The Last Of Us CANCELED?! Fans FURIOUS After Pedro Pascal Exit!

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The Last Of Us is facing massive backlash following Sunday’s episode. Note: Spoilers follow below.

After the thought-provoking and socially conscious premiere of Season 2 left a significant impact, it seems that episode 2 might not meet expectations for both gaming enthusiasts and general audiences, potentially causing more disillusionment.

On Sunday’s broadcast, it was revealed that Abby does end up killing Joel, a plot twist reminiscent of the video games. It’s noteworthy that fans have expressed a preference for the first game over the second one in the gaming community.

The backlash

Following Sunday’s episode, there’s been a surge of unfavorable feedback and ratings from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. The fan rating has also significantly decreased. Initially, Season 1 enjoyed an impressive 87% score from fans, but the first two episodes of Season 2 have garnered only a “rotten” 55%, according to their criteria.

Before the episode, there had been chatter among gaming enthusiasts that the series might prolong the character of Joel, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, for as long as feasible. Interestingly enough, the show adhered closely to the original game and immediately killed off Joel.

It’s likely that people who have never played the games wouldn’t have anticipated Pascal, now a major figure, being killed off, given their lack of familiarity with these game dynamics.

Reactions

Here is a selection of some of the negative reactions from fans:

As a devoted film enthusiast, I must confess that there’s scarcely any adaptation more disheartening than the one I’ve encountered. Compared to it, even the final seasons of Game of Thrones seem like a beacon of unparalleled storytelling.

Depressing. Horrible people doing horrible things. Vengeance is bad. Real *deep* themes.

The first season was strong, but I’m finding the current one lackluster, and many others seem to agree. Sadly, since Pedro left, I don’t find the show as engaging anymore.

The debut season was impressive, but this following one doesn’t hold my interest, and it seems that many viewers share the same sentiment. Regrettably, after Pedro’s departure, I can’t seem to enjoy the series as much.

It’s such a shame to see untapped talent go to waste. Instead of developing a well-rounded character, they opted for an obscure antagonist with little backstory, making him a significant threat through sheer happenstance and good fortune. The storyline feels gloomy, disheartening, and intellectually unsatisfying – there’s no point in investing your emotions.

A subpar level of writing is evident here. Even teenagers, with their lives on the line, would not behave foolishly while on duty.

It’s widely acknowledged that the second installment failed to meet expectations, disappointingly ruining the element that initially made the narrative compelling. However, despite this significant flaw, the production values and acting are commendable. Admittedly, there is an excessive amount of political exposition, but it can be overlooked. The series may not live up to the first season’s brilliance without its central theme, but it promises to deliver a visually striking and intriguing zombie show. Regrettably, the captivating father-daughter dynamic from our hoped-for sequel is absent, yet the anticipation remains for an engaging continuation of the story.

Plot Holes and Coincidences

I thought the overall episode was pretty decent and much better than the first episode.

Although they discarded all the controversial wokeness, I found myself scrutinizing their actions, like arranging for people’s departure in a snowstorm.

I too found it hard not to roll my eyes when Abby had been searching for Joel for five years only to find him (or vice versa). Remarkably, this mirrors an event in the game, which — how fortuitous. It happened to make Abby’s group exempt from having to sneak into the city and deal with all that.

Regarding the city you’ve mentioned, I previously suggested jokingly on Twitter that since it appears to be populated by many people and farm equipment, why not construct a large defensive moat around it? Or have you ever been to Gettysburg? Perhaps we could install traditional fences like Virginia post-and-rail, split-rail, or snake fences instead? However, it’s worth noting that such measures might disrupt the city’s charm (as a joke – similar to the impact on the TV show “The Walking Dead” perhaps).

Or how about, no one knew there was a ski lodge up in the hills?

Gamers not happy

Some gamers have expressed dissatisfaction with the appearance of the actress portraying Abby, specifically Kaitlyn Dever. The showrunner has addressed these concerns (see below). While I believe Kaitlyn is doing an excellent job, I understand why fans might feel this way. In the game, her character resembles Linda Hamilton in T2, which seems fitting if you consider that she’s a survivalist, and it makes sense given her role.

In the words of Neil Druckmann, head of creative at Naughty Dog, during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, they emphasized the importance of finding someone who truly embodies the spirit of the characters in question, rather than a physical resemblance to minor details like eyebrows, nose, or body shape. While these aspects are not entirely unimportant, they hold less significance compared to other qualities that are prioritized during casting for Abby.

Will there be a drop in viewership?

It’s worth noting if the departure of Pedro Pascal as Joel affects the number of viewers. Reminds me of how the exit of Andrew Lincoln on The Walking Dead seemed to mark a decline in viewership, although that show was already experiencing a drop in popularity at the time.

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2025-04-22 11:01