The Last of Us has generally been regarded as one of the best video game adaptations on screen so far, and while the HBO series hasn’t taken any significant diversions from its source material, though it has taken a few small ones, the story of Joel and Ellie (Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey) has been no less powerful, even if you know what’s about to happen.

A third season is on the way that promises to be something quite different, as it will be told largely, if not entirely, from the perspective of Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby. While fans will be excited to hear that Season 3 is getting closer to going into production, nobody seems quite as excited as Dever, who tells Deadline she’s looking forward to the expanded role. She revealed…

Season 2 of The Last of Us ended on a cliffhanger regarding the fate of Ellie at the hands of a very angry Abby, then the final episode ended with a flashback to several days earlier from Abby’s perspective. The video game version of The Last Of Us Part 2 put players in control of both Ellie and Abby and it appears the series will do the same, with Season 3 of the show following Abby’s storyline.

The perspective shift in the game allows players to see how a character that was initially portrayed as a villain is at best justified and at worst, understandable. Dever thinks fans of the series are going to really appreciate what’s to come, as it will likely do the same thing for show. She continued…

It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how fans of The Last of Us series respond to Season 3. When the second game shocked fans with the fate of Joel, and then the perspective shift to Abby, it has to be said that many were less than happy with what happened. While Abby has become more embraced by fans over time, it will be interesting to see how the series handles the transition.

The other big question fans will have with The Last of Us Season 3 is whether there will be a future for the show after it’s over. There is no The Last of Us Part Three video game to base a series on, and little indication that one is even in serious development. That doesn’t mean more show is impossible. And considering how popular the series has been, one imagines HBO would like more.

Isabela Merced is having the kind of run most actors dream about, the kind where you’re equally believable as a post-apocalyptic girlfriend gracing the 2025 TV schedule and a winged demigod in upcoming DC movies. In a recent interview, The Last of Us season 2 breakout was asked about whether or not she “ships” Ellie and Abby, and I love her delightful take on the question.

Talking with TVLine, Merced opened up about everything from her casting as Hawkgirl in Superman to her forthcoming appearance in HBO's Peacemaker Season 2 to, of course, HBO’s The Last of Us. Then, the interviewer tossed in a curveball from deep inside the fandom trenches: Should Ellie and Abby be shipped? The Alien: Romulus actress’s response was both diplomatic and delightfully unfiltered:

The Dora the Explorer actress is correct. In the game, Abby is very much straight, having had a past relationship with Owen, one of her fellow former Firefly and companions. Still, the second season faced criticism for various pacing issues and diversions from the source material. So, nothing is out of the realm of possibility. I think game fans would be upset, but the Dina performer says it could be cute. She continued:

As charming as a masc–masc pairing might sound, it’s probably not in the cards for these two. As Merced notes, the similarities between Abby and Ellie come from shared trauma — specifically, the loss of their father figures. And here’s where the spoiler warning kicks in: in The Last of Us Season 2 (and in the second game), Abby brutally kills Joel, Ellie’s surrogate father. That’s a long way from the kind of meet-cute most fans are rooting for.

In the interview, which you can watch in full below, Merced’s answer perfectly captures why she’s such a standout presence right now — she can volley a fandom curveball with humor, honesty, and just enough chaos to keep people talking. Whether she’s in full flight as Hawkgirl or navigating heartbreak and survival as Dina, she’s clearly not afraid to lean into the messy “what ifs” that make fan culture so addictive. And while Ellie and Abby may never share that hypothetical masc–masc dinner date, the in-demand talent’s playful take proves that sometimes the best part of a great story is imagining all the roads it won’t take.

Isabela Merced can currently be seen in Superman, still playing in theaters, and will next appear in her highly anticipated television project, Peacemaker Season 2, premiering August 21 for everyone with an HBO Max subscription.

Though its second season served to be far more divisive than its first, The Last of Us Season 3 is still one of the more highly anticipated TV series on the horizon, and it’s near the top of the list of upcoming video game adaptations, given the finale’s game-centric cliffhanger ending. Naturally, shock waves reverberated through the fandom when co-creator Neil Druckmann vacated the live-action series, but star Bella Ramsey doesn’t believe his exit will change the show very much.

Druckmann publicly announced his decision to step away from the Last of Us TV series in order to re-devote his creative talents to the latest sci-fi adventure from his game studio Naughty Dog. (Last of Us Part 2 co-writer and episodic staff writer Halley Gross made the same exodus.) Both left before the horror-drama earned its latest Emmy nominations, which sparked concerns about newly lonesome showrunner Craig Mazin will face obstacles bringing Abby’s story to life in Season 3.

Bella Ramsey spoke with Variety about earning their second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for their portrayal of Ellie, which marks the first time a non-binary performer has received multiple Emmy noms. Speaking to Druckmann’s decision to bow out ahead of crafting the third season, Ramsey serves as a voice of logic and pragmatism amidst a sea of worried fan reactions, saying:

Honestly, it's like Bella Ramsey's words were taken right out of an official "How To Stop Your Fans From Freaking Out Unnecessarily" handbook. Even if Druckmann's physical body isn't in a writers room putting fingers to laptop keys, his influence on Craig Mazin and the rest of the creative team isn't going to magically disappear as they craft Season 3's arcs.

It's impossible to know exactly how much Mazin and Druckmann discussed where the story will go for Kaitlin Dever's Abby, compared to how things went down in the video game. But I can't imagine that the duo put the second season together with Ellie at the center without specifically talking about how certain parts of the timeline would be returned to from Abby's point of view.

Even if they hadn't, though, Druckmann's influence on the TV series is still impossible to ignore, given how heavily involved he was with the source material. Simply by originating this highly complex and moody narrative in the first place, Druckmann's fingerprints will still be all over the third season.

How Much Of Bella Ramsey's Ellie Can We Expect To See In Season 3?

For all the faith that I'm putting in Bella Ramsey's take on Neil Druckmann's exit, it's certainly worth pointing out that if the TV show does indeed adhere to how The Last of Us Part II lays out Abby's story, Ellie may only be seen in limited doses. In fact, she may only appear as often as Dever's Abby appeared in Season 2.

Just don't expect the Emmy-nominated star to reveal those details in full just yet. When asked how much of their beloved protagonist audiences will see, Ramsey replied with:

Of course, anything the actor says now could very well be turned on its head by the time Season 3 actually arrives. HBO boss Casey Bloys shared with Variety in mid-July that the cabler is already viewing The Last of Us' next outing as a 2027 release, with Mazin in charge of deciding whether or not a fourth season will be required to wrap up the story.

During the long and potentially worry-filled wait for Season 3, the first two Last of Us seasons can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription.

With the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps set to release soon and Marvel Studios shifting gears into X-Men territory, the Internet has gone full mutant mania. Now, thanks to a well-placed quote and a swirl of new casting rumors, two familiar names either involved with or in proximity to The Last of Us (streamable with a Max subscription) are suddenly in the conversation regarding Marvel's take on the mutants. The actors in question are Pedro Pascal’s sister, Lux Pascal, and his HBO co-star, Bella Ramsey.

Who Does Lux Pascal Want To Play In An X-Men Project?

During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lux Pascal opened up about her breakout role in Miss Carbón and her hopes for the future. One of her wishes is a potential big-screen turn as Jean Grey, as Pascal shared:

That alone would be enough to spark fan cast threads, but the timing couldn’t be more perfect. As Pedro Pascal joins the MCU himself this summer, taking on Reed Richards in the aforementioned upcoming Marvel movie Fantastic Four: First Steps. The notion of the Pascal family further staking its claim in this massive superhero franchise is exciting to think about, to be honest.

What's Going On With The Rumors Involving Bella Ramsey?

It's interesting that Lux Pascal's comments also coincide with X-Men rumors swirling around Bella Ramsey, the Emmy-nominated powerhouse who played Ellie opposite Pedro Pascal’s Joel in The Last of Us. While nothing is confirmed, the rumor mill has lit up with speculation that the HBO favorite may be in line to portray a younger version of Rogue or possibly Shadowcat (a.k.a. Kitty Pryde), with the latter being mentioned by MyTimeToShineHello of X. Both characters beloved by fans and pivotal to any fresh take on the mutant saga.

