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Infected (The Last of Us)

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"Infected"
The Last of Us episode
An infected human moves in to kiss a shocked woman, with tendrils connecting their mouths.
The infection is spread to Tess via mouth. The scene was written and filmed like a kiss to underscore the theme of love.[1] It sparked both positive and negative responses.[2][3][4]
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 2
Directed byNeil Druckmann
Written byCraig Mazin
Featured music
Full list
Cinematography byKsenia Sereda
Editing byMark Hartzell
Original air dateJanuary 22, 2023 (2023-01-22)
Running time53 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Infected" is the second episode of the American post-apocalyptic drama television series The Last of Us. The episode was written by series co-creator Craig Mazin and directed by co-creator Neil Druckmann, the writer and creative director of the 2013 video game on which the series is based. It aired on HBO on January 22, 2023. In the episode, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and his partner Tess (Anna Torv) escort the young Ellie (Bella Ramsey) through a biological contamination area in Boston to reach the Massachusetts State House.

The episode was Druckmann's first experience in directing television; he found it reinforced and reflected his experience in directing video games. "Infected" introduced clickers, mutated creatures who rely on sound to move, designed using prosthetics with the game's concept art as reference material. Filming for the episode took place in Calgary, Alberta, in October and November 2021. The episode received positive reviews, with praise for its writing, direction, production design, and performances, particularly Torv's. It was watched by 5.7 million viewers on the first day.

Plot

In 2003, two days prior to events in Austin, authorities in Jakarta ask Dr. Ratna (Christine Hakim), a mycology professor, to examine the corpse of a woman who was recently killed after attacking her co-workers at a flour factory. Ratna notices the corpse has a human bite mark on its leg and fungal growths in its mouth. After learning the growths have been identified as Cordyceps and several workers from the same factory are missing, military officer Agus Hidayat (Yayu A.W. Unru [id]) asks her what can be done to prevent further spread. Ratna tells him to bomb the city and wipe out everyone living in it.

In 2023, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Tess (Anna Torv) hold Ellie (Bella Ramsey) at gunpoint and demand to know why they were tasked with escorting her. Ellie reveals the Fireflies have established a secret camp out west with doctors working on a vaccine to prevent infection, and her DNA may be the key to ensuring the success of the vaccine. Joel demands they return to the quarantine zone but Tess, still skeptical of Ellie's immunity, nonetheless convinces him to follow through with their original arrangement as the Fireflies will still give them supplies.

As the group make their way towards the Massachusetts State House, Tess discovers a large pack of infected blocking the route she planned to use, explaining to Ellie the fungi can sense uninfected humans across long distances and draw its hosts towards them. Tess suggests going through a museum. A roof cave-in attracts two "clickers", mutated hosts who rely on sound to move. Ellie gets bitten before Joel and Tess can kill the clickers. When they arrive at the State House, the Fireflies do not come out to meet them. Tess checks inside and finds all of them dead: Joel finds evidence of infection and surmises they killed each other. Tess tries to find clues on where to go next, but Joel tells her the job is finished and they will return home. Tess tells him that she cannot go back, revealing a bite mark on her neck. She reveals Ellie's mark has already healed, proving she is immune.

Joel shoots an infected Firefly who tries to attack them, revealing their location to other infected hosts in the city. Tess tells Joel to take Ellie to fellow smugglers Bill and Frank, since they will be able to help. She covers the room with gasoline and grenades as Joel and Ellie leave. An infected man begins the process of converting Tess when she ignites the building, killing the creatures. Joel and Ellie watch as the State House explodes before Joel walks away.

Production

Conception and writing

44 year-old man with short black hair and a beard smirking to the left of the camera
"Infected" was series co-creator Neil Druckmann's first experience in directing television.[5]

The Last of Us series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann respectively wrote and directed "Infected"; Druckmann was the writer and creative director of the video game on which the series is based.[6] The Directors Guild of Canada revealed Druckmann was assigned to direct an episode in September 2021;[7] in February 2022, Druckmann confirmed he directed an episode and said his experience reinforced and reflected his experience in directing games.[8] He previously predicted the experience would be significantly different than directing games, but noted several similarities after witnessing Mazin direct the first episode. He found the biggest difference was the inability to make changes after production; in game development, he is able to request changes to factors such as framing, lighting, clothing, environments, lighting, and weather. He spent over a month preparing for the episode as it was his first experience in directing television.[5] Pascal considered Druckmann the most open and excited of the show's directors, and Ramsey found his feedback believable due to his proximity to the source material.[9] In January 2023, it was revealed Druckmann directed the second episode.[10] Rotten Tomatoes listed the episode's title in December 2022 as "Cordyceps Ordo Seclorum";[11] Mazin clarified it was "an early idea" that was later replaced as "it doesn't really make much sense".[12]

