Ryan, this was yet another illuminating read. I'm not a gamer and came to the series late, drawn in primarily by my fascination with all things zombie. Even without the foundation of the game, it was clear that the second season felt rushed. The themes were so expansive and emotionally charged that they deserved more time to unfold, eight episodes simply weren’t enough to carry the weight of what the series was trying to explore. Despite that, I found the performances remarkable. Bella Ramsey, in particular, was bone chilling in the moments where all traces of human forgiveness had vanished. I left the finale with more questions than answers, which maybe is a good thing? Not sure yet, but being asked to wait a few years to witness the story told from the perspective of Abby doesn't have me excited. I hope to be surprised.
I'm really curious to know what decisions made during production pushed them towards seven episodes instead of ten (at the very least) or even a six-six, seven-seven split. I honestly believe they could have ran both Ellie and Abby's stories back-to-back in the same season and given each enough room to breathe, without things feeling too compressed.
Sure, we would've needed to wait longer, for say fourteen episodes in total but to your point, the pacing suffered big time and yeah, in the end, there just wasn't enough space for everything to shine (though Ramsey was great, absolutely, alongside most everyone else).
That is the question, isn't it? I really enjoyed seeing Abby's perspective in the game but it is such a different experience, being actively in her boots for 20-30 hours, after the first half of the story and how it challenges the player's preconceptions: not just through the storytelling but the moment-to-moment gameplay, as well.
And seeing how this season stumbled? I do have my doubts that they'll be able to replicate that feeling/emotional shift properly, especially after such a hiatus, even if Denver more than has the ability to be a great lead.
So many great points here, Ryan. I have been listening to the companion podcast which has been helpful filling in some gaps, but does not honestly address the possible creative shortcomings of going from the medium of gaming to television. It is a very different perspective and while the writers and producers have done a good job with many things, as someone only choosing the story via television there are some emotional gaps. I appreciate the links in your piece. I have had a very hard time connecting with Abby. The golf club scene in the mountain home just didn't connect. Learning that Abby in the game has a much more menacing physicality was really helpful. That kind of brutality takes stamina and I didn't find the scene believable in the show. I hope and imagine that gamers feel deeply connected to Abby as her story has great depth. For me there is something lost in the translation of mediums. Right now I cannot imagine being invested in the story from her perspective. I of course will give it a go, but the investment isn't there for me. not yet anyway. I look forward to being surprised.
Chewing on it a little more, it seems pretty clear that the vocal minority pushback that coloured so much of the game's discourse, ultimately influenced the direction they took this season. I respect the decision, in wanting to protect the actors/creatives from unnecessary online abuse of course (unequivocally) but it also robbed them of so much heft and narrative weight.
There is more to be shown in Abby's story (and by design, you're supposed to find her unsympathetic, even after the protagonist switch - I do think you'll find a measure of investment in it) but over-explaining her motives so early definitely stripped away a good deal of her mystery, almost as if they were scared of leaving the audience to sit with any sense of nuance or grey area thinking for too long... and then making even the prospect of that investment a whole lot harder than it already is on the surface. I guess we'll see but it is pretty clear they've backed themselves into something of a corner.
Such great insights Ryan. It’s a sad day when creativity is stifled by ignorance and hatred. Also though the environment is real and I understand wanting to protect the safety of those involved. I had no idea the response to the storyline in the game was so suffocating. Ooof. I’m looking forward to seeing how the writers try to convince me to care about Abby. It’s is an interesting exercise connecting with a story that seems to be mostly about love and how we love where every character is ruled by a massive amount of grey area. It’s such a beautifully human trait to be imperfect.
Ryan, this was yet another illuminating read. I'm not a gamer and came to the series late, drawn in primarily by my fascination with all things zombie. Even without the foundation of the game, it was clear that the second season felt rushed. The themes were so expansive and emotionally charged that they deserved more time to unfold, eight episodes simply weren’t enough to carry the weight of what the series was trying to explore. Despite that, I found the performances remarkable. Bella Ramsey, in particular, was bone chilling in the moments where all traces of human forgiveness had vanished. I left the finale with more questions than answers, which maybe is a good thing? Not sure yet, but being asked to wait a few years to witness the story told from the perspective of Abby doesn't have me excited. I hope to be surprised.
Appreciate you reading as always, Lisa.
I'm really curious to know what decisions made during production pushed them towards seven episodes instead of ten (at the very least) or even a six-six, seven-seven split. I honestly believe they could have ran both Ellie and Abby's stories back-to-back in the same season and given each enough room to breathe, without things feeling too compressed.
Sure, we would've needed to wait longer, for say fourteen episodes in total but to your point, the pacing suffered big time and yeah, in the end, there just wasn't enough space for everything to shine (though Ramsey was great, absolutely, alongside most everyone else).
That is the question, isn't it? I really enjoyed seeing Abby's perspective in the game but it is such a different experience, being actively in her boots for 20-30 hours, after the first half of the story and how it challenges the player's preconceptions: not just through the storytelling but the moment-to-moment gameplay, as well.
And seeing how this season stumbled? I do have my doubts that they'll be able to replicate that feeling/emotional shift properly, especially after such a hiatus, even if Denver more than has the ability to be a great lead.
So many great points here, Ryan. I have been listening to the companion podcast which has been helpful filling in some gaps, but does not honestly address the possible creative shortcomings of going from the medium of gaming to television. It is a very different perspective and while the writers and producers have done a good job with many things, as someone only choosing the story via television there are some emotional gaps. I appreciate the links in your piece. I have had a very hard time connecting with Abby. The golf club scene in the mountain home just didn't connect. Learning that Abby in the game has a much more menacing physicality was really helpful. That kind of brutality takes stamina and I didn't find the scene believable in the show. I hope and imagine that gamers feel deeply connected to Abby as her story has great depth. For me there is something lost in the translation of mediums. Right now I cannot imagine being invested in the story from her perspective. I of course will give it a go, but the investment isn't there for me. not yet anyway. I look forward to being surprised.
Chewing on it a little more, it seems pretty clear that the vocal minority pushback that coloured so much of the game's discourse, ultimately influenced the direction they took this season. I respect the decision, in wanting to protect the actors/creatives from unnecessary online abuse of course (unequivocally) but it also robbed them of so much heft and narrative weight.
There is more to be shown in Abby's story (and by design, you're supposed to find her unsympathetic, even after the protagonist switch - I do think you'll find a measure of investment in it) but over-explaining her motives so early definitely stripped away a good deal of her mystery, almost as if they were scared of leaving the audience to sit with any sense of nuance or grey area thinking for too long... and then making even the prospect of that investment a whole lot harder than it already is on the surface. I guess we'll see but it is pretty clear they've backed themselves into something of a corner.
Such great insights Ryan. It’s a sad day when creativity is stifled by ignorance and hatred. Also though the environment is real and I understand wanting to protect the safety of those involved. I had no idea the response to the storyline in the game was so suffocating. Ooof. I’m looking forward to seeing how the writers try to convince me to care about Abby. It’s is an interesting exercise connecting with a story that seems to be mostly about love and how we love where every character is ruled by a massive amount of grey area. It’s such a beautifully human trait to be imperfect.