I personally would rather see the veteran Requiem star take on Pryde, or possibly an altogether different character, one that hasn’t even been seen on screen before. For my money, these are the mutants Bella Ramsey was born to play:

• No-Girl (Martha Johansson) – Power: Disembodied brain with powerful telepathy
  • Why Bella? A tragic and deeply unique role—they could crush the emotional weight and inner strength behind this fan-favorite oddity.
• Trance (Hope Abbott) – Power: Astral projection with explosive energy surges when stressed.
  • Why Bella? Trance's struggle to control her abilities mirrors Ellie’s emotional volatility, perfect for the rising star’s intensity.
• Wallflower (Laurie Collins) – Power: Releases pheromones that influence others’ emotions.
  • Why Bella? A soft-spoken mutant dealing with isolation and internal conflict, the performer excels at playing characters with layers of vulnerability.
• Blindfold (Ruth Aldine) – Power: Precognition and telepathy, often cryptic and dreamlike.
  • Why Bella? This haunting, ethereal mutant would allow the English performer to go full cerebral. A fan-favorite New X-Men member ripe for screen debut.
• Tempo (Heather Tucker) – Power: Time manipulation (can slow or speed time for others).
  • Why Bella? Often morally conflicted, sometimes heroic, sometimes not—Tempo’s complex arc would be a compelling vehicle for Ramsey.

Between Game of Thrones and The Last of Us, Bella Ramsey has made a name for themselves as a fearless, emotionally layered performer. That's precisely the kind of energy that could revitalize Marvel’s mutant roster. It also doesn’t hurt that they already have major studio experience, critical acclaim and a built-in fanbase.

What I really can't get over, though, isn't simply the casting chatter—it’s how connected these threads are. Considering Pedro Pascal is joining Marvel, Lux, is vocal about wanting to join the X-Men as Jean Grey, Bella Ramsey is allegedly being eyed for a mutant role, it feels like someone scripted this. Still, the overlap feels too perfect to ignore, especially when you consider how Marvel Studios likes to build around familiar, reliable talent.

Could Bella Ramsey and the Pascal siblings all end up suiting up together in an upcoming superhero movie? It’s not out of the question but, for now, we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, fans can revisit the X-Men films from the Fox era and catch up on all the Marvel Movies in order, all streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

Watch for the older Pascal sibling’s character, Reed Richards, to officially join the MCU when Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters on July 25.

I don’t imagine any upcoming finale cliffhangers on the 2025 TV schedule will be as jarring and polarizing as the final minutes of The Last of Us’ deadly Season 2 finale, which left Ellie and Tommy’s fate unclear as the narrative refocused on Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby. Thankfully, Bella Ramsey fanatics won’t need to wait until The Last of Us Season 3 finally arrives to see them back on the small screen, though one of the co-creators is stepping down in the meantime.

The Last Of Us' Neil Druckmann Announced He's Stepping Down As Co-Showrunner

Neil Druckmann was known for his directing and co-writing duties for the first two Last of Us games with his company Naughty Dog before jumping into the TV fray with Craig Mazin to turn the games into HBO's live-action series. He's seemingly been a major part of spinning the source material into a broader world for TV audiences, but will no longer be involved behind the scenes when Season 3 kicks into gear.

Naughty Dog shared the following message on Instagram and elsewhere, citing Druckmann's company-wide memo:

Druckmann's exit is both surprising and expected all at once, and is both disappointing and encouraging at the same time. With Naughty Dog gearing up for its biggest post-TLoU games, which hopefully one day includes the rumored third game, Druckmann couldn't really afford to spend so much of his creative efforts on the TV side of things. But as somehow who loves how faithful the show has been to the games, I'll miss his input.

His message to others continued:

Hopefully he'll be able to lend a hand to Season 3 in some way, possibly by directing an episode or two, though that would obviously still require quite a bit of time and effort away from bringing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet to life.

Bella Ramsey Has Joined An Intense New Thriller Series

With Craig Mazin having previously stated he wouldn't be getting into the thick of writing and building out Season 3 until after a proper post-Season 2 break, it's definitely unclear when Abby's story will kick off in earnest. But Bella Ramsey will be keeping busy in the coming months with a new project.

The Game of Thrones vet has signed on for the thriller drama Maya, which was created by Daisy Haggard, the UK talent perhaps best known here in the U.S. for co-starring in the excellent FX comedy Breeders with Martin Freeman. Or perhaps for voicing the Ministry Lift in the Harry Potter movies. She most recently starred in the comedy thriller Boat Story, and it sounds like this new project will also be a mix of tension and character-driven humor.

According to Deadline, Ramsey will portray the titular character, who is the teenage daughter of Haggard's Anna, and one of the big themes of the show is the strong mother-daughter bond. The two are forced to enter the witness protection program and leave the comforts of their London lives to relocate to a small town in Scotland. But their feeling of safety from the horrors of their past is shortlived, as they're tracked by a pair of hitmen set on taking them out.

Production on the six-episode Maya will take place later this year in Scotland, with more casting expected to be announced. Though this project, like many UK shows, will take place over a relatively short production span, it still means Ramsey won't be filming for The Last of Us during that time. But does that mean the third season will have to wait until she's free to start filming?

I don't think so, since the first chunk of Season 3 will likely be centering on Abby, possibly with a few flashback scenes from Ellie sprinkled in. But unless Craig Mazin has plans to inject a lot more of the teen protagonist into the upcoming episodes, Bella Ramsey's time on the set will likely be drastically reduced from past seasons.

While waiting to hear more about Maya, The Last of Us' first two seasons can be streamed with a Max subscription.

Obviously, it’s quite common for actors, musicians, and other well-known people to generate a dedicated fanbase, but sometimes there’s such a groundswell of positivity regarding one of these people that it seems as though everyone is saying the same wonderful things about them. For at least a couple of years now, Pedro Pascal has been in that category. On top of being a beloved part of many major franchises, the man has become known as the “internet’s daddy.” Now, his The Last of Us co-star, Bella Ramsey, has opened up about not liking the moniker.

What Did Bella Ramsey Say About Not Liking Pedro Pascal Being Called ‘Daddy’?

The clear parenting/protective influence aside, I hope we all know by now that being called a “daddy” (or to some “zaddy”) is far more naughty in nature than anything the average person would associate with your typical father figure. Pedro Pascal, the man who brought Game of Thrones’ lust-filled spear-wielder (pun intended) Prince Oberyn Martell to life, is officially the internet’s daddy and has been for a while now, but Bella Ramsey, who portrays his surrogate daughter on The Last of Us has revealed why they don’t like that title for him at all.

When speaking with Vanity Fair about the actor (who stars in the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and is currently filming Avengers: Doomsday), Ramsey (they also had a memorable role on GOT and was able to bond with Pascal over it) said of the whole “daddy” situation:

Awwww. Honestly, I think this is the loveliest comment. What it says, to me, is that Ramsey and Pascal are close enough that the Ellie performer has an understanding of their co-star that goes way beyond looks, his perceived personality (at the very least, we know he’s a great SNL host) or any other potentially naughty-thought inducing traits. While he’s been willing to play along with the “internet daddy” title, the Materialists star has spent decades working hard to get to this point and the “daddy” talk could overshadow that.

It doesn’t really seem that Pascal is bothered by his status, especially seeing as how he’s been a pop culture father figure since his time on The Mandalorian began, and it carried over to TLOU. While participating in such series, he’s continued to branch out and work on numerous other projects to show as many different sides of himself as possible on screen, so it doesn’t appear that anyone has taken the “joke” Ramsey spoke of to heart.

And, if William Shatner giving you a wacky call-out on Father’s Day because you’re the internet’s favorite daddy doesn’t lead to anyone downgrading your talent, then nothing will.

Of all the big moments that played out during The Last of Us’ hectic Season 2 finale, which itself followed the emotionally crushing Joel-heavy flashback episode, none drew out an impressed “Oooh” out of me the way that Kaitlyn Dever did with her late-stage return as Abby. Not entirely for the way she violently set up the game-referencing cliffhanger — during which Jesse was killed and Ellie and Tommy were threatened — but for the way she oozed Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor vibes from Terminator 2 while also honoring the source material.

When CinemaBlend spoke with The Last of Us’ costume-designing mastermind for Season 2, Ann Foley, I brought up how excited I was to see Abby back in the mix in such a big and broad way. And she told me the personal touch she brought to the character’s finale look, as well as a core detail that ties Abby and Ellie’s stories together.

Ellie And Abby's Clothes Share A Key Detail That Fans May Not Have Picked Up On

In staunch contrast to the bright, eye-grabbing rainbow jacket that Isabela Merced's Dina rocked earlier in Season 2, Dever's Abby is decked out in largely darker colors when she breaches the seemingly safe walls of the theater. When I asked that decision was made to play into fan presumptions that Abby is the "villain" in this story, Ann Foley said:

Those familiar with the video game, and those who just generally have a penchant for empathy, are likely more ready to view Abby as a non-villain than others only experiencing the story through the TV show. But in any case, it's awesome to learn that the show is stitching Abby and Ellie's bleak and violent journeys together through their wardrobes, even if it's not always immediately obvious.

