The Last of Us series 2 review: Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay reunite - but fans won't be happy

slow-paced premiere has reunited fans of the smash-hit PlayStation game and all those converted by the Sky and HBO original TV show with ’s Joel and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie - but just not in the way we all wanted.

The first season - which aired back in 2023 - was certainly a surprise hit, as video game adaptations of the past have nearly always disappointed fans and casual audiences alike. Yet The Last of Us managed to unlock a space between The Walking Dead’s apocalyptic action with all the emotional heart-wrenching quality you’d expect from an HBO heavyweight, becoming the broadcaster’s most-viewed debut season, and the show sweeping up .

The premiere leaps five years into the future after the fateful season one finale that saw Joel kill numerous Fireflies in order to stop Ellie’s fatal surgery, which could have provided a life-saving cure for the virus that plagues their world.

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Despite the time jump, we see Joel’s lie still burning on. Although we see Joel and Ellie reunite in fleeting moments, the seeds of doubt that quavered in Ellie’s voice in the first season’s climax have now grown into an emotional canyon between them.

Much of the season premiere is devoted to The Last of Us season two’s wider cast, with new additions including Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), Dina (Isabela Merced), Jesse (Young Mazino), and Gail (Catherine O’Hara).

Caitlyn turns out to be a Firefly and a companion of the many that Joel killed in season one, and she vows vengeance: "Slowly. When we kill him, we kill him slowly."

Interestingly, the Booksmart actress was initially considered to play Ellie back when the title was going to be a movie instead of a TV show.

Speaking to the , the game, and show’s creator Neil Druckman said: “Caitlyn was involved in the world of The Last of Us going back many years, when it was going to be a movie, and ended up not happening, and she was in the running to play Ellie.”

“When we made the show in season one, she had kind of aged out of that role, so it wasn’t really a consideration, but then when we thought about this season, and her name came up, we started discussing it.

“Caitlyn is so talented, and I had the privilege of working with her a little bit on Uncharted 4, the video game. It was very easy to just close your eyes and see her as this character and see that… she has this drive, this passion, this intensity, this intense pursuit of justice. And has to be extremely vulnerable at the same time and have all these other facts that we haven't even seen yet. It didn’t take much imagination to view her in that role.”

Elsewhere a massive highlight of the episode is when Joel clashes with Beetlejuice actress Catherine O’Hara. His new whisky-slugging therapist is unorthodox, not least for her work-time drinking, because it turns out Joel hurt someone she loved.

This subplot marks a departure from the source material, and it’s certainly a worthy one. It gives a window into Joel’s mental state, and we see he still fails to admit his betrayal of Ellie, even to his own therapist.

The official podcast has also revealed that this plot was initially considered for season one when Joel battled with losing his daughter, but it was scrapped because it delayed the introduction of Ellie.

Catherine is a huge standout and continues the show’s wise choices of casting comedic actors in dramatic roles following the success of '.

The third most compelling new character in the show is Dina, who still maintains a friendship with Joel despite his issues with Ellie.

Dina is a fun-loving campmate for Ellie; she loves breaking the rules just as much, going rogue on patrols, and seeking out encounters with the monstrous clickers for fun.

But it’s Ellie and Dina’s encounter at the town’s New Year’s Eve party that helps fuel the emotional climax of the premiere. The moment recreates a key scene from the game’s initial trailer perfectly, with fairy lights and festivities engulfing the room.

However, it doesn’t last for long, as Dina has suitors in the town, and many of them won’t be happy to see who she’s interested in. Her storyline at the close of the episode also helps to build on a key plot from season one and will undoubtedly be a massive highlight for fans.

As for Joel and Ellie, they couldn’t be further from each other emotionally at this stage. Joel still pines to fulfill the fatherly role in her life, which Ellie no longer wants and, arguably, perhaps doesn’t need anymore either.

Yet, as dangers linger on the outskirts of their camp - in more ways than one - it’s hard to shake the feeling that this might be the happiest the notoriously dark TV series will get .

The Last of Us airs tonight at 9pm on Sky Atlantic.

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