section_path: Reception/Critical response
section_name: Critical response
paragraph_text: Critical response
  
  The second season of The Last of Us received "universal acclaim" according to review aggregator Metacritic, with a weighted score of 81 out of 100 based on 42 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 258 critics gave a positive review. The website's general consensus called it "a challenging expansion that retains its predecessor's superb performances and verisimilitude". Critics felt the season reinforced The Last of Us as the best video game adaptation; /Film ' s Jeremy Mathai felt it "sets a new standard". Empire ' s John Nugent called it "another remarkable run of episodes" and "post-apocalyptic television at its peak", and Collider ' s Ross Bonaime declared it "one of 2025's best seasons of TV". Reviewers praised the action sequences, direction, performances, production design, and writing, though some criticized the pacing and considered the story incomplete.
  
  /Film ' s Matahi lauded the unified creative vision of each production department, and Collider ' s Bonaime praised the matching of each director with their familiar subject matter. Several reviewers compared the second episode's action sequences to Game of Thrones at its best; Empire ' s Nugent called it "exceptional grand scale cinematic television few others than HBO can muster", and The Times ' s James Jackson compared it to the opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan (1998), though IGN ' s Simon Cardy found it an overcorrection of the first season's scarce action and felt it overshadowed other pivotal moments. Many critics considered the sixth episode the standout for highlighting Joel and Ellie's relationship, though some felt it highlighted their noted absence elsewhere in the season and IGN ' s Cardy thought it negatively impacted momentum. Some reviewers considered the premiere episode effective but the finale the weakest. Praise was directed at the cinematography for highlighting performances and matching the game's cinematic qualities, and the production design for its presenting the world's beauty and destruction, though TheWrap ' s Chase Hutchinson found Seattle's recreation occasionally lacking.
  
  Several reviewers praised the season's deeper themes and more complex characters, particularly in its focus on Ellie and others' relationships. Radio Times ' s Louise Griffin lauded the "unrivalled storytelling" and the writers' mapping of details, perspectives, and flashbacks to develop the world, and /Film ' s Mathai found many scenes gain additional meanings on repeated viewings. Many praised the adaptation of scenes to fit the medium and some felt the original writing was the strongest, though Total Film ' s Lauren Milici thought it "fails to capture the same emotional weight as the source material" with unsatisfying alterations, and IGN ' s Cardy questioned whether Ellie and Abby's playability made the game more enjoyable. Some reviewers felt the lack of scenes with Joel and Ellie left the second season weaker than the first, and others found the quicker pace detrimental and the narrative unsatisfyingly incomplete, particularly demonstrated in Seattle's warring factions. The Hollywood Reporter ' s Angie Han wrote the season lacked the first's "rich lyricism... sprawling humanity devastating finality". Some considered new characters like Abby, Isaac, and Hanrahan underdeveloped and thought the non-chronological storytelling detracted from pacing and worldbuilding. Others found the political allegories overly simplistic or offensive.
  
  Critics praised the cast's performances and the chemistry between Pascal and Ramsey; Rolling Stone ' s Alan Sepinwall found some episodes weaker for their absence, and /Film ' s Mathai considered their subtler moments the most effective. Critics lauded Pascal for bringing warmth, charisma, and hardiness to Joel — Collider ' s Bonaime called his performance his career-best —and Ramsey for developing Ellie into a traumatized young adult while maintaining emotional immaturity and playfulness. Many reviewers considered Merced the season's highlight for her compassion and humor, as well as her chemistry with Ramsey, and Dever's performance was lauded for her portrayal of grief, rage, and hatred; some felt she upstaged others. Several critics applauded O'Hara's dramatic acting abilities, and Wright's captivating and menacing nature, immediately drawn in by his unsettling charisma. Barer's performance was lauded for its powerful devastation, and praise was directed towards the performances of Luna, Mazino, and Wesley, though some reviewers considered them underserved and the characters underdeveloped. Inverse ' s Valerie Ettenhofer found some interactions "strangely artificial" in contrast to the first season.
  
