(SPOLIERS) Season 2 of The Last of Us

[tothelefttotheleft]

Anyone watched the first episode?

Really disappointed in the finale. The more I look back over S2 the more I think some of the changes just didn’t work. The porch scene being placed where it and Ellie never really finding out about the Fireflies in the way she did in the game really dampened the revenge emotional element. Same with Owen & Mel. I really feel that scene needed to stay the same for the emotional impact on Ellie. Tommy is such a watered down version of his game counterpart and we really felt it with his story this season.

It’s not Bella’s fault. Ellie was just written badly this season but I understand why narrative changes were made for TV audiences. 7 episodes just wasn’t enough to try and do what they were trying to do well but it was still good overall and miles above some of the tv on. It’s just the games are really narrative masterpieces and Season 1 was so faithful that I thought Season 2 would be better than it was.

And now two years wait for Season 3 seems ridiculous. These networks really need to get their show slots in order. I know House of the Dragon is next years big play but two years for 6-8 episodes just seems unreal.

Tbf the set and some of the scenes take a lot of welly. The first season with the bloater and infected took 6 figures and several months to shoot. It's an ambitious project. It might have been worth taking as long as it took and shot the 2 seasons before releasing but telly doesn't work like that. It's cost a fortune to make and if the ratings weren't up to it then it wouldn't have been worth the money.

There's been noises about a third game. I'll be very surprised.

I'm enjoying it. You really have to seperate the game from TV. It's never going to be the same.

Season 1 made all the characters feel like their game characters while straying from the narrative slightly. It was perfect. Season 2 is just full in comparison.

I understand why they may be side stepping making Ellie the true villain she is. Game Ellie is complex but definitely one of the villains (as is the point). Bella would probably come under so much additional hate they felt they should shift the narrative a bit more and leave out some of her kills. But I feel like they’ve made so many characters worse. Dina and Mel were better show characters than game character but Tommy, Ellie and Jesse were infinitely worse off for the changes in character. The whole point is to keep the feel and themes surely?

The whole point is to keep the feel and themes surely?

I'm feeling all the feelz me.

I wonder why they didn't show the dog being shot before Mel and owen

That stadium set is bloody amazing.

I wonder why they didn't show the dog being shot before Mel and owen

This is one part I’m glad they cut out! Still remember the moment I realised in the game…

The sets are absolutely incredible. But overall I tend to agree with @CosmicCuppa that this second season isn’t having the same impact, and I agree I don’t think Ellie is as well written. She’s depicted as hot headed and impulsive almost to the point of stupidity.

Never played the game and don't plan to. Liked series 1 a lot. Series 2 just feels like they lost their way and are trying to wring more series out of it. Why does it just end on day 1 again? Abbey is a psychopath, why is she the one to lead the future? Why did they chose a stadium as headquarters when stadiums have a billion entrances and tunnels? Hardly a good place to defend unless you fill all that in. Maybe they did? Why are the seraphytes a threat if the wolves are so strong they have a farmed stadium and wind turbines?

Why did we have to wait 2 years for only 7 episodes? I feel like I would have less questions now if they had made more episodes. Disappointed.

We've got abbies story next.

@gamerchick but how are you supposed to know that if you haven't played the game? It just pinged back to day 1 with no explanation. Also have to wait for a whole new series to see the same days over again? That just seems designed to keep people paying for netflix, not deliver a decent story in a decent timescale.

The clue is probably with the end being at abbies home and it saying it's Seattle day 1.

It saying day 1 in seattle with Abby couldn’t be a bigger clue, also a bit odd to design a show that isn’t on netflix if you want people to pay for netflix.

In another two years???

I am unclear what they mean by day 1 tbh. Can someone explain.

I am not a gamer. I have enjoyed the whole series, very exciting and the way it's filmed and the acting was all first rate. However I was a bit disappointed with this last episode, and to end on a cliffhanger and probably have to wait another 2 years for more! Not fair really.

What I mean is, day 1, going back to what point in the story?

Day 1 was the first day in Seattle so from Ellie and Dinah stood on top of the mountain overlooking Seattle, the TV station etc but from Abby’s perspective. So Abby starts out at the WLF base in the stadium and obviously has no idea Ellie is looking for her or here to kill her so we see her journey over those three days until it converges back at the theatre where Abby comes face to face with Ellie like in the last episode. Then there’s more of the story there for them both, Ellie and Dina etc.

On reddit someone asked if season 4 was from the fungi’s perspective 😂

I’ve not played the game. Found the first series entertaining. This second not so much. Ellie was utterly irritating and the constant soft porn lesbian scenes were tiresome.

There was one scene?

I enjoyed this series. The finale felt a bit rushed and not sure what the point of that scene with the Seraphines was. Ellie has made quite the journey of revenge.

Abby's story next then, hope it won't be a 2 year wait.

really enjoyed season 1, found season 2 a bit blah.

I've never played the game. I find it interesting that some who have describe Ellie as a villain. In the first season it was very much rooting for Joel and Ellie but with season 2 we are shown that Joel has to pay for his previous crimes and that Ellie also has become quite unlikeable as a character as she has no qualms about killing for revenge and even tells Dina that the violence comes easy to her.

Dina even sees Ellie differently after she realises that Ellie knew about Joel killing everyone at the hospital and that the whole revenge for Joel's death is a bit pointless.

I thought the finale was disappointing and obviously set up for a season 3. I'm interested to see Abbie's perspective. Jesse looks to be dead because of Ellie. The scene with Mel was awful to watch. Ellie comes across as very selfish in her quest for revenge but then I guess Joel killed all the people he did for his own selfish reason of loving Ellie.

I know Joel had to die but there is a massive hole in the show now he's gone.

Totally agree with your last point @princess
The one episode with Joel back in it was the best (apart obviously from the first two)
Ellie and Joel work well as characters together..Joel worked well with other characters.
Ellie not so much...not really sure how to articulate what I mean?

This is what I thought, and mentioned earlier on in this thread.

This season didn't do it for me. I didn't know to expect episode two, but that episode and then last week's when Joel was back, were the only two that were not meh.

I won't be holding my breath for the next one. If I do watch it, I will wait and watch in one go.

I like Bella Ramsey, but imo she isn't strong enough for a solo lead role here. Pedro Pascal carried this show.

I didn’t find series 2 as enjoyable as the first . Agree with others that Joel leave a big gap . Although I appreciate as others have said that was the story arc in the game .
I suppose my issue is that I am someone who becomes invested in the characters and when they lose the major character so early on , it feels a waste of the time I have invested in watching it .
With the finale , are we supposed to think that Ellie might be dead . I assume she isn’t and that Dina fired the shot .
When we first see Ellie she is quite wild and doesn’t seem to trust anyway . So I suppose we don’t know what she went through up until that point apart from knowing her mother died soon after she was born .
I think even with the “baddies “, we are usually seen a softer more vulnerable side with those they love . We are lead to believe that with Ellie and her scenes with Dina , but then she is prepared to put the newly pregnant Dina at risk and won’t give up her quest for revenge to protect Dina and her unborn baby .

I'm rewatching S2e 4. The introduction of Issac and the whole subway bit is outstanding. I cant wait me.

I do find it interesting that it's the same complaints as when the game was released though. Joel died, it's so shocking, we can't go on stuff. Joel was not a good person and his past caught up with him. I loved Joel as much as the next person and watched that bit through fingers. Ive played the first game more times I can count. I disliked playing as Abby at first.

I changed my allegiance to Abby during the second half of the game. Which hasn't been shown yet.

It's a powerful storyline and people really need to stop focusing on casting and other crap tbh.