The Last of Us season 2 review

The first season of HBO’s The Last of Us wasn’t just one of the most impressive video game adaptations to date, it was also one of the most faithful. The show did a remarkable job of replicating the characters, locations, and moments of the game, to the point that it felt like it was just skipping straight to the cutscenes at times. Still, season 1 displayed flashes of its own storytelling, with episodes like “Long Long Time,” which expanded the post-apocalyptic world’s scope beyond the main story of Ellie and Joel. This helped the series feel both authentic to and distinct from its source material. Season 2 takes things a step further — it neatly follows a more complicated story, while also spending more time fleshing out the setting beyond its lead characters.

_{This piece contains light spoilers for The Last of Us show and games.}

While season 1 spanned the entirety of the first game, the second season only covers a portion of The Last of Us Part II. It’s seven episodes long, which covers roughly half of the game’s plot; co-creator Craig Maizin previously said the split was made because “the story material that we got from Part II of the game is way more than the story material that was in the first game.” (It also means the new season is shorter than season 1’s nine episodes.) After watching the entire second season, it definitely feels shorter, but it also ends at a place that nicely sets up season three.

If you haven’t played the game, the second chapter picks up after Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) pivotal decision, in which he “saves” Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from a group of scientists attempting to make a vaccine for the zombie-like infection that has ravaged this world. But they don’t get the chance because Joel kills everyone to get Ellie out of there, since the procedure would kill her. It’s a selfishly personal choice — rescue one person at the potential expense of humanity as a whole — to the point that Joel lies to Ellie about what really went down.

Fast-forward to season 2, and the pair are living in a relatively safe community in the remains of Jackson, Wyoming, while dealing with the realities of Ellie growing up. She wants more responsibility and maybe even has a girlfriend named Dina (Isabela Merced), and Joel isn’t dealing all that well with it. He even sees a therapist (Catherine O’Hara) in hopes of working through it.

Early on, though, those problems become a faint memory. The Last of Us’ second chapter is ultimately a revenge story, and after a key moment — I won’t spoil what it is for the uninitiated, but I will say it remains unchanged from the game — Ellie becomes consumed with the idea of revenge and travels to a dangerous, war-torn Seattle with Dina to get what she wants. That brings us to Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), the source of Ellie’s ire. In the game, she remained a largely mysterious force up until about halfway through, when things shifted and players saw — and played — things from her perspective. In the show, while there’s still some mystery to where she comes from, her motivations are made much clearer early on.

This doesn’t change the dynamic between Abby and Ellie; they still hate each other, and they still have their reasons to do so (whether those reasons are justified, of course, is pretty hazy). But it does help things move along a little quicker, and it fits better with a weekly TV show, where you can’t rush through the story to see what Abby’s deal is. The thrust remains the same as ever, with the two steadily inching toward an inevitable conflict, which means that this season is also likely to be as divisive as the game. If you thought Joel’s decision in the season 1 finale was challenging, oh boy, just you wait. I personally felt that The Last of Us’ second chapter was a difficult but effective way to explore the lasting impact of violence and anger, but it also turns its main characters into unlikable sociopaths, so your mileage will definitely vary.

What’s impressive about the show’s second season is how it maintains that same revenge-fueled storyline (or, at least, the first half of it) while also building on it. Since it’s a show, you’re not just playing from Ellie’s perspective like in the game, and so the rest of Jackson and Seattle get more attention. In addition to some new characters, like Joel’s therapist, there are pivotal storylines that don’t actually have anything to do with Ellie’s quest, but do put into focus just how dangerous this world is. You get to see a lot more of Jackson’s inner workings, while Seattle has become a battleground for two opposing forces: a militant organization and a group of religious zealots. Much like Abby, the groups’ motivations and backgrounds are made clear early on. Here, you not only see the gory, brutal conflict firsthand, but you also see the reasoning behind it.

What this means is that, even if you’ve already played the second game, there are still a lot of reasons to watch The Last of Us’ new season. It does an excellent job of rendering some of the game’s most touching moments — yes, there is plenty of guitar playing — while also putting Joel and Ellie’s story into the larger context of this world. And if you’re coming in fresh, well, season 2 is just the start of a brutal story — one that will change the way you see these characters.

_{Season 2 of The Last of Us premieres on HBO and Max on April 13th.}