section_path: Production/Writing
section_name: Writing
paragraph_text: Writing
  
  The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama and thriller. Mazin wrote all first-season episodes except the seventh, written by Druckmann, with whom he co-wrote the premiere and finale. A writers' room was established for the second season, with Mazin and Druckmann joined by Gross and Bo Shim; Mazin wrote the first five episodes and co-wrote the final two with Druckmann and Gross. They avoided making "a zombie show", considering the infected a vessel through which characters are pressured to make decisions and reveal their true selves. Content cut from the games was added to the series. Mazin compared the process to adapting a novel, with identical emotional beats despite different events. Some action-heavy sequences were changed to focus on character drama at HBO's encouragement. The second season's additional characters granted a broader focus, allowing more action sequences,: 41:25 and Mazin expects more in the third.
  
  Druckmann wanted the adaptation to "keep the soul" from the games, particularly character relationships. He was open to changing aspects but wanted a strong reason, ensuring they considered impacts on later narrative events. The game's outbreak takes place in 2013 with its post-apocalyptic narrative in 2033; this was changed to 2003 and 2023 as the writers felt the events taking place simultaneously with broadcast was more interesting and did not fundamentally change the story. They added the outbreak's origins to ground the narrative; following COVID-19, they recognized audiences are more knowledgeable about viral pandemics. The writers found the series an opportunity to delve into backstories of characters who the game otherwise ignored, wanting to better understand their motivations.
  
  In the first season, the writers replaced spores—the vector through which infection is spread in the games—with tendrils forming a unified network, inspired by the idea of mycelium; spores return in the second season. The second season explores themes of tribalism, and highlights themes of change and growth, demonstrated in characters, communities, and the infected. Mazin had not started writing the third season by April 2025, planning to begin after the second airs. While the first season focuses on Joel and Ellie, and the second on Ellie and Dina, the third is set to follow Abby's story.
  
  The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama and thriller. Mazin wrote all first-season episodes except the seventh, written by Druckmann, with whom he co-wrote the premiere and finale. A writers' room was established for the second season, with Mazin and Druckmann joined by Gross and Bo Shim; Mazin wrote the first five episodes and co-wrote the final two with Druckmann and Gross. They avoided making "a zombie show", considering the infected a vessel through which characters are pressured to make decisions and reveal their true selves. Content cut from the games was added to the series. Mazin compared the process to adapting a novel, with identical emotional beats despite different events. Some action-heavy sequences were changed to focus on character drama at HBO's encouragement. The second season's additional characters granted a broader focus, allowing more action sequences,: 41:25 and Mazin expects more in the third.
  
  Druckmann wanted the adaptation to "keep the soul" from the games, particularly character relationships. He was open to changing aspects but wanted a strong reason, ensuring they considered impacts on later narrative events. The game's outbreak takes place in 2013 with its post-apocalyptic narrative in 2033; this was changed to 2003 and 2023 as the writers felt the events taking place simultaneously with broadcast was more interesting and did not fundamentally change the story. They added the outbreak's origins to ground the narrative; following COVID-19, they recognized audiences are more knowledgeable about viral pandemics. The writers found the series an opportunity to delve into backstories of characters who the game otherwise ignored, wanting to better understand their motivations.
  
  In the first season, the writers replaced spores—the vector through which infection is spread in the games—with tendrils forming a unified network, inspired by the idea of mycelium; spores return in the second season. The second season explores themes of tribalism, and highlights themes of change and growth, demonstrated in characters, communities, and the infected. Mazin had not started writing the third season by April 2025, planning to begin after the second airs. While the first season focuses on Joel and Ellie, and the second on Ellie and Dina, the third is set to follow Abby's story.