  The second season of The Last of Us received "universal acclaim" according to review aggregator Metacritic, with a weighted score of 81 out of 100 based on 42 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 258 critics gave a positive review. The website's general consensus called it "a challenging expansion that retains its predecessor's superb performances and verisimilitude". Critics felt the season reinforced The Last of Us as the best video game adaptation; /Film ' s Jeremy Mathai felt it "sets a new standard". Empire ' s John Nugent called it "another remarkable run of episodes" and "post-apocalyptic television at its peak", and Collider ' s Ross Bonaime declared it "one of 2025's best seasons of TV". Reviewers praised the action sequences, direction, performances, production design, and writing, though some criticized the pacing and considered the story incomplete.
  
  /Film ' s Matahi lauded the unified creative vision of each production department, and Collider ' s Bonaime praised the matching of each director with their familiar subject matter. Several reviewers compared the second episode's action sequences to Game of Thrones at its best; Empire ' s Nugent called it "exceptional grand scale cinematic television few others than HBO can muster", and The Times ' s James Jackson compared it to the opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan (1998), though IGN ' s Simon Cardy found it an overcorrection of the first season's scarce action and felt it overshadowed other pivotal moments. Many critics considered the sixth episode the standout for highlighting Joel and Ellie's relationship, though some felt it highlighted their noted absence elsewhere in the season and IGN ' s Cardy thought it negatively impacted momentum. Some reviewers considered the premiere episode effective but the finale the weakest. Praise was directed at the cinematography for highlighting performances and matching the game's cinematic qualities, and the production design for its presenting the world's beauty and destruction, though TheWrap ' s Chase Hutchinson found Seattle's recreation occasionally lacking.
  
  Several reviewers praised the season's deeper themes and more complex characters, particularly in its focus on Ellie and others' relationships. Radio Times ' s Louise Griffin lauded the "unrivalled storytelling" and the writers' mapping of details, perspectives, and flashbacks to develop the world, and /Film ' s Mathai found many scenes gain additional meanings on repeated viewings. Many praised the adaptation of scenes to fit the medium and some felt the original writing was the strongest, though Total Film ' s Lauren Milici thought it "fails to capture the same emotional weight as the source material" with unsatisfying alterations, and IGN ' s Cardy questioned whether Ellie and Abby's playability made the game more enjoyable. Some reviewers felt the lack of scenes with Joel and Ellie left the second season weaker than the first, and others found the quicker pace detrimental and the narrative unsatisfyingly incomplete, particularly demonstrated in Seattle's warring factions. The Hollywood Reporter ' s Angie Han wrote the season lacked the first's "rich lyricism... sprawling humanity devastating finality". Some considered new characters like Abby, Isaac, and Hanrahan underdeveloped and thought the non-chronological storytelling detracted from pacing and worldbuilding. Others found the political allegories overly simplistic or offensive.
  
  Critics praised the cast's performances and the chemistry between Pascal and Ramsey; Rolling Stone ' s Alan Sepinwall found some episodes weaker for their absence, and /Film ' s Mathai considered their subtler moments the most effective. Critics lauded Pascal for bringing warmth, charisma, and hardiness to Joel — Collider ' s Bonaime called his performance his career-best —and Ramsey for developing Ellie into a traumatized young adult while maintaining emotional immaturity and playfulness. Many reviewers considered Merced the season's highlight for her compassion and humor, as well as her chemistry with Ramsey, and Dever's performance was lauded for her portrayal of grief, rage, and hatred; some felt she upstaged others. Several critics applauded O'Hara's dramatic acting abilities, and Wright's captivating and menacing nature, immediately drawn in by his unsettling charisma. Barer's performance was lauded for its powerful devastation, and praise was directed towards the performances of Luna, Mazino, and Wesley, though some reviewers considered them underserved and the characters underdeveloped. Inverse ' s Valerie Ettenhofer found some interactions "strangely artificial" in contrast to the first season.