After a week and a bit, here's the next installment. Another post apocalyptic journey for the main couple. But this time it's not about any zombies and danger (well almost), rather this episode is about family. After a long harrowing journey, the main couple find themselves in the town where Joel's brother lives.
In each of the previous episodes something has happened, a few deaths, a few introductions to people we are supposed to form relationships with. But this time, no one dies or gets bitten, we're just introduced to the relationship of Joel and Ellie, who are experiencing peace in their small town after a long time. No one is attacking them or fearing for their lives."
Every show needs a breather episode to keep us from just being terrified of every moment. It's a good move to deepen the main couple's relationship to test their friendship and family members.
The main important element in this episode is Joel, who is struggling to understand a little bit about what he's doing and, more importantly, why, around his younger brother. Ellie serves mainly to allow her "partner" on the journey to think about what to do with her life and whether it's actually worth it to accompany her "adopted" daughter to her destination.
This episode was directed by Jasmila Žbanić, for whom this is the first big opportunity to make something for a major American company. This Yugoslavian director put her heart into this episode and delivered the best that the series could have had in terms of character psychology.
My rating: 90%
PS: And what's next for us? Probably another retrospective. This time, about Ellie's life before she found herself in captivity. Especially her time before she was first "bitten."
Original release of this article February 2023 – Kritiky.cz
