The Last of Us season 2
Season of television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The second season of the American post-apocalyptic drama television series The Last of Us premiered on HBO on April 13, 2025. Based on the video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog, the season is set twenty-five years into a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection, which causes its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures and collapses society. The second season, based on the 2020 game The Last of Us Part II, follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) five years after the events of the first season, after they have settled into Jackson, Wyoming, with Joel's brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Ellie's friends Dina (Isabela Merced) and Jesse (Young Mazino).
| The Last of Us | |
|---|---|
| Season 2 | |
Promotional poster | |
| Showrunners | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Release | |
| Original network | HBO |
| Original release | April 13, 2025 – present |
| Season chronology | |
HBO renewed The Last of Us for a second season less than two weeks after the series premiered in January 2023. Co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann were joined in the writers' room by Halley Gross and Bo Shim; Druckmann wrote and co-directed the games, and Gross co-wrote Part II. Principal photography took place in British Columbia from February to August 2024. Druckmann, Mazin, and Peter Hoar returned to direct the seven episodes alongside newcomers Kate Herron, Nina Lopez-Corrado, Mark Mylod, and Stephen Williams. Gustavo Santaolalla and David Fleming returned to compose the score.
Critics felt the season reinforced The Last of Us as the best video game adaptation, praising the action sequences, direction, performances, production design, and writing, though some criticized the pacing and considered the story incomplete. Across linear channels and Max, the season premiere was watched by 5.3 million viewers on the first day—a 13% increase from the first-season premiere.
Cast and characters
Main
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- Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller, a hardened middle-aged survivor.[1][3] Joel is portrayed as more physically vulnerable in the series compared to the games.[4] His relationship with Ellie has become strained since he lied to her at the end of the first season.[5]
- Bella Ramsey as Ellie, a 19-year-old who is immune to the Cordyceps infection.[2][3][6] In the second season, Ellie has become tougher, like Joel, but maintains her humor.[7] Now growing up in Jackson, she gets a tattoo, learns to play guitar, and develops a relationship with Dina.[5]
- Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Joel's younger brother who maintains idealism in hoping for a better world.[8][9] A former Firefly, Tommy gave up on their cause and runs a commune with his wife Maria,[10] with whom he has a son named Benjamin.[11]
- Isabela Merced as Dina, Ellie's romantic interest and Jesse's ex. She is a freewheeling spirit with a loyalty towards Ellie, which is challenged by the world's brutality.[12]
- Young Mazino as Jesse, an important member of Jackson whose selflessness sometimes comes at a cost.[13] Having lost everything prior to joining Jackson, he values its sense of community and works hard to ensure it is not lost.[14]
Guest
- Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, a Washington Liberation Front (WLF) soldier who seeks revenge against Joel for the death of her father and subsequently has her worldview challenged[15][16][17]
- Rutina Wesley as Maria, a co-leader of the survivors in Jackson. She is Tommy's wife and Benjamin's mother.[18][11] Formerly an assistant district attorney, Maria is calm and merciful.[19][20]
- Robert John Burke as Seth, a former police officer who runs a bar in Jackson.[21][22] He has traditional values, leading to conflict with Joel, Ellie, and Dina.[23][24][25]
- Spencer Lord as Owen, a WLF member and former Firefly.[17][26] He is a gentle person whose physical strength forces him to fight enemies he does not hate.[27]
- Tati Gabrielle as Nora, a WLF military medic and former Firefly who has difficulty accepting her past behavior[17][26][27]
- Ariela Barer as Mel, a former Firefly and Owen's girlfriend.[26] She is a doctor in the WLF committed to her role while struggling with the realities of war,[17][27] reluctant to hurt others.[28]
