Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Marvel's Spider-Man Secret Lair promotional image

    Get a Look At the Secret Lair x Marvel’s Spider-Man Superdrop

    09/08/2025
    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions gameplay still

    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Is All About Adventure (with Friends)

    09/08/2025
    Chord in Persona 5 The Phantom X

    Now Is The Perfect Time To Jump Back In ‘Persona 5: The Phantom X’

    09/05/2025
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » TV » REVIEW: ‘The Last of Us,’ Episode 8 – “When We Are In Need”

REVIEW: ‘The Last of Us,’ Episode 8 – “When We Are In Need”

Collier "CJ" JenningsBy Collier "CJ" Jennings03/05/20234 Mins ReadUpdated:03/25/2023
tlou ep 8
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

The Last of Us Episode 8 — But Why Tho

The Last of Us Episode 8, titled “When We Are In Need,” delivers the series’ most chilling hour to date. As Joel (Pedro Pascal) lies on death’s door, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) continues to fight to keep him alive. She soon crosses paths with David (Scott Shepherd), the leader of a small settlement that’s close to where she and Joel are hiding out. But there’s a dark secret hiding underneath David’s seemingly friendly exterior, and soon both Joel and Ellie find themselves fighting to survive once more.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Once again, the bulk of the episode’s emotional weight falls on Ramsey, who’s proven that they are more than capable of carrying it at this point. But this time, they get to show how much Ellie has grown under Joel’s tutelage. A scene where Ellie hunts down a wild deer features the character using the same hunting techniques that Joel did, and when Ellie encounters David and one of his followers, the young teen keeps them at gunpoint the whole time. When they are in danger, Ellie crafts a clever strategy to outrun pursuers and keep Joel safe. Ramsey delivers a multitude of emotions throughout the episode, switching through them with ease. One minute they’re staring down the barrel of a rifle with an icy glare. The next, they’re recoiling in horror as Ellie discovers the horrors the captors are capable of.

Pascal also gets his moments to shine, particularly at the end of the episode. Joel is possessed by a calm, chilling fury when he learns that Ellie is in danger, and that fury leads to some particularly horrifying moments, especially when he corners two would-be assailants. Through all of the bloodshed that occurs, Pascal keeps his face fixed in a rigid glare. It’s enough to send chills down the spine of even the strongest viewer – and doubly so when you remember that this is one of the series’ protagonists. The fact that Pascal is willing to dig this deep into Joel and expose the character’s darker layers proves that he was the right man for the job.

However, the standout of the episode is Shepherd. Throughout the episode, he peels back the layers of David’s methodology and what’s underneath isn’t exactly pretty. But what makes it truly scary? His calm, almost genial demeanor. One minute, he’s delivering a sermon (appropriately enough from the Book of Revelation) about how the Cordyceps virus is but a trial for mankind to survive, and then he’ll turn around and backhand someone for speaking out of turn. Throughout it all, his facial expression never changes and his voice rarely raises its octave. The show previously explored how other survivors can be just as much of a threat as the infected, but Shepherd takes that to the extreme.

Director Ali Abbasi and co-showrunner Craig Mazin work together to make The Last of Us Episode 8 a well-oiled machine. Mazin’s script builds up the tension, especially during the sequence where Ellie has to protect Joel. You can almost hear a pin drop as hunters stalk through the house the duo is hiding in. Abbasi helps by letting the visuals do most of the talking. A room is awash in flames as David hunts Ellie, symbolizing the chaos broiling underneath the supposedly peaceful surface of his settlement. A dead deer lies in the snow, its gaze boring into the viewers’ eyes. But Abbasi saves the best moment for last when Joel and Ellie finally reunite. His camera lingers on the duo as they embrace, Joel hugging Ellie tight, with assurance that things are okay. It’s the perfect catharsis for such a harrowing hour of television.

The Last of Us Episode 8 blends horror and heart together for its penultimate episode, resulting in an emotional roller coaster. The stage is set for the finale and given how the series has gone so far, the finale will probably break viewers’ hearts or leave them begging for more. Or both.

The Last of Us airs new episodes on HBO and HBO Max every Sunday.

The Last of Us Episode 8 — "When We Are In Need"
  • 9/10
    Rating - 9/10
9/10

TL;DR

The Last of Us Episode 8 blends horror and heart together for its penultimate episode, resulting in an emotional roller coaster. The stage is set for the finale and given how the series has gone so far, the finale will probably break viewers’ hearts or leave them begging for more. Or both.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Attack on Titan THE FINAL CHAPTERS,’ Special 1
Next Article REVIEW: ‘The Tale of Outcasts,’ Episode 9 – “Bullfight”
Collier "CJ" Jennings
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Born and raised in Texas, Collier “CJ” Jennings was introduced to geekdom at an early age by his father, who showed him Ultraman and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a copy of Giant Size X-Men #1 and dove head first into the realm of pop culture, never looking back. His hobbies include: writing screenplays and essays, watching movies and television, card games/RPG’s, and cooking. He currently resides in Seattle.

Related Posts

Helluva Boss Season 2 But Why Tho
9.5

REVIEW: ‘Helluva Boss’ Season 2 Is A Deeper Dive Into Love And Power

09/11/2025
Helluva Boss Season 1 Episode 7 But Why Tho
9.0

REVIEW: ‘Helluva Boss’ Season 1 Is Full Of Violence, Chaos, And Heart

09/11/2025
Sandra Yi Sencindiver stars as Yutani in Alien Earth Episode 6
9.0

REVIEW: ‘Alien: Earth’ Episode 6 — “The Fly”

09/10/2025
Task promotional key art featuring Mark Ruffalo from HBO
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Task’ Episode 1 — “Crossings”

09/08/2025
Aneesha Malik in Invasion Season 3 Episode 3
9.0

RECAP: ‘Invasion’ Season 3 Episode 3 — “Infinitas”

09/07/2025
Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 3
9.0

RECAP: ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Episode 3 — “Another Rick Up My Sleeve”

09/06/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
The Long Walk (2025) film review promotional image
9.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘The Long Walk’ Is The Most Heartfelt And Heartbreaking Stephen King Adaptation

By Kate Sánchez09/11/2025Updated:09/11/2025

The Long Walk is a brutal watch. Equally heartfelt and heartbreaking, it’s one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

EA Sports FC Icons Match promotional image from Nexon News

2025 Icons Match Returns With Football Legends Bridging The Pitch And Video Games

By Kate Sánchez09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

NEXON has announced the return of the ‘2025 Icons Match,’ a live event that brings a full roster of legendary players to the pitch.

Gojo Jujutsu Kaisen - But Why Tho (2) Features

Everything To Know About Satoru Gojo

By Kate Sánchez09/07/2023Updated:02/16/2025

Satoru Gojo is the heart of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 — now, heading into Cour 2, here is everything you need to know about the character.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here