The Last of Us’ grumpy couple deserves their own HBO show

The sixth episode of HBO’s The Last of Us opens within the lifeless of winter, with shiny white snow providing a change of surroundings for the in any other case bleak and drab apocalypse the show depicts. But that’s not all that’s new — we’re launched to a pleasant couple in that snowy setting, who steal the episode with their surly attraction.

The couple, performed by appearing luminaries Graham Greene (Dances With Wolves) and Elaine Miles (Northern Exposure), solely show up for about 5 minutes, however they greater than take advantage of of it. Their chemistry because the couple Marlon and Florence is off the charts, and the benefit with which they joke with one another (and Joel and Ellie, undesirable guests to their snowy cabin) is an absolute delight.

Joel and Ellie have stumbled upon their cabin on their strategy to Wyoming and are searching for instructions to succeed in Joel’s brother. When Marlon enters the cabin, contemporary off a profitable rabbit hunt, Florence silently lets him know they’re not alone, giving him a glance clearly knowledgeable by their years being collectively. Moments like that and shared chuckles at Ellie’s teenage vitality communicate greater than phrases, and efficiently fill in their years of being collectively for the viewer.

The jokes preserve coming, too, counting on their particular relationship and the methods during which they needle one another to convey a much-needed degree of human connection to the show. Upon seeing Joel, Marlon asks Florence why she didn’t shoot him. Continuing to rock in her rocking chair, she deadpans, “The gun’s all the way over there. He didn’t hurt me, by the way.” Marlon says, “Yeah, I got eyes.”

Image: HBO

Later, Joel congratulates Marlon on discovering an incredible place to cover out in the course of the apocalypse, however Marlon says they’ve been right here since “before you were born, sonny. Get the hell away from everybody.” Florence shortly butts in with an “I didn’t want to,” prompting an exasperated sigh from Marlon that tells us this can be a dialog that has occurred time and again. It’s a pleasant window into a special means of dwelling than we’ve seen in most of The Last of Us, which has been full of individuals being merciless and egocentric for the sake of “survival.” Marlon and Florence remind us there are different methods to dwell with one another and the world round you, one thing Joel and Ellie be taught as soon as once more after they meet up with Tommy and the commune. What you worth in life is as much as you, and typically that’s simply dwelling within the center of nowhere with somebody you like.

The pair is to date in their own secure and blissful world that when Ellie brings up the Fireflies, Florence exclaims, “We get those in the summer.” Ellie responds shortly, “Not the bugs, the people.” Florence, wide-eyed, says, “There are firefly people???” earlier than each Marlon and Florence bust out in contagious laughter. Their issues are completely different and lighter than Ellie and Joel’s, one thing mirrored later within the episode when Ellie reads a teen’s diary from earlier than the apocalypse.

It’s particularly spectacular how Greene and Miles steal the highlight on this scene, as a result of the strongest factors of The Last of Us have been the quieter moments, when Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are hanging out and in a position to do their factor as performers. They’re fascinating display presences within the show when it permits them to try this (and this episode specifically is a standout for Ramsey), however nothing can come near what Greene and Miles are working with right here as Marlon and Florence. Their tangible chemistry and easygoing, grumpy sense of humor jogged my memory of my grandparents, and it’s one of the one moments within the show but the place I felt like I acknowledged characters as actual individuals I might encounter in our world. It’s humorous, nevertheless it resonates; it’s significant.

Sometimes, The Last of Us’ speedy pacing can detract from the show’s characterization, as the need to suit all the first recreation into one season of tv requires them to maneuver issues alongside shortly. Other instances, a five-minute glimpse provides you lots. This was one of these latter instances, however HBO, I’m not glad. Greenlight a show about Graham Greene and Elaine Miles being grumpy within the woods instantly.