I really want to get the thick thighs save lives hoodie but I go to a school where Latin is a mandatory class and me as well as everyone in my grade has taken Latin for 6 years so it might not be a great idea
I was at a dinner with my extended family last week, and had the absolutely surreal experience of hearing my 60 year old uncle, who has never touched a video game, talking to my 80 year old grandma about the plot of TLOU. It’s amazing how this show widens the audience.
Bruh, I had damn near the same experience. I was at my great aunt's house with my father. She's about 70 years old, maybe plays some mobile games at best but has never been a "gamer", and she started going on about TLOU - honestly, it was a really beautiful moment for me, because it felt like video games have graduated as a medium. Roger Ebert didn't think video games could be art (he was wrong, of course), but now, even in the face of THAT, we can point to TLOU, the show, and say "this is it." I just think that's a lovely thing.
I had a similar experience with my mother and some of my non horror gaming friends. They absolutely loved it and we had a great time discussing each episode
@@mcwildstyle9106 marlene played herself, Tommy was playing Kathleens second hand, joels VA played Davids 2nd hand, Ellies VA played Ellies mom, and apparently one of the nurses at the end was Abbey's VA
27:50 honestly one thing I’m surprised you didn’t bring up is that fact that she was bothering with the lighter when she could have just pulled the pin on one of the dozens of grenades that she threw on the ground. Also yeah the zombie make out scene was weird af.
Dude, They were fragmentation grenades, They don't have fire, It wouldn't do any good if she used them, And I liked how Tess' death was, And I think it's better than the game version.
@@conteudoanimalz4515 grenades still... Y'know, *explode*, when they go off. Theres also still metal fragmentation flying throughout the environment, which can very easily spark.
Joel is actually older in the show than he is in the game and this is why he's angrier in the games, in the show he says "a couple of years ago i could've smoked those guys" after needing Ellie's help in the beatdown.
In TLOU Part I Joel is 52 , in TLOU Part II he is 56. In the show, he's 56 during the season 1/Part I storyline, so he will be around 60 when the season 2/Part II story happens.
Or, or... hear me out.... hbo are snowflakes and know the rest of the world are snowflakes so they cut down the violence and intensity of joel drastically... just a theory 🙃
agreed! I really missed Tess mudering Robert for stabbing her in the back. But if she had done that then we wouldnt have gotten that weird forced kiss, Tess woulda been too based
I kinda felt like the show really wanted to cover all their bases when it came to foreshadowing why Joel becomes so protective of ellie. Ellie was humanities last hope. Also I think even the most jaded person will become protective over a child over time. The fact that he was still so close with tess shows he still respects loyalty and ellie has that in spades. Not to mention I thought the end of the bill episode really hit home the beginning of his change. When tess got really preachy multiple times about ellie being the one true hope it felt cheesy. I understand that it connects to bills letter but I think in a post apacolyptic world just alluding to her being important would have been enough. Like a "Joel I really think this might be important" moment. Over a "Joel.... listen to me... she is the key to our salvation... we can finally justify all the wrong we've done" moment. Either way though Anna was a great and unexpected choice to play tess. Within 2 episodes she really established that character great.
27:25-28:00 According to the co-creators, the point of that scene was to show how Infected would deal with non-Infected if the latter didn't fit back. The Infected transmit their fungus through their mouth(hence the biting and mouth tendrils), and only get aggressive and start biting and beating up if you resist. If you don't resist, then you get the slow, peaceful spreading, as there's no reason for the Infected to get violent. And that's what Tess realised: if she tried to back away or resist the Infected, she'd instantly be attacked and killed, and so she wouldn't be able to light the explosion. By staying still and letting it happen, she bought time to kill them all.
@@ding4634 Because there's no need. According to the creators, the Infected recognise when it needs to be violent to spread the Fungi and when not to. Tess was one of those times where it saw it didn't to need to be violent in spreading itself, and also to show how Infected can "speed up" the process in those who are infected but not turned.
I dont think this is right i listened to the creators reasoning on this scene and it stated that the infection carries a distinct scent that other infected can detect so they dont attack each other but due to tess being in the early stages of infection the zombie smelled both a living human and the infection causing it to be confused and then trying to communicate with the fungus that would be inside tesses mouth but isnt there yet
I legit thought that the reason the zombie kissed Tess like that was because of Tess’s romantic feelings for Joel people with the virus are all connected because she herself is infected she is also connected to the horde and Tess wanted to kiss Joel because they are connected through the cordyceps the zombie felt her desperate need to kiss Joel and kisses Tess because her feeling for Joel were that powerful despite her recently being infected also symbolizing Joel and Tess’s missed opportunity for them to openly admit their feeling for each other which is really sad in itself anyway thats what i thought why that zombie kissed Tess like that
As someone who also watched the show with parents who hadn't played the game, I became very familiar with the feeling of immanent dread knowing that no-one else shared that same feeling. It was fun knowing that the people I was watching with had no clue what was going to hit them, and it was even more fun going "huh, that's differant" whenever something new happened, or saying nothing when asked about the fate of specific characters in order fill my family with a sense of dread. Watching the show with someone who didn't play the game is an experience I highly recommend
The Tess death scene always struck me as the infection taking over and not resisting other infected because it’s a hive mind, i.e. path of least resistance. Tess flicking the lighter was the last little bit of her left as a passenger in her body when the Cordyceps took over her brain. The timeline checks out with the transmission time chart in the scene with the unnamed kid in the first episode, bites on the face/neck only take a little while to take over
About the implied shot that they were in the room on the second floor, I'm pretty sure it was the room the mostly slept in before Frank couldn't walk anymore so there's a good chance that they took the extra effort to get up there because it was more comforting and brought back more memories and it would be the last time they would need to go up the steps to get there.
So my best friend/adopted brother suggested your Adeptus Ridiculous podcast to get into Warhammer, and he was so successful that sometimes when I'm world building, the voice in my head is yours. It's been a delight watching your videos and learning more about Warhammer. I just got through the Emperor TTS series and enjoyed it *because* of your work. So thanks! Anyway, I wanted to offer my weirdly specific professional advice: You need bigger frames for your glasses. What you want is frames that are as close to filling your face as you can, while keeping your eye toward the center. If you go for a more rounded look, it will provide a contrast with your generally straight features. Love your work!
