The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 2

The second episode of the second season of The Last of Us is interesting, but it makes several choices that are worth discussing.

The second episode starts quietly, like the previous one. Nothing prepares you for the chaos that’s coming — although there are some signs: literal clouds are gathering (a strong snowstorm is approaching) and, metaphorically, you feel that something is "brewing."
There are strange noises among the infected lying in the snow. There’s tension in the air.
The relationships between characters are also uneasy: things between Joel and Ellie are unresolved, and Joel is on patrol, away from the camera.
You feel something is about to happen — but not necessarily that it will escalate so suddenly. (If you haven’t played the game.)

Once again this week, the show changes events from the game without altering the essence of the story.
However, even key moments are adjusted.

The same things basically happen — only the players are moved around.
In the game: Ellie with Dina, Joel with Tommy.
In the show: Ellie with Jesse, Joel with Dina, Tommy in town.
Let’s talk about why, and about the episode in general.

The episode begins with Abby.
More specifically, with a dream she has: she sees herself in two versions — one lighter, childlike (before her world fell apart) and one hardened and closed off (after seeing her father dead).
Kaitlyn Dever is excellent here: she shows both faces of Abby, and how critical that one moment was to her entire personality (even if the script hasn’t made it clear yet).

We also see more of Abby’s group.
Her companions hesitate about their revenge plan.
Abby looks determined to do whatever it takes to find and kill Joel.
The rest of the group seems less sure, and there’s heavy, unspoken tension between them.
Unfortunately, the group doesn’t convince me.
They look like a group of friends going for beers in the woods — not soldiers who have lived through a zombie apocalypse.
Physically, facially, behaviorally, even in their costumes — nothing works.
Maybe it will improve later. But I’m not optimistic.

Then we cut to Ellie leaving her house with Jesse — to patrol the perimeter.
The scene is almost identical to the game — but with one crucial addition:
We learn that the infected have been buried under the snow and the corpses — and are lying dormant, waiting.
Honestly? It’s a bit silly.
They supposedly found warmth under the bodies, and decided to "hibernate" until the plot needed them?
Okay. It’s convenient — but it allows for some very beautiful scenes. So, let’s overlook it.

In this patrol scene, we see Ellie for the last time (until possible flashbacks) behaving like a relaxed, normal young person.
She talks to Jesse about ordinary things: her strained relationship with Joel, a kiss from the night before.
She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s very close to a huge tragedy.

Meanwhile, Tommy is shown giving orders in town:
"If you hear the bell, civilians to the basements, fighters to the rooftops."
This will obviously matter soon.

At the same time, Abby sees two riders moving through the snowy forest.
We don’t see clearly who they are — but we know.
She follows them.
There are beautiful shots of the snowstorm building.

The snowstorm starts to cause communication problems with the town.
Ellie and Jesse are called back — but decide to find shelter first.

Here comes another changed scene:
In the game, Ellie and Dina have a bonding moment during patrol.
In the show, Ellie is with Jesse — and their conversation is lighter.
We hear about Eugene — a minor character from the game.
The show hints that maybe we’ll see a flashback showing how Joel killed him. (More weight.)

Meanwhile, Abby accidentally wakes some infected buried under the snow.
They start chasing her — in a tense, well-directed scene.
The show cleverly mirrors the game:
When you first play as Abby, the game forces you to protect her, making you subconsciously care about her survival.
The show does the same:
The directing, Kaitlyn Dever’s acting, the music — everything pushes you to care about Abby for a few minutes.

And here...
Joel saves her.

In the game, at this point, you don’t know why Abby wants to kill Joel.
In the show, you already know.
But because Joel saves her — a small hope is created:
Maybe she’ll change her mind?
Maybe she won’t kill him?
If you haven’t played the game, you might believe it.
If you have, a small part of you might still hope...

In this version, it’s Dina (not Joel) who accidentally reveals his name, calling out to him in front of Abby.
A much better choice — more believable.

At the same time, the town realizes that Joel and Dina have lost contact.
Ellie and Jesse set off to find them.

Meanwhile, in the town, a random survivor tries to dig in the snow.
He awakens more infected.
And now... the horde starts.

The bells ring.
The infected storm the walls, smashing against surfaces with their faces (a nice touch).
The townspeople fight back — with traps, arrows, guns.
The siege is on.

It’s a great action scene:
Suspenseful, well-shot, intense.
And it feels very much like a faithful adaptation of video game storytelling — but with the budget and quality of a prestige TV series.

At the same time, Abby urges Joel to follow her — to escape the infected.
Joel agrees easily now — because he’s changed, thanks to his relationship with Ellie.
This softening of his character... will be his fatal mistake.

The zombies breach the walls.
The town is on fire.
Tommy and Maria are trying to hold the defenses.
In the chaos, they are humanized more — they earn audience sympathy.

Then the "boss" appears:
A Bloater — a mutated, monstrous infected.

In the game, the Bloaters are terrifying.
Here... it doesn’t quite work.
The Bloater design feels too "gamey" — cartoonish in a show that tries to be more grounded.
It fixates on Tommy unrealistically, ignoring the dozens of others it could attack.

While the siege is well-directed overall, the Bloater moment weakens it slightly.

Still, overall, the siege is a welcome action scene:
Good directing, suspense, story advancement.

Also, I think the siege serves another purpose:
It explains why, after Joel’s death, the town doesn’t immediately send a rescue or revenge team.
Too many dead.
The town is trying to survive.
Not the right moment for a revenge expedition.
Ellie will leave on her own.
Maybe Dina will follow her — although I found it unnecessary that Dina was sedated and missed Joel’s death.
She could have been present.

There are a few parts I’m unsure about:
It’s a very nice touch to see, from Joel’s point of view, the fires raging in the town he can’t contact.
But:
Two huge events happening at the same time —

The town under siege

Joel’s murder
...maybe is too much?
Maybe it weakens both a little?

I understand the goal:
The creators wanted to give action to the viewers, excitement, visual spectacle — while still telling the core emotional story.
They didn’t want the episode to be just Joel being lured and killed.
They wanted a "bigger" feeling.

Maybe it was the right call.
Maybe not.

I lean toward:
The episode was good.
Well-made, intense, emotional, exciting.
But not great.
It could have been even stronger if it had been more focused — just on Joel, Abby, Ellie — without the parallel "siege of the town."

Still — it was very good television.