Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft Season 1 2024

 

“Survive.”

“Look at you. Without revenge and anger driving you, you are nothing”

“Promise me something, don't make the same mistakes he did. If this is the life you've chosen, don't do it because you’re running away from the things that are hard. The people we love are the treasure you will never find in a tomb.”

I think there's something to be said about learning from our mistakes. Not just a. reorientation of knowledge, but a true change that allows us to grow and succeed in areas we could not before.
If you grew up in the 90s, as I did, Lara Croft may not come across to you as the most wholesome and upright of examples. Her adventures were sold to teenage boys on the grounds of sex appeal and edginess that screamed 90s attitude. In short, if you were a teenage boy these were games you would never show your parents. At least that is how publisher Eidos wanted you to think of them. How they got the games into your hands. Though in reality Lara's adventures were far more nuanced.
The sex appeal is there of course, but when you roll back the stone and enter the tomb you discover that developer Core Design is really granting you access to something unique. Laura's original foray into the unknown is a thoughtful meditation on the power of discovery and the importance of contemplation. In other words the game is a really well-designed puzzler that strips out all the noise, allowing you to think and contemplate your actions as you try to navigate its tombs.
Lara’s original expeditions were calls to adventure in the traditional and contemplative sense. They asked us to think about the world. In order to understand it enough to proceed. In essence adventures became avenues for imagination and discovery. This was amplified in my case, by the fact that these expeditions were never taken on alone. In my house Lara was always accompanied by one or two spectators. My dad would be playing the game, and my brother, sisters and I, would be watching him. Discovering the wonders of antiquity with Lara was one of our nightly routines. A tradition that has remained in my heart for many years. Its impact on me is far too dense to elaborate on at this time. For now, I think it suffices to say that Lara, and her adventures were staples in the Quense household. To us these games evoked a sense of wonder and discovery. A far cry from what the '90s marketing machine would have you believe.
Enter Crystal Dynamics, They have been granted the keys to Lara's adventurous spirit for more than 18 years now, and in my humble opinion you could not ask for better caretakers. Crystal Dynamics have thrown open the doors and allowed a broader audience into the world of Lara Croft. They took what Core Design built in the 90s and excavated it further. Delving into what makes this storied adventurer tick. They have not recreated Lara, as much as allowed her to show her true self. A self that has always been there mind you, but it has been hidden away behind 90s attitude.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is then a real gift. this Netflix show opens the door even further, allowing those who are not normally inclined to pick up a game controller to experience Lara as a person with flaws and passions. In short, a three-dimensional person. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft gracefully continues Laura's story from the end Crystal Dynamics's Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Yet if this is your first foray into the adventures of Laura Croft you're not going to be lost. Lara’s story is engaging no matter what your entry point is. In the first season of the show they focus on the trauma of loss and the necessity of friendship.
Don't be mistaken, the show is also an exciting globetrotting adventure, filled with Chinese mythology and intrigue. Though, let's add even more to that shall we. This particular adventure is a meaningful dive into the corrosive nature of revenge, and the need to come to peace with our inner pain. All of this is uniquely housed under the umbrella of three artifacts that excite and illuminate Lara's exuberant personality.
This exuberant passion, a love for the unknown and the ancient. Evokes what I believe to be a tenant of Lara's personality. A reason for why her story has endured for so many years. She never judges or speaks down to. Instead, Lara learns from the people that she meets and the artifacts she attains. She may not believe in everything that encounters. But, she respects those who do. Our world is not solely made up of what we can see. Lara takes that reality to heart, even if she does not fully understand it yet. In a sense Laura's current personality marries the two eras of Tomb Raider. Both Core Design And Crystal Dynamics are spoken for in the way that Lara perceives the world. She learns before she proceeds, and so she is able to find common ground in order to move forward.
Tomb Raider: the Legend of Laura Croft is the continuation of an almost 30 year legacy that is still going strong. It is a meaningful summation of what came before, but also an insightful step forward. Showrunner Tasha Huo and her team offer us another fascinating glimpse into the life of adventurer Lara Croft. Where you may discover, that more often than not, the hardest artifacts to excavate are the ones buried within ourselves.

Rated TV-14 for Blood, Gore and Violence

I found Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft to be extremely entertaining, meaningful and thought-provoking. I hope in some way you do too.