Day One

Unfortunately, Episode 4 continues the issues that have plagued the series so far most notably the portrayal of Ellie. The decision to bring this version of Ellie to life just doesn't work. The actress simply cannot carry the emotional weight of the character. Her performance feels hollow, forced, and at times almost like bad cosplay rather than a grounded, complex portrayal. There's a lack of depth, presence, and rawness qualities that Ellie demands, and here, they're sorely missing.

It's hard to stay immersed when every dramatic moment is undercut by a performance that lacks authenticity. It constantly pulls you out of the story, making it difficult to care about the emotional beats.

Beyond that, the pacing continues to be painfully slow. With so many key events to cover from the game, it's genuinely hard to believe they'll manage to wrap things up meaningfully in such a limited number of episodes. The slow pace might have worked in another context, but here it just makes the stakes feel diluted and stretched thin.

Disappointing overallespecially for fans who know how powerful this story could be.

This show has gone downward. I liked season 1 because of the tense father-daughter relationship between a rough and protective older man on one side and a vulnerable teenager on the other side. Joel's character actually carried the show. The makers of the show must have known that. Since there were some changes made to the original game story, they could've kept Joel's character for at least one more season and give him a more meaningful death.

Now the focus is apparently on a love story between two young women, a relationship that has no real tension. They are very alike, even have the same height. As does Abby. All small and thin but able to carry guns and fight much taller and tougher guys and zombies. I'm not saying that there is bad acting. I think a much bigger problem of the show is the obvious miscast.

Anyway, I'm not as intrigued in the show anymore, so I can say: "This was the last of episodes for me."

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 am giving this a 4 star because of the action scenes, production, scenario, no one can deny how amazing they created the atmosphere of the game, and everyone who is working on it, deserves many awards. I also want to say I have never played the game, and I loved season 1, watched it more than twice waiting for season 2. Unfortunately I think my journey stops here, because there is a serious problem when the two main characters this season (Dina and Ellie) start to be portrayed awfully. Did they forget they are in an apocalyptic environment surrounded by not only monsters who can infect and kill you but also by crazy organizations formed by the most cruel human beings? I don't think is the actresses fault, it is really the script, the two characters and their lines, as well as their relationship, all completely superficial, out of place. When they are together it really seems like an awful teenage soap opera. In fact this two are 19, they can hardly be seen as teenagers, they are adults, but they behave like they are 12. One of my favorite episodes of season 1, is the one Ellie is playing around with her crush/friend at the mall. Nothing seems superficial in this episode, you can see the connection between the characters and you can see even though they are teenagers and want to be together they never forget what is going on around them, and their responsibilities. Ellie seems a lot more mature then than now. I got to the point I cannot take Ellie serious anymore, most of the times it seems like she forgot about Joe, and the trauma she had experienced, or that she is on a journey for revenge. Well if this is the main story and I am not buying it, it is time for me to move on and find a better serie to watch. I'll keep the good memory of an epic first season.

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.