The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 4

Another Sunday has come and gone, and with it, another episode of the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us. I’ve been enjoying watching this series for the most part so far, but when it’s come to reviewing the weekly episodes, I’ve found myself having a hard time finding particularly good things to say about the show’s take on adapting the original game. Unfortunately, Episode 4 of The Last of Us, once again, places me in a similar position – an enjoyable hour of television, but with plenty of issues holding this series back from reaching great heights.

Today, we’re talking all things Episode 4 of The Last of Us Season 2. For this review, we’ll be avoiding any serious spoilers for the events of the episode. However, it should be made clear that I have played both of The Last of Us games, and so, it would be a lie to say I’m going into this show blind. Also, importantly, there will be spoilers for the events of the episodes leading up to Episode 4 of The Last of Us Season 2, so proceed with caution! With that being said, we’ll be steering clear of any game spoilers, so feel free to read ahead if this is your first time experiencing the story of The Last of Us. Without further ado, let’s get into this review!

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The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 4 Review

Image by HBO

In a trend started in last week’s episode of The Last of Us, Episode 4 continues on with the narrative that often emerges in these sort of post-apocalyptic stories – humanity is its own greatest threat. However, though these sort of stories are commonplace in the world of ‘zombie’ media, The Last of Us’ brutality, and all-round grimness, leads to its exploration of this theme being one of the best in the genre. This week’s episode introduces the viewer to one of the biggest conflicts plaguing the world of The Last of Us – as well as introducing said conflict to our main characters.

Hand-in-hand with this newfound conflict comes some of the most disturbing imagery and moments in the series to date. This is a HBO series, so it’s expected that all sorts of depravity and grotesqueness will be shown clear as day on the screen, but this week’s episode of The Last of Us felt unsettlingly distressing – and, impressively enough, they managed to pull off this feeling of discomfort using relatively new characters, who the audience have little to no connection to. In a similar vein to the game, this series really does manage to unsettle its viewers, and when that’s the goal, that’s a big compliment. The scariest part of an apocalypse is what humanity will do in response to it, and The Last of Us is well-aware that exploring this theme is a sure-fire way to get under its fanbase’s skin.

On the other, more pleasant, side of things, this episode majorly follows Ellie and Dina, as they continue their journey across America, in what we often forget is in reality, a bloodthirsty revenge mission. Now, I’ll say it here – the dynamic between these two is still not working for me. It’s getting better, but marginally so, and I think I’ve started to realise that the medium of this series is what’s hindering their chances of bonding with the viewer. In the game, there’s plenty of time dedicated to exploring large, open areas, and with this exploration comes plenty of little moments, jokes, quips, and sincerity between the two. In this show, we move from one major story beat to another, and so, all of that time to slowly build up the relationship between Ellie and Dina is lost. One thing is for sure – this dynamic is not down to the work of Bella Ramsey or Isabela Merced, both of whom are great in their respective roles. If anything, their dynamic is just an inevitable sacrifice when it comes to adapting a story from a game to a series.

Image by HBO

One of the standout elements of this episode, though, was the action. We did get some action in Episode 2 of this season, but for the most part, this season has been lacking in the blood-pumping, adrenaline-activating sequences that made the game such a thrill to play through. This week’s episode changed that, and it doesn’t look like the show is going to be slowing down anytime soon – in fact, with only three episodes left in the season, if anything, it’s only going to get more intense from here. Without giving anything away, the action this week was also the best kind of action for a series like The Last of Us. It was cool to see Tommy and the people of Jackson defending their homes with all kinds of firepower, but the real thrill comes from action sequences where our characters are on the back-foot, as sadistic as that may sound.

However, with this action came a pretty unfortunate trade-off – this was a bad week for Ellie as a character. She wasn’t unlikeable this week, or at least, she wasn’t any more unlikeable than usual. However, her survivability skills in this episode were at an all-time low. There’s an alternate universe where Ellie went on this mission to avenge Joel by herself, and in that universe, it’s highly unlikely that Ellie even made it out of Jackson alive, given how much she ends up getting herself into predicaments that have to be solved by Dina this week. Am I the only one who feels like Ellie also has no idea where she’s actually going? Dina seems to be the only one with any knowledge of cartography and direction.

There’s also a moment pretty late into the episode (you’ll know it when you see it) where Ellie makes a drastic decision, one that could definitely read a very different way from Ellie’s intentions if you were in Dina’s shoes. However, instead of explaining herself to Dina, Ellie speaks in riddles, acts very vague, and generally just waits far too long to explain her actions, putting both herself, and Dina, in real danger. Not to take a jab at her or anything, but this whole episode made me wonder just how much of Joel’s teachings Ellie actually took on-board. Not her finest hour, that’s for sure. Dina, on the other hand, proved that she’s more than capable of surviving out here, so at least there’s that character growth to come out of this.

Image by HBO

However, as this review comes to an end, I do need to talk about my biggest issue with the episode, an issue that I cannot get off of my mind ever since the credits rolled. There’s a scene in this episode that plays out very differently to how it does in the game, and in this adaptation of said scene, the events end up actually doing damage to the relationship between Ellie and Dina. In the game, this same moment actually reinforces their relationship, and is one of the most important milestones in their dynamic – for game players, I’ll give you a hint – it involves a gas mask. Now, I know why this show doesn’t use gas masks – that’s been a rule for them since the first season. However, the relationship between Ellie and Dina in this show is already unconvincing as it stands – why you would change a moment from the game that actually improves their dynamic, and alter it in a way to make their relationship worse is completely mind-boggling to me. Not to mention, with the changes, this moment ends up becoming one big cliché from the ‘zombie’ genre. Disappointing all-round when it came to this moment.

The episode ends fairly uneventfully, with more promises of action next week, on which I’m sure the show will deliver. I don’t usually find myself this hung up on needing action in a show, but where The Last of Us has lost some of my interest in their character work, I’m relying on action to fill that void. This show is still solid, and I’ve never been bored watching it. However, I’m hoping that things pick up soon, or else things will be looking pretty bad for the series if the rumours about a third season are true.

What did you think of The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 4? Are you excited for the rest of the show to unfold? If you’ve never played the games, what are your predictions for the show’s future episodes? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading!

See also: Thunderbolts Review

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Where to Watch The Last of Us?

Image by HBO

The Last of Us is a HBO original show, and is available to stream on HBO Max. For viewers outside of regions where Max is available, you can catch The Last of Us on Now TV, and on demand in the Sky TV library – or, UK viewers can enjoy the show on HBO Max by referring to our guide on how to watch Max in the UK.

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