The Last of Us - Season 2

Yours truly had so many conflicting thoughts about The Last of Us: Part II after finishing it that I had to play through it a second time before ending up calling it a masterpiece in my review. It's rather fitting then that I had a similar experience with The Last of Us: Season 2, even if the second viewing of the show didn't change my opinion as dramatically as the game.

Because I sat there kind of disappointed when the credits for episode seven rolled across my screen the first time. Some of my favourite scenes, plot points, and more from the game have either been changed or aren't even included in The Last of Us: Season 2, so I was befuddled. Why did they do this and that differently? Going through it a second time, knowing what to expect, gave me some answers. Those of you just looking to see the game's story retold by Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Kaitlyn Dever, and crew won't get it, but my advice is to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Think of it as a slightly tweaked, alternate universe version of The Last of Us: Part II. Doing that made me appreciate this season on a completely new level.

Getting to see what happens when a person is replaced by another in certain moments, something completely new occurring, timelines changing, and stuff like that is rather interesting and fun. Many of these tweaks have been made to compress several key moments from the long game into a TV show that doesn't have time to linger and dive especially deep into many things. This makes certain aspects of the show feel rushed. A weird thing to say when there are also scenes I would call unnecessary. One of these is basically a "Hey, remember this group? They're bad. Okay, see ya" moment. Maybe it's something we'll see referenced in what's obviously an already greenlit third season, but it seems out of place here and made me wonder if I had skipped a scene or something.

Part of the reason for this is that you're not getting a "Long, long time" (the one with Bill and Frank) episode this time around. Season 2 is spreading these kinds of side stories throughout each episode instead. It works fairly well, as most of them are really fascinating for both hardcore fans like me and new viewers looking for even more world building. Whether it's learning more about characters from the game or what happened between the two games. That way I can live with one or two of them being badly timed and/or just laying the groundwork for season 3.

Especially when the show continues to build upon its strengths. Ramsey does a great job as Ellie, even if a pivotal scene highlights what a brilliant actress Ashley Johnson (with some help from the animators at Naughty Dog) is, as Ramsey doesn't quite manage to create the same kind of impact as Johnson did in the game. The young actor has truly grown into and become Ellie, while Pascal gets to show his amazing range in everything from light-hearted banter to tear-jerking scenes that will lead to him being nominated for a bunch of prestigious awards again. Top this with a plethora of astounding supporting actors and Dever being so good that she to some extent justifies the show changing Abby's physique (and with that her backstory in a way), and it's safe to say you won't have a problem finding your favourite characters to love or hate.

Those of you who complained about the first season not having enough infected will also be happy. The second season doesn't just include some of the most action-filled parts of the game, it also adds a couple of new ones. One that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and another that brings more infected and guns than the entire first season in total.

To cut my rambling short: The Last of Us: Season 2 is definitely a must-watch if you liked the first and/or the games. An incredible story has been slightly altered and shortened, something that might make it feel a bit rushed and shallow for fans, but it's still great television. Amazing acting, thought-provoking moments, suspenseful action, and a fascinating world makes it very understandable why the final episode will make millions of viewers cry out for Season 3 (or curse HBO for not calling this The Last of Us: Season 2 - Part I)...