This was a great video Bricky! I think most of, if not all of your critiques were not only well-founded, but hit the nail on the head. Although, there's one thing I'd like to mention about Episode 3, regarding Bill standing in the middle of the street fighting off raiders. It's easy to point and say that given his 'survivalist' character, he wouldn't be the type to open himself up to being shot at like that, but I think the reason that happens is for more than just the cinematography of his silhouette against the flames. In the strawberry scene, Bill tells Frank that he was never afraid before he came along, because now he has something to lose. And when the raiders attack, that puts what Bill values most, Frank, in jeopardy. I don't think it's so hard to believe that Bill woke up and charged out there without really thinking, because he was terrified that he would lose Frank. In that sort of situation, which is very much heat of the moment, high adrenaline, high stress scenario, it's easy to throw caution to the wind and just... run out there. Is it stupid that he didn't take cover? Yes, absolutely. But it's also fairly believable. You could also maybe try to argue that he needed a line of sight, or the darkness obscured his vision from cover, or something along those lines, but I don't think that holds as much water. Anyway, great stuff as always. And you're rockin' those glasses bro. I'll be looking forward to the next video! Cheers!
Same! We were supposed to go camping but forgot Part 2 was dropping that day and it was raining, so we camped in the living room and played it 2 days straight!
I'll say...your opinion on ep3 is super valid. As someone who loved the first game (and definitely liked 2, but it had flaws), I see how episode 3 is such a vast departure from the series that it feels almost useless to the plot. However...I think it's the best example of "filler" a tv series can have. It wasn't a non-canon exploration...it wasn't fluff to pad the runtime...it was a heartwarming and heartbreaking episode that told the tale of a pair of lovers who weathered the apocalypse and went out on their own terms. It was beautiful, and it didn't linger on the fact they were gay. In fact...It handled the concept of an older gay couple probably better than most TV shows ever could. It was respectful...it didn't shove their homosexuality down our throats after the initial reveal...and it was beautiful to see two people who loved each other...how Bill can say "I wasn't scared until you showed up" because he had shut himself off from so much. Was it filler? Sure, but it humanized Bill like the game never could. It's often said that "tv shows and movies based on games can't capture the same spark that games do" because there's something very personal about being in control of someone who's story is happening by your hands. I'd argue, however, that games have a much harder time handling slow, drawn-out segments like episode 3 did here. They couldn't get away with an hour of slow...methodical walking around while your character slowly falls in love with someone else. But a show, sitting you down and saying "here's their story" is such an important thing to do, and it handles it fantastically. Maybe the game does this better, but I'm not upset at how the show handles this episode. For me, it's one of the best pieces of television I've watched.
My thoughts on the "Tess kiss" is that the Fungi didn't see Tess as a threat and therefor used the most safe way to transfer itself to the next host. This way it didn't need to put itself into danger. Most people would obviously fight back and then it needs to use force.
That last show for ep 3 - The window thing was about showing the little picture at the end and echoing the game's launch screen. Not about "their death room"
Though I understand the gripe that Episode 3 has little bearing on the plot of the season, I do think it's a truly exceptional piece of media, and we are very fortunate to have gotten that instead of just a re-tred of the section of the game. The bill story from the game is still there and isn't deminished by the show. (Also as a side-note, gay relationships ending tragically and only being hinted at is a bit of a trope, so I appreciate the ending we got in the show).
Bricky, I could kiss you for how well this video is put together, major applause. One thing that I keep telling people about this show is that there genuinely a good 10 shots per episode that are desktop background-levels of beautiful. I think that within itself says a lot about the set design and the overall cinematography.
It’s hard because the game is just executed so perfectly so it felt like I was watching a “lesser” version of the same story when watching this show. That being said, if you’re completely new to this story, I think this show would be absolutely fantastic. I am so happy that they added in a lot of additional backstory and differing storylines, as it made the show engaging as someone who has played the game a few times.
36:00 as someone who hasnt played the game i just assumed the gay characters where exclusive to the show, because thats the general trend. So people who complain about the characters ''turning gay'' might not have played the game
Coming from someone who also had to get glasses even though he didn't want to. Much like my friends and family in real life, the audience will acclimate to you wearing glasses, Brick. You got yourself a decent-looking pair as well.
18:29 whenever Brick goes into how he doesn’t like some lines that are delivered in the show I had that same gripe as well, to me some of the lines that were delivered feel like they were just read off the script
He's in the middle of the street for the same reason why he didn't wake Frank. He was putting as much distance between them as possible so Frank wouldn't get hurt, and halfway down the street is where and when the shooting started. Can't expect everyone to act smart or get lucky.
I'm glad you pointed out that episode 3, while fine, lost a lot of the good from the game and didn't really add to the overall plot of the show. I also felt that the show was kind of slow in the beginning, with almost no action, and felt like sticking to the game on this episode would've both got our precious Bill vs Ellie antics and added some action to break up the quiet parts.
Your take on the Bill and Frank episode is one I haven't heard anyone else talk about, and I've watched a LOT of reviews and reactions. I have the exact same feelings about the episode, and I am happy that I am not the only one. As a huge fan of the game, which I've played many, many times, episode 3 was disappointing. Not because it wasn't a great story, and not because it was about a gay romance (like you said, it's great in a vacuum) but because it just wasn't the story from the game, and I think the game did it better. And yes, when I rewatch episode 3 in the future, I'll probably only watch the Joel and Ellie parts.
Maybe it would be good idea to just not watch as many reactions. "Gay romance great in vacuum" doesn't work with "opinions cooked in bubble". You yourself have video that is over half an hour on that episode alone, there is no way you could add as much value to episode that is just twice as long.