What's more, Foley said she and her team make a point of avoiding a certain color that people generally associate with darkness revenge. In her words:

It's obviously hard to keep the color black out of everything a character wears, but by and large, both Ellie and Abby are shown to be wearing an array of shades and tones that don't go to such dark extremes. But without knowing that detail going into it, one might not immediately catch on.

The Personal Touch Behind Abby's Jacket

Ann Foley, who talked to me about Ellie’s Converses and gorgeous tattoo, brought, talked about knowing how much of a visual highlight Abby's jacket is for gamers, and knowing she had to get it exactly right for live-action. As she put it:

If I ever became a costume designer in Hollywood, the only articles of clothing I'd be able to bring in from my own past would be a couple hundred T-shirts and licensed socks. Not exactly ideal for TV. For promoting a TV show, certainly, but not on the show itself.

Ann Foley shared that one big highlight from her work on Season 2 was seeing Kaitlyn Dever in Abby's full finale regalia saying:

The very end of the Season 2 finale, fans see Danny Ramirez's Manny waking Abby up from napping on a couch, and she emerges to reveal the WLF's massive base of operations set up inside what appears to be Lumen Field, the stadium that the Seattle Seahawks call home. It's the game-changing set up for Season 3, which will follow Dever's character across the same three-day period that covered Ellie and Dina trek.

It's not yet clear when The Last of Us Season 3 will start coming together behind the scenes, so we may once again be waiting nearly two years for new episodes. Until then, be sure to rewatch the first two seasons in their entirety with a Max subscription, with Ann Foley talents and creations on display throughout the second season.

When it comes to Hollywood stars, there’s only a handful of actors who have spoken about being on the autism spectrum. The Last of Us’s Bella Ramsey is helping normalize being part of the community that is estimated to include over 60 million people around the world. After previously opening up about getting their diagnosis while working on the video game adaptation, Ramsey has now shared why they believe having autism helps them with acting.

When the actor was filming Season 1 of The Last of Us, they got their diagnosis after a crew member with an autistic daughter inspired them to get a psychiatric assessment and diagnosis. Once they got their diagnosis, the actor told British Vogue it confirmed something they “always wondered” about.

In Ramsey’s latest interview with Them, here’s how they talked about it further:

In the new interview, it was also explained how the diagnosis detailed how “highly perceptive” they are, which definitely plays into being “hyper-aware” of others’ emotions, micro-expressions and body language.

The Game of Thrones actor previously spoke about how the diagnosis helped them come to terms with feeling out of place in school when they were younger or having sensory issues, such as not being a fan of wearing thermals on set in Canada.

Acting also works well with their autism because being on set plays into their love of routine. Ramsey has called having the diagnosis “freeing,” and it allowed them to “walk through the world with more grace towards” themselves.

Per UCLA Health, research has shown that nearly 80% of people assigned female at birth, in particular, are undiagnosed as of 18. Having a diagnosis is important because it can explain symptoms and offer more resources and support to feel more confident when making friends with one’s autism and going about the world.

Outside of Ramsey’s autism diagnosis, the actor, who is non-binary, has spoken up about their thoughts on gendered awards categories and suddenly getting famous at a young age because of their role in The Last Of Us.

Ramsey’s place on the 2025 TV schedule as the lead of The Last Of Us Season 2 has just ended following the finale of Season 2, but we can’t wait to see what’s next for the 21-year-old Brit.

It’s still a rarity for actors to speak about autism, so certainly more people will read Ramsey’s comments and perhaps be inspired to explore the condition if they can relate to the actor’s story.

Spoilers below for both of The Last of Us’ completed seasons, so be warned if you haven’t yet finished watching on HBO or with a Max subscription.

As The Last of Us’ second season went from development and into the throes of production, co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann were fairly candid about their plan to split the video game sequel’s massive narrative in half. HBO still waited until the week before Season 2’s big premiere to officially renew the hit series for Season 3, but it’s definitely confirmed as one of many upcoming video game adaptations. And what an exciting season it’ll be.

After that wild Season 2 finale took out a main character (and a couple of others) while putting even more right in harm’s way, The Last of Us will have viewers on their toes wondering about Ellie’s fate for the foreseeable future. But now that the wait is on, we’re keeping track of all the big Season 3 updates while also speculating about story beats and which characters will and won’t be back. So hop on Shimmer’s back and let’s trot through what we know about the third season so far.

When Will The Last Of Us Season 3 Premiere?

With Season 2 having only just concluded, The Last of Us fans will likely be waiting a while to see how the story plays out for everyone still alive in the theater. To date, no plans are officially in place for the production to begin, much less an official release date on HBO.

It's possible new episodes won't arrive until 2027, which would line up with the nearly two-year wait between the first and second seasons. But hopefully the wait won't be quite so long.

Craig Mazin's Plan Has Been To Start Writing Season 3 After Season 2 Ends

In early April, co-showrunner Craig Mazin talked with GamesRadar+ and was, at the time, still neck-deep in making sure all the final details were locked in place ahead of the Season 2 premiere. As such, he wasn't in the most ideal place to start breaking down the story for future episodes. But he did share that he'd be jumping right back to work after a brief period away from his computer, saying:

Hopefully Mazin opens up on social media about when he starts digging down into outlining the new season.

What Will The Last Of Us' Season 3 Story Be About?

While the creative team no doubt has some surprises in store for The Last of Us viewers, there are at least two overarching storylines that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Season 3 will dig into.

Abby's Story

Mirroring the video game's dual narratives. taking place during the same time frame, The Last of Us delivered Ellie's side of this tragic tale in Season 2, with the vast bulk of Abby-centric scenes being held for the third cycle. It's almost a bigger risk to bifurcate things so completely, since it gives TV audiences more time to stew in hatred for the supposed villain, but I've little doubt that the writers will successfully put fans in Abby's shoes quickly enough to somewhat justify her awful actions.

To that end, Mazin and Druckmann will also take viewers deeper into Abby's daily regimen as a trusted soldier under Isaac's WLF leadership, as well as her personal life and relationships with others in her group. Just in case anyone thought that Owen and Mel's deaths in the finale were already tragic enough, there's a lot more backstory to fill out for those two and others.

The War Between The Wolves And The Scars

Once Jeffrey Wright's callous and intimidating Isaac was introduced in Episode 204, I assumed the TV series would give viewers some kind of bullet-pointed exposition giving context to the ongoing conflict between the militant WLF soldiers and the cult-like Seraphites. But in the podcast episode that followed "Day One," Craig Mazin explained that Season 3 will provide answers to such questions, and that worries about not being renewed fed into the decision to hold off on those details entirely.

I can't wait to see where that journey into the heart of darkness goes, although I realize it's going to be as unpleasant as this show gets. With Isaac leading dozens of Wolves to their assumed doom specifically to destroy the Seraphites' island community, one can be sure this didn't all start over something inconsequential.

The Last Of Us Characters And Cast Members Most Likely To Return In Season 3

Ellie (Bella Ramsey) & Dina (Isabela Merced) - Alive, Presumed Alive

• I think we can all agree that this duo is the most obvious pair of characters destined to be back on the small screen for The Last of Us Season 3, so it's not really worth going into the reasons why it's logical, even if we didn't see where Dina was after Abby breached the theater.

Joel (Pedro Pascal) - Beaten And Stabbed To Death By Abby

• While it definitely seemed like Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann utilized the bulk of the games' Joel-centric flashbacks in Season 2's penultimate episode, I can't help but feel like the co-creators will continue giving viewers emotional pops that coincide with Ellie's memories, or perhaps even Abby's nightmares.

Tommy (Gabriel Luna) & Maria (Rutina Wesley) - Alive, Alive

• While Maria's safety isn't in question by the end of Season 2, Tommy being at the end of Abby's gun barrel is not the happiest situation for the character. That said, he didn't appear to be fatally wounded in those final moments, and it didn't appear as if Abby's final gunshot was meant for his head.

Jesse (Young Mazino) - Shot To Death By Abby

• Honestly, I don't expect Jesse to get a ton of extra scenes in Season 3, and while it would be good to see more from him and DIna in private, I really only expect to see Jesse return whenever the show returns to that final scene from Abby's point of view. A sad reason to have the actor back on set, but still.

Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) - Alive

• Considering Season 2 ends with her likely aiming to put a bullet between Ellie's eyes, I'd say the chances are higher than Gail that Abby will return almost immediately when Season 3 kicks off.

Owen (Spencer Lord) & Mel (Ariela Barer) - Both Killed By Ellie

Despite being taken out of the story rather unceremoniously in the midst of the confrontation with Ellie, Owen and Mel's personal stories have yet to be explored, so I can only imagine that they'll get even deeper backstories that help make their eventual doomed fates all the more gut-wrenching to witness.

