Well, here we are, reliving one of the most traumatic and controversial moments in PlayStation history, albeit through the format of television. The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2, titled “Through The Valley”, upped the ante with an explosive episode that deviated wildly and stuck to the script faithfully. And we have to say, we both loved and hated this episode.
There will be some story spoilers in this review.
When we originally played the game back in 2020, this section of the story — which sees Ellie and gang go out on various patrols as a snowstorm approaches — was one of the most heart-pounding gaming experiences we’ve ever had. The dread knowing full well that something was afoot, and the horror as it all came to fruition. There are heart-pounding moments throughout this latest episode too, just not in the places you’d expect.
The standout for us was an attack on Jackson village, the show flexing its big budget muscles with hordes of infected, explosions, and huge CGI bloaters. It’s a stark reminder just how much more intimidating the infected can be in this take of the story, with the sort of speed that gives the hordes of World War Z a run for their money.
This whole section was exhilarating, with the performances capturing the sense of fear from Jackson’s inhabitants, amplifying the severity of the situation. They really are in the trenches, and it kept us on the edge of our seats throughout.
However, there is a second aspect to this episode: Abby and her inevitable run-in with Joel. For the haters that were hoping for some monumental change, you won’t find it here. By and large, the infamous moment from the game is the same — golf clubs and all.
Trying to remove ourselves from the original experience for a moment, this is still a traumatising and key component to Season 2’s story. Everyone is chewing up the scenery really well, with Kaityln Dever’s Abby bringing an emotionally charged hatred, Pedro Pascal keeping that stoicism alive, and even Abby’s crew bringing across that they don’t really want to do what they are about to do. It’s arguably great.
However, as is the case time and time again with this show, it just doesn’t hit the same. And it’s not just a comparison case of “new actor versus original actor”, but to the myriad tweaks that the show is making, that in our mind are robbing the story of some of its charge.
Some examples: Dina standing in where Tommy did during Joel’s run-in with Abby’s gang, or Abby no longer having the physical stature that she did in the game, or Abby laying out her entire reason for revenge in a villainous monologue. It’s not so much the impact it has in the scenes that have played out so far, but the ways in which they change fundamental moments later on in the story.
Now this may be a little contradictory of us, considering we said the show is at its best when it strays from the original, and that has proven to be the case again with the Jackson attack. However, more than anything it feels like so many great details and smaller moments are being simplified or erased in the hope to make it all more digestible.
One of our favourite things about the game is how it sprinkled all these little mysteries throughout its story. What happened at the Jackson dance the night before? Who is Abby and why does she have it out for Joel? Is it simple revenge that drives Ellie or is it something more? Not all of these questions have been answered, but an awful lot of them have.
However, we’re still fairly early into things, and we don’t want to say outright that HBO has got it wrong. This show was always going to be a difficult thing for us to enjoy without getting protective of all the things that, in our mind, made the original story special. Removing ourselves from that game, what we have here is still exciting, still riveting, and still emotionally wrought, but undoubtedly it’s lacking that visceral feel that permeated through every facet of the original.
What are your thoughts on this important chapter of The Last of Us Season 2? Are you excited to see how things play out? Let us know down in the comments section below.
Comments 67
They killed it, no pun intended. Even having played the game, I thoroughly enjoyed the death scene and the tweaks. I don't mind it.
People will complain about how Joel died in the game, and people will complain about this.
Can't please everyone. TV is a different media than gaming, and tweaks have to be made.
It was still an all timer of an episode, and regardless, people will still be tuning in every week.
In my personal opinion Pascal has been carrying Ramsay throughout most of this show so far.
She has a lot to prove on her own and from what I've seen I am not convinced that she can pull it off.
One of the best hours of TV I’ve ever seen. I never knew my lungs could cope with not actually breathing for so long! I wasn’t too sure about the change at first with Tommy staying in Jackson, but it worked out even better than the game I think. Nice little callback with the original Ellie singing that song at the end as well. Abby, Ellie, Joel, Jesse, every single actor nailed it.
The Jackson battle was so weird. Why would they risk lighting the infected on fire when their fence is all wood. Why wasn't the bottom part of the fence reinforced when they know a pack of infected will put pressure on it? Why didn't everyone focus fire on the obviously more dangerous big infected guy before he made a hole in the fence? Why are all the infected ignoring Tommy as they rushed past him?
If I was in charge of Jackson I would simply have built a moat/ditch with spears in it around the town while keeping some draw bridges at entrances. Problem solved.
Honestly the whole World War Zackson part was really weak imo, but it seems any scene that has some action will get praised.