Explanation of why ep3 focused on Bill's Backstory for anyone who's interested: The biggest difference between the game and the show is that they expanded on Bill and Frank's relationship to display how they're parallels to Joel and Tess; Bill and Joel are the more stoic, pessimistic 'protectors' who see Frank/Tess as their 'protectees' who are more optimistic and friendly. This episode is a microcosm of the whole story- how a lone survivor had no other purpose to live until he connected to another human being and found a new purpose in protecting and loving them. Joel says that Tess was family to him, and HBO Tess is characterized as likely wanting something more but respected that Joel didn't want to be in a romantic relationship bc of his trauma of losing Sarah. But Tess' death is a reminder to Joel that he's failed his purpose of being a protector for his family twice now, and by respecting Tess' last wish to protect Ellie until they reach the Fireflies, Joel is finding a new purpose in protecting someone again. Overall: Bill in the game was a warning to Joel of how sad life would be without ppl to care for. But Bill in the show is the opposite and inspires Joel to not be like that, shifting Joel's perspective of Ellie in a way the show's audience can better visualize by seeing Bill's own character arc play out. Bill's letter impacts Joel, bc Joel knew that they were similar types of cynical survivors and learns that if Bill can change, he can too. The theme of being a 'protector' for your loved ones is a theme that's emphasized 100x more in the show than in the game with every single side-character plotline (Bill protecting Frank, Henry protecting Sam, even Michael protecting Kathleen). So the reason for Bill's flashback and letter is to culminate into the line "That's why men like you and me are here"- we as the audience wouldn't understand how moved Joel is by those words if we hadn't seen Bill's backstory, and now Joel believes it wholeheartedly too. It's a classic example of showing, not just telling. This leads Joel to now feel responsible for protecting Ellie like family, not just cargo (even if he still tries lying to himself and Ellie that she's only 'cargo' bc he's still scared of getting too attached).
27:47 My guess is that the infection was already influencing her and forced her not to move. It's also why the infected wasn't aggressive but instead spread the fungi in its mouth to her to speed up the infection already present in her body.
showed my dad this video and he really enjoyed it, he also said that the part were the zombie kissed tess could have been the zombie double dosing tess as she was already infected at that moment, though he mentioned that he woudn't have thought about it if you didn't say anything.
I really feel the softness to Joel's character comes from the medium shift. In the game, you play as Joel for a long while and the rage helps the gameplay. In the show you dont share that hands on experience and thus, his softness helps audiences connect with him a little bit more. This also helps with the shift for the final episode.
Also playing game 10 times doesn't help with trying to be open for anything else when you know how things "should go" and this "should go" is just reinforced version of your experience on first approach. And that can be seen in his approach to parts that are just like in the game Vs the ones that are not. Parts he played - better in game most of the time. Parts he didn't play - great additions or changes* *obviously every part that isn't just grim or about asshole. But that is kinda expected there
One of the advantages of watching the series in others languages than English is that the characters are voiced by the original Voice actors of the game. And that is just awesome. Seeing bela performance while listening to the voice I'm already used to it's just supreme.
47:50 I think I can explain why this scene was added. They're trying to deepen the "Hive-Mind" concept, right? So, the infected who sees Tess can likely "Feel" that she's mostly infected. If the main goal of the infected is to 1:Spread the infected, and 2:Connect with other infected, why would it try to violently rip her apart? It wouldn't. It would try to "Connect" with her infection, and the easiest way to do that is via the mouth tendrils.
That form of reference Bricky talks about is also abundant in the new Resident Evil 4 Remake, where the expectations of the old fans are subverted without ever being noticed by new players
The show was filmed in and around my city, my mom drove by as they were filming the front of the capital and later drove by the mall they used, Calgary was a good location to film.
it’s nice to see a review from someone who has a more balanced view of the show. most other people are heavily biased towards one medium (usually the game). looking forward to part 2.
27:30 I think what the "kiss" is meant to show is the infected can communicate, or at least the cordyceps can. She's infected but not fully turned, so she could "smell" like an infected to the zombie and so, to figure out what she is, tries to communicate. They definitely could have done more with it or better explained it.
My one complaint with the show is that we barely got any screentime up close with the infected, but if that meant we got all of the great character acting we did then its a compromise im happy to make.
27:32 it is explained out of show that the infected kiss was actually just the runner was infecting her, the creators of the tv series explained that the infected dont get violent unless if they are being prevented from spreading the disease
The Last of Us HBO is good quality, but it’s an inferior storytelling experience to the game. It’s pacing never really finds a balance, the Joel/Ellie relationship needed more time to feel earned, and the generally reduced action removes some danger from the journey. Plus there are times when the show tries to alter/add something to differentiate itself, and some of these changes feel unnecessary or straight up worse. Well made season overall, but the game simply did it better and felt more impactful. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk
I think part of the reason the identical lines feel off in the show is likely because the lines were probably written with their actors in mind just like the shows lines were likely written with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in mind meaning there is an inherent disconnect in styles there and even if it isn't much, it's still very noticeable because of how seamless the rest is.
I really feel like that whole car section at the beginning can almost be taken as the showrunners telling the gamers in the audience "we're going to change a few things, but we're going to be as faithful as we can while sttill surprising you every now and then."
You mentioned this game being couch watching friendly and I literally replayed the game a couple of weeks ago so my dad could watch since we also watched the show together.
I've got two takeaways from this video. First of all, this video singlehandedly made me interested in the TLOU franchise, which I think is saying a lot because I'm positive I said something similar when you were reviewing the Uncharted games. Second of all, the glasses look great. Keep it up dude.
it's weird living in Edmonton and watching the HBO show, since it was filmed here I can kinda recognise some of the locations used (Like the courthouse, for example.)
My running theory on the whole kissing scene between Tess and the Infected is that due to the Cordyceps infection already running through her, it was causing her body to freeze up and allow the other infected to spread its tendrils to speed up the infection process.
This video encapsulates every single thought i had when watching the show in a great way. You’re reviews are always great to watch bricky, love the glasses 😊
Damn i have not watched Bricky in a very long time but clicked on this cuz loved the series so much been subbed for very long time tho,i'm sure Bricky remembers me hehe from the time the channel was BrickyOrchid8 anyway so he's got a bit of gray beard hair now 😮 0:44 oh that's nice 7:25 oh i don't know if he had that tattoo last time i watched him :D
About Bill and Franks ending: " Now I do like the game version more, probably because I like dark and depressing stuff." Bricky, you are Mr. Warhammer, Depression is 40k's middle name.
I believe the infected kissing scene was to portray a couple things. One: How the infection works as a hive mind. If you noticed most of the infected bypassed her. The last one was curious and I believe it was the fungus wanting to either confirm the infection or speed up the process. Hence the shakes she was getting while trying the lighter, it is a symptom of the infection. And two: it was a subversion of the goodbye kiss. Usually couples get a goodbye kiss before the sacrifice but because she was infected he couldn't and you could see him want to during their final discussion. So it was replaced by the infected. But this is just my interpretation.
