Did You Know Therapy Scene Was Supposed to Be Part of The Last of Us Season 1? Know Why Creators Added It to S2

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The hit series “The Last of Us” is back with a chilling start to Season 2 named “Future Days”. This episode lays the foundation for the intense action ahead in the upcoming violent season. In a raw therapy session, Pedro Pascal’s character Joel confronts his inner turmoil against the backdrop of Gail, played by Catherine O’Hara. Interestingly, this scene was actually intended for the previous season.

Originally, therapy wasn’t planned for Season 2. Initially, Showrunner Craig Mazin aimed to include Joel’s therapy sessions in Season 1, but had to cut them due to time limitations. However, he reintroduced the idea this season to further explore Joel’s guilt and internal struggles.

In the initial episode of the most recent season, a therapy session brings out Joel’s feelings of guilt and hidden emotions. This scene reveals cracks in his typically reserved personality, suggesting that he is harboring deep emotional wounds. As Pascal explained to Variety, this session offered a moving introduction to Joel and the barriers he has built around the traumas and losses he has experienced.

Nevertheless, the particular scene wasn’t included in the initial season, but it was incorporated into the second one instead, as reported by the outlet. According to Mazin, therapy serves as an effective mirror to not only help us understand our own thoughts, but also to identify topics that people are unwilling to discuss.

Mazin aimed to infuse the therapy session with a sense of dynamic action, filled with intense emotional highs and lows. Having attended numerous therapy sessions himself, he noted how swiftly joy could transform into rage. This scene was among his most cherished to compose and refine, primarily because it allowed him to observe these two acting titans at the pinnacle of their abilities conversing.

Remarkably, the conversation in the series echoes similar dialogues from the video game where Joel talks to Tommy. However, the show chooses to save this moment for Gail, adding depth and new perspectives. Neil Druckmann explains, “We gave it to a different character to evoke an emotion that’s subtly distinct.

Catch the latest episode of The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO and Max.

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2025-04-14 12:52