Nora (Tati Gabrielle) - Presumed Dead

As the first in Abby's group to get picked off in the game, Nora doesn't necessarily have the most interesting history to explore for the TV series, but Tati Gabrielle's performance in the back half of "Feel Her Love" was so excellent, I can't imagine we won't get a few heartbreaking details from her past to think about.

Manny (Danny Ramirez) - Presumed Alive

Manny is the only core member of Abby's group whose fate isn't explored by the Season 2 finale, as he wasn't seen again beyond his appearance in "Day One." So it would be baffling if this character didn't show up again before the end of the season.

Isaac (Jeffrey Wright) - Presumed Alive

The WLF's rather sadistic leader has yet to have his actions explored or explained for audiences, so I'm waiting for Season 3 to dig into Isaac's twisted outlook and what the ongoing conflict between the soldiers and the Seraphites is all about in the HBO series' lore. And I'm assuming Isaac will still have his loyal second banana Burton (Ben Ahlers) around.

The Last Of Us Characters And Cast Members Least Likely To Return In Season 3

Eugene (Joe Pantoliano) - Shot To Death By Joel

• As much as I'd love to witness a scene where Joey Pants and Catherine O'Hara were actually on-screen together as married couple Eugene and Gail, I don't see the need for him to return after such an emotionally gripping guest spot in "The Price."

Gail (Catherine O'Hara) - Alive

I'm not 100% convinced that we won't see Gail again in Season 3, because I think we can all agree it would be a TV sin to get rid of Catherine O'Hara without a reason. But if Abby's group gets the bulk of the screentime in Season 3, I'm not sure how much time would need to be spent with Gail now that we've seen Eugene's death play out. Plus, Catherine O'Hara shared with Variety that Mazin told her she wouldn't be back in Season 3.

Javier Miller (Tony Dalton) - Fate Unknown, Presumed Dead

Considering Joel's family history didn't extend beyond Sarah and Tommy in the video games, the TV series introduced the Miller boys' father as a self-aware abuser hoping for Joel to break the genetic cycle of violence. His lone scene was key to exploring Joel's surrogate-father mindset in "The Price," but he likely won't be required for any future introspective flashbacks.

Seth (Robert John Burke) - Alive

For all that I'm holding out hope to see more from Maria and Gail, I can't imagine The Last of Us will give the bigoted service worker yet another chance to partially redeem himself for his slurred rudeness and Ellie and Dina kissed.

Season 3 Likely Won't Be The Final Season

With a post-apocalyptic show like The Walking Dead spanning eleven seasons and a wide variety of spinoffs, one might think The Last of Us would be similarly geared for an extended run, but that's not at all the gameplan for this universe. Mazin and Druckman have stated in interviews that they don't want to make the Game of Thrones mistake of taking the live-action adaptation beyond the previously existing story.

Without a third video game in the works yet, or even fully confirmed to one day exist, the implication would be that the TV show would need to wrap it up after the events of the second game have been adapted in full. And yet...

Craig Mazin shared with Collider that he doesn't think the creative team will be able to properly fit the rest of the game's story into the third season, even if it ends up being longer than the second. In his words:

So there's a chance that Season 3 will end on the exact same cliffhanger, just from a different perspective. I hope that won't be the case, but it certainly seems possible.

Spoilers below for anyone who isn’t watching The Last of Us’ Season 2 finale airing on HBO or streaming it with a Max subscription, so be warned!

Welp, just six weeks after The Last of Us returned for its heart-eviscerating second season, we’ve already arrived at the finale. I feel like there should be blame to throw around for not matching its predecessor’s nine-episode count, but that’s just how co-showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann decided to split the story at the heart of the source material. Regardless, I’m just all-around not ready for this show to take another 20-month absence before Season 3 arrives. (Here's what we know about Season 3 so far.)

But that's enough whinging about the future when I'm here to focus entirely on the present for my final Last of Us Season 2 live blog. (Unless, of course, HBO reveals a super-secret eighth episode is airing next week.) Check out all of my previous entries below.

• The Last Of Us Season 2 Premiere Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 3 Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 4 Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 5 Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 6 Watchalong

The Last Of Us Season 2 Finale Live Blog Starts Here

First and foremost, a big thanks to all of YOU for showing up week after week, with the same amount of thankful grace shown to anyone who’s following along for the first time. I can appreciate the irony in jumping on board right when the ride is ending. What a ride I’m expecting it to be.

Before the festivities kick off, here are a few anti-predictions for what I definitely don’t expect to happen during the episode:

1. Ellie will find Abby and before they can fight, they both bond really hardcore over a shared love of ‘90s grunge rock.
2. Tommy will wear a totally faded shirt that wouldn’t stick out against any background.
3. Jesse will be totally cool with every aspect of Ellie and Dina’s burgeoning relationship and won’t say anything harsh.
4. TV’s first Clicker-on-Clicker sex scene, coinciding with TV’s last Clicker-on-Clicker sex scene.

No Cold Open

Considering most cold opens end on a somber note that the opening titles serve to punctuate, I guess it’s a positive thing that the finale is just getting straight into the meat of it all. Coulda used another smack of Pedro Pascal’s Joel, especially after seeing the return of the single figure at the end. Sigh.

Dr. Jesse Operates On Dina’s Gnarly Leg Wound

It’s bonkers to me that Jesse and Dina traveled all the way back to the theater before doing something about the arrow in her leg. I understand why they had to hoof it, of course, but I’m not sure my own body would have followed suit so successfully. Also, is it a bad omen that Dina starts this episode off saying Jesse can't let her die? I choose to say no.

If only all doctors told their patients to shut up and drink alcohol before an operation. Surely Jesse is wondering why Dina would refuse the booze, right?

I gotta say, the sound of the arrow being pushed through the back of Dina’s leg would be enough to get me to down a shot or two, even if I was pregnant. (Considering I’m male, the leg wound wouldn’t be the one topping the list of medical anomalies.) I now feel bad for Isabela Merced having to act with Dina’s wound for the rest of the episode and beyond.

A Shimmer Reference!

Fans have been waiting for an update about Ellie’s horse since the old gal was left behind in the record shop to munch on some grass. Although I’m not sure if it counts that Jesse namechecked the animal as a form of security to make sure it was Ellie banging on the door.

• “Shimmer. I’m alone. Open the fucking door!” - Ellie, alone and wet and horseless

Still no actual update though...

Dina Cleanses Ellie's Wounds And Soul

Though they haven't been away from each other for that long, quite a lot transpired since Ellie and Dina were in the same space. And bless Dina for her first move to be to take care of Ellie, already letting the motherly feelings set in.

Also, holy fuck, Ellie's back.

Ellie comes clean about what happened with Nora after I initially thought she'd lie about it, reflecting Joel's lies to Gail about Eugene. She says she left Nora for dead, which is probably the truth, though she doesn't mention the spores at all. Still, this confession was enough.

• “I made her talk. I thought it would be harder to do, but it wasn’t. It was easy. I just kept hurting her.” - Repentant Ellie

Ellie then comes clean and gives Dina the TLDR version of events that led to Abby murdering Joel, confirming that she took a trip out to Salt Lake City and learned what Joel did to Abby's father. I wasn't even sure if Ellie was telling Nora the truth in saying she knew what Joel did, but this brings the story closer to the game's version of events.

"I knew" could become the newest version of "You swore."

Dina Gives Ellie THE BRACELET

It's unclear whether or not the bracelet will come up again in this particular finale, but anyone watching who didn't play the games should keep an eye on Ellie's wrist in future episodes. It may not be quite as meaningful as Joel's watch, but give it time.

SHIMMER LIVES!!!

Aw hell yeah, Jesse, for this update:

• "We followed the likeliest path into the city. Found the place you stashed Shimmer. She’s still there doing alright, not that you asked." - Jesse, not horsing around

Three cheers!

Everything Changing Doesn't Have To Change Things

Ellie may have grown up a lot since her time as a 14-year-old, but one talk with Jesse is a quick reminder that she has a long way to go still.

Jesse is indeed all clued in about Dina's pregnancy, which he tricked Ellie into admitting, and is going forward with the knowledge that he needs to survive long enough to make sure Dina and his kid make it back to safety. Because that kind of plan goes REALLY WELL in this universe.

Jesse Doomed Himself, Didn't He?

As soon as Jesse says the words "I'm not dying" in any context, it kinda sealed his doom in my mind. One can hope for the better, but one doesn't get to take amoral stances on children getting killed by WLF soldiers right after talking about wanting to keep his unborn child safe. Something doesn't add up there, Jesse.

Costco Cameo!

I love that this wasn't just a generically named store, and is 100% a Costco.

