‘The Last of Us’ Continued to Grow in its Second Season

When I last wrote about The Last of Us, the second season was only a pair of episodes old. Well, season two is now in the books, and we’re heading into some very new territory for the show. Spoilers abound for those who aren’t up to date, so fair warning, but here goes. For a show that began with the dynamic, like in the first video game of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) against the world, the next season is going to center, like in the back half of the second game, on Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and getting to know her. That was a shock to gamers (myself included) back then and likely was a shock to many on Sunday night, but it sets the series on its course, now entering a third and likely forth and final season. So, The Last of Us is halfway through, essentially, showing that it’s unafraid to boldly adapt the game, making for compelling television in the process.

In that prior article here, I spoke of where the show could be going, writing:

Now, we’re on the other side of what will go down for those who haven’t played the game as one of television’s more shocking moments of late. This past episode also introduced large scale action like the show hasn’t done before, while still keeping the human factor in play. The tragedy of Jackson’s breach is not ignored, even if it feels different from what the show has done previously. In a way, the runway is clear for what the show wants to do going forward.

The rest of the season, as well as the rest of the run of The Last of Us, will determine where the show ultimately resides. However, right now, it feels like a work of art. Maybe it bungles things going forward, but for me, I’m still blown away by what I’m seeing. As we transition towards more Dever and more Ramsay, with less Pascal, the show has a chance to continually surprise. I know I’ll be watching…

Folks, now that the season is complete, it’s clear that Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin are unafraid to grow the scale of the show as it progresses. Plus, while it frustrated some, choosing to leave answers about the larger war in Seattle between the WLF and the Scars is a bold choice, one that allows it to be an Abby-centric plot. Those who played the game will understand, but even just for viewers, they’ve left so much for season three to handle, while keeping their options open for season four (no spoilers in that regard, but I have my hunches).

At the same time, some of season two’s best moments were flashbacks to Ellie and Joel, or even just Joel, letting us keep him with us, much like she does. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to get more of Pascal in his best role to date. His murder was as devastating as expected, something a lesser show might not have been able to come back from. The Last of Us is not that sort of show, however, allowing the pain to be part of the brew that makes people keep coming back to the series.

I do think that season one was overall stronger than season two, but I don’t think that’s because of a drop off in quality. The novelty of seeing this adaptation work, on this scale, was nothing short of astounding. So, it perhaps gets extra flowers. This season showed that it can sustain, go in new directions, while still pretty faithfully adapting one of the great modern game franchises.

Once again, the first season raised the bar for video game adaptations, as I wrote here. In that piece, I said the following, in part:

I don’t watch a ton of television. Hell, I play more video games than have TV shows I consistently watch. Normally, video game adaptations are the realm of films, often to terrible effect. So, the fact that The Last of Us was not just a show I was interested in, but considered a must-see, was a rare occurrence. The game is among the best ever made. The show? Hopes were high, but anything was possible. Well, we were all in luck, because this wasn’t just a great adaptation, but an instant classic prestige drama series.

The Last of Us seemed like it could succeed for a number of reasons. One was that it was being made with more care than most game adaptations. Neil Druckmann, the man behind the game and its sequel, was shepherding it, as was Craig Mazin, who’d blown so many away with Chernobyl. The fact that HBO was investing so heavily in it was a good sign. Throw in terrific casting, up top with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the leads, as well as with a cavalcade of ace supporting players, including Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett (more on them later), and it was seemingly set up for success. But, would it work? The answer, as it turned out, was a resounding yes.

Episode Three is an out and out masterpiece. The most overt change from the game’s plot, this episode sidelines our heroes for much of the hour, focusing on Offerman’s Bill and the relationship only hinted at in the video game. Here, Bill and Bartlett’s Frank get to live out a life. It’s heartbreaking and deeply moving. For my money, it’s the single best episode of television that I’ve seen in a very long time. Yes, it’s just that good.

The finale proved as emotional and haunting as we’d expected. Those who hadn’t played the game were almost certainly shocked, while those of us who had were stunned that it was depicted so well. It’s brutal, powerful, and lingers with you long after the credits roll. The Last of Us spent nine episodes building up to this, and boy howdy did it ever not disappoint.

Season three being about Abby and her journey, post Joel’s murder, is going to surprise a lot of people. A lot of it will have to do with the empathy and pathos they’ll find within her and her friends, as their story mimics Ellie’s in some ways. Plus, having an actress of Dever’s caliber at the center is pretty nice as well. We’ll still see Ramsey, I’m sure, and maybe even Pascal a bit, but next season, it’s Dever’s time to shine as Abby.

Now, we’ll find out if this growth makes the show better, worse, or remains on its current quality run. Either way, it’s consistency hooked me, both with its game recreations, and especially when it goes off on its own new adventures. There isn’t a lot of television that I watch, but I sure watch The Last of Us. It’s one of the great series on TV right now, with no signs of letting up. There’s a long wait to come now, and while it’ll be excruciating, I know it’ll be worth it in the end…

Stay tuned to see what happens in Season Three of The Last of Us!