The bookends of this episode were the best parts. The main storyline played like filler. Next week's episode should be rock n roll.

Yeah, this felt like half of an episode. The more interesting aspects imo would've been what happened afterwards... connecting up to the first episode... maybe we'll still see that.

FWIW, the Ellie and Riley story, which was also titled “Left Behind,” was a separate downloadable story that was released a year after game.

It was good to see Storm Reid get the chance to do something besides cry in a bedroom which is pretty much all she does on Euphoria.

I kind of liked the episode even though it did feel like filler. It was interesting to see more of Ellie’s backstory. I was a bit upset seeing the preview for this episode because I wanted to see the resolution to what’s going on with Joel but it was still a good episode.

I guess I don’t have a problem with the episode itself but I always hate it when a show is just starting to hit its high gear and then it stalls to give a “filler” flashback episode.

Also, I know I’m getting old when the entire time Ellie and her bestie were running around the mall I kept thinking, “it’s getting pretty late, Ellie really should be getting back to her room soon.”

Not to delve into spoilers for the game (I know there is a thread for that), but I only ever made it halfway through the first game (just didn't have the time to devote to it). So a lot of the content of the show is new to me, including this one (which is a DLC released after the first game)

So I've been watching some of the game on YouTube after each episode, just to see the similarities. And wow, in many cases, the scenes in the show are really similar (if not exactly the same), even down to the dialogue. I say all this as a compliment to the game, because it really has some heavy moments and scenes that are rare in the video game format.

Thank you! I was wondering who that was. The whole time I was thinking, "she looks like the girl on Euphoria, but I know it's not Zendaya".

When Ellie covered a shivering and exanguinating Joel with his jacket, I screamed at the TV, "No! That's a $2000 coat!!".

IGN and a couple other places have been putting videos on their Twitter page with the scene from the show and the game playing next to each other.

I liked this episode. It helped fill in some of Ellie's back story (including her training as a cadet - it helps explain why she seems pretty confident and competent on this journey for such a young age). I like to see how characters got to where they are in their stories. I like the flashbacks because we get something other than "the road" and the "problem of the week" they are dealing with. And the fact that they included my favorite arcade game of all time, Mortal Kombat II, was icing on the cake.

Yea it was really cool to see REAL arcade games in the scene instead of the made up ones from the DLC in the game. Only thing I don't like about this show is not enough them fighting the enemies from the game. Feels more like they're on a hike that fighting for their lives.

I felt like this was more of an origin story than a filler episode. The episode that had the love story between the two men felt like filler because it had very little to nothing to do with the storyline at all.

This ep was ok. Didn't hold me like other eps, but understood the need for it.

True. That was a fantastic episode but also felt like filler to me. I think I’m far more tolerant of “filler” episodes with longer seasons. They feel a lot more obvious and jarring to me when the season only consists if 9 episodes. I find myself more frustrated that time is being spent on them.

Of course, on the other hand, good TV is good TV whether it’s an episode I consider “filler” or not so maybe I should just enjoy the ride rather than becoming impatient.

This was the most "Walking Dead"-like episode yet.

Again, despite knowing the story, this was a well done and heart-wrenching episode. I was just shocked at where it left off. Surely they will pick up that thread and tie it to how Ellie meets Marlene.

I'm trying to figure out if we are going to reach the end of the game in Season 1. There are only two episodes left, and it feels like a whole lot to pack in since we took an episode out for the DLC.

Or maybe that's because the next episode was the section of the game that pissed me off the most (frustratingly difficult). One of my housemates was trying to walk me through it ...

(Not really a spoiler, but just in case.)


For those lamenting the "lack of zombies" ... keep in mind that they aren't zombies. People don't come back from the dead, so not every body becomes infected and turns into one.

Couldn’t her friend have chopped off her hand or shot off her hand? I forgot the rules for this world.

So what do you call a alligator wearing a vest? Never got the answer.

An investigator

There's not much to left to cover IMO.

A good episode overall despite what we knew was eventually coming.

I thought it was good. Sheesh people are so damn picky. I bet if they just stuck to the story and finished in 5 or 6 episodes people would be upset that they didnt add to the story.... lol

Very cool that they named the episode the same as the DLC.

Man, Mortal Kombat II and Joust...I would have been in heaven.

The biggest problem with everyone doing season long story arcs these days is that it seems viewers have no patience any more for episodes based on character. That's a shame.