The Last of Us:
The Complete Second Season review by Bobby Blakey
Video game adaptations are common these days with more and more finding their footing to deliver compelling films and TV series. In 2023 the hit game The Last of Us came to life in a new series on HBO MAX starring Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, and Rutina Wesley as Maria. Season two brought new cast members including Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, Jeffrey Wright as Isaac and Catherine O’Hara as therapist, Gail.
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The Last of Us follows 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. Season two kicks off five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.
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I never played the game so when I watched the first season I had zero
expectations. With all the buzz around it I guess I expected more because while I enjoyed most of it, I was underwhelmed with the final product. It just felt like a rehash of stuff like The Walking Dead, Jericho and Jerimiah. Not saying it ripped any of those things off, just more of the same stuff I had seen before with nothing that stood out. I didn’t have much excitement for this new season but hoped that maybe it would be able to step things up and build something off the finale of the first season.
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There are some big moments here and decent enough creature attacks, but nothing enough that made me ever really care. I found myself bored most of the time and every time it seemed like it was finding its place to pull you in it fell flat again. Even with a surprising event that shocked a lot of the fans it never brings anything more than that to the entire season. The season is made even more frustrating by the fact that Ellie is insanely annoying at every turn. Obviously, this is how the character is written this season and nothing to do with Ramsey’s performance but was irritating enough that was really to bail after the first episode.
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I stuck it out for all seven episodes to give it a fair shake in hopes that maybe there would be something in that final act that would pull it all together and make me want to see more. Sadly, it ended with a whimper and I still don’t care. Despite the shocking deaths and revelations there is nothing here that stood out enough to warrant me to return for a third season.
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I hope fans of the game enjoy it, but it’s not for me. Decide for yourself and check out The Last Of Us: The Complete Second Season when it hits 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.