Abby Is Isaac's WLF Successor

Abby's importance within the WLF is set up pretty well here, and without really putting a bow on it. Elise initially suspects Isaac is horned up for Abby, but soon learns of Isaac's other plans for the future, involving the possible death of all his soldiers on what sounds like a dangerous mission.

Grover Cameo!

One of my favorite books of all time is The Monster at the End of This Book. I still have my original softcover, as well as the newer version bought for my daughters. The Last of Us won my heart once more when Ellie picked that book up. We're all the monsters here.

Jesse Is Maria's Jackson Successor (I.E. Saint Jesse Of Wyoming Is Super-Doomed)

I love that Jesse and Ellie's heartfelt conversation happens in the bookstore that looks so close to the game's version.

Jesse's attempt to once again school Ellie in responsibilities was met with this hilarious reaction:

• “Oookay. Got it. So you’re St. Jesse of Wyoming, and everyone else is a fucking asshole.” - Ellie on a pedestal

Bwahahaha.

The Truth About Jesse's Vote

Aha! After the episde in which Ellie sought to get assistance on her revenge quest, she was voted down by Jackson's city council, and it wasn't clear at the time who voted for or against Ellie. Now we know that Jesse was one of the dissenting votes. And we know that Ellie did not take that news very lightly, nor did she buy into his community-based defense.

• "Fuck the community! You let a kid die today Jesse. Because why, because he wasn’t in your community?" - Ellie, still on a rampage

Can't blame her for immediately invoking Joel's memory there. Read the room, Jesse, especially after you were just in a bookstore.

So Many WLF Soldiers Going On This Mission

Remember when Dina and Ellie were in that one building with all the stalkers, and they realized they were surrounded by way more of them than they expected? That's exactly what it was like to see all those boat lights come on just as Ellie was about to make her presence known via gunshots.

Isaac is not fucking around here. I hope this wasn't the last we see of Jeffrey Wright.

Ellie Doomed Boat Ride

I get why Ellie felt the need to go out in the worst elements possible, but that massive wave was a good indicator of why she should have reconsidered it a few dozen times.

But wait, what shore did she wash up on?

Is Ellie's Hanging A Game Swap?

The video game features a key sequence where Abby is discovered by Seraphites and strung up by rope in a way that's pretty similar to what happens with Ellie in the TV show. It's also a point where another pair of very important characters are introduced, which doesn't happen here.

And no one even dies during the scene, as the Scars are distracted by the wave of destruction happening elsewhere on the island. And then Ellie gets back in her boat and makes it to the other island without issue. So....I don't know if I understand the decisions made here.

Ellie Enters The Aquarium

The aquarium where Owen and Mel are holed up is a vital location in the game, and will no doubt be explored way more in Season 3. Because we only get to see it in the darkness here, with a cold and wet Ellie skulking around. Still, I do love those jellyfish decorations and the hanging sharks.

I kept an eye out for targets in the main room, but didn't see anything.

R.I.P. Owen And Mel

Ellie finds Owen and Mel talking about leaving, with Abby's location being discussed. We'll no doubt learn more about that at a later date. But it means nothing for now, because Owen's stupid move to go for a weapon instead of show Ellie his map got him shot in the throat.

Not only that, but the bullet exited cleanly enough to nick the side of Mel's throat, and it's immediately clear that she's a goner. What isn't quite clear yet is that Mel is pregnant, presumably with Owen's child.

In what will likely go down as one of this show's Top 5 Most Heartbreaking Scenes, Mel attempts to direct Ellie through delivering the baby before she dies, and isn't capable of understanding that Ellie is panicking and not actually helping.

• "is it out?" - Mel, destroying my soul

Ellie seems to be way more destroyed by this turn of events than she expected, since she only aimed to kill Abby in the same way Abby aimed directly for Joel. The way Bella Ramsey's voice broke on the line "I'm not like you" was everything. What a tragic goddamned scene.

Tommy And Jesse Rescue Ellie Once More

Tommy's attempt to make Ellie feel better doesn't really do that, and only speaks to the heinous lack of innocence in this universe.

• “They were part of it too. They made their choices. That’s all there is to it.” - Cold, Hard Tommy

If only it was that easy, Tommy.

R.I.P. Jesse

Even with all the foreshadowing, seeing Jesse get shot and put down with such quickness was still a jolt to all my nerve endings. And there's no questioning whether he survived this one, either.

Abby's Back, Motherfuckers

Anyone wondering where Abby's been needs not wonder anymore. The episode's current-day timeline ends with Jesse dead on the floor, Tommy still alive on the floor at gunpoint, and Ellie potentially at the receiving end of Abby's final gunshot.

• "I let you live. I let you live, and you wasted it!" - Abby as Terminator's Sarah Connor

Kaitlyn Dever looks so damned cool in this scene, man. I know we're supposed to be all against Abby and everything, but how can I hate someone that oozes badassery like that?

Another Fun Book Cameo

The mini-flashback kicks off with Abby waking up on a couch while prominently holding a book titled Thieves of the City, as written by Ben Davidoff. That title and author are actually a nod to the real-life historical fiction novel City of Thieves by former Game of Thrones co-showrunner David Benioff.

Fun Fact: The Last of Us Part II’s key character Lev, who has yet to be introduced in live-action, was named in part after the main character Lev in Benioff’s novel.

Return To Day One - Abby's Version

After all the darkness, rain and run-down indoor spaces that marked Ellie and Dina's trip to Seattle, The Last of Us' second season finale ends on a wildly bright note as Abby walks outside to the WLF's main compound, which fills up a literal football stadium, with tons of military buildings, farm crops and more makeshift settlement elements taking up the bulk of what appears to be Lumen Field.

Interestingly, the stadium opened in 2002, so the Seahawks would have only played a single season there before the world went kablooey with cordyceps the next year. I'd love to know how much research went into this part of the live-action series.

"Convergence" Rating: 4 Out Of 5 Monsters At The End Of This Live Blog

It'll take a bit for me to properly assess what I think about the pacing and episode order of Season 2, but I can't deny that this show takes me on an emotional ride like few others. Even when I already know that huge characters deaths are around the corner, my insides still turn into a neurotic butterfly convention at various points in each episode. So even if all seven episodes in a row might give me cause to nitpick, thinking about each ep individually is easier on the brain.

As a finale, "Convergence" taps into certain cliffhanger frustrations, and the thought that we might be waiting most of Season 3 to learn what happens in the aftermath of that final scene is agony to consider.

But given the unique nature of Season 3 exploring the backstories of Abby and her group, this finale sets up some pretty tragic outcomes that will be interesting to get more context for in later episodes. It's not the normal way for TV storytelling to work, and I'm confident this creative team can make it work in live-action despite TV audiences having to wait so long to learn what happens next, while gamers just needed to keep playing.

Thank You For Following Along

Covering The Last of Us Season 2 was in some ways just as fun as playing it and watching it, even if the stress level was a bit higher. So I once again thank everyone for reading along week to week! Let's all meet up again for Season 3, shall we? Just remember to bring food and supplies, unlike Ellie.

Mild spoilers below for those who haven’t caught up on The Last of Us via Max subscription.

HBO’s The Last of Us has often proven its potential as a blueprint for upcoming video game adaptations, with co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin’s creative team knowing when to strictly adhere to the source material and when to change up key moments and explore areas the games couldn’t. Bella Ramsey understandably doesn’t look precisely like pixelated Ellie from head to toe, but they are rocking a lot of wardrobe elements crafted with such fidelity in mind, with costume designer Ann Foley leading that charge in Season 2.

I was excited to talk to Ann Foley about bringing Ellie’s look to life as she aged up throughout the years since Season 1’s tragic events. In particular, she talked about giving Ellie’s Converse sneakers — a look core to the game character — a completely unique look thanks to Ramsey’s involvement, as well as being able to show off the beloved character’s scar-covering tattoo.

Bella Ramsey’s Converses Are More Special Than Audiences Might Realize

In the Last of Us games, Ellie sticks with her signature sneaks to the point where it became something of a joke to think about her surviving for so many years wearing only Converses instead of a variety of more heavy-duty boots. After taking on costuming duties for Season 2, Ann Foley made a point to ensure that the shoes fans saw on screen this season were more than just a bare-bones reference.

