Day One

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.