Me a 2m tall 110 kg black man: I've already played the game no way I'll be bowaling my eyes out Me a 2m tall 110 kg black man: 1 episode in bawling my eyes out
to my understanding, tess' "make-out" scene could be justified like this: she's trying to buy time to light the gasoline on the floor because the lighter doesn't work, but if she tried to fight that infected off the others would just rip her appart and she couldn't achieve the explosion, letting the others chase after joel and ellie. instead, by remaining calm even in that absolutely disgusting and atrocious scene, the infected is contempt with just infecting her slowly, which allows her to blow the place up. To me this shows incredible courage and the strenght of her character
I'm fully 100% with you on the problem of show quoting the lines _verbatim__ from the game! I also noticed that and I never even played the game! As I was watching the show I noticed something OFF about some of the lines. It was a very subtle feeling and I only realised what's going on after I watched the game footage. The lines which are repeated just like the game, mostly feel out of place in the show. It's a very subtle difference but it's there. I don't know if it's just on the actors or if it's also the writing reason... I really don't! My guess it's the voice actors. Since they don't have to focus on other aspects of acting they can really focus more on the voice delivery and it shows. Also, actually, I'd argue that episode 3 has more to do with the plot than what the game did. Let me explain! I find that the show was MORE careful than the game to explain the ending. One of the aspects that was more explained, I find, is the question whether Ellie would've sacrificed herself for the attempt at cure if she was asked. In the show, I find that every encounter we see, just shows from a different perspective why Ellie would agree. In case of Bill's death, it showed to Ellie that some people would choose death over not living with a loved one. Which will echoes the decision Ellie could've faced: to keep living while the whole world, including her loved, potentially being infected and dying, or to commint suicide, like Bill, because she already lost loved ones like Sam and Riley (and her mum too). If you'd like, I can explain the other encounters and how they contribute to the idea that Ellie would've sacrificed herself.
One thing I felt about the show was when they tried to redo scenes from game they felt lazy. unlike moment in the show which weren't game scenes the truck scene felt dull. Like Pedro delivers his lines very monotone and bella her lines like she's reading a teleprompt. With game Joel his tone a light jovial when Ellie gave him the tape. Then disappointment when hank William's comes on, Pedro mostly through the show kept his voice so flat and bored almost like he's Mando again. Joel in game was a stoic man but he always expressed different feelings in conversations with Ellie whether jokes or chiding her. I was happy at least when he raised his voice in the final episode, my sister watching with me said "Finally he said something with his chest". Unfortunately with the Marlene scene his tone went back to flat, with Game Joel having a wrath in his voice went parting ways with Marlene.
Question, would be willing to do a video on 10th edition Warhammer when it comes out?? Watching your videos got me into 40k and it's a blast. Keep being you and thanks for the great memories.
here's a glitch for the PS4 and PS3 version of the last of us. if you have an upgraded melee weapon and drop it for another weapon, it will give item's so you can get unlimited free kills if you just pick up and drop a melee weapon it gives you the wrench on the UI saying you can craft the items needed.
I think it would have been cooler if the show kept Bill alive after Frank chose to die so we could've gotten dialogue between Ellie and Bill, also thought it was weird that the show made Bill and Frank way older
16:22 They answer this! The after episode interviews talk about this change, and i would HIGHLY recommend watching all of them, i love watching creatives talk about their work, and HBO just auto skips to the next episoxe
It’s so funny because I bought my GF a PS5 for her birthday because her bday was 4 days after TLOU ended. Originally, when people said Pedroel was soft, I was very confused. But now watching my gf play the game and going through it again, I totally understand that criticism because game Joel is a MONSTER. I still love him but good lord, he is a capital K Killer
These mentions of references find itself very prevelant in animated show communities, like Transformers and even My Little Pony: FiM. Those reference that works well with or without prior context is the right amount of Fan service.
Part 2 should be up in around a week or so!
My man Bricardo really said cordyceps *virus*
@Bricky you planning on replaying or releasing your gameplay of the remake of the first game?
Excited to see what you talk about in the next part, especially concerning the cure.
NOOOOOOOOOO
I really want to get the thick thighs save lives hoodie but I go to a school where Latin is a mandatory class and me as well as everyone in my grade has taken Latin for 6 years so it might not be a great idea
"you may wonder where Frank is but he hanging around just give it a minute" got me chuckling
I choked on my snacks when he said that, fucking hilarious
😂😂😂I noticed that as well
I was at a dinner with my extended family last week, and had the absolutely surreal experience of hearing my 60 year old uncle, who has never touched a video game, talking to my 80 year old grandma about the plot of TLOU. It’s amazing how this show widens the audience.
Bruh, I had damn near the same experience. I was at my great aunt's house with my father. She's about 70 years old, maybe plays some mobile games at best but has never been a "gamer", and she started going on about TLOU - honestly, it was a really beautiful moment for me, because it felt like video games have graduated as a medium. Roger Ebert didn't think video games could be art (he was wrong, of course), but now, even in the face of THAT, we can point to TLOU, the show, and say "this is it." I just think that's a lovely thing.
I had a similar experience with my mother and some of my non horror gaming friends. They absolutely loved it and we had a great time discussing each episode
It's alright Bricky, the glasses look fine on you. It's a nice +5 INT to add to your reviewing talent.
Bricky 🤓
Yeah he looks more professional
They don't fit him.
The glasses have a nice charm.
Some might say that glasses are very versatile.
I'm surprised that you mentioned Tommys VA being in the show but made no mention how Marlenes VA just played herself in the show.
I read a criticism saying they didn't think Marlene looked the part. I replied, "you know that literally is the same actress as the game, right?"
Wait they are really redoing their parts?? I actually thought they were different people but the voices did sound familiar
@@mcwildstyle9106 marlene played herself, Tommy was playing Kathleens second hand, joels VA played Davids 2nd hand, Ellies VA played Ellies mom, and apparently one of the nurses at the end was Abbey's VA
@@Cplblue ohhhhh that makes more sense
@@Cplblue the nurse at the End was Laura Bailey who is Abbys VA yes, but she did also play that exact same Nurse in the first game!^^
27:50 honestly one thing I’m surprised you didn’t bring up is that fact that she was bothering with the lighter when she could have just pulled the pin on one of the dozens of grenades that she threw on the ground. Also yeah the zombie make out scene was weird af.
Dude, They were fragmentation grenades, They don't have fire, It wouldn't do any good if she used them, And I liked how Tess' death was, And I think it's better than the game version.
@@conteudoanimalz4515 grenades still... Y'know, *explode*, when they go off. Theres also still metal fragmentation flying throughout the environment, which can very easily spark.