- Danny Ramirez as Manny, a WLF member and former Firefly.[17][26] A loyal soldier who fears failing his friends, he maintains a jovial attitude despite the pain of his past.[27]
- Noah Lamanna as Kat, Ellie's ex and the only other openly queer member of Jackson.[21][29] She is only mentioned in the video game.[29]
- Catherine O'Hara as Gail, Joel's therapist and Eugene's wife.[30][31] She is cynical, not deceived by Joel's posturing.[32]
- Jeffrey Wright as Isaac Dixon, the ruthless leader of the WLF and a former high-ranking sergeant for the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA).[17] The WLF face a war in their pursuit for liberty.[33] Wright reprises his role from the video game.[33]
- Alanna Ubach as Hanrahan, a high-ranking WLF member[17][21]
- Ben Ahlers as Burton, a loyal and hardened WLF soldier.[17][34] He was recruited by Isaac as a new FEDRA recruit.[17][21]
- Joe Pantoliano as Eugene Lynden, Gail's husband.[31] The character is only seen in a photograph in the game.[21]
- Hettienne Park as Elise Park, an original character in the series[21]
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by [35] | Written by [36] | Original release date [37] | U.S. viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 | "Future Days" | Craig Mazin | Craig Mazin | April 13, 2025 | 0.938[38] | |
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Five years after Joel kills nineteen Fireflies at a hospital and rescues Ellie,[a] they live in Jackson, Wyoming, but their relationship has become strained. Joel's psychotherapist Gail admits her resentment toward him for killing her husband Eugene, while Joel expresses his sadness concerning Ellie and confesses that he saved her, though he omits the murders. On patrol, Ellie and Dina find an infected nest in a supermarket, and Ellie kills a new type of infected that silently stalks her. Ellie and Dina kiss at a party, prompting a homophobic slur from bar owner Seth; after Joel attacks him, an angered Ellie tells Joel she does not need his help, and he leaves. Infected tendrils begin to enter Jackson through a broken pipe as Abby and her friends—who have all sworn to kill Joel for the hospital massacre—approach the town from afar. | |||||||
| 11 | 2 | "Through the Valley" | Mark Mylod | Craig Mazin | April 20, 2025 | 0.643[39] | |
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After taking shelter in a lodge near Jackson, Abby remains steadfast in her mission to kill Joel, while her friends, concerned about the town's security, consider retreating. While scoping out Jackson, Abby accidentally awakens a large horde of infected hiding under the snow. She escapes and is saved by Joel, on patrol with Dina. The horde make their way to Jackson, leading to a battle where the town suffers heavy damage and casualties. Abby brings Joel and Dina to the lodge, where Dina is knocked out and Abby reveals herself to be the daughter of the Firefly doctor who Joel killed at the hospital.[a] She shoots Joel in the leg and brutally beats him with a golf club. Ellie enters the lodge but is restrained by Abby's party and forced to watch helplessly as Abby fatally stabs Joel in the neck with the broken golf club's handle. Ellie swears to kill Abby, and Abby's group leaves. As Jackson begins to recover from the battle, Ellie, Dina, and Jesse return home with Joel's body. | |||||||
| 12 | 3 | "The Path" | Peter Hoar | Craig Mazin | April 27, 2025 | 0.768[40] | |
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Three months later, Dina tells Ellie that the group who killed Joel—members of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF)—are based in Seattle. At a town hall meeting, several townspeople oppose sending a group to Seattle to track them down; Ellie reads a letter persuading the townspeople to send the group out of justice, not revenge, but the town council rejects the proposal. As Ellie gathers weapons to leave for Seattle alone, Dina tells her she will join, bringing appropriate supplies and planning a travel route. Seth, who vocally supported Ellie during the town hall, helps them leave Jackson. The following morning, Ellie leaves coffee beans on Joel's grave. Later, she and Dina encounter a group of dead Seraphites, including a young child, the sight of which causes Dina to vomit. They arrive in Seattle and note the lack of WLF members. Meanwhile, a convoy of dozens of soldiers march through the streets of Seattle with several armored vehicles. | |||||||
| 13 | 4 | "Day One" | Kate Herron | Craig Mazin | May 4, 2025 | 0.774[41] | |
