Opinion: “The Last of Us” season two surprises audience

“Well, that didn’t suck.” 

A surprise. That’s the first word that comes to mind. “The Last of Us” returns with its second season with much fanfare and worry, since the second season would be adapting the controversial second game. For better or for worse “The Last of Us: Part II” got people thinking and considering the consequences of the actions of the previous game, despite its pacing issues. 

It’s nice to say that this season has started with a pleasant surprise. Instead of slavishly recreating the second game, they instead remix certain elements and add depth to parts that weren’t covered in the second game, such as Ellie and Joel’s lives in the Jackson community. We see Ellie and Joel’s relationships with everyone in the Jackson community be given some more time to shine, particularly Joel trying to come to terms with his emotional turmoil and Ellie’s budding relationship with Dina. It gives some context for where our characters are at and makes the tragic events that will follow more poignant, because you can’t have a tragedy without having something that will be lost. 

Also to be commended is the acting. While Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal are not as magnificent as Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, they are very good as Ellie and Joel. Bella Ramsey has really come into her own as Ellie. There were times in the first season where it seemed like she was doing an Ashley Johnson impression, but Ramsey has made Ellie into her own here. But the actor who’s really surprised me so far is Pedro Pascal. He captures Joel’s taciturn, quiet nature here and despite all he’s been through, he’s at his core a sad, somewhat broken old man. You really see that in his eyes, you see all the history and everything he’s been through just in Pedro Pascal’s eyes and facial expressions. He’s genuinely one of the best in the business today. Some of the other actors are very good, such as Isabela Merced, who plays Dina. Her and Ramsey’s chemistry is off the charts. 

There are still some gripes of course, most of them minor. For instance, how come all these survivors know each other and know where they’re staying? Of course, the first question can be explained because of Joel’s mission in the first game/season, but it’s never really explained how Abby and her group managed to find where Joel was staying. Perhaps in the next few episodes, we’ll gain an explanation for it, but it’s something that can stretch the audience’s disbelief.  

“The Last of Us” season 2 starts out with some promise and even bucks some of the issues that plagued the source material. Hopefully this season will continue its good pace here.