An early version of the cold open featured an unseen individual hitting a door, later revealed to be Tess's infected son who she locked in a basement as she was unable to kill him; it was cut before production as the writers felt it did not fit.[1]: 14:08  Torv and the writers thought Tess's decision to keep Ellie safe was to redeem past actions in her life.[13]: 3:18  Mazin ultimately set the cold open in Indonesia to disorient the audience, a technique he was inspired to use from Vince Gilligan's television work. He found episodic storytelling allowed an opportunity to view the origins of the pandemic and demonstrate its global reach.[1]: 7:45  The original plan was to feature a montage of cities around the world, but they lacked the budget.[1]: 9:05  The writers felt following a single character—and her brief connection with one other character—granted a greater sense of dread and grounded the events in reality.[1]: 9:23 [14] The opening scene uses the song "Hampa" by Ari Lasso.[15]

Mazin wanted the clickers to resemble the in-game design through prosthetics; he felt using visual effects would have lessened their impact.[1]: 18:24  Barrie and Sarah Gower, with whom Mazin had worked on Chernobyl, were engaged to create the prosthetics.[13]: 0:31 [14] Their team found themselves continually referring to the original concept art from the game.[13]: 0:44  The performers of the clickers were fans of the game and understood their movement.[13]: 1:17  The silent conversation between Joel and Ellie was added during reshoots as executive producer Carolyn Strauss did not understand how clickers operate.[1]: 19:58  In the game, Tess sacrifices herself to provide Joel and Ellie time to escape pursuing soldiers; in the episode, they are replaced with infected. Mazin considered it illogical for soldiers to patrol so far away from the quarantine zone and felt replacing them with infected granted the opportunity to demonstrate the connectivity between the creatures.[1]: 24:58  Mazin felt the kiss between Tess and the infected underscored the theme of love, noting the creatures were still capable of love through their spread of the fungus.[1]: 29:08  Druckmann wanted to frame and light the shot of the kiss in a beautiful way to emphasize its creepiness.[1]: 28:11 

Joel's final glance at Ellie in the final scene was an unscripted addition by Pascal; Druckmann felt it demonstrated Joel's frustration with Ellie, a feeling she returned. Mazin considered ending the episode with Ellie following Joel but Druckmann insisted the ending remain unresolved.[1]: 32:52  The final scene and credits use the song "Allowed to be Happy" by Gustavo Santaolalla, featured in the video game The Last of Us Part II (2020).[16]

Casting and characters

Christine Hakim's role was revealed in a trailer in December 2022.[17] She was contacted to appear in the series via Instagram. She was initially hesitant to accept the role as she was caring for her mother and husband amid the COVID-19 pandemic but was convinced by her grandniece, a fan of the game. Hakim recorded her role in Calgary in late October 2021. She brought her traditional batik scarves and Indonesian jewelry, which the costume department accepted for use in the series. Hakim was impressed by Druckmann's ability to direct Indonesian roles and the art director's creation of the Jakarta set in Calgary.[18]

Filming

A street with dirty, damaged cars and broken concrete, behind an orange and black "Road Closed" sign.
A tall government building with overgrown vines hanging from the front.
Filming took place in Downtown Edmonton in October, including Rice Howard Way (left) and the Alberta Legislature Building (right).[19][20]

Ksenia Sereda worked as cinematographer for the episode.[21] Filming took place in and around Rice Howard Way in Downtown Edmonton from October 2–18;[19] Pascal filmed establishing shots in the area in early October,[20] and returned for full production later in the month alongside Ramsey and Torv.[20][22] The location replicated a post-apocalyptic Boston;[20][23] production designer John Paino was unable to find a location imitating Boston's brick-lined streets, requiring manual transformation and sculpting on set. Manual tree placement was similarly required as Canadian trees share few similarities with those in Boston.[24] Rice Howard Way was set up with a large crater in front of an Italian restaurant and a green screen for the skyline. The production crew converted a local business into a ruined salon and asked another if they would permit a stunt performer to fly through the front window.[20]

Production took place at the Alberta Legislature Building,[20] which was dressed with vines and greenery.[19] Production spent around CA$372,000 for a four-day shoot in Edmonton.[25] Filming took place in downtown Calgary from October 15–18,[26][27] followed by Beltline from October 23–28.[28] Shutting down the Fourth Avenue flyover that took the locations team around six to eight weeks of negotiations with the city.[29] The hotel interior location required draining as fungi quickly began to grow.[24] Druckmann's work on the episode completed production by November 7, 2021.[21]

