The Last of Us S2: Half a Story, All the Copium

Man, reviewing The Last of Us Season 2 feels like trying to finish a meal when the kitchen just shut down halfway. You’re left staring at a half-eaten plate, wondering where the hell the rest of your dinner went. That’s exactly what this season feels like—half a story, all the emotional copium, and a cliffhanger that’s basically a big ol’ “come back next season” sign flashing in your face.

The Last of Us Season 2 doesn’t really stand on its own. It’s like the writers took the original game’s brutal honesty and emotional punches, then decided to tap the brakes and give us a version that’s almost… polite? The game was raw, unforgiving, and every cut felt like it was aimed to gut you. The show? It’s holding back, like it’s afraid to really lean into the dark corners of the story. And yeah, that’s a bummer.

Take Ellie. In the game, she’s this unstoppable force—dangerous, broken, and way past the “lost kid” phase. She’s the kind of character you don’t just sympathize with; you fear her, because she’s done things that are unforgivable. The show, though? It’s trying to make us feel sorry for Ellie. Sorry? Nah. This is the moment where we should be scared of her. But instead, it’s all about making her tragic and misunderstood, which honestly waters down her edge and the impact of her actions.

The game’s violence was brutal and unapologetic—it was part of the storytelling, showing us just how savage this world has become. The show? It tips its toe in that pool but quickly backs off. Whenever it’s about to deliver a gut punch, it pulls the punch. This kind of restraint makes the violence feel muted, less real, less dangerous. It’s like they’re afraid of upsetting viewers too much, but that’s the exact thing that made the original story hit so hard.

So what do we get instead? Emotional moments that feel like they’re stuck in quicksand, dragging us down but never quite pulling us all the way under. The tension is there, but it doesn’t explode. It simmers forever, waiting for the next season to come save it. And that’s frustrating because The Last of Us was never about half-measures or waiting for the next installment to deliver the goods.

It’s hard to call Season 2 a success because it’s incomplete. It’s a prologue dressed up like a full chapter. You’re invested, sure—but mostly because you’re holding onto hope that Season 3 will finally bring the payoff. Right now, it’s all copium—fans comforting themselves with theories, predictions, and emotional wishful thinking. The show leaves too many threads hanging and refuses to fully commit to the darker, more uncomfortable truths the game was so fearless to explore.

I wanted to see more of that brutal honesty, more of that sharp storytelling. Instead, I got a watered-down version that feels safe, cautious, and overly sentimental. That’s not what The Last of Us was supposed to be about. This season feels like it’s waiting in the wings, half-dressed for the real show, which is maddening when the original material was already so damn powerful.

The Last of Us Season 2? It’s frustrating as hell, half a story told with all the copium in the world. If you’re a fan, you’ll probably keep watching, gripping your popcorn like it’s a lifeline. But if you wanted a season that stands on its own and delivers that gut-wrenching punch the game promised? Keep waiting. The real show is still coming.