The Last of Us’ Sophomore Season Remains a Disappointingly Cluttered Mess
Image Courtesy of HBO
By Luis Zonenberg
When taking into consideration all the various series that came out last year, there were certainly a couple that ruffled a few feathers in the TV discourse. Perhaps the most notable of these shows was The Last of Us, with the show’s sophomore season choosing to adapt about a third of the controversial video game, The Last of Us Part II. The latest season proved to be polarizing for many fans, dividing many critics and audiences, myself included. I thought it best to revisit this season and see why it became divisive for so many people, though I feel I may already know.
The story focuses on Ellie (Bella Ramsey) struggling to adapt to her new life in Jackson, Wyoming, especially due to her now-strained relationship with Joel (Pedro Pascal). After Joel stands up for her when she’s being harassed by one of the townspeople, Ellie says she would like to try to mend the relationship. After Joel leaves for patrol with Ellie’s friend Dina (Isabella Merced), things turn for the worse as a large horde of the infected arises and begins to attack the town.
Fearing that Joel might be in danger, Ellie races out to his last known position but finds herself cornered by a group of former fireflies led by the vindictive Abby (Kaitlyn Dever). They pin her down, with Abby taking revenge on Joel for the death of her father as she beats him to death with a golf club. After recuperating in the hospital, Ellie struggles to cope with Joel’s death and teams up with Dina to track down Abby in hopes of avenging Joel once and for all!
There are two main problems I found with this season, one of which is the pacing. The placement of the episode “Through the Valley” especially highlighted this, since it was structured more like a season finale but dropped right after the first episode of the season. On top of that, you don’t get any explanation as to why there is this friction between Joel and Ellie until the sixth episode, long after his traumatic death. Because of this, the emotional stakes feel more hollow and cliché since it wasn’t presented in a way that the audience could feel them grow apart over time.
The other core problem is the sudden shift of the narrative. Once Joel is out of the way, the show loses the heart of what made it so great in the first place: this inseparable bond between Joel and Ellie. Without it, the show deteriorates into merely a knockoff of The Walking Dead and becomes just another revenge quest we’ve seen millions of times before. The real insult to injury here is that right when this storyline gets going, it ends just as abruptly. What should have felt like a gnarly cliffhanger of a finale felt more like taking a break from the second or third chapter of a long book; it’s just more underwhelming than nerve-wracking.
Thankfully, most of the cast does a superb job of elevating this subpar material. Pedro Pascal continues to showcase his range, nailing the rustic nature and psychological trauma his character had to endure. Isabella Merced and Kaitlyn Dever proved to be great additions to the cast, bringing a good amount of heart and tension to the table. The actor who struggled the most was clearly Bella Ramsey, who is written to be a much older and more jaded character than she appears to be. Because of how close this was filmed to the first season, it makes it more awkward when they have to “age her up” and have her act more tough than she had to before.
The cinematography was absolutely brilliant throughout the season, proving this show can pull off incredibly action-packed set pieces while still nailing the more intimate aspects as well. From capturing the wide landscapes of the snow-covered Wyoming to a slew of the infected chasing people through the remains of Seattle, there is no shortage of well-choreographed visuals to behold. The photography perfectly fits warmly into the TV format while simultaneously challenging it!
The makeup and overall VFX were just as good, if not better, than the previous season! The additions of the newly advanced infected and the way they are designed allow them to look so realistic, they’re just terrifying to look at! The practical effects and makeup perfectly fit the raw nature of the series, making it feel like you could really see people wounded or infected with the cordyceps fungus. The makeup and VFX continued to impress me throughout the entire season!
There is certainly a good amount to praise on the technical side of things, but it all comes apart when you see how disorganized this season really was. The poor structure and severe tone shifts did a lot of damage, deserting the heart of the show for more action-packed set pieces and typical zombie carnage. Had the show taken the time to show the deterioration of Joel and Ellie’s relationship and close out the season with “Through the Valley,” I feel this show would’ve fared better with critics and audiences.
While not without its technical merits, The Last of Us forsakes the heart and soul of its previous season for a more action-packed outing that will certainly leave many fans disappointed by the end.
All episodes of The Last of Us are now streaming on HBO Max.
Rating: ★★ ½ of five
