Neil Druckmann

Hello. Hello. Hello. I'm excited to unpack episode three of season two. And just for those listening, there are spoilers ahead. So if you haven't watched the episode yet, please, by all means, stop listening to this. Go watch the episode and then come back and join us for the rest of the conversation. This episode is called The Path. It was written by Craig and directed by Peter Hoare.

Hello. Hello. Hello. I'm excited to unpack episode three of season two. And just for those listening, there are spoilers ahead. So if you haven't watched the episode yet, please, by all means, stop listening to this. Go watch the episode and then come back and join us for the rest of the conversation. This episode is called The Path. It was written by Craig and directed by Peter Hoare.

And I want to point out, boy, we just get right into it. Yeah. Cool. So the episode starts with these epic shots of Jackson in the aftermath. Not only the attack on Jackson, but also the attack on Joel. Yeah. We see this very somber, almost ritualistic thing that's happening between Tommy and someone underneath the sheet that we can assume is Joel. We see the wrist and the watch.

And I want to point out, boy, we just get right into it. Yeah. Cool. So the episode starts with these epic shots of Jackson in the aftermath. Not only the attack on Jackson, but also the attack on Joel. Yeah. We see this very somber, almost ritualistic thing that's happening between Tommy and someone underneath the sheet that we can assume is Joel. We see the wrist and the watch.

Tommy begins doing this beautiful cleaning of the body. And he says, give Sarah my love. What were both of your mentality going into this episode, obviously knowing what would follow after episode two? Was there hesitation? Was there trepidation? Was there excitement? What were you feeling going into episode three?

Tommy begins doing this beautiful cleaning of the body. And he says, give Sarah my love. What were both of your mentality going into this episode, obviously knowing what would follow after episode two? Was there hesitation? Was there trepidation? Was there excitement? What were you feeling going into episode three?

Out of that beautiful line, give Sarah my love, the camera begins to move back. And we see that it's not just Joel and Tommy that are in this room, but there are the bodies of presumably everybody that died in that attack.

Out of that beautiful line, give Sarah my love, the camera begins to move back. And we see that it's not just Joel and Tommy that are in this room, but there are the bodies of presumably everybody that died in that attack.

And we cut from there straight into another person that was deeply impacted by this death, and that's Ellie.

And we cut from there straight into another person that was deeply impacted by this death, and that's Ellie.

It seemed to me like, Neil, this is kind of an opportunity to explore the psyche of the character that is impacted by that. Can you talk to me about the development of this specific scene of finding Ellie in the hospital? Because it's quite different than the game.

It seemed to me like, Neil, this is kind of an opportunity to explore the psyche of the character that is impacted by that. Can you talk to me about the development of this specific scene of finding Ellie in the hospital? Because it's quite different than the game.

And we cut from that moment straight to three months later, where now Ellie is raring to go. But there's one more person that she has to see, and that's Gail.

And we cut from that moment straight to three months later, where now Ellie is raring to go. But there's one more person that she has to see, and that's Gail.

Gail keeps pressing this notion that Joel wronged Ellie. What is she getting at?

Gail keeps pressing this notion that Joel wronged Ellie. What is she getting at?

You definitely see someone who is quite adept at working the system. This is a kid who has been in front of a counselor before, and I say this, then you say this, and then I say this, and you go, okay, and you get me out of here. That specific line that she says where your final moment with someone doesn't define your whole time with them. Let's talk about that as a thesis statement.

You definitely see someone who is quite adept at working the system. This is a kid who has been in front of a counselor before, and I say this, then you say this, and then I say this, and you go, okay, and you get me out of here. That specific line that she says where your final moment with someone doesn't define your whole time with them. Let's talk about that as a thesis statement.

Ellie's the one who interjects that notion.

Ellie's the one who interjects that notion.