The challenges of translating The Last of Us to the television audience | The DeanBeat

There are many times when I’ve fantasized about being the game director for The Last of Us, the great video game from Naughty Dog, and the executive producer of The Last of Us television series on HBO, which just wrapped up its second season.

I would have made better use of Joel in both the second game and the second season of the show. I would have cast different actors in the lead roles — focusing more on those who look more like the characters in the games. But the first season of the show was so good that I made my peace with the decisions of Neil Druckmann, game director, and Craig Mazin, the co-creator and showrunner. I was a frustrated fan at first, and now I’m a defender of the show, as my attitudes have changed.