On the good side I think Dina and Abby actors are doing a decent job so far. I don't see how Bella Ramsey can hold the rest of the season on their shoulders without Pascal though - they just can't act and has no charisma besides being an obnoxious brat.
1.I agree with the review about the whole show really-it is compelling television (this episode included), but it is not the equal of playing either game. I was surprised how much that moment with Joel still hurt all these years later.
2.I am very surprised the show went there this early. Lots of ways they could have stretched it out, and I was sure they would. TLOU2 is a great game, but told in a lot of ways that don’t fit neatly into a TV series. The choices they make to make that fit are going to be so interesting.
3.I thought the attack on Jackson was a great sequence. My main complaint about season one (that I heard a lot from others) is that there were not enough infected outside of one episode. They didn’t even feel like a threat, which really diluted the stakes of the choice at the end IMO. The attack sure did take care of that right away.
Eager to see more.
I thought that was an order of magnitude better than the first episode. The Left4Dead bit was entertaining, but above all kudos to the producers for not pulling any punches with the ‘big spoiler’. After last week, I really feared they might.
I'm not sure I like the Jackson battle. I think there's an important narrative frustration created in the game between following Ellie on her quest for revenge and knowing that if she could just stop there'd be a happier life waiting for her back home. Unless they quickly rebuild Jackson, I think that element will be lost.
I don't get the changes they've made really. Presumably, it's because they're not going to finish the story of the game in one season so they think they've got to spill the beans on some things earlier. But it kinda ruins the entire pacing of the story. There's a reason we're not supposed to know these things yet. But here they're just like LET ME EXPLAIN EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING RN
It was great. Much better than Ep1 imho. Ellie was much more likeable and less 'hate the world'.
Its still doesn't make sense that Abbey would do what she did; but hey if she didn't the whole series would be rather short.
Must better.
I watched it with my Mrs who hasn't played the game she knew Joel was going to die but not how or when it happened she was convinced Ellie would save Joel i honestly struggled not to blurt out he's going to die lol.
I actually thought this was one of Ramsay's better episodes performance-wise. Their performance is usually completely unconvincing to me, but what they can do decently is subdued sadness and quiet contemplation. When Ellie mourns over Joel's body and she puts her hand on his, that was the first time I felt something other than utter indifference this season.
My favourite part was honestly the dogs.
Absolute best boys and girls ever.
@lindos Joel killed her father. The story over two games is about the cycle of violence, including revenge. What about her motivations doesn’t make sense? Or is it the way the show put her in that position bothering you? Not trying to be argumentative, genuinely curious as to your point.
@idiotthechef This is a really interesting point that I hadn’t thought of, so thank you. I am not sure I agree with it, but something to ponder. I am being vague to avoid spoilers, but my initial thought is that the people of Jackson are a lot more important than the city of Jackson when it comes to the issue you raise. I guess we’ll see what they do.
If Bella Ramsay can beat up a 6ft 4 beast in the first episode, she is going to absolutely destroy Abby when they eventually fight! 😅 It’s gonna be a bloodbath. Nah, as casting goes, I definitely think they should have gone for someone with a lot more physical presence than Kaitlyn Dever. Not taking anything away from her acting capabilities, they are good for sure, but she doesn’t feel like a threat to anyone on a physical level so it’s going to be interesting to see how that is all handled later in the show.
@Shepherd_Tallon This was the only moment of a tense episode that brought a smile to my face! I have two big protective German Shepards, and I was like: Good dogs!
@Perturbator dude, if you sit there and “Why didn’t this?” everything in a sci-fi zombie movie or show, you’re always gonna have a miserable time. TV isn’t real life. Let’s say they did all that. What then? Zombies can’t get in, no tension, humans win. Fun times!
Let’s go back to when Ellie bested David and his crew. Why was a 14-year-old girl able to take out 2 able-bodied adult males? Why was Joel able to dispatch an 18-man army by himself? Are we really gonna question why sci-fi TV (or most any Tav) is unrealistic?
I mean, I’m not saying it has to be loved. But if the reason you don’t like it is because it doesn’t happen like it would in real life then you’re watching the wrong thing.
My wife had no clue Joel would die. She was crushed! That’s the impact I love about those who knew nothing going in. Everyone who wasn’t expecting it was either shocked or pretending they won’t keep watching now that he’s gone.
@Westernwolf4 @idiotthechef
I was thinking about this too, but when you see the size of Jackson from the valley ridge, it's pretty big.
I may be mistaken, but it looked to me like the battle mainly took place in the area inside that breach and maybe a few blocks back.
