The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Endure and Survive
We’re heading out of Kansas City on The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 5, “Endure and Survive.” There is a mix of childlike moments, moral dilemmas, and fight scenes that help create this pivotal episode.
Henry and Sam
The introduction of Henry and Sam provides a mirror to Joel and Ellie’s relationship. It’s interesting to see these pairs of father and child figures bond with each other. Seeing the kids get to be kids and Joel and Henry have a moment where they can stop and lay down their burdens is a huge relief.
It’s especially interesting to see Ellie and Sam form a bond. This is the first time we’ve seen Ellie with another kid and it’s sweet to see them bond over comics and play soccer in the sewer.
The moment that she realizes he’s infected and tries desperately to use her blood as medicine to help Sam is palpable. There’s so much hope in Ellie at that moment and watching the events unfold the next morning is devastating to that hope.
Underground Infected
Now halfway through the season, The Last of Us needs to up the ante. The infected fight scene is the perfect way to do that. Not only is the fight scene well-done, but it also gives viewers a glimpse of how society lost during the initial outbreak.
The way that the different infected bodies moved and the way each member of the party we were rooting for had to take cover gave the audience a real sense of fear.
Not to mention, the fact that, in so many ways, Kathleen’s shortsightedness also becomes their doom feels like a repeat of what it must have felt like after the initial outbreak.
Plus, the fact that Kathleen meets her end from a child clicker is just poetic.
Kathleen and Perry
While “Endure and Survive” has a lot of strong points, it also has a few weaknesses. Kathleen and Perry may have been a way into Henry and Sam’s story, but aside from Sam being the one who turned her brother in, their presence lacks something.
Melanie Lynskey’s performance walks a fine line between someone we can empathize with, and someone the audience wants to hate. While there are a few moments that give her some backstory, it doesn’t quite feel like she fits into the world like Sam or Henry does.
The same can be said for Perry. After the scenes with the insurgency, it feels more and more like these characters were just inserted and don’t blend as nicely as we’d like them to.
Stray Thoughts
- Am I the only one who kind of wishes we’d revisit the outbreak? I just want to see some of the aftermaths.
- I am very glad that if the production went with a deaf actor to play a deaf character. Keivonn Woodard is amazing on this episode and I hope that he is cast in many more projects.
What did you think of this episode of The Last of Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Last of Us airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO and HBO Max.
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Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.