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In 2018, Isaac Dixon kills his Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA) squad and switches allegiances to the WLF. Eleven years later, Isaac, now the WLF's leader, interrogates and later kills a Seraphite who refuses to share his group's location. Ellie and Dina's first day in Seattle sees them stumble upon the remains of the conflicts between FEDRA and the WLF. They hide out in a music store where Ellie serenades Dina. At night, they find several WLF soldiers brutally murdered by the Seraphites, and evade an incoming WLF backup squad. The two escape the WLF and the infected in the subway, but Ellie is bitten while saving Dina. As they hide in an abandoned theater, a heartbroken Dina prepares to shoot Ellie, who explains that she is immune. Dina confesses to Ellie that she is pregnant, and they have sex. The next morning, they overhear the WLF, including Abby's friend Nora, are based at the Lakehill hospital, and Dina tells Ellie that she still wants to go with her. | |||||||
| 14 | 5 | TBA | Stephen Williams | Craig Mazin | May 11, 2025 | TBD | |
| 15 | 6 | TBA | Neil Druckmann | Neil Druckmann & Halley Gross & Craig Mazin | May 18, 2025 | TBD | |
| 16 | 7 | TBA | Nina Lopez-Corrado | Neil Druckmann & Halley Gross & Craig Mazin | May 25, 2025 | TBD | |
Production
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Development
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The television series was created by Craig Mazin (left) and Neil Druckmann (right). Druckmann wrote and co-directed the video games.[42]
HBO renewed The Last of Us for a second season on January 27, 2023, less than two weeks after the premiere of the first season.[43] While the first season covers the events of Naughty Dog's video game The Last of Us (2013) and its downloadable expansion The Last of Us: Left Behind (2014),[44] the second season covers part of the sequel, The Last of Us Part II (2020). Druckmann and Mazin wanted to avoid filler between the games.[45] Part II is expected to span multiple seasons,[46] and Mazin does not want the series to overtake the games.[47] While writing the first season, Mazin and Druckmann ensured characters remained true to their developments in Part II in case the show received more seasons.[48]
The series is a production of Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, the Mighty Mint, and Word Games, with Mazin, Druckmann, Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, and Carter Swan serving as returning executive producers;[43] Jacqueline Lesko, who co-executive produced the first season, was named an executive producer in March 2023,[49] followed by Cecil O'Connor, who produced the first season, by February 2024.[50][51] In January 2024, Druckmann, Mazin, and Peter Hoar were announced as returning directors alongside newcomers Kate Herron, Nina Lopez-Corrado, Mark Mylod, and Stephen Williams.[52] Inspired by Noah Hawley's work on Fargo, Mazin felt directing the premiere allowed him to prepare the full season, and he subsequently worked closely with each director on set.[53] In June, Mazin and Druckmann revealed the season would consist of seven episodes.[54] The series was renewed for a third season on April 9, 2025, before the second premiered.[55]
Casting
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Druckmann felt Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey's comfort and familiarity with their characters—Joel and Ellie, respectively—allowed them to "dive deeper" into their performances.[56] Pascal and Ramsey, who grew close during production of the first season, considered their separation "painful" and "lonelier" during filming for the second.[57] Ramsey added a "green rider" into their second-season contract, requiring all departments to adopt sustainable practices during production.[58] The season introduces several new characters and spends more time with them.[56] Mazin felt the new actors "fit right in" due to the series's established reputation.[53] Casting was put on hold in May 2023 due to the Writers Guild of America strike; actors had been auditioning with scenes from The Last of Us Part II due to an absence of scripts.[59]
