The Last Of Us Season 2 Review: Bella Ramsey Brilliantly Anchors HBO's Sophomore Outing

The first season of HBO's massively popular series "The Last of Us" — based on the universally adored Playstation game of the same name by Naughty Dog — premiered in 2023, becoming an immediate hit for the premium network as it tells the story of Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and his unexpected ward Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Pascal is ideal as Joel, a consummate survivor who won't let anyone near his heart after losing his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) during the beginning of the vicious cordyceps outbreak that turned humans into absolutely gnarly zombies. Ramsey, who already showed off their considerable chops as the young yet formidable Lady Lyanna Mormont on "Game of Thrones," brings Ellie to life on the small screen with grit, determination, and as much profanity as HBO would allow (which, I guess, is "all of it"). Okay, that was your refresher on Season 1, but it's time to talk about Season 2 of "The Last of Us."

I, personally, haven't played the original games — that would require a PlayStation, which I do not own — so as someone who came into this world with some knowledge but not the full story, I'm genuinely happy to say that the second season of "The Last of Us" expands the show's universe without overreaching, features performances that have somehow improved since Season 1, and adapts "The Last of Us Part II" in a way that beautifully translates the source material for non-gamers and gamers alike. Showrunners Craig Mazin ("Chernobyl") and Neil Druckmann (who worked on the original game) have done it again.

Talking about Season 2 of "The Last of Us" without trafficking in spoilers isn't particularly easy — though, obviously, anyone familiar with "The Last of Us Part II" has some idea about where things are headed — but at the very least, I can tell you that the second season adds some pretty incredible performers to its roster. Throughout Season 1, actors like Anna Torv, Nick Offerman, Melanie Lynskey, and Murray Bartlett popped up for short stints, but in Season 1, some of these new faces stick around ... and make the world of "The Last of Us" feel that much fuller.

Arguably, the biggest addition here is Kaitlyn Dever's Abby – a legendary figure for gameplayers — who's flanked by a crew that includes Danny Ramirez ("Top Gun: Maverick"), Tati Gabrielle ("You"), Ariela Barer ("Runaways"), and Spencer Lord ("Riverdale"), who play Manny, Nora, Mel, and Owen, respectively. Ellie gets two new friends — the caustic yet big-hearted Dina, played by "Madame Web" star Isabela Merced; and the strict but loyal Jesse, portrayed by "Beef" standout Young Mazino — and in the community of Jackson, Wyoming, Joel's brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and his wife Maria (Rutina Wesley) are joined by therapist Gail (Catherine O'Hara, marking a much more serious role for the comedic powerhouse). Jeffrey Wright, meanwhile, reprises his role as Isaac from the game — like Merle Dandridge did one season previously with Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies.

That's a lot of new names for a series that typically focuses on two characters, but I can assure you this is a good thing. "The Last of Us" isn't really about the zombies created by the cordyceps fungus; it's about the connections you make in the aftermath of unimaginable horror and pain. The emotional world of "The Last of Us" somehow stays small even as the cast of characters expands, and even with the zombie-related stakes high (as always), the intimate struggles between the characters feel equally as important — and thrilling to watch. 

Beyond that, it's important to say that Bella Ramsey has never been better. While the first season basically belonged to Joel, Season 2 of "The Last of Us" gives the reins to Ramsey's Ellie, and their development as an actor over the last few years is frankly remarkable. Ramsey has always been talented, but in this season, they're at the top of their game, and it's a genuine pleasure to see Ramsey deliver a performance that will, with any justice, net them nominations come awards season (and frankly, I expect that Dever will be in that conversation too).

Thanks to a five year time jump at the start of "The Last of Us" Season 2, the show doesn't need to squander any time on heavy exposition, simply dropping us in the community of Jackson, Wyoming that now houses Joel and Ellie full-time. There's obviously enmity between the makeshift father-daughter duo, with Ellie avoiding contact with Joel most of the time; audiences know that Joel possibly prevented Firefly rebels from finding a cure through Ellie sacrificing her body to science at the end of Season 1, but what we don't know is, well, how much Ellie knows. Point is, the season hits the ground running nicely, re-establishing everything and everyone without feeling heavy-handed.

Sure, there are some pacing issues in the back half of the season — without getting into specifics, things move sort of slowly and then very quickly to reach the season's intended endpoint — but frankly, you might not even notice. This is the smallest of nits I can realistically pick here, for the sake of, you know, writing a balanced review. "The Last of Us" Season 2 is just very, very good; the showrunners know exactly what they're doing here, and every single performer involved understood their own assignments. Over just seven episodes, we get a new, full story about these characters we love. Just one thing: have tissues ready.

"The Last of Us" Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max on April 13.