GLASSES BRICKY
SHALL LAUGH NOW
EVERYONE POINT AND LAUGH!!!
lmao look at that four eyes harry potter looking ass nerd
Nerd detected laugh now
HA! HA! HA!
Ahhh, I love that scene "Man you hit hard."
"Yeah well I was tryna' kill ya"
"He's hanging around. Just give him a minute." fucking had me dying
Had Frank dying too.
Joel is actually older in the show than he is in the game and this is why he's angrier in the games, in the show he says "a couple of years ago i could've smoked those guys" after needing Ellie's help in the beatdown.
Ohhh how'd you notice that?
In TLOU Part I Joel is 52 , in TLOU Part II he is 56.
In the show, he's 56 during the season 1/Part I storyline, so he will be around 60 when the season 2/Part II story happens.
Or, or... hear me out.... hbo are snowflakes and know the rest of the world are snowflakes so they cut down the violence and intensity of joel drastically... just a theory 🙃
Nah they just wusified him 😂
Contrarian
Came for the 40K video to the channel, stayed for the good content. Keep it up dude
@Bricky is still reeling from the Lion waking up from his depression nap and Farsight feeling the touch of Khorne
All while Nurgle spreads his Garden fungi in _The Last of Us_
I thought the show also softended Tess' character up a bit. Having them find Robert dead vs her coldly executing him is quite the change.
agreed! I really missed Tess mudering Robert for stabbing her in the back. But if she had done that then we wouldnt have gotten that weird forced kiss, Tess woulda been too based
@@duchess3496 I thought most of the changes weren't for the better.
Female good, men bad. Big gay everywhere.
@@stephenswift9896 same. Like it’s not even horror anymore. Just a slow paced thriller.
I kinda felt like the show really wanted to cover all their bases when it came to foreshadowing why Joel becomes so protective of ellie. Ellie was humanities last hope. Also I think even the most jaded person will become protective over a child over time. The fact that he was still so close with tess shows he still respects loyalty and ellie has that in spades. Not to mention I thought the end of the bill episode really hit home the beginning of his change. When tess got really preachy multiple times about ellie being the one true hope it felt cheesy. I understand that it connects to bills letter but I think in a post apacolyptic world just alluding to her being important would have been enough. Like a "Joel I really think this might be important" moment. Over a "Joel.... listen to me... she is the key to our salvation... we can finally justify all the wrong we've done" moment. Either way though Anna was a great and unexpected choice to play tess. Within 2 episodes she really established that character great.
27:25-28:00 According to the co-creators, the point of that scene was to show how Infected would deal with non-Infected if the latter didn't fit back. The Infected transmit their fungus through their mouth(hence the biting and mouth tendrils), and only get aggressive and start biting and beating up if you resist. If you don't resist, then you get the slow, peaceful spreading, as there's no reason for the Infected to get violent. And that's what Tess realised: if she tried to back away or resist the Infected, she'd instantly be attacked and killed, and so she wouldn't be able to light the explosion. By staying still and letting it happen, she bought time to kill them all.
Why would they not attack if you don't move? It's surely a much faster way of spreading the infection to just sprint at everybody and bite them.
@@ding4634 Because there's no need. According to the creators, the Infected recognise when it needs to be violent to spread the Fungi and when not to. Tess was one of those times where it saw it didn't to need to be violent in spreading itself, and also to show how Infected can "speed up" the process in those who are infected but not turned.
Damn they really gave it a lore reason for the weirdly long mouth-to-mouth scene
I dont think this is right i listened to the creators reasoning on this scene and it stated that the infection carries a distinct scent that other infected can detect so they dont attack each other but due to tess being in the early stages of infection the zombie smelled both a living human and the infection causing it to be confused and then trying to communicate with the fungus that would be inside tesses mouth but isnt there yet
I legit thought that the reason the zombie kissed Tess like that was because of Tess’s romantic feelings for Joel
people with the virus are all connected
because she herself is infected she is also connected to the horde and Tess wanted to kiss Joel
because they are connected through the cordyceps
the zombie felt her desperate need to kiss Joel and kisses Tess because her feeling for Joel were that powerful despite her recently being infected
also symbolizing Joel and Tess’s missed opportunity for them to openly admit their feeling for each other
which is really sad in itself
anyway thats what i thought why that zombie kissed Tess like that
As someone who also watched the show with parents who hadn't played the game, I became very familiar with the feeling of immanent dread knowing that no-one else shared that same feeling. It was fun knowing that the people I was watching with had no clue what was going to hit them, and it was even more fun going "huh, that's differant" whenever something new happened, or saying nothing when asked about the fate of specific characters in order fill my family with a sense of dread.
Watching the show with someone who didn't play the game is an experience I highly recommend
The Tess death scene always struck me as the infection taking over and not resisting other infected because it’s a hive mind, i.e. path of least resistance. Tess flicking the lighter was the last little bit of her left as a passenger in her body when the Cordyceps took over her brain. The timeline checks out with the transmission time chart in the scene with the unnamed kid in the first episode, bites on the face/neck only take a little while to take over
About the implied shot that they were in the room on the second floor, I'm pretty sure it was the room the mostly slept in before Frank couldn't walk anymore so there's a good chance that they took the extra effort to get up there because it was more comforting and brought back more memories and it would be the last time they would need to go up the steps to get there.
So my best friend/adopted brother suggested your Adeptus Ridiculous podcast to get into Warhammer, and he was so successful that sometimes when I'm world building, the voice in my head is yours. It's been a delight watching your videos and learning more about Warhammer. I just got through the Emperor TTS series and enjoyed it *because* of your work. So thanks!
Anyway, I wanted to offer my weirdly specific professional advice: You need bigger frames for your glasses. What you want is frames that are as close to filling your face as you can, while keeping your eye toward the center. If you go for a more rounded look, it will provide a contrast with your generally straight features.
Love your work!
Those glasses complement the rest of the DILF look fine. Bricky going out there to charm all the Sororitas.
