The Last of Us season 2 review: "Brilliant and visceral but fails to capture the magic of season 1"

The Last of Us season 1 may very well go down in history as not only one of the best video game adaptations ever made, but one of the best dystopian sci-fi shows of all time. Following the events of Naughty Dog's hugely successful game – The Last of Us Part 1 – the first season told the story of a grief-stricken smuggler and a stubborn orphan who, in a world ravaged by disease and overrun with half-dead humanoids, formed a beautiful and unlikely bond.

That story continues in The Last of Us Part 2, but it takes a turn for the worst, and becomes an unimaginable tale of loss and revenge. Season 2 adapts the second game over seven tumultuous episodes, but rather than picking back up after the harrowing events of the season 1 finale, we stay close to the source material and jump forward five years to an angry, 19-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and a hardened, defeated Joel (Pedro Pascal).

Along the way, we’re introduced to a new crop of characters, including the mysterious Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her merry band of ruthless pirates as well as new Jackson residents Dina (Isabela Merced) and Jesse (Young Mazino). Yet, despite similarly brilliant performances and visceral scenes of devastating violence, The Last of Us season 2 otherwise fails to capture the magic of season 1.

Something beautiful but annihilating

Right off the bat, it’s not hard to notice the sheer amount of talent that’s been added to the cast: each new performance, no matter how small, stands out in its own special way. But there are two in particular that I can’t stop thinking about: Dina, who is hard-headed and heart-driven, and Isaac (Jeffrey Wright), who only knows how to inflict pain and fear.

Dina and Ellie start out as friends, but the two slowly and organically develop something more – and their relationship becomes the brightest light in this dark, dystopian world. Joel and Ellie may be the heart of season 1, but Ellie and Dina are the heart of season 2. Merced and Ramsey have undeniable chemistry, and play off of each other in a way that truly incites joy in the viewer. Ellie is hard-headed and strong-willed, sure, but Dina is that and more – and isn’t afraid to give her a much-needed reality check.

Wright, who also portrays Isaac in The Last of Us Part 2, more than lives up to his terrifying video game counterpart. From the minute he arrives in a particularly explosive scene to his nauseating torture of a young Seraphite, it’s more than clear that the infected are no longer the scariest creatures in this universe. Forget running from snarling mushroom zombies, running into Isaac is so, so much worse. It’s these bone-chilling moments that bring us back to the brutal reality of the series and remind us that, no matter how many happy, fleeting moments are sprinkled throughout the chaos, nothing and no one is safe.

That being said, the action and violence in this season are so dark and devastating that I’d go as far as to call it delightful. And by that I mean, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (the latter of whom created The Last of Us video games) did not hold back when it came to capturing the gore that runs rampant in The Last of Us Part 2. Not that HBO has ever been one to shy away from violence, but it’s important to note that scenes of absolutely sickening, unimaginable cruelty are central to the game – especially given that the game is a controlled narrative, rather than an open-world, and that the player is forced to make these choices and watch these scenes – rendering them as helpless as the viewer watching the show.

If I ever were to lose you

The crux of the season is an unimaginably devastating event, and one that changes Ellie’s personality, motivations, and entire reason for being. Instead of getting straight to the action, the show does a lot more telling than showing, and moves slowly through quite a bit of exposition. We learn that Ellie and Joel no longer have the close, father-daughter relationship that we saw in season 1 but we aren’t told why as the writers obscure key elements of their dynamic, holding details for later on.

Without giving too much away, Mazin and Druckmann make some key changes to Ellie and Joel's relationship from the game. Yet instead of enhancing and deepening the story in the way that episodes like the Bill and Frank narrative did, these alterations are not as satisfying. From a character perspective, Joel in season 2 feels more flawed, perhaps to add more emotional weight and intensity to the story overall. While it definitely resonates with Joel’s colder video game counterpart, it feels like a departure from the softer, and arguably more likable Joel that Mazin and Druckmann recreated for the screen.

I understand how difficult it must be to not only adapt a video game for the screen, but to capture the same emotional intensity as the video game’s story and gameplay. Part of what makes The Last of Us Part 2 so intense and unique is the duality of playing as Ellie and Abby – their stories contrast, yes, at the end of the day they aren’t so different after all.

Season 2 seems much more interested in tying up the loose ends of Joel and Ellie’s story, with Abby acting as more of a vehicle to move the plot rather than as a new and important main character. It doesn’t help that there are only seven episodes in season 2, and that the ending feels short and abrupt – and ends on a cliffhanger that doesn’t really feel earned.

The Last of Us season 2 is good, but, unlike its predecessor, it fails to be great. The magic of season 1 is there, but it just doesn’t hit the same. It’s devastating and visceral, with gorgeous performances from Ramsey and Merced, but Pascal and Dever are underserved. Not to mention that we move through what feels like more of a preview of The Last of Us Part 2, rather than the actual adaptation. I have high hopes for what’s to come, but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed in the on-screen story and the choices that were made. Still, we endure and survive.

The Last of Us season 2 is out on April 13 and available on HBO and Max in the US, and Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK. For more check out our guides to the best Max movies and the best Max TV shows to stream right now.