Episode 1 “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” Making-of

When you’re lost in the darkness, look for the light. When you’re finished streaming Sunday’s series premiere of The Last of Us, look for a new behind-the-scenes featurette revealing how HBO brought the Naughty Dog video game adaptation to life. In the making-of featurette, which you can watch below via HBO Max on YouTube, the show’s cast and creators discuss the tragic beginnings of the end of modern civilization and the pairing of survivors Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Be warned: there are spoilers for Season 1 Episode 1, titled “When You’re Lost in the Darkness.”

“This is how it begins. It begins with tragedy,” says series creator, writer, and executive producer Craig Mazin. Adds Pascal of Joel’s devastating turning point: it’s “ultimately the event that shapes the character for the rest of the show, for the rest of his life. It is the point of identity for Joel.”

Set 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed, The Last of Us follows hardened survivor Joel as he’s hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of an oppressive quarantine zone. Per the logline: “What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.”

“Joel is a broken man, and he meets this kid,” says Mazin. Notes Ramsey: “Ellie’s not a big fan of Joel when she meets him. Their initial meeting doesn’t really set them up to be the greatest of friends, but I think that’s also because they’re similar personalities. They just clash, and they don’t know how to relate to each other yet.”

That will change throughout the nine-episode first season, which focuses on the relationship that develops between the smuggler and the girl who may be the last hope for humanity’s survival.

How to Watch The Last of Us

New episodes of The Last of Us premiere Sundays at 9:00pm ET / 6:00pm PT on HBO and HBO Max.

The Last of Us Episode Schedule

• Episode 101: “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” (January 15th)
• Episode 102: “Infected” (January 22nd) 
• Episode 103: TBA (January 29th)
• Episode 104: TBA (February 5th)
• Episode 105: TBA (February 12th)
• Episode 106: TBA (February 19th) 
• Episode 107: TBA (February 26th)
• Episode 108: TBA (March 5th) 
• Episode 109 (Season Finale): TBA (March 12th)

The Last of Us Cast

The Last of Us features a cast that includes Pedro Pascal (Star Wars: The Mandalorian) as Joel, Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) as Ellie, Gabriel Luna (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Tommy, Anna Torv (Fringe) as Tess, Nico Parker (The Third Day) as Sarah, Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus) as Frank, Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) as Bill, Melanie Lynskey (Togetherness) as Kathleen, Storm Reid (Missing) as Riley, Merle Dandridge (The Flight Attendant) as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce (The Last of Us video game) as Perry, Lamar Johnson (The Next Step) as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene (Dances With Wolves) as Marlon, and Elaine Miles (Northern Exposure) as Florence. The Last of Us game actors Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.

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