This was a great video Bricky! I think most of, if not all of your critiques were not only well-founded, but hit the nail on the head. Although, there's one thing I'd like to mention about Episode 3, regarding Bill standing in the middle of the street fighting off raiders. It's easy to point and say that given his 'survivalist' character, he wouldn't be the type to open himself up to being shot at like that, but I think the reason that happens is for more than just the cinematography of his silhouette against the flames. In the strawberry scene, Bill tells Frank that he was never afraid before he came along, because now he has something to lose. And when the raiders attack, that puts what Bill values most, Frank, in jeopardy. I don't think it's so hard to believe that Bill woke up and charged out there without really thinking, because he was terrified that he would lose Frank. In that sort of situation, which is very much heat of the moment, high adrenaline, high stress scenario, it's easy to throw caution to the wind and just... run out there. Is it stupid that he didn't take cover? Yes, absolutely. But it's also fairly believable. You could also maybe try to argue that he needed a line of sight, or the darkness obscured his vision from cover, or something along those lines, but I don't think that holds as much water.
Anyway, great stuff as always. And you're rockin' those glasses bro. I'll be looking forward to the next video! Cheers!
Your couch couple game theory is BANG ON. Played this with my wife last year along with part 2 and she adored it as much as I did
Same! We were supposed to go camping but forgot Part 2 was dropping that day and it was raining, so we camped in the living room and played it 2 days straight!
I'll say...your opinion on ep3 is super valid. As someone who loved the first game (and definitely liked 2, but it had flaws), I see how episode 3 is such a vast departure from the series that it feels almost useless to the plot. However...I think it's the best example of "filler" a tv series can have. It wasn't a non-canon exploration...it wasn't fluff to pad the runtime...it was a heartwarming and heartbreaking episode that told the tale of a pair of lovers who weathered the apocalypse and went out on their own terms. It was beautiful, and it didn't linger on the fact they were gay. In fact...It handled the concept of an older gay couple probably better than most TV shows ever could. It was respectful...it didn't shove their homosexuality down our throats after the initial reveal...and it was beautiful to see two people who loved each other...how Bill can say "I wasn't scared until you showed up" because he had shut himself off from so much. Was it filler? Sure, but it humanized Bill like the game never could.
It's often said that "tv shows and movies based on games can't capture the same spark that games do" because there's something very personal about being in control of someone who's story is happening by your hands. I'd argue, however, that games have a much harder time handling slow, drawn-out segments like episode 3 did here. They couldn't get away with an hour of slow...methodical walking around while your character slowly falls in love with someone else. But a show, sitting you down and saying "here's their story" is such an important thing to do, and it handles it fantastically. Maybe the game does this better, but I'm not upset at how the show handles this episode. For me, it's one of the best pieces of television I've watched.
My thoughts on the "Tess kiss" is that the Fungi didn't see Tess as a threat and therefor used the most safe way to transfer itself to the next host. This way it didn't need to put itself into danger. Most people would obviously fight back and then it needs to use force.
That last show for ep 3 - The window thing was about showing the little picture at the end and echoing the game's launch screen. Not about "their death room"
3:06 “A mutated version of the cordyceps *virus* “
I mald a bit on the inside every time someone mistakes fungi for a virus.
The "Couch Couple Game" is a spot on description. My wife watch me play it everytime, like it was a serie.
Though I understand the gripe that Episode 3 has little bearing on the plot of the season, I do think it's a truly exceptional piece of media, and we are very fortunate to have gotten that instead of just a re-tred of the section of the game. The bill story from the game is still there and isn't deminished by the show.
(Also as a side-note, gay relationships ending tragically and only being hinted at is a bit of a trope, so I appreciate the ending we got in the show).
Bricky, I could kiss you for how well this video is put together, major applause.
One thing that I keep telling people about this show is that there genuinely a good 10 shots per episode that are desktop background-levels of beautiful. I think that within itself says a lot about the set design and the overall cinematography.
I really gotta say, you have a skill for succinctly summarizing your thoughts. The nuance of your review is really appreciated.
It’s hard because the game is just executed so perfectly so it felt like I was watching a “lesser” version of the same story when watching this show. That being said, if you’re completely new to this story, I think this show would be absolutely fantastic. I am so happy that they added in a lot of additional backstory and differing storylines, as it made the show engaging as someone who has played the game a few times.
36:00 as someone who hasnt played the game i just assumed the gay characters where exclusive to the show, because thats the general trend. So people who complain about the characters ''turning gay'' might not have played the game
Coming from someone who also had to get glasses even though he didn't want to. Much like my friends and family in real life, the audience will acclimate to you wearing glasses, Brick. You got yourself a decent-looking pair as well.
18:29 whenever Brick goes into how he doesn’t like some lines that are delivered in the show I had that same gripe as well, to me some of the lines that were delivered feel like they were just read off the script
"You'd just come after her" was really off in the show.
He's in the middle of the street for the same reason why he didn't wake Frank. He was putting as much distance between them as possible so Frank wouldn't get hurt, and halfway down the street is where and when the shooting started. Can't expect everyone to act smart or get lucky.
I'm glad you pointed out that episode 3, while fine, lost a lot of the good from the game and didn't really add to the overall plot of the show. I also felt that the show was kind of slow in the beginning, with almost no action, and felt like sticking to the game on this episode would've both got our precious Bill vs Ellie antics and added some action to break up the quiet parts.
Your take on the Bill and Frank episode is one I haven't heard anyone else talk about, and I've watched a LOT of reviews and reactions. I have the exact same feelings about the episode, and I am happy that I am not the only one. As a huge fan of the game, which I've played many, many times, episode 3 was disappointing. Not because it wasn't a great story, and not because it was about a gay romance (like you said, it's great in a vacuum) but because it just wasn't the story from the game, and I think the game did it better. And yes, when I rewatch episode 3 in the future, I'll probably only watch the Joel and Ellie parts.
Maybe it would be good idea to just not watch as many reactions.
"Gay romance great in vacuum" doesn't work with "opinions cooked in bubble". You yourself have video that is over half an hour on that episode alone, there is no way you could add as much value to episode that is just twice as long.
yea i think it could’ve been a good standalone movie but i prefer the bill section in the game much more
I think the glasses look nice! Rock on Brick Man
i can't believe Tommy Tallarico did the Music for this.
Explanation of why ep3 focused on Bill's Backstory for anyone who's interested:
The biggest difference between the game and the show is that they expanded on Bill and Frank's relationship to display how they're parallels to Joel and Tess; Bill and Joel are the more stoic, pessimistic 'protectors' who see Frank/Tess as their 'protectees' who are more optimistic and friendly. This episode is a microcosm of the whole story- how a lone survivor had no other purpose to live until he connected to another human being and found a new purpose in protecting and loving them. Joel says that Tess was family to him, and HBO Tess is characterized as likely wanting something more but respected that Joel didn't want to be in a romantic relationship bc of his trauma of losing Sarah. But Tess' death is a reminder to Joel that he's failed his purpose of being a protector for his family twice now, and by respecting Tess' last wish to protect Ellie until they reach the Fireflies, Joel is finding a new purpose in protecting someone again.
