It does seem like we’re moving into Phase 2 of most zombie apocalypse fiction. Phase 1 is: There’s an infection! Society collapses. Phase 2 is: Humanity attempts to rebuild. But maybe the scariest monster of all… is humankind??
I’ve always found Phase 2 to be inherently less interesting because I can watch all kinds of shows where people are the antagonists, but Joel and Ellie remain unique and compelling enough as characters that maybe they’ll carry me through.
A teenager should have some hobbies.
Credit:
Warner Bros. Discovery
Speaking of which, I wondered what you made of the brief scenes we get with Abby leading a reluctant but willing band of revenge-seekers that see doctor-murdering Joel as an unalloyed evil (somewhat justifiably, especially from their point of view).
But in seriousness, yes, it’s obvious that What Joel Did is a bomb that’s going to go off sooner rather than later. Trying to address it without addressing it has pushed taciturn, closed-off Joel into therapy, where he insists to a woman whose (presumably infected) husband he killed that he’s a “good guy.” And it seems clear to me that Ellie’s shunning of Joel is coming from her sense that something is amiss, just as much as it is about a 19-year-old rebelling against her would-be father figure.
In Joel’s case, it’s telling that it seems like lying to Ellie is weighing on him more than the murder-rampage itself. But having these improbably fresh-faced Firefly remnants chasing him down will mean that he might end up paying for both.
As we close, and while at least trying to avoid spoilers, are there any game moments you’re looking forward to seeing? Or are you just hoping that this season can “fix” a story that didn’t work as well for you in video game form?
How can you stay mad at this man?
Credit:
Warner Bros. Discovery
Besides making me an instant fan of the song “.44 Pistol,” that scene had me very excited to see how the social adventures of “All Growed Up” Ellie might develop. And while I don’t feel like the game really delivered a very satisfying or believable version of Ellie’s evolution, I’m hopeful the show might be able to smooth out some of the rough storytelling edges and give a more compelling version of the character.