The production team wanted to start the second season's casting with Abby; casting for the role began before the strike,[60][61][62] and Dever became the frontrunner after the strike ended in November,[63] following the response to her performance in No One Will Save You (2023).[64] She previously appeared in Naughty Dog's Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016),[56] and was considered to play Ellie in the abandoned film adaptation of The Last of Us around the time.[18] Her casting was announced on January 9, 2024,[15] followed by Mazino's as Jesse on January 10,[13] and Merced's as Dina on January 11.[12] O'Hara's casting was announced on February 2,[50] followed by Ramirez, Barer, Gabrielle, and Lord's on March 1,[27] Wright's on May 24,[33] and Ahlers, Burke, Lamanna, Pantoliano, Park, and Ubach's on March 5, 2025.[21]
Writing
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A writers' room for the second season was established in Los Angeles by February 2023,[66] with Mazin and Druckmann joined by Halley Gross, who co-wrote Part II with Druckmann, and Bo Shim, a new writer.[65] Gross was also named co-executive producer.[67] Druckmann worked on the story during development of The Last of Us Part II Remastered (2024), allowing him to revisit and analyze its decisions and intricacies.[68] The writers began by splitting Part II's narrative into sections, then selecting some for the second season;[18] the seven-episode length was chosen as a natural breaking point.[56] They experimented with several methods of presenting the non-linear timeline, settling on what they found to be the "most impactful".[18] Splitting across seasons prompted narrative rearrangement to present information earlier than in the game, such as Abby's backstory and relationships.[69]: 0:25 Some changes were also made as the game's shifting player perspective between Ellie and Abby no longer applied.[32] Material removed from the game, including some presented in Part II Remastered, was added to the series.[18]
Druckmann considered himself biased when adapting the "intimately familiar" story and tried to keep an open mind with changes; he and Mazin generally agreed.[56] Scripts were being written by April 2023,[70] with a full outline mapped,[65] but writing was impacted by the writers' strike in May;[59] Mazin submitted the first episode about 90 minutes before the strike began,[71] and neither he nor Druckmann worked on the series while the strike was ongoing.[59] Instead, Mazin mentally outlined scenes while taking walks, described as "brain-writing", as he planned to quickly complete scripts after the strike to ensure a smooth production schedule.[65] Mazin wrote the first five episodes and co-wrote the final two with Druckmann and Gross.[36] The second season features themes of revenge, in contrast to the first season's unconditional love; Druckmann felt it was a "continuation of love from the first season, and this is just the dark side of that coin".[54] The second season, like the first, highlights several duos, such as Ellie and Dina.[53]
The second season is set five years after the first-season finale,[67] following the impact of Joel's lie to Ellie, which Mazin called the season's "beating heart".[53] It explores themes of tribalism and the impact of losing loved ones from within one's group,[14] and the troubling view of heroism when viewed from alternative perspectives.[72] It also highlights themes of change, growth, and escalation, reflected internally within characters like Ellie and communities like Jackson, Wyoming, as well as in the outside world, demonstrated by the enhanced types of infected.[73] Viewers' requests for additional infected scenes after the first season aligned with Druckmann and Mazin's own feelings, resulting in more focus on the infected in the second season.[72] The writers' familiarity with the show's production allowed for more action sequences, through which they maintained connections to character development.[73] Mazin felt the first season's limited action sequences were a result of its focus on Joel and Ellie, whereas the second season's additional characters granted a broader focus.[74]: 41:25 He wanted action sequences to demonstrate the desperation and loss that the characters often forget, partly inspired by the Game of Thrones episode "Hardhome" (2015).[53] Spores—the vector through which infection is spread in the games—return in the second season, having been replaced in the first by tendrils forming a unified network.[75][76]
Filming
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Filming took place in Kamloops (top) in February 2024,[77][78] Britannia Beach (center) in June and July,[79][80] and Downtown Vancouver (bottom) in July and August.[81][82]