Overall: Bill in the game was a warning to Joel of how sad life would be without ppl to care for. But Bill in the show is the opposite and inspires Joel to not be like that, shifting Joel's perspective of Ellie in a way the show's audience can better visualize by seeing Bill's own character arc play out. Bill's letter impacts Joel, bc Joel knew that they were similar types of cynical survivors and learns that if Bill can change, he can too. The theme of being a 'protector' for your loved ones is a theme that's emphasized 100x more in the show than in the game with every single side-character plotline (Bill protecting Frank, Henry protecting Sam, even Michael protecting Kathleen). So the reason for Bill's flashback and letter is to culminate into the line "That's why men like you and me are here"- we as the audience wouldn't understand how moved Joel is by those words if we hadn't seen Bill's backstory, and now Joel believes it wholeheartedly too. It's a classic example of showing, not just telling. This leads Joel to now feel responsible for protecting Ellie like family, not just cargo (even if he still tries lying to himself and Ellie that she's only 'cargo' bc he's still scared of getting too attached).
27:47 My guess is that the infection was already influencing her and forced her not to move. It's also why the infected wasn't aggressive but instead spread the fungi in its mouth to her to speed up the infection already present in her body.
showed my dad this video and he really enjoyed it, he also said that the part were the zombie kissed tess could have been the zombie double dosing tess as she was already infected at that moment, though he mentioned that he woudn't have thought about it if you didn't say anything.
That Tess scene is Neil Druckmann not being able to keep his fetish is check for any longer
I love both versions of Bill. They both mirror Joel in opposite ways and it's great writing
I really feel the softness to Joel's character comes from the medium shift. In the game, you play as Joel for a long while and the rage helps the gameplay. In the show you dont share that hands on experience and thus, his softness helps audiences connect with him a little bit more. This also helps with the shift for the final episode.
Also playing game 10 times doesn't help with trying to be open for anything else when you know how things "should go" and this "should go" is just reinforced version of your experience on first approach.
And that can be seen in his approach to parts that are just like in the game Vs the ones that are not. Parts he played - better in game most of the time.
Parts he didn't play - great additions or changes*
*obviously every part that isn't just grim or about asshole. But that is kinda expected there
One of the advantages of watching the series in others languages than English is that the characters are voiced by the original Voice actors of the game. And that is just awesome. Seeing bela performance while listening to the voice I'm already used to it's just supreme.
47:50
I think I can explain why this scene was added.
They're trying to deepen the "Hive-Mind" concept, right?
So, the infected who sees Tess can likely "Feel" that she's mostly infected.
If the main goal of the infected is to 1:Spread the infected, and 2:Connect with other infected, why would it try to violently rip her apart?
It wouldn't.
It would try to "Connect" with her infection, and the easiest way to do that is via the mouth tendrils.
That form of reference Bricky talks about is also abundant in the new Resident Evil 4 Remake, where the expectations of the old fans are subverted without ever being noticed by new players
He's got that stance of someone who knew he had to do it to em.
The show was filmed in and around my city, my mom drove by as they were filming the front of the capital and later drove by the mall they used, Calgary was a good location to film.
it’s nice to see a review from someone who has a more balanced view of the show. most other people are heavily biased towards one medium (usually the game). looking forward to part 2.
Here in Brazil, they called the game's voice actors 🤩
27:30 I think what the "kiss" is meant to show is the infected can communicate, or at least the cordyceps can. She's infected but not fully turned, so she could "smell" like an infected to the zombie and so, to figure out what she is, tries to communicate. They definitely could have done more with it or better explained it.
Fun fact: One of the actors for the Clickers is actually the VA for the clickers in game, hence why the Clicker noises are spot on.
This guy is now my favorite TLOU reviewer. He just gets it from a fan pov.
My one complaint with the show is that we barely got any screentime up close with the infected, but if that meant we got all of the great character acting we did then its a compromise im happy to make.
*Bricky equips glasses*
+5 intelligence +5 sight +10 style
I have never seen a thumbnail so cursed as I have witnessed today 😭 ty Bricky
27:32 it is explained out of show that the infected kiss was actually just the runner was infecting her, the creators of the tv series explained that the infected dont get violent unless if they are being prevented from spreading the disease
The Last of Us HBO is good quality, but it’s an inferior storytelling experience to the game. It’s pacing never really finds a balance, the Joel/Ellie relationship needed more time to feel earned, and the generally reduced action removes some danger from the journey. Plus there are times when the show tries to alter/add something to differentiate itself, and some of these changes feel unnecessary or straight up worse. Well made season overall, but the game simply did it better and felt more impactful.
Thank you for coming to my Ted talk
I think part of the reason the identical lines feel off in the show is likely because the lines were probably written with their actors in mind just like the shows lines were likely written with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in mind meaning there is an inherent disconnect in styles there and even if it isn't much, it's still very noticeable because of how seamless the rest is.
I really feel like that whole car section at the beginning can almost be taken as the showrunners telling the gamers in the audience "we're going to change a few things, but we're going to be as faithful as we can while sttill surprising you every now and then."
38:40 I was just under the impression that Frank was put to rest somewhere else and then Bill took care of himself upstairs.
You mentioned this game being couch watching friendly and I literally replayed the game a couple of weeks ago so my dad could watch since we also watched the show together.
Is this a Bricky from -that one Lawbreakers ad-, er- I mean RUclips, uploading a Last of Us review? Man, I'm all for it!
I've got two takeaways from this video. First of all, this video singlehandedly made me interested in the TLOU franchise, which I think is saying a lot because I'm positive I said something similar when you were reviewing the Uncharted games. Second of all, the glasses look great. Keep it up dude.
I swear when Bricky showed the shows version of the clickers sound my heart dropped
I think that the change from the spores to mycelium was to get rid of the gamey element of spores being confined to specific rooms
16:55 has me dying!!! That combo was clean
it's weird living in Edmonton and watching the HBO show, since it was filmed here I can kinda recognise some of the locations used (Like the courthouse, for example.)