Reception

Broadcast and ratings

The episode aired on HBO on January 22, 2023.[30] The episode had 5.7 million viewers in the United States on its first night, including linear viewers and streams on HBO Max—an increase of 22 percent from the previous week, the largest second-week audience growth for an original HBO drama series in the network's history.[31] On linear television, it had 633,000 viewers on its first night, with a 0.185 ratings share.[32]

Critical response

Anna Torv's performance as Tess was widely praised by critics.[3][2][33]

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, "Infected" has an approval rating of 95 percent based on 21 reviews, with an average rating of 8.5/10. The website's critical consensus said the episode features "a terrific turn by Anna Torv and monsters that fully deliver on their terrifying potential".[34] Torv's performance received particular praise. Total Film's Bradley Russell felt demonstrated the character's emotional depth,[3] and Den of Geek's Bernard Boo found it sophisticated and heartbreaking.[35] IGN's Simon Cardy wrote she displayed "warmth beneath a scarred, steely surface", lauding her relationship with Pascal's Joel.[2] IndieWire's Steve Greene applauded Torv's capability to demonstrate Tess's sadness and pain through facial expressions alone.[33] Praise was also directed at Pascal's performance for his restraint and Ramsey for her humor,[3][2] and Den of Geek's Boo commended all three cast members for acting "with intention", allowing viewers to witness their emotional foundations.[35] Push Square's Aaron Bayne felt Ramsey had not yet "embodied the role" of Ellie like Pascal with Joel but enjoyed their banter.[36]

Total Film's Russell lauded Mazin's writing and found quiet moments and conversations carried purpose and dramatic weight.[3] The Escapist's Darren Mooney felt the script occasionally felt "like reading a strategy guide" due to the amount of exposition delivered through dialogue, noting it was effective but not compelling.[6] The cold open was generally well-received;[2][37][36] The Washington Post's Mikhail Klimentov found it more effective than the previous episode's due to its delivery of melancholy and dread without the restraint of providing context,[38] though Den of Geek's Boo considered it "less compelling" than the entirety of the first episode.[35] IGN's Cardy wrote the kiss between Tess and the infected validated the creative decision to replace spores with tendrils.[2] Conversely, Total Film's Russell considered it "a baffling choice and fundamentally silly",[3] and The Washington Post's Klimentov found it the worst sequence of the series to date.[38] Several outlets similarly reported viewers were similarly divided on the scene; some called it heartbreaking and others considered it unnecessary.[4][39]