Did we get to see how far in they pushed?
@Westernwolf4 I think the only thing that could have done a better job than those dogs in that moment would have been the Rohirrim. Such a satisfying scene.
I thought this was one of the best hours of television I’ve seen, and that’s including Breaking Bad’s “Ozymandias”, “The Battle of the *****” from Game of Thrones, “A Most Powerful Adversary” and “International Assassin” from The Leftovers. There were some drastic deviations from the game, but I still knew what was transpiring and I felt the tension the entire time. The acting was excellent, and I think Kaitlyn Denver proved she could play Abby without being bulky or muscular. You should feel her presence, and I believed every word she was saying. She genuinely felt intimidating despite her short stature.
@AhmadSumadi This was my Mom-not a gamer, but loves the show. She sent me a text after the episode that just said: “Nooooooo!”. I felt bad-I knew what was going to happen and could at least brace myself!
My wife is also not a gamer, also loves the show, but was on a trip and has not caught up yet. Very interested to see what she thinks. Also advised her not to talk to my Mom for a few days to avoid spoilers. 😃
@johncalmc I agree with this. I thought starting the season with revealing who Abby's group is and what their intentions are was detrimental to the flow of the narrative.
Now, I obviously knew this anyway but I think the game handled this great, with Abby being visibly surprised when she realized she was saved by Joel, and then the same happening at the lodge, and the player not yet knowing what it was about.
I also don't see how Dina being there in person instead of Tommy benefits the story but maybe I have to wait and see.
I'm not usually too hard against adaptations deviating from the source material but I'm sceptical about these changes.
That said, I'm still enjoying the show a lot.
I havnt been following any of the show and I dont really know the second game very well, but I did happen to watch this episode and thought it was pretty good, and I won’t lie I did think they would keep Joel alive.
That settlement should have had a series of dug out trenches full of razor wire and pre-set barrels of hidden explosives, though 😉
@Shepherd_Tallon do clickers die when their windpipes get severed?
Edit: I guess so, I think they can be choked in the games, can’t they?
The current state of world affairs is thoroughly depressing enough so I'm not choosing to watch a thoroughly depressing and rather nihilistic show so as to not sink oneself further into the abyssal depths of moribund emotions.
It'll have to wait for now.
Im enjoying the show more than the game, and I didn't hate the game
Joel carried Ellie through the first game for me and when the death happened in part 2 I quickly lost interest in the game. I was hoping they would showcase events between the 2 as there's a 5 year gap but as that is not the case I've dropped this show.
Didn't expect this moment would happen so soon in season 2.
After the first roof got breached you would have thought that the people on the other roofs would have done something besides shooting down into the streets. That was the only thing I disliked in the episode.
@kyleforrester87 I think so yeah. I definitely have memories of strangling and stabbing necks of infected.
They have though. It's TV for the "can't pay attention for more than five minutes/no room for nuance because everything needs to be spoon-fed" generation.
I think the game was written and acted better than the show
I'm not yet watch eps 1 & 2 but after 4+ years it's just kinda funny to see angry comments about Joel's dead again.
But no wonder Neil said TloU Part 3 probably not gonna happen...
@AhmadSumadi I can suspend my disbelief to some degree, but TLoU portrays itself as a realistic world with the limitations and possibilities that brings. Survivors in this world wouldn't be so for long if they were this stupid. In a settlement this big they would be bound to have engineers, architects and military personnel who would know how to put up a better defense.
They kinda did the same thing in S1 Bill and Frank episode when Bill (or was it Frank) had a perfectly barricaded town to defend, but instead decided to walk Rambo-style into gunfire and promptly got himself shot. In my opinion it's just dumb writing in order to set up some plot the writers want to get to.
Funny how Pascal posted a picture after the episode with Abby's actress to show they're actually friends. I guess show or game, people are gonna have that violent reaction to their favorite characters exiting stage right.
Good luck to you Ellie because you'll have to carry this show from here on.
The writing and direction of the game is so much better. It’s crazy because this is a top class HBO production with a huge budget. Just shows you once more what masterpiece TLOU2 really is. One of the best games ever made.
One of the best TV episodes ever made. This episode surpassed the game with that infected invasion. Loved it, jaws dropped!!
This review gets 2 thumbs down, this episode was amazing!
Overall very well done, and the addition of the battle just made for incredible entertainment. You can pick apart logical inconsistencies, but it is what it is; we're watching a post-apocalyptic zombie drama about killer fungus and tortured survivors. So be it.