The second season was filmed primarily in British Columbia[70][83] for over 150 days.[72] Vancouver replicates Seattle, assisted by sets created by the art teams.[56] Ksenia Sereda returned as the lead director of photography,[32] setting the tone for the season in the premiere with Mazin and working with Hoar, Williams, and Druckmann,[84][85] while Catherine Goldschmidt worked with Mylod, Herron, and Lopez-Corrado;[84][86] they alternated between episodes, with one filming while the other was preparing. Both had freedom during their episodes as they were largely standalone.[87] Sereda's work was inspired by the games, seeking to capture its cinematography.[84]
Delayed by the writers' and actors' strikes,[71] principal photography began on February 12, 2024,[88][89] running under the working title Mega Sword.[90] Filming took place in Kamloops in February,[77][78] and in Calgary, Alberta, on March 5–6,[91][92] before moving to Mission, Fort Langley, and Langley, replicating parts of Jackson.[92][93][94] Production returned to Alberta for 16 days from March 18, with filming in Exshaw, Fortress Mountain, and along Highway 1A from March 21–24 requiring a 72-hour partial highway closure.[95][96] HBO denied rumors that Pascal had finished filming in March.[97]
Mazin directed from February,[98][99] followed by Mylod directed in March,[99][100] followed by Herron and Hoar in April,[101][102] Williams and Druckmann in May,[103][104] and Lopez-Corrado in July.[105] Filming occurred in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside with soldiers and military vehicles on May 4,[56][106][94] and with Ramsey and Merced on horseback on May 11.[107][108][109] Filming took place in Nanaimo from May 13–14,[110] on a private Britannia Beach property on June 5, 7, 12, 13, and July 2,[79][111][80] and in Chinatown, Vancouver on July 8.[112][113][114] Druckmann's episode completed production by July 9.[115]
Filming returned to Downtown Eastside on July 12, and moved to Stanley Park on July 13 and Downtown Vancouver on July 25.[116][81] A section of Harbour Green Park in Coal Harbour was closed from July 25–27 for production.[81][117] Filming occurred in New Westminster on July 28, at the Orpheum theatre on July 29,[118] and around Cordova and Cambie Streets in Gastown from August 9–13.[82][119] The wrap party took place on August 18,[120] and principal photography was set to conclude on August 21,[100] several weeks before September 9 as originally scheduled;[121] it finished on August 23.[122] At least three rounds of additional photography took place over the next six months,[72] including in Downtown Vancouver—the exterior of the Guinness Tower and Oceanic Plaza—from September 13–17.[123][124][125] The production office closed on September 27.[122] The Vancouver Aquarium closed early for additional photography on January 15–16, 2025.[126]
Music
Gustavo Santaolalla and David Fleming returned to compose the score for the season; Santaolalla composed the music for the games.[127] Santaolalla considered each theme interchangeable, moving the games' music to different scenes in the series matching the same emotion.[128]: 59:41 He worked on the character-driven score and Fleming on action-driven, and they collaborated on blending the two. Fleming felt diverting from Santaolalla's original game score was often necessary to give the series its own identity,[129] but otherwise sought to maintain the same feeling and avoid unnecessary diversion. He felt their different approaches complemented their individual tasks for the series. Mazin worked with the composers to determine specific sounds for each character and group, such as Ellie, Abby's friends, and the infected.[130] They scored Abby to match her anger, pain, and trauma akin to Ellie's, rather than as a traditional antagonist.[129]
Druckmann considered music conducive to the narrative, akin to the game, with characters performing or listening to music contributing to worldbuilding or relationships.[56] The first episode is named after the Pearl Jam song "Future Days", which features in the game; while the song did not exist in 2003, when the outbreak takes place in the series, Mazin and Druckmann felt its inclusion was important and thematically appropriate to Joel and Ellie's character arcs.[131]: 5:24 The episode features cameo appearances by Santaolalla and Crooked Still, playing the latter's music which featured in the game.[132][133] The second episode is named after Shawn James's song "Through the Valley", and ends with a cover performed by Ashley Johnson, who portrayed Ellie in the games and Ellie's mother Anna in the series. Johnson's cover featured in the second game and its marketing; the one featured in the episode is a blend of her original performance and a new recording.[134] Mazin felt some lyrics represented the episode's events—while Jackson may be saved, souls have been damned—and others reflected an unachievable desire for its characters.[135]: 38:40 [134]
