We, The Infected

I expected it to be “LTROI in name only” but while it’s considerably different I still recognize the original story.

I’m okay with most of the changes… the dad is probably the one who feels nothing like the original Hakan character but I understand why they didn’t want any pedophilia.

I do think they missed an opportunity for Eli at least dealing with her gender that serves as a nod to the themes in the book. Maybe not having castration but making the character gender-fluid at least. But the actress is pretty good so far. She feels like Eli even though the circumstances (she’s not hundreds of year old) are different.

At this point the Oskar character is way too ‘nice’… no stabbing trees or having murderous fantasies. Maybe that will change.

The completely new stuff with the scientist I’m still on the fence on but again I guess for a series they need to add stuff.

CyberGhostface wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:43 pm

I expected it to be “LTROI in name only” but while it’s considerably different I still recognize the original story.

I’m okay with most of the changes… the dad is probably the one who feels nothing like the original Hakan character but I understand why they didn’t want any pedophilia.

I do think they missed an opportunity for Eli at least dealing with her gender that serves as a nod to the themes in the book. Maybe not having castration but making the character gender-fluid at least. But the actress is pretty good so far. She feels like Eli even though the circumstances (she’s not hundreds of year old) are different.

At this point the Oskar character is way too ‘nice’… no stabbing trees or having murderous fantasies. Maybe that will change.

The completely new stuff with the scientist I’m still on the fence on but again I guess for a series they need to add stuff.

I agree. But I think, at least in the series, Isaiah being nicer fits the overall theme better. Mark, Eleanor's father unconditionally loves his daughter, who is not as jaded as Eli had to be after being a Vampire for so long. But she comes across as being just as lonely.
However, I do take issue with some of the violent scenes, which are often over-dramatized and darker than necessary, IMO - so much so that they detract from the softness of Isaiah's and Eleanor's growing relationship. Also there's a bit of deus ex Machina in a scene where Eleanor saves Isaiah from hecklers in Episode 2, which, combined with poor transitional dialogue, irritated me a bit. A few more back and fourths in the conversation between the two of them and the hecklers/audience would have been an easy fix for that scene, which fell flat, at least for me.

I'm kind of intrigued that it's really focusing in on the caretaker roles as a whole. And not just with Mark but also the Pharmaceutical subplot which is also very much about "who will take over when I'm gone?"

Weirdly enough, the pharmaceutical subplot is once again playing with the care taker aspect in a way that I didn't quite expect from it. Which actually made me a little more interested in that plot thread come the end of the 2nd episode. I'm still not sure I trust Matthew (Nick Stahl)...I have a feeling something is up with him

As for Isaiah, I do agree he is way too nice, dorky and I really don't see him being the type with blood lust. Which sort of makes me wonder how are they going to develop the relationship between Isaiah & Ellie. More importantly will it fall flat because of that or will they find a way to let it blossom?

I mean book Oskar was downright mostly disturbed...it made complete sense why he and Eli saw each other as equals.

Film Oskar still had those tendencies and was weird in his own right but still likable. Again, made sense to me why Eli and Oskar saw each other as equals.

Owen was a nice kid playing pretend to release his frustrations before being coaxed to the dark side by Abbey - sorry LMI fans but I do believe Abbey coaxed him more than not.

And as for Isaiah? He is a nice, dorky, well meaning kid...with zero hint of blood lust so far.

I would say Ellie's intentions are mostly the same as Eli (and to some degree Abbey)...she too is a lonely kid shut off from the outside world due to her predicament. My only question is will Isaiah and Ellie move me in the same way that Oskar and Eli did and that still hasn't been developed yet. And will friendship ultimately be developed to the point where I could believe Isaiah abandoning everything for Ellie. (depending on whether or not that's the route this goes.)

Although if I do have one complaint to make so far, I do think Ellie's predicament is kind of lost when they have her going out and about interacting with the public so much. I mean I will admit, seeing her at the talent show in Episode 2 was a moment of "remember when they actually had to keep their presence a secret in the book?" I get it, they're trying to "settle down" in this series but still, it was kind of amusing to me to see the stark contrast of Eli hiding in the shadows where as this Ellie is just out in public eye. I guess it makes sense, they're trying to blend in instead of sticking out like a sore thumb by being recluse and it is a city environment so I guess it's less easy to suspect them but still. It's just kind of amusing to see that contrast from book Eli to this Ellie.

Isaiah and Ellie are cute but they're not Oskar and Eli. That's where I'm interested to see Isaiah's development as this series goes on. I do like that the bullying is getting slightly worse with each episode though. I assume at some point he's going to be physically attacked.

It is indeed Let the Right One In in name only, but somehow I'm still in after the 2nd episode. I'll never say its on the level of Alfredson's film any day of the week. Nor will I even say it's on the level of Lindqvist's book. But it is doing its own thing. It is taking inspiration and going in its own direction. I'll give them credit for that. There is still enough of the core story in here just presented in a new fashion and so I'm still in.

I'll evaluate it in full at the end of the season. It could get better or it could get worse from here. Right now I'm still in the mid ground not entirely hating it and still kind of intrigued by it. All I know is I'm interested to see how they develop some of these plot threads.

But man, one thing is for sure. If anyone goes into the book based on their first experience being this TV series then they are in for a hell of a rude shock as to just how different they are in content <laughs>

In my view, unfortunately (for me) it is LTROI in name only.

I saw the first episode and totally hated it
They basically killed every signature in the original story.
The intimate-small atmosphere (Blackeberg, Eli+Oscar and a group of neighbors and nothing else)
Eli-Hakhan's dark mutual parasitism (the show's happy daddy-day care is atrocious)
Eli himself, this is just a normal Dafne Keen/Millie Bobby Brown-esque little girl with vampirism. I understand what they were looking for, but it's awful.
The survivor aspects of the characters.
Oskar bleakness and isolation
Not Tommy, not a bunch of alcoholic simpletons, crazy cat senior, instead some well-dressed adult character that I didn't care for at all.
The MYSTERY! where's the magic in this stuff?? (other than the kid's magic tricks) Oskar and Eli first encounter in both the book and the movie was magical/etheral and iconic.

As for the technical aspects, the CGI was terrible and the photography/atmosphere uninspired. The scene where Eli comes out after the window was a lame attempt to imitate Alfredson (not to mention the shoddy cgi)

I'd forgive them if they at least called this something else, just don't call it Let The Right One In.