My running theory on the whole kissing scene between Tess and the Infected is that due to the Cordyceps infection already running through her, it was causing her body to freeze up and allow the other infected to spread its tendrils to speed up the infection process.
This video encapsulates every single thought i had when watching the show in a great way. You’re reviews are always great to watch bricky, love the glasses 😊
Damn i have not watched Bricky in a very long time but clicked on this cuz loved the series so much
been subbed for very long time tho,i'm sure Bricky remembers me hehe from the time the channel was BrickyOrchid8
anyway so he's got a bit of gray beard hair now 😮
0:44 oh that's nice
7:25 oh i don't know if he had that tattoo last time i watched him :D
About Bill and Franks ending: " Now I do like the game version more, probably because I like dark and depressing stuff."
Bricky, you are Mr. Warhammer, Depression is 40k's middle name.
Possibly the most cursed thumbnail I’ve seen in my brief existence on the planet Earth
god that tekken edit really got me. hats off to you
Bricky with glasses looks like he should be in kingsmen
Am I the only one that I saw old frank and thought he looked like Jordan Peterson? Because that’s what he looks like to me
31:02 "Hanging around", great pun had me laughing.
bricky really hit me with "the wallpaper is blue for x reason" from school
Me being and spanish speaker with the voice actors of the Game doing the dubbing :
a surprise but a welcome one
I had the exact same thought every single time they quoted lines directly from the game!
here's for a petition to a bricky with glasses channel icon
Would love to get a live action version of Telltale the Walking dead Season 1 and see Clementine and Lee just season 1 as a mini series
I believe the infected kissing scene was to portray a couple things. One: How the infection works as a hive mind. If you noticed most of the infected bypassed her. The last one was curious and I believe it was the fungus wanting to either confirm the infection or speed up the process. Hence the shakes she was getting while trying the lighter, it is a symptom of the infection. And two: it was a subversion of the goodbye kiss. Usually couples get a goodbye kiss before the sacrifice but because she was infected he couldn't and you could see him want to during their final discussion. So it was replaced by the infected. But this is just my interpretation.
Me a 2m tall 110 kg black man: I've already played the game no way I'll be bowaling my eyes out
Me a 2m tall 110 kg black man: 1 episode in bawling my eyes out
to my understanding, tess' "make-out" scene could be justified like this: she's trying to buy time to light the gasoline on the floor because the lighter doesn't work, but if she tried to fight that infected off the others would just rip her appart and she couldn't achieve the explosion, letting the others chase after joel and ellie. instead, by remaining calm even in that absolutely disgusting and atrocious scene, the infected is contempt with just infecting her slowly, which allows her to blow the place up.
To me this shows incredible courage and the strenght of her character
That tekken transition was beautiful
I'm fully 100% with you on the problem of show quoting the lines _verbatim__ from the game! I also noticed that and I never even played the game! As I was watching the show I noticed something OFF about some of the lines. It was a very subtle feeling and I only realised what's going on after I watched the game footage. The lines which are repeated just like the game, mostly feel out of place in the show. It's a very subtle difference but it's there.
I don't know if it's just on the actors or if it's also the writing reason... I really don't! My guess it's the voice actors. Since they don't have to focus on other aspects of acting they can really focus more on the voice delivery and it shows.
Also, actually, I'd argue that episode 3 has more to do with the plot than what the game did. Let me explain!
I find that the show was MORE careful than the game to explain the ending. One of the aspects that was more explained, I find, is the question whether Ellie would've sacrificed herself for the attempt at cure if she was asked. In the show, I find that every encounter we see, just shows from a different perspective why Ellie would agree.
In case of Bill's death, it showed to Ellie that some people would choose death over not living with a loved one. Which will echoes the decision Ellie could've faced: to keep living while the whole world, including her loved, potentially being infected and dying, or to commint suicide, like Bill, because she already lost loved ones like Sam and Riley (and her mum too).
If you'd like, I can explain the other encounters and how they contribute to the idea that Ellie would've sacrificed herself.
Must be the best thumbnail I’ve ever seen
One thing I felt about the show was when they tried to redo scenes from game they felt lazy. unlike moment in the show which weren't game scenes the truck scene felt dull. Like Pedro delivers his lines very monotone and bella her lines like she's reading a teleprompt. With game Joel his tone a light jovial when Ellie gave him the tape. Then disappointment when hank William's comes on, Pedro mostly through the show kept his voice so flat and bored almost like he's Mando again. Joel in game was a stoic man but he always expressed different feelings in conversations with Ellie whether jokes or chiding her. I was happy at least when he raised his voice in the final episode, my sister watching with me said "Finally he said something with his chest". Unfortunately with the Marlene scene his tone went back to flat, with Game Joel having a wrath in his voice went parting ways with Marlene.
Sophisticated Bricky is best Bricky.
A glass brick, huh? Okay, I can work with that
Question, would be willing to do a video on 10th edition Warhammer when it comes out?? Watching your videos got me into 40k and it's a blast. Keep being you and thanks for the great memories.
here's a glitch for the PS4 and PS3 version of the last of us. if you have an upgraded melee weapon and drop it for another weapon, it will give item's so you can get unlimited free kills if you just pick up and drop a melee weapon it gives you the wrench on the UI saying you can craft the items needed.
*IT WAS AMAZING* 👌🏻
Already excited for S2 and to see what they do with Abby :D
Nice cameo Laura Bailey as a nurse there at the end
That photo of her posing over the actor of Jerry reminded me of the Grant Gustin grave meme xD
I think it would have been cooler if the show kept Bill alive after Frank chose to die so we could've gotten dialogue between Ellie and Bill, also thought it was weird that the show made Bill and Frank way older
What weird about that?
@@HadirUntukAnda Just a generally strange thing to do, if you ask me.
16:22 They answer this! The after episode interviews talk about this change, and i would HIGHLY recommend watching all of them, i love watching creatives talk about their work, and HBO just auto skips to the next episoxe
“Four eyes, four eyes, you need glasses to see!”
Bricky with glasses is drip.
It’s so funny because I bought my GF a PS5 for her birthday because her bday was 4 days after TLOU ended. Originally, when people said Pedroel was soft, I was very confused. But now watching my gf play the game and going through it again, I totally understand that criticism because game Joel is a MONSTER. I still love him but good lord, he is a capital K Killer
These mentions of references find itself very prevelant in animated show communities, like Transformers and even My Little Pony: FiM. Those reference that works well with or without prior context is the right amount of Fan service.