Post-production
Timothy A. Good returned as lead editor for the second season alongside Emily Mendez as editor.[136][137] Good was also named a co-producer,[137] working on the sound mix early in post-production at Mazin's request.[138]: 2:03 The editors watch the material as it arrives, which Good finds overwhelming but necessary to find the best takes.[138]: 21:57 Mendez is a fan of the games while Good has not played them; Mendez worked with Mazin to approach scenes from the perspective of fans, while Good approached from a general viewpoint.[138]: 17:02 Good ensured scenes focused on Abby making decisions to allow audiences to understand her perspective despite her antagonistic actions.[139]
Mylod and first assistant director Dan Miller worked with visual effects supervisor Alex Wang to create previsualization for the full action sequence in the second episode.[140] The episode used over 600 visual effects shots, almost 200 more than the previous season's fifth episode.[141] While the bloater in that episode was initially performed practically before being replaced with computer-generated imagery (CGI), Wang and his team created the bloater in "Through the Valley" with CGI first to better understand its design.[142] Eleven visual effects teams worked on the episode,[141] including Wētā FX on the infected[135]: 26:00 and Important Looking Pirates on the bloater.[138]: 24:20 [143]
Release
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Broadcast
In December 2023, HBO announced that the second season was set to premiere on its television network and streaming service Max in 2025.[144] Casey Bloys, the chairman and chief executive officer of HBO and Max, said it would air during the eligibility window for the following Emmy Awards.[145][146] Druckmann announced the season's April premiere window as part of Sony's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) presentation on January 6, 2025;[147][67] the following month, HBO announced the premiere date of April 13.[148] American Sign Language versions of each episodes, performed by Daniel Durant and directed by Leila Hanaumi, are released on Max simultaneously.[149] The first episode received its red carpet world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on March 24,[150] followed by a red carpet and theater screening at the State Theatre in Sydney on April 2,[151] Grand Rex in Paris on April 5,[152] and Vue West End in Leicester Square, London, on April 10.[153] An influencer pre-screening took place at the Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn.[154] Max partnered with Complex to host an advanced screening of the third episode at NYA Studios in Los Angeles on April 24.[155]
Promotion
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The marketing team was precise in selecting footage for each trailer to avoid spoilers, especially regarding Abby's appearance, avoiding Part II's approach of altering characters in some scenes to preserve surprises;[18] the trailers largely follow Ellie's perspective.[156] HBO shared the first images of Pascal and Ramsey on May 15, 2024,[157] and the first footage from the season—featuring Dever, Merced, O'Hara, and Wright—on August 4, alongside the finale of House of the Dragon's second season.[158][159] For The Last of Us Day on September 26, HBO released the season's synopsis, posters by Greg Ruth of Joel, Ellie, and Abby, and the first teaser trailer, set to Pearl Jam's "Future Days", which was a pivotal song in Part II.[160][161][162] New footage was released on November 12, alongside The Penguin's finale,[163] and a preview was shown to audiences at a Max showcase in London on December 5.[164] Merced presented Best Adaptation at the Game Awards 2024 on December 12 alongside Shannon Woodward, who portrayed Dina in the game.[165]