Several critics praised Druckmann's directing and Sereda's cinematography,[38][40] particularly during the museum action sequence;[35][41] Den of Geek's Boo called it "masterfully choreographed" and compared it to the video game,[35] and IGN's Cardy found it fit the inelegant aesthetic of the world.[2] Total Film's Russell praised Druckmann's "keen eye for beauty in this shattered world", citing a shot of a frog on a piano as a standout.[3] The New York Times's Noel Murray felt the low-angle shots allowed an effective backdrop for visual effects.[40] Reviewers lauded the production design;[6][37] IGN's Cardy considered it "one of the show's high points" with its visualization of nature reclaiming civilization.[2] Den of Geek's Boo found the design and sounds of the clickers appropriately frightening;[35] The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg called them "a genre palate cleanser" after The Walking Dead's design.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Baker, Troy; Mazin, Craig; Druckmann, Neil (January 22, 2023). "Episode 2". HBO's The Last of Us Podcast (Podcast). HBO. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Cardy, Simon (January 22, 2023). "The Last of Us: Episode 2 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Russell, Bradley (January 23, 2023). "The Last of Us episode 2 review: "A more calculated entry that focuses on Joel and Ellie"". Total Film. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Russell, Bradley (January 23, 2023). "Not every Last of Us fan is sold on episode 2's big 'kiss'". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Jarvey, Natalie (January 13, 2023). "The Last of Us Game Creator's Parents Can "Finally Experience" His Work". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Mooney, Darren (January 22, 2023). "In 'Infected,' The Last of Us Establishes the Rules of the Game". The Escapist. Gamurs. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  7. ^ Sheridan, Connor (September 16, 2021). "Neil Druckmann seemingly confirmed as one of The Last of Us HBO series' directors". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  8. ^ Martens, Todd (February 10, 2022). "Why Tom Holland in 'Uncharted' signals a generational shift in gaming's Hollywood incursion". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
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  10. ^ a b Fienberg, Daniel (January 10, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Review: Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in HBO's Powerful Video Game Adaptation". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  11. ^ "The Last of Us". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  12. ^ Coulson, Josh (December 19, 2022). "The Last Of Us Producer Confirms Leaked Episode Names Aren't Accurate". TheGamer. Valnet. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c d The Last of Us | Inside the Episode - 2. HBO Max. January 22, 2023. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Moreau, Jordan (January 22, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Creators on THAT Clicker Moment, Flour Theories and Changes From the Game: 'If People Are Upset, I Don't Blame Them' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  15. ^ Faturrahman, Ilham (January 23, 2023). "Cuitan "Ada Indonesia Cuy", Menggema usai Aktor Senior Indonesia Tampil di Serial Adaptasi Game PlayStation, The Last of Us" [The tweet of "Ada Indonesia Cuy", echoes after Indonesian Senior Actor Appears in the PlayStation Game Adaptation Series, The Last of Us]. Suara (in Indonesian). HK Publications Ltd. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  16. ^ Welch, Andy (January 24, 2023). "The Last of Us recap episode two – nightmare at the museum". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Coulson, Josh (December 19, 2022). "The Last Of Us Show Appears To Include Details On Cordyceps Virus Origin". TheGamer. Valnet. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; December 19, 2022 suggested (help)
  18. ^ Newsome, Kate (January 21, 2023). "Watching HBO's 'The Last of Us' with Christine Hakim at her home". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  19. ^ a b c Lachacz, Adam (October 4, 2021). "TV series filming to disrupt traffic in downtown Edmonton, legislature grounds". CTV News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  20. ^ a b c d e f Griwkowsky, Fish (October 4, 2021). "HBO's The Last of Us shooting near Rice Howard Way in mid October". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  21. ^ a b Blake, Vikki (November 7, 2021). "Neil Druckmann wraps up filming on The Last of Us TV show". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  22. ^ Saavedra, John (October 15, 2021). "The Last of Us HBO Series Set Footage Reveals Best Look at Ellie, Joel, and Tess in Boston QZ". Den of Geek. DoG Tech LLC. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  23. ^ Chacon, Chris (October 6, 2021). "HBO television series takes over parts of Edmonton". Global News. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  24. ^ a b Canfield, David (January 23, 2023). "How The Last of Us Was Built—And Unbuilt—For TV". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  25. ^ Colgan, Greg (November 4, 2021). "HBO show filming to begin in downtown Canmore". RMO Today. Great West Media. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  26. ^ Herring, Jason (October 15, 2021). "Film production shuts down 4th Avenue flyover into downtown Calgary until Monday". Calgary Herald. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  27. ^ McLean, Ellie (October 19, 2021). "Upcoming HBO series "The Last of Us" seen filming in Calgary (PHOTOS)". Daily Hive. Buzz Connected Media Inc. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  28. ^ McLean, Ellie (October 26, 2021). "HBO series "The Last of Us" spotted filming in Calgary's Beltline over the weekend (PHOTOS)". Daily Hive. Buzz Connected Media Inc. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  29. ^ Volmers, Eric (January 6, 2023). "The year of the zombie: How HBO's mega-budgeted The Last of Us took over the province from Waterton to Grande Prairie". Calgary Herald. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  30. ^ Sirani, Jordan (January 17, 2023). "How to Watch The Last of Us: Episode Release Schedule and Cast". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  31. ^ Hailu, Selome (January 23, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Scores HBO's Largest-Ever Viewership Growth for a Drama From Premiere to Episode 2". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  32. ^ Page, Andy (January 25, 2023). "Top 400 Cable Shows: Week Ending 22nd January 2023". SpoilerTV. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  33. ^ a b Greene, Steve (January 22, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Review: Episode 2 'Infected' Is a Tutorial Level for a World with Little Hope". IndieWire. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  34. ^ "The Last of Us: Season 1, Episode 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  35. ^ a b c d e f Boo, Bernard (January 22, 2023). "The Last of Us Episode 2 Review: Anna Torv Steals the Show as Tess". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  36. ^ a b Bayne, Aaron (January 23, 2023). "TV Show Review: The Last of Us (HBO) Episode 2 - Establishing a New Lore". Push Square. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  37. ^ a b Motamayor, Rafael (January 22, 2023). "The Last Of Us Episode 2 Brings The Horror". /Film. Static Media. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  38. ^ a b c Klimentov, Mikhail (January 22, 2023). "'The Last of Us' recap: More ground rules and a big dose of body horror". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  39. ^ Falconer, Daniel (January 23, 2023). "The Last of Us HBO Episode 2 'Kiss of Death' Scene Leaves Viewers 'Heartbroken'". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  40. ^ a b Murray, Noel (January 22, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Season 1, Episode 2: Exit Through the Gift Shop". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  41. ^ Cote, David (January 22, 2023). "On The Last Of Us, it's a slow, deadly road through Boston". The A.V. Club. G/O Media. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
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