Pretty much agree with this review as well. Abby's monologue felt silly and overly expository, and I think they should have kept her motivation secret until at least later in the season. I assume there will be plenty of flashbacks featuring Pedro throughout this season anyway, so they could have easily found a way to reveal it towards the end of this season. But this is mostly nitpicking of the variety we can't fully avoid because another version of the story already exists. In many ways the show seems to be solving for some of the issues in the game, and of course they can't help but introduce some new bits to quibble with. But I think they're succeeding in making a very entertaining show overall, and it's been adapted well to fit the format. I struggled hardest with the later episodes of S1, where they really started rushing (and frankly butchered the winter sequence and didn't fully stick the landing in the hospital). S2 has been much stronger than that for sure.
I've played both games and enjoyed them both. This was an excellent episode of TV in my opinion, even though I knew generally what would happen it was still gripping. 9/10.
@Jimmer-jammer So what were people looking for from the game if not entertainment? It's a bleak and desolate post-apocalypse regardless of what medium is being used to tell the story.
And you reckon Jackson getting decimated (where we even see one of the residents handing a friend his pistol to shoot him because he got bit), Joel beaten to a bloody pulp while Abby empties her rage into him (verbally and physically), and Ellie screaming into the void after him is tickety boo vs. what's depicted in the game?
They pulled it off really well I thought but my take away was that there is no way Abby’s squeamish crew would follow her through a wilderness of sheer peril for 5 straight years looking for a person they don’t even recognise. They’d have drugged her in her sleep and left her for the infected years ago.
The whole crew has been fantastic, and shout out to Bella Ramsey for always killing it in screen.
@RadioHedge They weren’t following her through the wilderness for 5 straight years, lol. In the game, they went to Jackson on a mission to confront Tommy who was an ex-firefly. They got a tip on where Tommy was located and hoofed it there probably over a month or two. In the show, it’s implied that they know Joel is there. They were in Seattle the past 5 years stewing on revenge.
@Jimmer-jammer So you reckon the likes of Oz, Black Mirror, Adolescence, Threads, The Leftovers, The Handmaid's Tale, Breaking Bad, Narcos, Hannibal, Chernobyl, Twin Peaks, Jam, etc. are "pedestrian"?
@Greifchen I know you spotted your avatar in that episode lol.
@Darkri74345 for real! She’s been brilliant! Don’t understand the naysayers.
@Perturbator so you’re willing to suspend disbelief when a teenage girl sews up a gaping wound on a dying man who’d been left out in the freezing cold. But you draw the line at engineering? I imagine you’re one of those people who watch Avengers movies and draw the line at the point where they’re destroying the city but not being asked to pay for the rebuild.
@Jimmer-jammer We're clearly talking about the themes explored in these works of fiction, the interactivity bears no consequence here.
Besides, you deflected from my original question - do you really think what was delivered in Episode 2 is really that pedestrian vs. what the same section of the game depicted? Because it absolutely isn't.
I thought this was a great episode. I've been critical of the series so far but this one really expanded on the game's plot in all the right ways
That said, I also didn't really have a problem with the story in the game up until the half way point onwards.. so I'm still expecting this show to fall off for me but this might not be until season 3 from the looks of it
For now, I'm excited to see what's next
As someone who was lukewarm on S1 and absolutely against the casting of Bella (in particular) and Joel, I actually liked this episode. Maybe it’s because I didn’t care about Joel in the show, so it didn’t feel like as big a FU as it did in the game?
Bella was atrocious as always. Game Ellie was kinda cool but Bella is just so awkward and childish. Saying F a lot and acting like a brat is not cool.
I still find it frustrating that Joel doesn’t tell Abby that he killed her Father to save someone he loved (because the Fireflies neglected to tell Ellie that the procedure would kill her). If they had given Ellie the facts and let her choose, it would be different. But they didn’t. They are the bad guys.
And I’m glad they’re making Abby seem more villainous in the show. She wanted to kill Joel for killing her Father but Joel didn’t torture him (although my Joel does use a flamethrower on that MF every time). What she did to Joel was ten times worse than what Joel did to her. Ellie has more justification to go after Abby than Abby did to go after Joel. And somehow Ellie is wrong.
Hard for me to agree with the attack on Jackson village being so good when it was extremely noticeable that at least half of the zombies you could see had no makeup on whatsoever. It actually felt lazy more than great.
The whole dramatic bit where Tommy survives by having it still keep going and then just drop down right in front of him rather than just fall over like it would've in the game was unnecessary. I know what Craig was trying to do with that, but it looked silly that it still kept going and then just all of a sudden dropped.