A teaser trailer was aired during Sony's CES presentation on January 6, 2025,[147][67] and character posters featuring Abby, Ellie, and Joel were released on February 19.[148] Dever, Druckmann, Luna, Mazin, Mazino, Merced, Pascal, and Ramsey appeared on a panel at SXSW on March 8,[166][167] where the full trailer was officially released,[168] having leaked hours earlier.[169] It received the most three-day views of any HBO and Max original trailer with 158 million views, a 160% increase from the series's previous marketing.[170] The season's key art was released on March 13,[171] followed by a poster of Joel and Ellie on March 20,[172] and nine character posters on March 24.[173] The show's companion podcast returned alongside each episode, hosted by Troy Baker (who portrayed Joel in the games and James in the first season) alongside Druckmann and Mazin.[32]
Sony Pictures Consumer Products selected brand partners that fit the narrative's themes and content;[174] partnerships were announced in March and unveiled over the following month:[175] a cordyceps-infused coffee by Four Sigmatic,[176] cordyceps-infused chocolate by Alice Mushrooms (co-owned by Pascal),[177] denim outfits by Wrangler,[178] boots by Timberland,[174] and other products from Taylor Guitars.[175] HBO partnered with Athletic Club to display the series's logo on the club's playing kit on April 13, and on the San Mamés Stadium from April 9–15.[179] For its 100th anniversary La Playa Awaits campaign, Corona partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Ad Sales to cater the Los Angeles premiere, sponsor the influencer screening, and provide title sponsorship in April and May, including the ASL versions, bumpers, and a Max takeover on April 27; Luna also starred in two Corona advertisements.[154][180]
The worldwide press tour ran from the red carpet premiere on March 24 until the first episode aired on April 13.[181] Pascal appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! alongside a clip from the series on March 24,[182][183] and Ramsey was featured on the covers of British Vogue and The Hollywood Reporter[58][184] and on Entertainment Weekly's digital "cover" with Dever and Pascal in April.[140] Dever, Luna, Mazino, Merced, Ramsey, and Wright attended a press event at Sydney Harbour to celebrate the Australian launch of Max on March 31,[150] alongside the April 2 premiere,[151][185] and Druckmann, Mazin, and Ramsey appeared on a panel at Deadline's Contenders Television showcase on April 5.[7] Ramsey appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on April 7, showing a clip from the series and rapping a recap of the first season,[186] and on The Jonathan Ross Show on April 12,[187] and Luna and Merced presented Audio Achievement at the 21st British Academy Games Awards on April 8.[188] The Last of Us Complete—a game bundle containing The Last of Us Part I and Part II Remastered—was released digitally on April 10.[189] Additional videos and images were released in the week before the premiere,[190][191] and several pages on Max received fungus-inspired designs.[192] Merced was L'Officiel USA's cover model in May.[193]
Reception
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Critical response
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Critics praised the performances of Isabela Merced (left) and Kaitlyn Dever (right) as Dina and Abby, respectively.[194][195][196]
The second season of The Last of Us received "universal acclaim" according to review aggregator Metacritic, with a weighted score of 81 out of 100 based on 42 reviews.[197] On Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 181 critics gave a positive review, with an average rating of 8.3 out of 10. The website's general consensus called it "a challenging expansion that retains its predecessor's superb performances and verisimilitude".[198] Critics felt the season reinforced The Last of Us as the best video game adaptation;[194][199] /Film's Jeremy Mathai felt it "sets a new standard".[200] Empire's John Nugent called it "another remarkable run of episodes" and "post-apocalyptic television at its peak",[201] and Collider's Ross Bonaime declared it "one of 2025's best seasons of TV".[194] Reviewers praised the action sequences, direction, performances, production design, and writing, though some criticized the pacing and considered the story incomplete.[202][203][204][205]