To that end, when I asked about the element Foley was most proud of from working on the seven episodes, she brought those up directly, saying:

While peeping out Ellie’s journaling perhaps isn’t the most rewarding for gamers more enthralled by burning bloaters with flamethrowers, both the written and illustrated entries provide more ways to understand the character’s worldview and the beauty she finds in her surroundings. To Foley, it also represented another great way to meld the characters. She continued:

Because it’s the kind of visual flair that doesn’t get extended close-ups during the episodes before Dina convinces Ellie to ditch the shoes, Foley made sure to provide a place where viewers could get a closer look at the doodles, even if we might never know what inspired them. As she put it:

Considering she played a big part in making them unique to the TV show, I asked Foley if she was able to keep a pair of the Converses, and was sad to hear this as her answer:

If there are that many, at least one pair should go in a museum, and one should go in Ann Foley's closet.

Ann Foley On Using Silhouettes To Show Ellie's Aging And Showing Off Her Tattoo

Episode 6, “The Price,” was such an emotional ride, not just for Joe Pantoliano’s magnificent guest role, but also for the truncated evolution of Joel and Ellie’s relationship in the years between the Salt Lake City massacre and Joel’s brutal demise. Fans were able to watch Ellie grow up, as it were, with Ann Foley’s team doing a lot of legwork to make those year-to-year transitions feel legitimate.

When I asked about Ellie’s look changing and her repeated urge to wear short sleeves again, the costumer designer spoke to the challenges of representing those highly formative years of someone’s life, saying:

Similar to how Stalkers and Clickers and others TLoU creatures can be identified through silhouette alone, Foley made sure that each mini-era of Ellie’s teenage years could be identified in the same way. She explained:

Obviously everyone is different, but Foley hit the nail on the head there for a vast swath of my friend group in high school. I never lost my appreciation for baggy jeans, but I can’t imagine they would be a big help when trying to run away from grabby monsters in the rain.

Ann Foley also spoke to going shorter with the sleeve lengths with Ellie in the flashbacks that introduced her tattoo, as well as in key moments during the present timeline when the elements weren’t a problem.

Another fantastic look that Foley talked more in depth about on her Instagram page was Ellie’s straight-from-the-game look during her birthday trip to the natural history museum, and how they hand-crafted the striped shirt. As excellent as that sequence was all-around, from the dinosaur statue to the blast-off, I don’t think it would have hit as hard for me if Ellie would have been wearing a band T-shirt or something monochromatic.

The Last of Us Season 2 comes to a close on HBO on May 25 at 9:00 p.m. What will YOU be wearing when it all goes down? Wait, no, that didn’t come out right…

Spoilers below for anyone who isn’t watching The Last of Us’ latest episode airing on HBO or streaming with a Max subscription, so be warned!

Five episodes into The Last of Us’ second season, and the wrecked feelings stemming from Joel’s face-squelchingly brutal murder were just finally settling into their respective brain holes, and then along came those gut-wrenching final moments from “Feel Her Love.” Of course, Ellie’s last-second memory of Pedro Pascal’s Joel not only had fans weeping, but also set up this week’s flashback-filled return to the fan-adored Joel-n-Ellie dynamic, so I can’t be too upset about it.

As it’s gone for the majority of Season 2’s installments hitting the 2025 TV schedule, I’m settling in once more to share my reactions for Episode 6 as they’re happening live. We can only hope that I won’t have to mention more than one snot bubble forming from sobbing over one reflective Joel moment or another. If there’s only one snot bubble, I can deal. Before saddling up and riding out, be sure to check out all of my previous efforts below.

• The Last Of Us Season 2 Premiere Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 3 Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 4 Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 5 Watchalong

UPDATE: I also reacted to The Last of Us' Season 2 finale promo, which can be found below the live blog posts.

Episode 6 Live Blog Starts Here

Welcome, The Last of Us fans, to the dual experience of watching this week’s episode "The Price" while also wading through the sludge factory that encompasses both my emotional center and my sense of humor. I appreciate you as much as I appreciate Dina’s endlessly immaculate hair; which is to say, lots ‘n’ lots.

As we wait the few minutes for the episode to begin, here are a few hopeful predictions I've had bouncing around.

• That the museum scene is amazing.
• That the museum scene is amazing.
• Oh, and for the museum scene to be amazing.

Perhaps there is a pattern to be sensed here. Onto the episode!

The Flashback Before The Flashbacks

Holee molee, before The Last of Us could even give audiences Pedro Pascal living and breathing as Joel again, it delivered a look into the Austin native's distant past. WITH TONY DALTON AS HIS DAD., "J. Miller."

Joel clearly experienced an abusive childhood, and Dalton is almost too charismatic an actor to make me buy into this scene. He's a dude that Joel both thinks is going to beat Tommy for petty crimes, probably logically, but he's also someone who will offer up a beer and introspective advice soon after?

• "I'm doing a little better than my father did. And you know, when it's your turn, I hope you do a little better than me." - Joel's Abusive But Also Weirdly Practical Dad

It's a good line. It's a good line.

Joel And Ellie In The Opening Credits Again

I love that this episode reverted back to a pair of survivors in the opening credits.

Joel Is Just Like The Best Surrogate Dad

Carving a bone to fit a custom guitar has to count as a win in the parent department, right? Also, this moth etching? Gorgeous.

And then his reaction to Ellie's pain after having burned the shit out of her arm as a way to hide her bite scars?

• "Easy, baby girl, easy." - Joel, breaking my heart

I think all my heartstrings are already knotted together and are being yanked all as one.

Happy Birthday, Ellie, But With A Better Song

It's a good thing Seth baked Ellie's cake years before he knew she would one day earn his for her sexuality. He still fucked the cake up, though. At least the message, if not the flavor.

I want to live in Ellie's happiness right here.

Oh no. Wait, let's go back to the happiness of Ellie's cake face! I can't take this song in live-action.

[gulp]

Pedro Pascal's performance was as vulnerable as the lyrics were. And Ellie said a mouthful with her reaction.

• "Whoa. That didn't suck." - Ellie, in need of more cake.

He understands why she burned her arm, which goes a long way. And the fact that she maintained her feelings about wanting to wear short sleeves again is a great detail, since that's what she also told Dina inside the theater.

ONE YEAR LATER: Joel And Ellie Are Still Cute, And There's Also A Dinosaur

This is my dream sequence, but I'll hold onto the excitement until the details happen.

Ellie's Sweet 16 starts off with an attempt to sway Joel into letting her go on patrols, and includes a quick talk about dicks and vaginas. I think we can all relate, right?

I think just about everyone who played the game immediately ran up on that T-Rex as soon as it was right in front of them. And who didn't repeat this one as soon as Ellie yelled it?

• "I'm on a motherfucking dinosaur!" Ellie, on a motherfucking dinosaur

Classic Ellie. Classic Joel. Classic dinosaur.

OMG, It's Museum Time

I realize the rest of this episode won't be spent inside the museum, but this is easily one of my favorite chunks of the game, and I know I'm not alone. It really drives home just how close Joel and Ellie became in the years between the Salt Lake City mayhem and their eventual rift.

That Joel even knew how to grease the solar system display to make it work for Ellie is impressive unto itself. I guess it's not that complicated?

Ellie's Big Liftoff

Bella Ramsey once again is a beacon of innocent joy as Ellie here, smashing windows to gain access to historic artifacts in order to sit inside THE remnants from Apollo 15.

It's a glorious gift from someone whose love for Ellie knows no bounds, even if that love is what eventually seals his doom. I got goosebumps all over again hearing that audio.

Props to the HBO series' creative team for handling this sequence in just as powerful a way as it went down in the source material.

• "I do okay?" Joel, adorably knowing he did the best

HOW IS THIS OVER ALREADY, THOUGH?

Joel And Ellie's Rift Sets In

Ugh. Even knowing that this episode wouldn't be all birthday cake and shuttle launches, I still thought we might get more time with Joel and Ellie's happiness. But no, we get awkwardness of Joel catching Ellie fooling around with another girl, smoking weed, getting a tattoo and doing that whole teen thing.

• "It wasn't sex, and it wasn't a fucking experiment." - Snarling Ellie

So of course she immediately tries to move out, although I have to say, she makes a solid point in calling him out for saying "under my roof" without it actually being his roof. That shit never happens.

So good on him for quickly calming down and offering his help as opposed to jumping further down her throat. Which leads him to discovering Ellie has a keen interest in moths.

Catherine O'Hara Is The Best

I live for lines like this:

• “Is there a ‘Doctor is In’ sign on me like Lucy from fuckin’ Peanuts?" - Gail, a queen among peasants

I feel like hard times are coming for Gail, however.

Oh No, Ellie Is Asking The Right Questions

My stomach dropped as soon as Ellie started practicing her speech, as it quickly became clear she'd been thinking hard about what went down in Salt Lake City.

• "If there are dozens of immune people, why hasn't anyone..." - Ellie, making my stomach drop further

But she's not quite ready to bring it out into the open just yet, since she quickly hid it all as soon as Joel came knocking.