The change from just hitting Joel over the head with the golf club to kill him to now stabbing him was a completely unnecessary change. It was already extremely graphic enough in the game. It added nothing seeing him laying there dead with half the golf club stuck in him.
@AhmadSumadi Avengers movies? No you can keep those for yourself.
@Jimmer-jammer Not agreeing with you about something as inane as a TV show ≠ "trying to turn this into something".
This show is actually pretty laughable. Bad acting and bad dialogue. No emotions whatsoever. Casting of Ellie is a disaster, she is extremely unlikable so Im rooting for Abby now.
They actually should have switched the actresses for Abby and Ellie, that would have made more sense.
@LifeGirl it's funny after finishing episode 2 it's exactly what I tought, all she's done is annoy me last 2 episodes, and denver as abby isn't convincing, considering the rest of this season solely based with these, I'm worried how it will go
TV shows will always be structured differently than games, viewers don't have the same time and elements to be fully immersed like we, gamers, are and a show doesn't have the same time luxury as a game have. Sure they could have kept Abby's motives for a later episode and sure they could have brought a more physically imposing actress but I fulky trust the guys and they have been delivering greatly so far. I loved the episode, it kept me at the edge of my seat and the attack on Jackson was magnificently crafted
This show will just fail now, the actress playing Elly is God awful and uninteresting as is the writing, every other word she says seems to be the F word. Not like the game character. But they had an opportunity to do something different, and they couldn’t be bothered, so I also guess after this season it’s over like the game? Not that I care.
I watched the first season, watched half the first episode of the second and got bored.
I am looking forward to Alien Earth though. Fingers crossed they don’t screw that up…..
@Cornpop76 A perfect explanation of both the game and the programme. I like many others spent a good while just endlessly killing Abby in inventive ways when forced to play her as it was dull. Elly’s combat was MUCH more interesting.
@MrMeeeseeeks Like me… whenever I see a film or programme, and almost every other word is the F word, to me it SCREAMS bad poorly written lazy writing / script, made by people incapable of coming up with an intelligent clever storyline. They try to mask it by making the character seem arrogant and mean by swearing all the time..
It is a MAJOR turnoff for me and sometimes I just switch it off and don’t bother watching it, if I want to watch immature content I’ll watch South Park, American Dad, Family Guy and have a much better time doing so…
I don't mind that they mixed it up, I think these things were all done with purpose and some of them will be to aid the story later. TV and games are not the same thing and adjustments have to be made for the formats.
Dina being there instead of Tommy makes more sense of Dina aiding Ellie later, especially as she's been depicted as extremely flippant in the show and her relationship with Ellie isn't fully blossomed yet, she needs a more grounded and personal reason for going. Plus to have the fight at Jackson, you needed a character we know and care about like Tommy there. Non-gamers don't really know Dina yet, but we all know Tommy from last season if not the games. So it gave weight to what was happening there and gave an excellent misdirect as I'm sure many were worried for Tommy's life and not evening thinking Joel might be in any trouble at all.
Watched it with the wife last night (who doesn’t know anything about the game) At the end of episode 2 she said “they’ve just ruined the show and Joel’s story was not finished” then went on to say she’s not really bothered about watching the rest.
Will be very interesting keeping an eye on the viewing figures going forwards.
The episode from a TV POV was excellent.
From a game comparison POV it’s really not good at all.
They’ve made significant changes in this episode that will drastically alter the story from the game - Dina/Tommy swap and the whole Jackson section to name just two.
Personally I thought the episode was brilliantly done and the changes that were made make perfect sense. In order to make the Jackson event work they needed a bigger character to lead the plot and add some jeopardy and Tommy was easily the best fit for this. The same goes with Dina accompanying Joel. Having her with him expands upon their relationship and also increases her motivations for what happens next. Tommy also not being there for his brother will also add to his story.
The death sequence, Abbie's motivations and the small amount of exposition were all very very well done and the final blow was absolutely brutal. The performances across the board were brilliant and I think Bella Ramsay deserves a stay of execution. I think she has been unfairly criticised for her performances so far. I think she captures the essence of who Ellie is extremely well and whenever called upon has nailed the more emotional and tense moments.
So, so far so good 👍
I'm really curious how this episode hits for people who haven't played the game.
@S1ayeR74 HBO renewed the Last of Us for Season 3, since Part II (the game) was really long.
Season 2 will cover the first half of TLOU2, and Season 3 will cover the 2nd/final half.
Finally catching up on this. On the whole I really enjoyed the episode but agree with all your gripes. I believe the Jackson attack was originally designed to be in the game, but was cut for budgetary reasons and to get the story moving faster. So it's nice to see it make a comeback.
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