Since the end of the first season of The Last of Us have passed more than two years. And for the two exhausted post -apocalyptic heroes of the series, the taciturn Joel (Pedro Pascal) and his replacement daughter Ellie (Bella Ramsey)), it was even longer. When the second season begins, a lot happened between the two. And they go through a difficult time. They don’t talk much together. And spend more time with the other residents of the walled community of Jackson in Wyoming.
“But I’m still me. He’s still Joel. And nothing will change that,” says Ellie.
What the second season of The Last of Us Supposed is that maybe something changes becomes? And not necessarily to the advantage of the series.
There was Easter Eggs for fans of the game. But the game was not treated as a mandatory reading for non-gamers
The first season of the HBO drama Was a miracle. It was the adaptation of a popular video game that worked as a captivating character study. The action was reminiscent of the gameplay. Without the viewer felt bored because he couldn’t control what the heroes do to survive an attack by the zombie -like “infected”. There was Easter Eggs for fans of the game. But the game was not treated as a mandatory reading for non-gamers. And there were two spectacular appearances by Pascal and Ramsey. It referred the idea that you cannot make great art from the material of a game.
The season was also relatively compact. Although the story of Ellie and Joel von Boston led to Salt Lake City, with many detours on the way, it was almost always about the two. The only important exception – the highly praised third episodean unlikely post -apocalyptic love story between two of Joel’s friends – was also mainly a duet. No matter where Ellie and Joel traveled, no matter how many monsters they faced – whether infected or completely human – the series always acted on their relationship. And like each of them helped the other to overcome past trauma.
Pascal and Ramsay had the kind of chemistry that most productions could not even dream of. In the story of the series, Ellies Superkraft consists in the fact that by chance at birth, they are immune to the Cordyceps infection that everyone else gets when they are bitten by one of these unholy mushroom-like creatures. Bella Ramsey’s superpower, however, is that she expresses all the emotions of Ellie with such force, with Ellie’s veneration for Joel as strong as her anger over the different horrors that she endorels.
Much less common scenes from Ellie and Joel
The first season was pretty loyal to the game. So also the second one, which is about the first half of the game The Last of Us 2 covered. (Both were produced in cooperation between the TV veteran Craig Mazin and one of the creators of the game, Neil Druckmann.) That means much less common scenes by Ellie and Joel. A more extensive side line -up. And an action that is more surprising, what happens, why and how we should feel.
This type of ambition, instead of simply resting on the laurels of the last success, is usually commendable. This change of the focus we get some excellent content. Especially from the new supporting actors Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced and Catherine O’Hara. Ramsey is still captivating when he plays Ellie as an open wound. Pascal still has some nice moments when Joel is fighting to get in touch with Ellie again. And if the series wants to spice up the spectacle, it does this with a measure of size and execution, sometimes with game of Thrones competed.
But there are also some strange problems with the pace and perspective. The season ends frustrating. And whenever we get a look at or indicate that Ellie and Joel were together in better times, it is difficult not to wish that the series is still mainly about the two. And not for all these other people and problems.
Life is not perfect, but compared to the outside world is relatively safe and calm
The season begins with a review of the immediate consequences of the events in the final of the first season when Joel massacrated a hospital full of people, who hoped to be able to create a cord for cordyceps with an unconscious Ellie in mass production. What Joel rejected when he learned that Ellie would die. Joel lies over what happened. She makes him suspicious. Then we see the survivors of this slaughter – led by Abby (Dever) – who swear to take revenge on Joel by all means.
Then five years have passed. The two are now fixed components of the Jackson community, which is led by Joels sister -in -law Maria (Rutina Wesley). As a former building contractor, Joel helps to expand the city in order to be able to accept more refugees. Ellie is now regularly on patrol. Often together with Joel’s brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) or her best friend (and not so secret enthusiasm) Dina (Merced). Life is not perfect. But relatively safe and quiet compared to the outside world. Joel even has time for regular therapy sessions with the psychoanalyst/alcoholic Gail (O’Hara) based in the city to reconcile with Ellie.
In such a reality, this paradise can only last a limited time. And in a series that is not about to radically into a post -apocalyptic version of Gilmore Girls to transform. Abby’s group is still out there. Just like all other infected and other human political groups that are still presented. Violence and terror will soon come. Then to argue about how to react to it. And then Ellie is as stubborn as always. Regardless of the consequences.
Dark Ellie
The new characters are used well. Just like characters with expanded roles like Tommy and Maria. Dever may be better known for comedies like Booksmart Or the Tim-Allen-Sitcom Last man standingbut with Justified,, Unbelievable and Dopesick She also has a remarkable dramatic curriculum vitae. Although she is a few years older than Ramsey, she is about the same size. And can radiate just as much anger. Abby is a different body type in the game. But in the series she is treated as Dark Ellie. Which means something when you consider how dark the actual ellie is from the start. With this mostly dramatic performance and its role in Apple The Studio Shows Catherine O’Hara that she can be as interesting as a relatively reserved characters as Moira Rose Skin it creek. As Ramsey’s main partner in the scene for a large part of the season, Merced has to perform an almost impossible task. But you and the authors also make Dina and your trip captivating.
It is never enough to bring these people or their problems to life completely
But it also feels as if there is exactly the wrong amount of several other new characters. Jeffrey Wright in particular as Isaac, leader of a group of survivors based in Seattle. Here and there we get short insights to explain some of the things that Ellie knows nothing about. But it is never enough to fully bring these people or their problems to life. The final indicates that the third season will deal much more with this side of things. But in a way it might have been better to show only the things that the characters from Jackson see and know in this season.
Above all, however, it is the lack of Ellie and Joel that, although it is still strong overall, prevents the season from reaching the highlights of the first year. In the style of the romance between Bill and Frank, for which Nick Offerman received an Emmy as a guest actor in the first season, there is an episode that reveals a lot of what Joel and Ellie drove in this five -year gap. It is a welcome change in a season in which a large part of the episodes only comprises a few days. And it is an excellent presentation for Pascal and Ramsey. Maybe too excellent. As good as the newcomers are, so tense and frightening and excitingly a large number of the set pieces, it is difficult to break away from the flashback episode without wishing as much of these two characters in the immediate vicinity.
However, these are the cards that Druckmann has distributed itself when the second game was written. The Last of Us Play these cards as much as possible. Especially in the way the cycles of abuse and trauma research. And how injured people hurt others. But as a genre show that always puts interpersonal relationships with blood and guts, it is disappointing that there is so little of the strongest relationship between everyone.