WHEN POP CULTURE has given us so many stories about mass-extinction events in the past 15 years, is it still possible to tell one that’s surprising? That’s the question before HBO’s The Last of Us, an adaptation of the revered 2013 PlayStation game that follows a pair of Americans attempting to survive after a climate-change-fueled fungus turns much of the world’s population into zombielike creatures. The nine-episode first season, which debuted January 15, focuses on Joel (Pedro Pascal), a man who lost his daughter the night the pandemic began in 2003, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a teenager whose immunity to the fungus could be instrumental in finding a cure 20 years later. Joel is tasked with transporting Ellie across the country in search of a medical facility where she can be examined, a journey that features long treks through barren landscapes and moments of genuine horror whenever a “clicker”—someone so severely infected with mutated Cordyceps that mushroom blooms burst through their brain—jumps from the shadows to attack.
This story is from the January 16-29, 2023 edition of New York magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 16-29, 2023 edition of New York magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Our Campus.Our Crisis.
Inside the encampments and crackdowns that shook American politics.
Middle Management
A 40-something woman undergoes asexual awakening in Miranda July’s thrilling new work.
Return to Guantánamo
Serial dusts off American terror's old machinery.
Chekhov, Misfiring
An Uncle Vanya that’s all talk.
The Art World's Pot Stirrer Returns
Maurizio Cattelan’s first solo gallery show in more than 20 years is a provocative commentary on America’s ills.
On Normani's Time
Five years into her solo career, the pop star's debut album is finally imminent. She's not sorry for the wait.
French Quarter Seafood in Fort Greene
Lots of oysters and fillets of fish inspired by Nobu at Strange Delight.
Where Does the Wine Bar End and the Restaurant Begin?
Pét-nats, pan roasts, and a lobster on the loose at Penny and Demo.
Trial-and-Error Arcadia
Kitty Hawks and Larry Lederman's Chappaqua gardens have been a three-decade-long journey.
The Trash and Treasures of Temu
How are these headphones 4.98? And everything else you've wondered about the chaotic new Everything Store.