story led to several more acquaintances dying. A bitter-sweet relationship between the two of them led the narrative forward, unflinching.

Positive Points

– The lead actors were believable in their roles and had great chemistry. Bella was convincing as a lost looking teenager, swept up by a journey full of hazards. Pedro finally took his Mandolurian helmet off and was a mix of heroic and vulnerable.

– Each episode had guest actors (like Melanie Lynskey) who played important parts in carrying the story forward. Apart from a couple of characters, most only showed up in one episode each. A sweet episode where Ellie was exploring an empty shopping centre was particularly memorable.

– There is a lovely LBGTQ storyline where a man locked himself into a gated village and met another guy who he fell for. They had been friends of Joel and so he was taking Ellie to see them. Watching the backstory of protecting the village and their romance blossoming was sweet.

– I was reluctant to watch The Last Of Us as I knew nothing of the computer game. However, I’m glad that I began to watch as it was addictive and brilliant.

Downside

– There were a couple of scenes which were overindulgent and could have been much shorter. Sometimes the script wallowed a bit in conversations which didn’t push the story forward.

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Final Thoughts

I genuinely fell in love with this exciting narrative which focused on just two characters, played by excellent actors. One minute I was laughing at Ellie reading puns from the book she had managed to save and carry with them. The next my heart was jumping due to some pretty scary infected zombies.

Admittedly, some episodes were better than others but it really made me think. What if an incurable disease took hold and spread throughout the world? What if infected people hid the fact they had it until it was too late? How would we adapt, given our reliance on fuel and imported food?

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read my The Last Of Us review. Check out my recent Scream VI review for another exhilarating viewing choice.

Read, Watch, Listen (February)

Every month I love to talk about what I had the chance to read, watch and listen to. Recommending books and TV shows or movies is a big part of what I do on my blog, Podcasts tend to be things that I listen to in the bath or when I am driving around. Hopefully, some of the things I review will make you interested enough to look them up.

Photo from my Apple Books library

Read: Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

This third novella is following the same format as the first couple, where each chapter is told by Dash and Lily alternatively. I think I am right in saying that every Dash chapter is written by David and the Lily ones are penned by Rachel.

Dash has gone to university in England, studying at Oxford, while Lily has taken out a year to expand her dog walking business and doggie Instagram, which has become incredibly successful. To surprise him for Christmas, she has deserted her close family and flown to bed down on her cousin’s sofa in London.

The comforting references to English Christmas festivities and traditions are funny when described by these American teenagers. I really like them and the way that these two explore some of the typical aspects of Christmas and compare them to what happens in New York, which is their home.

What I especially like about these books is how intelligent Dash and Lily are and how thoughtful and reflective they seem. You hear their inner worries and pondering as they negotiate their relationship and wrestle with career options, dislocated families, and everyday stuff.

Watch Happy Valley

I came late to the party with this one. I overheard two friends talking about Happy Valley and they sounded so fascinated that I just had to check it out. First, I looked up the original series from 2014 and soon I was hooked.

It is very rare that I watch episodes of anything back-to-back but I viewed all three seasons in a fortnight. I was even able to watch the last ever episode when it came onto BBC One on Sunday evening.

Catherine is a mid-fifties police woman from Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. Her daughter had been attacked by a manipulative Tommy-Lee Royce who ended up being the father of Catherine’s grandson. This gripping crime drama is a cleverly scripted piece of TV magic conjured up by writer Sally Wainwright. With a disturbed family at its heart, the narrative is fast and easily draws you in.

The characters are so interesting and realistic. Played by the impressive lead, Sarah Lancashire, her police sergeant is gritty and skilful. Her nemesis is played by James Norton and her sister by Siobhan Finneran (of Downton Abbey fame).

I don’t want to give anything away but this is a five star series which is so brilliantly written and acted. Definitely go and watch it from the beginning.

Listen to: Happy Place Podcast with Fern Cotton

I love dipping in and out of this podcast because it is full of positivity. Fern Cotton used to be a Radio One DJ and TV presenter but now spends a lot of time writing mental health books and making this fantastic podcast.

Recently I listened to an episode with Sara Cox and I have heard many celebrities discussing what makes them happy and how they stay motivated. Fern has such open conversations and is keen to share ways to build stronger mental health. I love it.

