The Last of Us: Season 2 Premiere Review - "Future Days" (SPOILERS!)
The brilliant post-apocalyptic drama picks up right where it left off...and then some
After a spectacular first season that focused on Joel and Ellie’s cross-country journey in search of the Fireflies (and included one of the best television episodes ever), the second season of The Last of Us has big shoes to fill. And so far, at least through the season premiere…it’s filled them and then some.
Following the obligatory (but much appreciated) recap, “Future Days” (a title that’s a perfect nod to Joel’s song from the game) wastes no time setting the stage for what’s ahead. The opening scene gets right down to business with Abby and her friends burying the Fireflies that Joel killed while rescuing Ellie. It’s a poignant scene that not only introduces Abby, Owen, Mel, Nora, and Manny but sets the stakes for the whole season (and probably season three) as the group agrees to track down Joel and get revenge for the hospital attack…though they don’t reveal that the doctor killed was Abby’s dad. Sure it’s a deviation from the game, but as the showrunners proved over and over last season, they’re necessary to tell a more compelling story.
After Abby vows to kill Joel slowly, a line delivered with bone chilling awesomeness by Kaitlyn Dever, things jump ahead five years to Jackson. And it’s there the episode really finds its footing. We get reintroduced familiar faces like Joel, Ellie, and Tommy while meeting new characters like Dina, Jesse, and Joel’s therapist Gail…all of whom were cast to perfection.
Meanwhile, Bella Ramsey, who does a fantastic job of stepping into the shoes of an older, more assertive Ellie is so damn good in her tense scenes with Joel…even though their shared screen time is scarce.
The same goes for Pedro Pascal as an older and more world-weary Joel who, though he’s obviously struggling with what he did at the hospital and the rift between him and Ellie, also shows a more vulnerable, reflective side of the character we never got in the game.
My favorite part, though, was getting to see how Joel and Ellie have taken to Jackson and spent the previous five years becoming part of the community. It’s clear that they belong and have formed tight bonds. Bonds that are shown through moments like Ellie and Tommy hunting stray infected together, Dina and Ellie’s first kiss at the town dance, and Joel working with Maria to build new housing for arriving newcomers.
Duplicating the success of a well-liked, critically-acclaimed season is a tall order that many shows fall flat of.
Not this show.
With Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann at the helm, The Last of Us season two is off to one hell of a start. Much like last season, it’s familiar enough for anyone who’s played the games, but intriguing and unpredictable enough to grab (and hold) the attention of anyone who hasn’t. And even though we’ve only gotten one episode, the premiere gives me every reason to expect this season will be even better than the last.
From the opening scene to the ending that sees Abby and company approaching Jackson in search of their quarry, “Future Days” picks up right where last season’s finale left off…then dials it up to 11.
Buckle up, friends. We’re in for a treat.
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