The Last of Us Season 2 is splitting the fanbase: Here is why both sides have a point

The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO is adapting Part II of the game, and the discourse is exactly as heated as anyone who played the game predicted.

For those who have not played the game (light spoilers only): Season 2 shifts perspective. You spend significant time with a new character, Abby, whose motivations directly conflict with Joel and Ellie. The show, like the game, asks you to empathize with someone you initially want to hate.

Why some people love it:

• It is bold storytelling. Television rarely asks audiences to abandon their allegiance to protagonists they have spent a full season loving.
• Bella Ramsey's performance has leveled up dramatically. The grief and rage she portrays as Ellie is raw and uncomfortable.
• The themes of cyclical violence and the cost of revenge are more relevant to the TV medium than they were in an interactive game.

Why some people hate it:

• The pacing feels uneven. Spending extended time away from established characters tests audience patience.
• The game version allowed players to ACT as Abby, creating empathy through gameplay. The show has to achieve the same empathy through passive viewing, which is harder.
• Some viewers feel the show is prioritizing subversion over satisfying storytelling.

My take: Both sides are right. The story IS bold and important. The execution IS uneven in places. Great art can be both groundbreaking and flawed.

Sources: HBO, Naughty Dog game for comparison, Rotten Tomatoes audience vs. critic split