I am looking forward to the newest episodes which involve Joanna Lumley and Shania Twain. If you get the chance, have a listen to this brilliant podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple podcasts and all the usual providers.

Final Thoughts

I hope that I have managed to get you interested in one or more of these suggestions. Happy Valley is outstanding television and Dash and Lily is a brilliant YA book to unwind with. If you can’t find a good book to get into, you can count on Dash and Lily to cheer you up. Fern Cotton has a soothing podcast with bounding positivity to improve your mood.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. For more TV reviews, check out Two TV Shows Worth Watching on my blog. You may also find my thoughts about House of the Dragon interesting. If you enjoyed my Read, Watch, Listen post then perhaps drop a comment or even follow my blog.

Two TV Shows Worth Watching

Lately I have been watching a lot of TV, trying to catch up on all the series that I love. Some are shows that I have seen before, like the third season of ‘Emily In Paris’ and others are brand new, like ‘Wednesday’ (both of which are on Netflix).

I thought I would highlight a couple of brilliant TV shows that I am currently enjoying. These have been really entertaining in their own unique ways. So if you want to open that box of chocolates that is left over from the holidays and find some really good TV shows to watch, hopefully I can lead you in the direction of some that are both satisfying and moreish.

Andor (Disney Plus)

As a massive Star Wars fan, it was inevitable that I was going to check out the latest Lucasfilm production which is set during the times of Emporer Palpatine.

Andor even has Storm Troopers in it.

Having watched and enjoyed ‘The Mandalorian’ as well as ‘Obi-Wan’ but not been so keen on ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, Andor could have gone either way.

Luckily, its twelve episodes were cleverly written and its lead characters were compelling. Cassian Andor had a difficult past, being rescued from his troubled planet by Maarva Andor (played by the ever-brilliant Fiona Shaw) who brought him up on the industrial planet of Ferrix.

A Great Plot!

Cassian started the story searching for his sister but became wound up in a mission to destroy an Empire fortress on a planet not unlike Scotland. With a secretive Luthan (Stellan Skarsgard) directing him initially, he finds that later his efforts are being sniffed out by a formidable Empire Supervisor. Denise Gough plays the very serious Dedra who is determined to get to the bottom of stolen resources.

The story is captivating, full of twists and turns and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. With a stand-out performance by Andy Serkis (of Lord of the Rings) and such an incredible cast, this is by far the best series that the Star Wars people have made and I cannot wait until season two.

Young Royals (Netflix)

If this were a book it would be a YA fiction novel. We are now on the second series of Young Royals and I feel that the drama has got even better. Willhelm – the eventual Crowned Prince of Sweden – is at a private school and secretly fell in love with another student, Simon.

Not wishing to spoil anything but their love affair is the main context for the TV show and was explored in season one. Watching the students go through Swedish traditions, whilst negotiating going into adulthood is interesting and fraught.

The Queen was initially not impressed to find that Willhelm’s affair had been exposed by a mystery cameraman. Willhelm gave a statement to deny that it was him rolling around with poor Simon. The story then intensified from that point. I am currently midway through the action as twists and turns take these brilliant actors through fun, awkwardness and turmoil.

If you are not a Swedish speaker then obviously this is well subtitled. I find it hugely entertaining and great to see LGBTQ lead characters in a story about modern royalty.

In A Nutshell

In my opinion, both of these programmes are wonderful in their own distinct ways. Young Royals is modern and fresh, making my own stuffy royal family look very stale. This series explores great characters, beautiful settings and introducing us to swedish culture.

For meAndor is slow to start (as it needs to be) before charging full throttle. It whips us through a whole host of adventures at light-speed. The script is penned so that you often wonder why some remote bits are happening and then later realise they are all cleverly interwoven into the plot, connecting all of the dots in a thrilling narrative.

Final Thought

I hope that I have given you some ideas for interesting TV shows to view tonight. Maybe they will keep you coming back for more. They definitely kept me entertained as they drew me into their intriguing plots.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post. I hope that you will comment your thoughts underneath and consider following my blog for more book and TV reviews as well as environmental articles.

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If you have Kindle Unlimited, perhaps you would like to check out my original short stories. I would appreciate some reads to celebrate the fourth birthday of my book Short Dates. Thank you so much for checking out my bookish blog,