/Film's Matahi lauded the unified creative vision of each production department,[200] and Collider's Bonaime praised the matching of each director with their familiar subject matter.[194] Several reviewers compared the second episode's action sequences to Game of Thrones at its best;[206][207][208] Empire's Nugent called it "exceptional grand scale cinematic television few others than HBO can muster",[201] and The Times's James Jackson compared it to the opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan (1998),[209] though IGN's Simon Cardy found it an overcorrection of the first season's scarce action and felt it overshadowed other pivotal moments.[195] Many critics considered the sixth episode the standout for highlighting Joel and Ellie's relationship,[194][209][16] though some felt it highlighted their noted absence elsewhere in the season[210][211] and IGN's Cardy thought it negatively impacted momentum.[195] Some reviewers considered the premiere episode effective[212][213] but the finale the weakest.[199][214] Praise was directed at the cinematography for highlighting performances and matching the game's cinematic qualities,[195][196][201] and the production design for its presenting the world's beauty and destruction,[201][215][216] though TheWrap's Chase Hutchinson found Seattle's recreation occasionally lacking.[217]
Several reviewers praised the season's deeper themes and more complex characters,[201][218][219] particularly in its focus on Ellie and others' relationships.[209][214][217] Radio Times's Louise Griffin lauded the "unrivalled storytelling" and the writers' mapping of details, perspectives, and flashbacks to develop the world,[220] and /Film's Mathai found many scenes gain additional meanings on repeated viewings.[200] Many praised the adaptation of scenes to fit the medium and some felt the original writing was the strongest,[194][200][221] though Total Film's Lauren Milici thought it "fails to capture the same emotional weight as the source material" with unsatisfying alterations,[222] and IGN's Cardy questioned whether Ellie and Abby's playability made the game more enjoyable.[195] Some reviewers felt the lack of scenes with Joel and Ellie left the second season weaker than the first,[210][211] and others found the quicker pace detrimental and the narrative unsatisfyingly incomplete,[195][210][214] particularly demonstrated in Seattle's warring factions.[199][213] The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han wrote the season lacked the first's "rich lyricism ... sprawling humanity [and] devastating finality".[207] Some considered new characters like Abby, Isaac, and Hanrahan underdeveloped[199][211][220] and thought the non-chronological storytelling detracted from pacing and worldbuilding.[195][215][223] Others found the political allegories overly simplistic or offensive.[196][212]
Critics praised the cast's performances[6][222][224] and the chemistry between Pascal and Ramsey;[206][215][217] Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall found some episodes weaker for their absence,[211] and /Film's Mathai considered their subtler moments the most effective.[200] Critics lauded Pascal for bringing warmth, charisma, and hardiness to Joel[196][199][210]—Collider's Bonaime called his performance his career-best[194]—and Ramsey for developing Ellie into a traumatized young adult while maintaining emotional immaturity and playfulness.[216][220][223] Many reviewers considered Merced the season's highlight for her compassion and humor,[195][212][225] as well as her chemistry with Ramsey,[207][217][222] and Dever's performance was lauded for her portrayal of grief, rage, and hatred;[194][196][226] some felt her performance upstaged others'.[195][206] Several critics applauded O'Hara's dramatic acting abilities, particularly in light of her comedic role in The Studio airing simultaneously.[199][211][215] Praise was also directed towards the performances of Luna, Mazino, Wesley, and Wright,[195][200][201][222] though some reviewers considered them underserved and the characters underdeveloped;[207][213][222] Inverse's Valerie Ettenhofer found some interactions "strangely artificial" in contrast to the first season.[212]
Ratings
Viewership for the first season surged by 150% in the week preceding the second-season premiere.[227] The episode had 5.3 million viewers in the United States on its first night, including linear viewers and streams on Max—a 13% increase from the first-season premiere.[228] The season was the most-viewed across all streaming services the following week.[229]
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Future Days" | April 13, 2025 | 0.31 | 0.938 | [38] |
| 2 | "Through the Valley" | April 20, 2025 | 0.16 | 0.643 | [39] |
| 3 | "The Path" | April 27, 2025 | 0.18 | 0.768 | [40] |
| 4 | "Day One" | May 4, 2025 | 0.20 | 0.774 | [41] |
Notes
- As depicted in the first season finale "Look for the Light" (2023)
References
External links
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