Ellie Notices Squirrels Banging

If there's a point in this post-apocalypse where witnessing the fucking habits of squirrels in relation to their size becomes a vital skill, Ellie has a leg up on the competition.

Joe Pantoliano's Eugene, Doomed From The Start

I'm thankful Joel and Ellie's weird tension was interrupted by a distress call, even if it means distress is at the other end. But hey, after some haunting visuals of a horse dragging a body before seeing another nasty-ass corpse, we get Joey Pants!

More like Joey Ripped-Up Shirt, amirite?

The always-excellent Joe Pantoliano's arrival has been heavily anticipated since his casting as Gail's husband Eugene (who was only pictured in the video game) was announced. And this is quite the introduction for any character, knowing that he's already going to die at Joel's hand in the immediate future.

• "It makes you cold, the cordyceps. I didn't expect that." - Eugene, who needs a blanket

Honestly, it's the line after that...

This one is proof alone of why you hire an actor as talented as Joe Pantoliano for five minutes of screentime.

• "Last words for her? No, I need her last words for me! I'm dying. I'm terrified. I don't need a view. I need Gail. To see her face. Please. Please let that be the last thing I see." - soon-to-be-disappointed Eugene

Wow. Just wow. Like, even I'm pissed off at Joel right now for not letting the man see his wife.

Joel Lies About Eugene's Fate

Joel's foul streak continued by first telling Ellie that he'd only tell Gail what she needed to hear, all as she cried out of his eyesight. And he then followed it by flat-out lying to Gail's face by saying Eugene went out bravely and shot himself as not to endanger anyone else.

But before Gail could even fully comprehend the false fate pushed into her ears, Ellie slammed the door on that by calling Joel out on his lies, earning him a rightful slap from Gail.

"You Swore"

Ugh. I won't be able to hear this phrase in any context again without thinking about Ellie's soul-ripping rage.

Uncle Grumpy

Of course, as soon as Joel gets the nickname Uncle Grumpy, nobody is ever given the chance to use it on-screen again.

Joel And Ellie's Big Juicy Heartbreaking Talk

I figured it was coming after seeing the promo for this week's ep, but I still didn't quite fully expect Ellie and Joel to have their conversation about The Big Lie and other big topics. Largely because it doesn't actually happen until the tail end of The Last of Us Part II.

The fact that he's drinking coffee here is all the more sweet and depressing after she'd left the coffee beans on his grave.

I love that they were able to talk about Dina in a way that didn't end badly. But that's not what Ellie came to talk about. She needed to hear him confess to the information that she believed she knew already: that he saved her life at the expense of humanity.

Oh my God, Pedro Pascal's performance here is destroying all of whatever is still holding me up. He's not even defending himself in telling Ellie that he saved her because he loves her. It's just his truth and has been his cross to bear for years now.

Not to take away anything from Bella Ramsey's performance, as they perfectly convey Ellie's desire to have a life that matters, and why the character is justified for her anger, even at the expense of her own life. Definitely easier to say in a moment like that than while on the operating table, and it's perhaps why Ellie relents and attempts to make peace instead of creating a further divide.

• “I don’t think I can forgive you for this. But I would like to try.” - Ellie, the sweetest li'l human being

I should have seen it coming that Joel would literally echo his father's words from the cold open at some point, rather than just proving his attempts to stick to it through his behavior.

I think the question we're all thinking about now is, what DID Joel trade to get that coffee?

Back To The Present

The final shot of the episode is of Ellie returning to the theater safe haven in the present, no doubt hoping to find Dina and Jesse on the other side of its doors. Will she be truthful about what went down after she split from the others to track down Nora at the hospital? Will she be candid about discovering spores and that she tortured Nora for information?

Considering how cyclical other elements can be in this universe, I would imagine that Ellie will bullshit her way through an explanation in the same way that Joel lied to Gail about Eugene, thinking she's only telling them what they need to hear, rather than pointing out how many ways she endangered herself.

I have to think she'd want to expose the truth about the spores to others, but doing so would reveal her big secret to Jesse, so I doubt that'll happen.

"The Price" Rating: 4.5 Out Of 5 Custom-Made Acoustic Guitars

If TV episodes were all meant to be judged by how slightly exhausted one feels after watching, due to all the eye-welling and heart-thumping and lip-quivering and so on, then this episode might go down as one of the best in TV history.

That said, I know there are plenty of Last of Us viewers who are extremely eager to see Ellie extracting more justice on Abby's group, and this episode was surprisingly light on plot-developing drama for a penultimate installment, as this is usually where the fireworks come out in full. So in that respect, I can only assume that next week's finale will be a fast-paced and gory-as-hell ride from beginning to end. Even if we'll likely be waiting until Season 3 to see those two forces smash directly head-on.

Thanks everyone for following along, and please join me for whatever goes down in The Last of Us' final outing of 2025. Somebody get Seth to bake a cake to mark the occasion.

The Last Of Us' Season 2 Finale

Before I go any further, check out our biggest look at the Season 2 finale to date!

Even without really featuring a ton of footage, there's still quite a bit to unpack, so let's go into lightning-round mode to tackle each of these topics as quickly as can be.

1. Right away, we see Dina giving Ellie THAT bracelet from the game, and notes that it's meant to be for good luck. Viewers should definitely pay attention to clock any moments where Ellie might NOT be wearing it. Not just in the finale, but also in future episodes.
2. Ellie and Jesse are out in the wild, seemingly without Dina, and the locations probably look quite familiar for those who played the game. It's interesting that Jesse's voiceover carries through much of the promo.
3. Isaac is back! And so is his sycophant buddy Burton, who gets to smash someone's face in with the butt of his gun.
4. Ellie washing up on a muddy shore doesn't seem like a good sign, especially as she's being watched by perhaps the youngest Seraphite child we've seen yet.

5. As soon as Jesse said, "I'm not dying out here," my brain automatically started preparing for him to die out there. The only TV characters who make those kinds of assertions are the ones who are destined for death the soonest.
6. It looks like Ellie gets a quick moment to potentially try and take two of her nemeses out, although it's too dark to confirm whether or not Abby is one of the people walking.
7. Ellie and Jesse running in the theater without Dina makes me think it's her peril that they're running toward.
8. Wait a second...if Bella Ramsey's Ellie is the one being dragged by Seraphites with the intent to hang her, does that mean the series is totally changing up that section of the game that introduces the vital characters Lev and Yara? Or is Ellie just dealing with a mutually exclusive threat of a hanging?
9. Why does Dina aleady look like she's about to be in labor with Jesse next to her?
10. Tying into the #8 point, the promo ends by making it look like Ellie is the character who treks it out to the island where the Seraphites' main island settlemant, rather than Abby, which I'm extremely confused about, while still being quite intrigued.

That somehow became an even larger list of topics than I thought it would, hinging in part on the bonkers idea that Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann would swap details from Ellie and Abby's stories. I can only assume it'd be for the purpose of shaking things up for fans, but that's assuming everything in the trailer should be taken at face value, which is almost never the case.

Now I'm even more pumped to see how things play out on Sunday, May 15!

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t caught up on The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO or with a Max subscription.

To be expected, The Last of Us has given its fanatic fanbase a lot to think about and mourn over in its second season so far, including one of the most glee-pummeling TV deaths I can think of. Thankfully, Joel’s absence through the middle episodes — save for that emotionally uplifting Episode 5 appearance — has been buoyed by the adorable relationship building between Ellie and Dina, with Isabela Merced winning my heart every second she’s on the screen.

For all of Merced’s intelligence, warmth, humor and charisma as Dina — factors that make it easy to understand why Ellie would be head over heels — I’m of two minds about how willing I am to ignore what is perhaps The Last of Us’ biggest leap in everyday logic, if not the biggest leap of anything on the 2025 TV schedule: Dina’s hair is always a little too perfect to be real in this post-apocalyptic setting. And yeah, I’m jealous, but my reasoning is still valid nonetheless.

I Can Understand Dina Having Nice Hair Within The Comforts Of Jackson

While I can't lay claim to knowing all the ins and outs of The Last of Us' live-action community within Jackson, Wyoming, I feel comfortable assuming that Dina and Ellie both have access to functional bathing apparatuses, likely with some kind of shampoo and conditioner, ir not other hair products. I'm not saying they have full salon-ready inventories of product, but shampoo and conditioner are sure the kinds of creature comforts that still feel more sensible than more extreme forms of hygenic luxury.

As such, when Isabela Merced was rocking her perfect 'do in the Season 2 premiere at the dance with Ellie, I didn't give it a second thought, because of course she's going to try to look her best on such a joyous social occasion. But do they make a point of hanging out near Jackson's showering holes? Of course not.

