Day One

Lover of the game here. Let me start this off by saying that I'm not allergic to changes, matter of fact, I loved most that occurred in the first season, but these have all been for the worse, and I can't force myself to enjoy the show anymore.

There is a very fine line, and the show shines when it ADDS to the story (like Isaac's background), not takes away from it. All of these changes so far have been completely needless and even worse, they've sucked out all of the tension, sense of urgency, danger and all of the atmosphere that devs of Naughty Dog crafted so masterfully. Matter of fact, atmosphere is a HUGE part of the game and without it, a lot of story beats just fall flat. And it is ironic that one of the biggest criticisms for the game is the pacing, but the pacing of the TV show is incredibly worse and makes the game look even better.

What baffles me even more is that Neil Druckmann is involved. I haven't seen a writer as out of touch with his work as this but here we are. And I say this as someone who has him as one of my favourite writers. And before any one cries "hE iS nOt a CreDitEd wRitEr uNtiL ePiSodE 6", mate, if you don't think he had any say in the scripting process pre-episode 6, then you are delusional.

Had you asked me a year ago what TV show I think would sweep the Emmy's, I would've said TLOU, simply because Part 2 is one of my favourite stories in gaming. But if you asked me this now - I'd tell you that all 3 of Severance, Andor and The Pitt will comfortably share its awards.

Oh and let me quickly touch on Bella Ramsey. Thought she was excellent last season, but she is simply not up to par for the role now. The script and particularly the childish dialogue isn't doing her any favours, but the holes in her acting are glaring.

The show is essentially the "CW PG-13" version of the game and honestly, I feel bad for the TV only audience who won't know any better.

It was understandable that Episode 3 of S2 was a bit unexciting and uneventful as it followed the incredible, action-packed, emotional Episode 2, an episode that changed the course and dynamic of the show. Some time to regroup and refocus was needed and Episode 3 provided that.

Breath caught I expected Episode 4 to push ahead with plot development and action and show us where the show is heading. There is a great, protracted action scene that is edge-of-your-seat stuff. It also highlights the shows origins as a game as it feels like it could be straight out of a video game.

There's also an introduction to a character who is clearly going to play a major part in the show going forward. The fact that he's played by a known actor (Jeffrey Wright) gives it away.

Unfortunately, however, that's the extent of the highlights of Ep 4. Much of the rest of the episode is spent on the dynamic between Ellie and Dina and while this is not necessarily a bad thing, it just feels clumsy, contrived and boring.

This was always the problem with writing Joel out of the plot: Ellie isn't interesting and engaging enough to carry the show on her own and that's now coming home to roost. As long as Ellie remains the main character the show will always be a shadow of its former self.

I won't get into spoilers but seriously there should have been someone, anyone in the writers room to say something along of the lines of « hm, that sequence of events at the end between the two female characters feels forced and out of nowhere, shouldn't we rethink this? »

It makes no sense to the viewer so why couldn't the writers pick it up??

You know there's a problem when as a viewer I'm more interested in Jeffrey Wright's character and I roll my eyes at the main characters' actions.

C'mon writers, do better than this teen drama drivel.

My 6 rating is solely based on the action sequences that were outstanding, the character building of the two female characters, not so much.

As one of few people who liked TLOU2 video game, I start slowly disliking the show.

We waste time on cringy, I guess what are supposed to be "heartfelt moments", but we rush through the most interesting action sequences that the story had to offer.

So far there is nothing this TV Show in it's second season, would do better than the overhated game.

I see people who hated TLOU2 and they are starting to say the game was better.

The unnecessary changes are the most painful of all things.

Why did they decide to leave Tommy in Jackson? He was an integral part of the story in the games.

Why is the tone switched to "we are on a happy trip" from the grim and dark tone present in the game.

That was one of the reasons, why I loved The Last of Us Part II, the darkness, the violent scenes, constant fights between protagonists who were ON THE JOURNEY TO KILL 6 PEOPLE! Here it feels like we are watching Date Trip, some sort of extended Honeymoon.

And the "I'm gonna be a dad scene"... c'mon. The interaction between Ellie and Dina in the game during these reveals was way better and more human than what we have here.

Maybe Neil Druckmann deserves more credit than people give him, because he isn't writing these episodes, but he did write the game.

So, remember when The Last of Us was about surviving a terrifying world where danger was around every corner? When every episode had you tense, wondering who might not make it to the end? Lately, that edge is slipping. Fast.

The most recent episode felt less like a post-apocalyptic survival story and more like a very slow emotional drama. Not the good kind either. The kind where characters mostly just stare off into the distance, speak in half-whispers, and talk about their feelings for what feels like an eternity.

Look, emotional scenes can be powerful. A good story needs heart. But there's a difference between giving characters depth and completely losing the plot. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if next episode was just 40 minutes of people walking around silently, thinking about what they should have said one season ago.

And where did the danger go? Where are the infected? Are they on a break? Did they retire? Because the whole apocalypse angle is barely even showing up now. The tension that made this series unforgettable is being replaced with long pauses and moody conversations.

It's like someone tried to turn the show into a low-budget indie film about grief. Which, sure, could work in small doses. But when it becomes the entire focus of an episode, it's hard not to feel like the story is stalling.

Even the strongest characters can't carry a plot that seems to have forgotten where it was going. You can only do so much with sad music and slow camera pans before viewers start checking their phones and wondering if they accidentally put on something else.

The strange thing is, the show still looks great. The acting is solid. The world feels lived-in. But the pacing has ground to a crawl, and the intensity that once defined it is barely flickering. It's not suspenseful, it's just... quiet. Not in a thoughtful way. In a dull way.

Some fans might call this "character development." That's fair. But development doesn't mean nothing has to happen. We used to get gut-punch moments that moved the story forward. Now we get speeches and flashbacks that feel like they belong in another show entirely.

If The Last of Us wants to get back on track, it needs to remember what it's about. This isn't supposed to be a therapy session with end-of-the-world scenery. It's supposed to be raw, intense, unpredictable. Right now, it's just kind of sad and slow.

Hopefully this is just a blip. The kind of detour that makes sense later on. But for now, it's hard not to feel like the show is losing its voice. The drama's starting to outweigh the danger. The mood is starting to replace the momentum. And the audience is starting to lose patience.

Here's hoping the next episode actually brings the world back to life again. With some urgency. Some risk. Maybe even a little chaos. You know, like how it used to be.