Conception and writing {{Multiple image |align=right |direction=horizontal |total_width=300 "When We Are in Need" was written by
The Last of Us series co-creator
Craig Mazin and directed by
Ali Abbasi. Abbasi was announced as one of the show's directors in April 2021. Mazin chose to open the episode with David reading
Revelation 21 as it relates to the new world exceeding the old one, and dealing with grief and tragedy. The scene in which David and James attempt to kill Ellie was written similarly to the game as Mazin found it "so visceral". The decision to move Joel and Ellie reuniting outside the restaurant (as opposed to inside, as in the game) was partly logical—the fire and lock would have prevented Joel from entering—and partly to demonstrate Ellie's ability to physically save herself before Joel saves her emotionally. Series co-creator
Neil Druckmann, who wrote and co-directed
the video game on which the series is based, felt the effectiveness of the series—like the game—hinged on the viewer feeling the emotion between Joel and Ellie in the conclusion; he considered it effective, as he cried heavily while watching the episode.
Casting and characters Bella Ramsey, who portrays Ellie, found production on the episode "exhausting" but among their favorite on set. They held a real rifle in the episode and struggled with its weight; some of these moments were included in the episode to reflect Ellie's struggle. Ramsey felt Ellie was attempting to imitate Joel in those scenes, particularly in her handling of the gun and attempts to sound tough. For the scene in which Ellie kills David, Ramsey said that Ellie "learns that she really has this capacity for violence", which she finally expresses; they thought Ellie "scares herself because it felt good". Ramsey considered it a
turning point for Ellie, and felt the character would have
post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of her experience. , who played
James in "When We Are in Need", portrayed
Joel in
the video games.|alt=42-year-old man looking to the left of the camera In June 2022, Druckmann announced
Troy Baker—who portrayed Joel in the video games—would feature in the series; his character name was revealed in December. Mazin and Druckmann considered Baker's inclusion in the series important due to his proximity to the games; meanwhile, Baker never assumed he would be involved in the series, except perhaps as a
cameo appearance like a clicker. Upon being approached by Mazin and Druckmann, Baker did not initially remember James from the games; he was surprised by the character's significance upon reading the script. Baker did not want to portray James as a villain but as someone with truth and empathy, reflected in his inability to shoot Ellie when prompted. He considered James a
pragmatist who believes "David is
the Devil" and, as a result, wants to remain on his good side; when Ellie's capabilities threaten to usurp James's position alongside David, he becomes defensive. Abbasi directed Baker to pray in the opening scene, but Baker suggested otherwise, noting James "thinks it's all bullshit". He felt James was likely preparing to enter law enforcement when the outbreak occurred, supporting his experience with weaponry and demonstrations of morality. Prior to the announcement of
Scott Shepherd's casting as David, rumors suggested Baker would play the character, but he felt it "would've been too on the nose". Shepherd's casting was revealed in the first trailer in December 2022. Druckmann felt the series allowed a deeper look into the character's complexities than the game; he and Mazin wanted to humanize David in his initial interactions with Ellie, before revealing more of his true actions when he slaps a young girl. Druckmann found David's goal of producing offspring through violence representative of some
organized religions, and Mazin noted his goal to "secure a future" reflective of
the ideologies of
white supremacists.
Filming Nadim Carlsen worked as
cinematographer for the episode. Production took place in
Okotoks, Alberta, in early 2022, with preparatory work from January 31 to February 6, including the addition of trees, grass, and snow. The area was closed to the public from February 4, and filming occurred from February 7–12, with some traffic disturbance. Clean-up took place from February 13–15. Fake horses were spotted on set. Okotoks residents noted that the production brought increased business to the area, with 28 storefront businesses supported by the production, leading to in revenue for the town. Three or four large
fans were used to imitate heavy snowfall; the temperature was around . Production moved to
Waterton Lakes National Park from February 14–18, with on-set vehicles featuring Colorado license plates. Production occurred over winter while the park was closed, and some cabin interiors were used. Production designer John Paino and his team constructed the steakhouse where David preaches; Paino wanted its symmetry to reflect a church. == Reception ==