HBO’s The Last Of Us TV adaption is nearly upon us. And it’s probably the most anticipated show of the year. However, its creators have stressed that the show differs from the popular games in a number of ways – including the show’s timeline. So, when is The Last Of Us TV show set?
After years of waiting, the new series debuts in just a few days. Reviews have started to roll in and the video game adaption is proving to be a hit with critics.
As of writing, The Last Of Us stands at a whopping 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. This makes it one of the highest rated video game adaptions of all time. But fans aren’t convinced the show will do the legendary PlayStation games justice.
The Last Of Us TV show tells the story of Joel and Ellie, two survivors of a worldwide pandemic caused by the contagious Cordyceps fungus.
Like The Last Of Us games, the show picks up a number of years after the onset of the pandemic and the world has been devastated. Millions are dead and millions more have been transformed into zombie-like creatures called “Infected”.
Joel and Ellie come together to embark on a journey across post-apocalyptic America. However, they must overcome the deadly Infected and merciless killers along the way.
As mentioned, The Last Of Us TV show timeline differs from that shown in the games. In fact, it takes place years apart.
So, when is The Last Of Us TV show set?
When Is The Last Of Us TV Show Set?
“Outbreak Day”, the day the pandemic starts in The Last Of Us games, takes place in 2013.
The first game’s prologue shows Joel and his daughter Sarah as the world collapses around them.
The main portion of the game picks up in 2033, twenty years after the events shown in the prologue. However, this isn’t the case in the new TV show.
When is The Last Of Us TV show set? The HBO adaption is set in 2023, twenty years after the apocalypse began in 2003. This means events in the TV show take place ten years earlier than shown in The Last Of Us video games.
We know this because set pieces (as seen below) show the year as 2003 – the year the pandemic started.
While the timeline has been shifted a decade into the past, the ages of the characters appears to be consistent with the games.
Just like in the games, Ellie is a teenager in the TV adaption. Joel also appears to be the same age. He is 52 in the first The Last Of Us game.
This change has clearly been made to bring the TV show’s events in line with the real-life present day. However, this means that the world will look slightly different in the new adaption than it did on consoles.
What do you think about when The Last Of Us TV show is set? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other Film & TV articles…
