The Path

Greetings from Lithuania.

Third episode of TLOU season 2 was a slow build of a story. Knowing the story very well due multiple playthroughs of Part 2 I can't say that i was disappointed. It's more or less faithful adaptation of VG - wether you like it or not. What makes this episode just an OK watch is just that the story itself isn't particularly engaging, and acting by two young woman is just an OK.

Overall, "The Path" was a descent episode, but not particularly memorable one. That is a build up episode, but on a bright side it wasn't a filler or anything - its just a mostly faithful adaptation of the material.

As a fan of The Last of Us Part II, it's frustrating to see an adaptation that, despite carrying the name and basic structure of the original work, completely disregards its essence. An adaptation should honor the story and its characters - even with some creative liberties - but here we see a deep distortion of the motivations, emotions, and emotional journey that made the game so impactful.

The characters feel like mere shadows of who they once were. Their actions often make little sense, and their relationships lack depth. Ellie, for instance, is a major disappointment. It's simply not believable that four years after the events of the first game, she would show so little emotional growth. The absence of character development and the way her decisions are portrayed strip the narrative of credibility.

I don't blame the actors - many are clearly doing their best with what they're given. But it's hard to shine with a script that fails to capture the soul of the source material. The writing choices feel artificial, cold, and at times, almost disrespectful to what the original game built so carefully.

I'm really trying to enjoy it. Truly. But it's hard when you realize that what's being told is no longer the story of The Last of Us - it's a watered-down version, lacking the same weight, the same pain, the same humanity. The series doesn't just disappoint - it feels like a betrayal to those who were moved, challenged, and changed by the game.

This was a pretty bold direction to take the third episode of the show, because even though I expected a natural comedown after all that transpired in episode 2, I didn't think it would get quite this much slower.

The Path mostly works, but having such a direct focus on Ellie might've been a little detrimental? I don't know, I guess I was personally just really interested to see Abby after what happened in the last episode. She had a huge episode 2, sure, but she wasn't seen much in episode 1, and then wasn't seen at all in episode 3, and season 2 is only seven episodes, so skipping over her entirely felt weird. But, if the structure now is to kind of focus on either Ellie or Abby, alternating each episode, before they clash by the end, I could see that potentially working, too.

That's all to say that on its own, The Path was solid but a little underwhelming, though I think if this season ends well, we'll be able to look back on it as an essential part of the overall thing.

Well, after the mind-bending previous episode that shocked everybody even the gamers, we are back without a choice to lamer territories with brat Ellie and get-a-grip teenish Dina who weren't given time to get more acquainted while sober.

Seriously, what could you expect without Joel and the charismatic-for-the-role Pedro Pascal.

That's a disaster. In fact it's beginning to be a disaster.

I related to Seth in this episode and I hope that he'll be given a stronger and more important role cause if you give the leash to the 19 y.o. Babies, 'The Last of Us' won't go anywhere.

P. S. The last scene is supposed to be what, scare me to death?!

Joel, I so miss you!

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 6.5
• Production value/impact: 7
• Development: 7.5
• Realism: 7
• Entertainment: 6
• Acting: 7
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 7.5
• VFX: 8
• Music/score/sound: 6.5
• Depth: 6.5
• Logic: 5
• Flow: 4.5
• Dystopian Sci-fi/Psychological/drama/action/adventure/thrilling horror: 4
• Ending: 6t2.

Solid aftermath episode.

Ellie is here for the first time in this second season more likeable and human than the episodes before.

Scene stealer is Isabela Merced. Every scene she's in, she's great.

Some changes compared to the game: the game was fast paced and continued directly after the shocking event. Here, the episode continues three months later.

The relationship between Ellie and Dina was more bold in the game than here.

The episode takes its time, is beautifully shot, has some nice landscapes and road trip vibes, teases us a new group of religious survivors, but uses their scenes to show us that the mission of Ellie and Dina won't be easy against the powerful and relentless W. L. F.

Good episode that takes its time and seperates itself from the source material and tries to stand on its own feet. Apprecheated and recommended.