The 5 best series released in 2023, according to Metacritic.
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Editor's Note:
The following article contains spoilers for the third episode of "The Last of Us," which premiered January 29 on HBO.
(CNN) --
If the hoopla surrounding "The Last of Us" has felt excessive for the first two episodes, the third installment of the HBO series lives up to the brunt of all the hype, claiming in advance what it will almost inevitably be discussed as one of the best hours of television in 2023.
Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett in the third episode of HBO's "The Last of Us."
(HBO Max)
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Developing a stand-alone story on the larger canvas of this zombie-ravaged, dystopian world, the show uncovers a tale of love and tenderness amid chaos and violence, while making extraordinarily good use of Linda Ronstadt's haunting ballad "Long , Long Time" just to point things out.
Almost like an episode of an anthology series -- imagine something like "Tales of the Last of Us" -- the centerpiece revolves around Bill (Nick Offerman), a surly guy preparing for the end of the world, which begrudgingly takes in weary traveler Frank (Murray Bartlett of "The White Lotus," who somehow seems to be everywhere at once these days).
After sharing a meal, Frank plays Bill's piano, kisses him, and ends up staying for, well, the rest of their lives.
That culminates with Frank falling ill, choosing to take his own life after a last sumptuous dinner, and Bill deciding to join him in saying goodbye to this cruel world.
"I'm satisfied. And you were my purpose," Bill tells Frank, who responds by saying, "I don't support this. ... But from an objective point of view, it's incredibly romantic."
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It did, and the strains of Ronstadt's voice should spark renewed interest in her 1970 hit faster than you can say "Running Up That Hill," the 1985 Kate Bush hit that received an unexpected revival thanks to " Stranger Things".
(HBO, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.)
The real emotional shock came at the end, when Joel (Pedro Pascal), who had met the couple, and his traveling companion Ellie (Bella Ramsey) find Bill's suicide note, in which he talks about "saving" Frank. and how her love for him changed her morbid and cynical outlook.
“I used to hate the world and was glad when everyone died,” he writes.
"But he was wrong."
The final shot, through the window where they were lying together, was the perfect ending to an almost perfect hour of television.
Thanks to its association with the award-winning game, “The Last of Us” was fraught with the kind of expectations that almost inevitably lead to disappointment or, once the media machine kicks in, harsh criticism.
However, the show has risen to that challenge, and while the third episode is probably the best of the nine, before the season finale it will have company that will at least come a little closer.
Joel and Ellie face new dangers, and the story will continue with the obvious announcement that HBO has renewed it for a second season.
Whether on its own or in that larger context, an episode like this is worth savoring as it defines the series for now, and maybe, for a long, long time.
The Last of Us