Review of the «The Last Of Us», 2 season

When he came out first season «The Last of Us»HBO actually did the impossible — adapted the iconic game so that it worked as an independent work of fiction, without the need to know anything in advance. Atmospheric, tragic, and entertaining at the same time, that season set the bar very high, turning an ordinary story about the infected into a painful meditation on love, loss, and morality in a broken world. The second season was released with a different status — not just a «among many», but the heir apparent to a strong story that is now obliged to develop rather than repeat itself. Did the creators manage to keep a balance between the game canon and their vision? Were they able to find a new focus without losing the old magic? And most importantly — are the new wounds worth the old scars that we have already managed to heal in the first season?

Pluses:

acting (especially Bella Ramsay), tight plot, solid drama, especially Ellie, continuation of Lore, music, quality action

Minuses:

the pacing drops, some dialogues and scenes look superfluous

7.5/10

Rating
ITC.ua

«The Last Of Us» / The Last Of Us

Genre drama, sci-fi, post-apocalypse, …
Project managers Neil Druckmann, and Craig Mezin
Starring Bella Ramsay, Pedro Pascal, Gabrielle Luna, Isabella Merced, Caitlin Dever, and others.
Premiere April 13, 2025

The second season of «The Last of Us» was supposed to be a blast. After the grandiose first one — atmospheric, tense, dramatic, — the sequel looked like a chance to consolidate the status of one of the best series of recent years. But instead of an explosion, the viewer got something else. Thoughtful, cruel and controversial. And although this turn may seem like a step backwards to many, it is actually a step sideways — towards a new tone, new meanings and new risks.

If the first season showed how to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, the second season asks: what is left of you in this survival? And what will revenge do to you?

This season doesn’t just change the rhythm, it changes the emotional optics. We walk less on broken roads (the focus is on two cities, one developing and the other, the destroyed Seattle), stop less often to look at the infected, and have almost no time to look at the details of the world.

Instead, the camera focuses on people, their internal fractures, their motivations, their rage and guilt. The series literally closes in on the characters — and this is its strength and also its weakness.

The game’s lore is revealed, but slowly: the viewer is introduced to Jackson City, hinted at new groups and clan structure, but it’s not done through thrilling episodes, but rather in passing, as a backdrop to the main story. And while this enriches the universe, the sense of an open, dangerous world that was present in the first season dissolves a bit.

Instead, the story becomes deeper in an emotional sense. There is a lot about loss — personal, sudden, irreversible. The series shows very clearly that quarrels, insults, silences can be the last ones, and this is a terrible truth. People don’t die when you have time to say goodbye. They die suddenly, leaving you with something you didn’t say. And against this background, the theme of revenge begins to flourish. When pain becomes a driving force, it is difficult to remain human. But it’s also impossible to stop.

This time, the series is not afraid of violence. Every blow here has weight, every death has a consequence. This is especially evident in the finale: nothing is forgotten, and everything comes back. And if someone thinks that the scenes of violence are just an attempt to shock, then no. This is part of the structure. Only through pain and blood in this world can you find out who you really are.

From a technical point of view, everything is on par again. The scenery, costumes, lighting, soundtrack – no complaints. The music by Gustav Santaolalla again catches the right notes — sadness, anxiety, and so on. The action scenes are staged clearly and without kinks — without chaos, with cool editing, realistic stunts and a sense of physical danger.

The cast pulls all this emotional weight with confidence. Pedro Pascal remains charismatic, even in scenes where his character has to be not a hero but a man with dirt on his hands. This man is able to convey the pain of his character with his eyes alone. Remember what Joel was like in season one: Pedro conveyed all the pain and burden of his character with a cold, almost glassy look, from the death of his daughter to the moment of Joel’s emotional attachment to Ellie. He is an incredible actor.

Gabrielle Luna adds depth to her character, who was more of a background in the first season. But the real centerpiece of the season is Bella Ramsay. Her Ellie is going through an inner hell this time, and Ramsay plays it subtly, without breaking, but with the truth that hurts.

And this is where I want to say something important: no matter how much the actress is hated, no matter how much people discuss her appearance or her correspondence to the image, the line has long been crossed. It’s okay to discuss the game. But harassing a person for the way they look is not criticism. It’s disgusting. Bella Ramsay is a great actress and she deserves respect, not hate. Please stop for a second and think about how a 19-year-old girl feels when she opens a comment or tweets with the appropriate hashtag. Bullying — is not okay.

And yet, despite all these strengths, the second season is inferior to the first. The atmosphere, the very nerve of the post-apocalypse, the silence before the shot, — all of this is either diminished or pushed to the background. Some storylines are noticeably drawn out, some dialogues seem unnecessary, and in several scenes the characters just «walk», without internal dynamics. This saps the pace and creates the feeling that the story could have moved faster and more decisively.

But despite this, the second season «The Last of Us» — is definitely not a failure. It’s a change of vector. It’s an attempt to talk about the difficult and unpleasant without losing respect for the original source. And although this part turned out to be less spectacular, it is perhaps more honest. Because in the end, the worst thing in a world where everyone survives is that no one can survive inside you.

Conclusion:

The second season of «The Last of Us» does not offer easy answers and is unlikely to leave the viewer with a sense of a complete story. Rather, it is a bitter, sometimes controversial stage with new layers of meaning and accents.

The post-apocalyptic atmosphere has become less noticeable, and the drama has grown in depth. If the first season was about how to survive in a destroyed world, the second season is about how to survive in a destroyed self. And although not all plot decisions look convincing, the acting, visual style, and honesty in depicting the consequences of — remain the project's strengths.

This season may not become a favorite among viewers like the first one, but it is absolutely necessary to prevent this story from turning into a beautiful but empty copy. Sometimes changing the path — is not a retreat, but the only way to get to the ending that really means something.