THE STORY – After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.
THE CAST – Bella Ramsey, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Pedro Pascal, Gabriel Luna, Kaitlyn Dever, Catherine O’ Hara & Jeffery Wright
THE TEAM – Craig Mazin (Showrunner/Writer), Neil Druckman (Writer/Director) & Halley Gross (Writer)
When “The Last of Us” officially ended its first season, those familiar with the games dreaded what was coming ahead in the series. Playing “The Last of Us Part II,” a game that is equally innovative in its approach to storytelling and relentless with its hyper-brutal gameplay, made for an experience that hasn’t left people’s minds in the five years since its release. It was a game shrouded in controversy, partly for the bold narrative decisions Neil Druckman and his team at Naughty Dog stood behind. A large majority of its backlash was for all the worst reasons, whether it was gamers who lacked any sense of media literacy or unwarranted hate campaigns tearing down the most menial aspects of the story, such as a woman having large muscles. Regarding series adaptation, I may be in the minority here, where my opinion of “The Last of Us” series was that it was a debut season far unwarranted of the hype it earned. The first three episodes, mainly the universally celebrated Bill and Frank spinoff episode “Long, Long Time,” were everything I and many others could’ve wanted this adaptation to be before devolving into a far more uninspired retelling. So it’s to my surprise that not only is “The Last of Us” second season far worse, but a baffling misunderstanding of the material in almost every manner.
From the opening moments of season two, it’s clear that series showrunner Craig Mazin (and even Neil Druckman to a degree) doesn’t have faith in his audience to be on board with what will eventually transpire. Motivations are immediately spelled out as we see an aggrieved soldier, Abby (played by Kaitlyn Dever), becoming a mouthpiece for Mazin’s exposition, overtly spouting her motivations of retribution after the death of her father at the hands of Joel Miller (played by Pedro Pascal) at the end of last season. It’s clear that, unlike the game, Abby’s motives are revealed almost immediately to ease the blow of the inevitable killing of a character whose attachment to the audience is only bolstered by the beloved actor who breathes life into his live-action counterpart. It feels like a desperate play to still win over viewership long after the narrative moves past the need for Joel. This natural transition occurs relatively early in the season, as Pascal’s absence leads to Bella Ramsey’s Ellie becoming the story’s focal point. Ramsey stepping up as the series’ sole lead is a significant point not only for their career but also, in a weird way, mirroring Ellie’s journey of stepping into their own. Ramsey, who perfectly captured Ellie’s youthful and jovial nature, must be pushed to their limits this time. Ellie’s quest for revenge should’ve molded her into a bloodthirsty killing machine hellbent on eradicating Abby and anyone who stands in her path. We’re supposed to see the Ellie we know and love slowly transform into someone unrecognizable. Someone who we’re rooting for to the point where even we would have to question where the line should be drawn.
It’s meaty material enough for an actor of Ramsey’s caliber to really dive into. So why are those searing emotions that made for some of the most emotionally challenging material of the game almost absent throughout Ellie’s arc this season? None of it is at the fault of Ramsey’s capabilities as a performer, as the series allows them to have moments to shine, mainly towards the back half of this season. Where is the anger? Where is the rage? The complexity of a multitude of characters’ feelings comes off as watered down. It’s not an enjoyable experience to have to watch a pivotal moment, such as Joel and Ellie’s reconciliation, which becomes a rushed deluge of emotions, trying to hit every beat necessary. What’s worse is Mazin’s allergy to subtlety, which robs the magic from watching characters who dance around their feelings, having to explain things verbatim in hopes that the TikTok scrolling zoomer watching the show can be told how to feel.
To no one’s surprise, Mazin and Druckman bring new changes to the story, as one would expect when attempting to expand the narrative of the second game throughout multiple seasons of television. It also would be unimaginative to have a one-for-one recreation of the game. Yet many of the changes left many bewildered by how they impel these characters, as the long list of narrative or behavioral changes sometimes makes them almost unrecognizable. Whether it’s the restructuring of the Scars’s involvement in the story, giving Tommy his flamethrower hype and aura moment in exchange for his far more vengeful path (one that is akin to Ellie), or maybe the involvement of Catherine O’Hara’s Gail, Jackson’s resident therapist who has everyone talk about their feelings.
O’Hara’s involvement is that the overall story comes off as pointless, despite the good work she’s turning in, as in most of the new additions to this cast. Young Mazino and Isabela Merced make great additions to the ensemble, delivering nearly spot-on performances compared to their video game counterparts. Jeffery Wright, who reprises his role as Issac from the game, returns, albeit in a far more limited capacity, until season three rolls around. Tony Dalton and Joe Pantoliano, who both appear in the season’s best episode, “The Price,” turn in the most emotionally moving work. That episode, which was directed by and co-written by Druckman, is the closest this season has gotten to recapturing the magic of the series’ first three episodes, which is the perfect balance of straying from the original material and recreating some of the best moments. The series’s production quality maintains its high quality from the sensational makeup work, production design, and, of course, Gustavo Santaolalla’s flawless score, which is so ingrained into my perception of “The Last of Us.”
Even with the help of Druckman, the absence in this season of having a firm confidence in its storytelling, one that Druckman had with the game, is more than apparent. Many questioned if the structure of the game’s narrative would fit naturally into television, given how unsatisfactory it would come off to many. The time it takes to develop a television season on this scale would make many tune out to see the inevitable conclusion. It felt like that was an excuse for the series when, pretty early on in the season, it was shaping up to be the bare-bones retelling it was. Well, here we are seven weeks later, where the series confirms it is doing the Abby perspective switch next season and making it look like Mazin and company want their cake and eat it, too.
Maybe the material for the second game was always doomed for an adaptation. “The Last of Us Part II” works so well because it is a video game. People have to invest their time and attention in an experience that immerses them in a completely different way than the medium of film does (or, in this case, television). Those who experienced “The Last of Us Part II” are forced to challenge their own perceptions of character by being placed in their shoes and have to perform actions that possibly make them reevaluate themselves to a degree. Nothing is challenging about the second season of “The Last of Us.” Everything about this season is watered down in every way. Television has always been a launching ground for having some of the worst people become some of the best-written characters that people fall in love with. Don Draper, Walter White, Tony Soprano, etc. Somehow, the fear of making our series lead unlikeable for what she is about to embark on, not only this season but the next few, seems like a decision that not only affects my perception of Ellie in the series but also, along with most of the decisions Mazin goes with. There will be those who read this review who say to themselves, “Why are you constantly having to compare it to the game?” It’s supposed to be a separate thing. Sure, to a certain point, that’s not incorrect. Change from the original material is fine if it comes from a place of understanding the source material and honors the works it’s derived from. That can’t be said about “The Last of Us” season two, which is just a prestige drama going through an aggressive sophomore slump. As a feat of adaptation, it’s disappointing in nearly every merit. Purely from the lens of someone who consumes plenty of television, it’s a season that feels unfinished and unearned. Sadly, I’m not excited to see how everything else will probably be butchered in the upcoming third season.
THE GOOD – On a technical front, it never waivers, immersing audiences in this apocalypse and inhabiting the series with a bunch of new talent who mesh perfectly in this ensemble.
THE BAD – Craig Mazin’s narrative decisions and structuring of the second season feel like a failed attempt at capturing the complexity, emotions, and stakes that “The Last of Us Part II” game so excellently teed up.
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series & Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
THE FINAL SCORE – 4/10
