The Last of Us Season 2

Last weekend, the season finale of The Last of Us Season 2 was released on Max. Season 2 of The Last of Us continues the story of Joel and Ellie as they try to live semi-normal lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The first season of The Last of Us was one of the best shows of the year when it came out, so I was very excited to see how the second season was going to go. I have not played any of the games so I had no idea what to expect in season 2.

While I still thought season 2 was pretty good, it was a significant step down from season 1. On the positive side, I liked how this season chose to focus more on Ellie as a character and shows her grow from a 14-year-old girl into a 19-year-old adult and lets her become a more independent person outside of Joel having to protect her. We also get to see her explore relationships with different people than Joel as she learns her place in the community. I thought some of the new character additions were very well done. We get to spend some more time with Tommy and also get introduced to new characters like Dina and Jesse who are both key relationships in Elle and Joel's lives. This season also does a great job of delivering a ton of solid emotional moments especially early in the season that create great growth opportunities for the characters. The show also produces a few good zombie action sequences which in this instance was a step up from season one. Finally, I thought that episode 2 of this season was easily the best in the show so far. It has an epic zombie battle as well as packs some huge emotionally heart-wrenching moments.

However, there are some significant aspects that keep the season from being near the quality of season 1. The biggest thing is the lack of moments between Joel and Ellie. The first season was all about the journey these two characters go on across America and getting to see them grow closer. However, since this season starts with Joel and Ellie established in Jackson Hole 6 years after the events of the first season, that aspect of the show isn't there. You do get to see some aspects of the bond between them, but there are still large chunks of the show where the two are apart. Not having the two together puts a real damper on the season as neither character is as strong on their own. I also felt that the season felt a bit drawn out. The first game was adapted into season 1 but part two is planned to be split into three seasons which I think is a bit much. Because of these, it just takes a lot longer for things to happen as the showrunners are trying to pad out the episodes to make more seasons.

Overall, while I still thought that season 2 was a quality show, there are a lot of aspects that keep it from the highs of season 1. I hope season 3 finds its footing a little better and learns from this season's weak points.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B Recommendation: Check it out if you liked the first season