(HBO Max)
San Juan; Texas — “Endure and Survive” focuses on Joel and Ellie meeting Sam and Henry, who are on the run from Kathleen who was looking for them the previous episode.
The brothers, Sam and Henry, were collaborators with FEDRA, who controlled Kansas City, until a rebellion by leader Kathleen took over with an iron fist.
The show then follows Sam and Henry as they join up with Joel and Ellie as they make their way to Wyoming where Joel’s brother Tommy is located.
The biggest difference between the game and the show is how Sam is deaf while he is able to hear in the game. This adds a more sympathetic layer to his character. This episode also adds the “Sewers” chapter as the underground tunnels in Kansas City serve as the sewers from the game. Also included is a blatant reference to Ish, one of the characters only referenced in collectibles in the video game. Another collectible referenced in the show are the “Savage Starlight” comics that Ellie finds in the underground tunnels.
As a bonus, the show also adapts the chapter called “Suburbs.” Especially the part where Joel has to outmaneuver a sniper perched on an old house. Finally, one of the best callbacks to the game was when Perry, the bearded character played by the original voice actor of Tommy from the game, gets killed by the bloater infected in the same way that one can die in the game. In my opinion, these small touches yet more fleshed out differences make this one of the strongest episodes of the series, especially due to the action near the end, and the heartbreaking scene of Sam and Henry dying.