Welcome back to the Pod Cast of Us. Episode 7 of The Last of Us takes us back in time to the beginning of Ellie's arc as it pertains to our main story. Joel is gravely injured from the fight with the raiders and implores Ellie to go back to Tommy in Wyoming. While debating whether or not to do as he says, Ellie remembers her last "normal" days in the FEDRA school she was raised in. Still the trouble-maker we all know, she laments her disappeared best friend Riley. When Riley re-appears one night, she and Ellie share a magical and meaningful night in an abandoned mall, where revelations and actions will have consequences that reach far beyond their stolen night of fun. It's an episode that deepens our understanding of Ellie and why she continues to stick with Joel in the face of death. Join Joel, Alex & Philip as they break down everything from the episode! __________________________________________ FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS! https://www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network FIND US ON FACEBOOK! – https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork FIND US ON TWITTER – https://twitter.com/frontrowreviewz FIND US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/frontrownetwork __________________________________________ Please enjoy this episode of THE POD CAST OF US and as always, we’ll see you in the front row!

Welcome back to the Pod Cast of Us. Episode 6 of The Last of Us deepens our understanding of our main characters and raises the stakes for not only them but a whole new set of characters. Joel and Ellie continue their trek West but Joel is having a crisis of confidence that is starting to manifest in panic attacks. Against all odds, they find Joel's brother Tommy in the secluded and thriving town of Jackson in Wyoming. As Joel tries to convince Tommy to join them on the way to the Firefly base in Colorado, Ellie learns about what happened to Sarah forcing she and Joel to confront their deepening trust in each other. It's an episode filled with emotional reveals and raised stakes as our heroes get closer to their goal! Join Sara & Jeremy as they break down everything from the episode!

Welcome back to the Pod Cast of Us. Episode 5 of The Last of Us ratchets up the action and gives us another heart-wrenching turn in our story. While hiding from Kathleen and her army, Joel and Ellie are found by Henry, the person Kathleen is looking for, and his young brother Sam. Together they plan their escape from Kansas City. But with Kathleen hot on the trail, will they be able to avoid the militia and the threat of the infected to escape? This harrowing episode has action and drama to spare! Join Alex & Philip as they break down everything from the episode!

Welcome back to the Pod Cast of Us. Episode 4 of The Last of Us moves us further along in Ellie and Joel's journey west. After shoring up supplies from Bill and Frank's compound, their relationship deepens on the open road. Learning to like each other, their mettle is put to the test when they encounter something unexpected in Kansas City. Can Ellie and Joel survive this new threat? Join Jeremy & Sara as they break down everything from the episode!

Welcome back to the Pod Cast of Us. Episode 3 of The Last of Us is getting rave reviews and it's not hard to see why. When a stranger approaches his compound, survivalist Bill forges an unlikely connection. Later, Joel and Ellie seek Bill's guidance. Join Alex, Scott & Ryan as they break down everything from the episode!

Welcome back to the Pod Cast of Us. Episode 2 of The Last of Us opens up the horrors of its world for all to see, but not before showing us the terrifying nature of its inception. This week brought a more in-depth look at post-apocalyptic Boston as well as more details about what exactly has happened to the planet. Join Alex, Scott & Ryan as they break down everything from the episode!

In the premiere episode, we are introduced to a world ripped apart by a fungal infection that has turned most of the human race into zombified monsters interested only in spreading the infection. In this world is Joel Miller, a man who has been hardened by this world but is an expert smuggler. When he is tasked with transporting young Ellie by the resistance leader, Joel and Tess must brave the terrors outside the walls of the quarantine zones and the militarized FEDRA to perhaps change the world for the better. Jeremy, Alex & Phil lead this first episode as we react to the production value, the incredible performances and the similarities between this adaptation and the game that spawned it.

Check back every Tuesday for the latest episode of "The Pod Cast of Us" after show from the Front Row Network and NPR Illinois. We'll be dropping our review of Episode 1 on Tuesday, January 18th. Until then, enjoy the audio of the full trailer in this preview episode.