Dina And Ellie Went Through Subway Scares And A Huge Storm Long After Leaving Jackson In "Day One"

As someone who has boasted fairly long hair for more than half of my life, I'm pretty keen on what will and won't cause chaos for it in between washings. Stressful situations that cause one to sweat a lot? Those are definitely in the "Will Cause Ickiness" folder. Plus, I haven't even felt the distinct anxiety that comes with being chased by fungi monsters and believing my new love will soon join the monstrous herd, at least at the time of this writing. (Good luck, future Nick!)

So it seems almost insultingly impossible that the talented Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann want me to believe that Dina made it from Jackson to Seattle without any noticable downgrade in volume or waves smoothness? Come on! Even if she and Ellie hadn't dealt with any super-hectic situations beyond the subway terror, they went through it in that episode, and still no change? That's the dream, not the reality.

I'll even allow for this explanation: Dina's hair would have looked like shit after avoiding underground peril if not for that huge rainstorm that washed all the sweatiness out. But only if it was built into the show's reality that Dina went to sleep with knotty-ass hair and then woke up with an even more scraggly mop on top of her head.

Wait, Dina Somehow Woke Up With Perfectly Maneuverable Hair, Despite All The Rain, Stress, Sex And Sleep?!?

I can always appreciate the use of a ponytail holder in times of need (of shampoo), and after a full night of mayhem, panic, confessions and sexy-time? I mean, that precious rubber band can be the key to avoiding a total calamity on top of one's head.

But only if the potential for a calamity exists in the first place. As seen above, Dina almost definitely didn't tie her hair back as a way of keeping any gunky follicles out of sight and out of mind. It was like far more an issue of her hair being so silky and shiny that light bounces off of it when it hangs in her face, making it harder to read the maps.

Which would still be all good IF appearances were deceiving, and IF Dina was actually keeping a true wasp's nest hidden with her up-do.

Dina's Hair Remained Enviously Voluminous Throughout Day 2

How in... Where the... [Blinks rapidly.]

Dina's powerful backstory admission in "Feel Her Love" made for quite the powerful scene, especially in terms of how it might affect the two characters' endgame in relation to the source material. And I was definitely hooked into everything she was saying about being such a young child when she happened upon her murdered family and their killer, and how she instantly rectified the stranger's heinous acts. It makes her bubbly positivity all the more lovable.

At the same time Dina is bearing her soul and her crosses, however, I'm thinking to myself, "I think Isabela Merced could easily get awards buzz for this role." And that soon became, "If she had to present or accept an award and went on stage with hair similar to Dina's during this scene, I might not even notice right away." Which is perhaps not a preferred thought tangent during a monologue about kid justice.

Obviously I'm not actually upset or even genuinely baffled by Dina's hair staying so gorgeous despite a lack of regular brushing marathons. We're not supposed to think about how Dina and Ellie get all the blood and gutsy bits out of their hair and clothes in between sequences, nor why the array of pungent odors isn't a regular topic of conversation. It's TV.

Or rather: it's not TV; it's HBO. (But not HBO Max, since that's still coming back.)

I love the moment in a show like this where characters who haven’t experienced working facilities in ages are allowed the solace of a well-deserved hot bath. (Never forget the day when Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes shaved his bushy beard on The Walking Dead.) But they need to look like hell first in order to make it count.

It doesn't look like we'll be seeing much of present-day Dina in the sixth episode of Season 2, given it'll be flashback-oriented, but everyone place your bets regarding how Dina's hair will look in the finale, which will air on HBO on Sunday, May 25.

Bella Ramsey is no stranger to the limelight. They have been on the scene since they were 11 years old, initially portraying the small-but-mighty Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. Now, they have taken a step further into the limelight as the not-quite-as-small and definitely mightier Ellie Williams in HBO’s The Last of US, which is currently rolling out its second season for those with a Max subscription. Unlike Ellie, Bella was a bit more fearful diving into fame than their character was when taking on the infected in this video game adaptation.

The Last of Us Season 1 put Bella front and center in ways they weren’t expecting, but I was surprised to find out they were "terrified" before the drama hit the TV schedule. They had a chance to sit down with their former GOT castmate Kit Harington who asked Ramsey for Interview Magazine what they thought about “all the stuff around" the show, and they admitted they were "terrified of signing on," just not for the reason I might have guessed.

Yeah, OK when I think of The Last of Us Terror I'm definitely think of the horror elements that have made the show such a popular watch.

Having said this, I'd imagine the feeling might be akin to what Kaitlyn Dever, who portrays Abby this season, feels when the infected hordes pop out of the snow in Season 2, Episode 2. You are standing there and see a wave of people rushing towards you, and all you want to do is get away from them as fast as you can, but they just keep coming.

Ramsey may catch a bit of a reprieve from the hordes once this season dies down, (although Harington has even been a culprit of this in the past), but the circus will likely start up again as Season 3 gets off the ground.

To also note, Bella always knew that The Last of Us would make them the ringleader. Here’s what they had to say about joining the circus:

Taking on an iconic role like Ellie was always going to thrust whomever was going to portray her into the spotlight because co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have created such a beautiful, heartbreaking, and lived-in world so adeptly. You cannot help but fall in love with Ellie and in turn the person who plays her --whether that is Bella Ramsey’s interpretation in the show or Ashley Johnson’s portrayal in the game.

From my perspective, Bella seems to be handling all the press with openness, delight, and a playful energy. I am sure having Pedro Pascal by their side doesn’t hurt. If they are still scared at all, they seem to be hiding it well. But if you would like to see them truly terrified, make sure to watch new episodes of The Last of Us on HBO every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched The Last of Us’ latest Season 2 episode, “Feel Her Love,” on HBO or with a Max subscription.

After an episode that truly cemented Ellie and Dina’s live-action relationship, The Last of Us realigned the duo’s focus on their dark and troublesome goal with a danger-filled hunt for Tati Gabrielle’s Nora. Plenty of brutal violence was on display, largely involving the warring WLF soldiers and cult-like Seraphites, before the episode culminated in Ellie going feral on Nora in that spore-filled basement. Nora ordered up her hyper-painful doom by having audacity to call Joel a “little bitch.”

Just when it seemed like Ellie crushing Nora’s legs with a pipe would serve as an extremely ironic ending to an episode called “Feel Her Love,” The Last of Us’ creative team chose to follow Bella Ramsey’s guttural screams with a dime-turn into sunshine-y warmth, as Pablo Pascal’s Joel appeared for a few fleeting seconds where it was easy to forget problems both fictional and personal. And then reality came crashing back down as the credits rolled.

Who knew that the two words “Hey, Kiddo” could be so utterly soul-crushing and uplifting all at the same time? Well, it looks like millions of people are more aware of that fact now than they were before Sunday night, and while not everyone went online to voice their retriggered traumas, the HBO show's Instagram posts about Joel's last-second appearance were met with tons of relatably dramatic reactions.

Check out a selection of enjoyably heightened highlights, with game studio Naughty Dog's brevity topping the list:

• 🥹 - @naughty_dog_inc
• That was cathartic. That was like coming home from the roughest day of my life and feeling safe again. - @morgxnstxrn
• This felt like waking up from your worst nightmare as a scared little kid, and your parent comes in and comforts you and you feel safe. 😢🥹 - @krose94
• Happy Mother’s Day Joel Miller - @paris.pryber03
• It was 4am for me when Joel appeared and I screamed, my cat got scared but I don't care, I'm happy. - @pascal.pedrito
• I'll take all the Joel crumbs we can get - @the_sunset_driver2343
• i was giggling watching the scene w nora and then this flashback appeared and my smile disappeared so quickly 💔💔 - @cinekravitz
• crying. screaming. throwing up 😭 - @bulletpr00fbully
• OMG I FVCKING SOBBED WHEN I SAW JOEL 😭😭😭😭 I didn’t expect him till next episode with the flashback! TLOU MY HEART!!!!! ❤️ - @karencityy
• I can imagine she could be dreaming about him 😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺🥺 - @vin.no

As it tends to go whenever a fandom latches onto something, the reactions to Joel's surprise appearance bounced from heartfelt to melodramatic to hopeful to...you know it was coming...horny and thirsty for Pedro Pascal in any capacity. Even this trifecta of similarly worded reactions follows the trend.

• The way I burst into tears - @aftercoffeewithjess
• the way i immediately sobbed at domestic joel :( - @athvmy
• The way I screamed “DADDYYYYYY” - @_jessegallagher

I technically also choose to be hopeful about what that scene meant, even as I understand it just means Ellie is finding a sense of peace and connection to Joel by violently lashing out at Abby's group, which doesn't bode well for her safety or her mental health.

Thankfully, perhaps, The Last of Us' next episode isn't focusing on the future so much as the past, as it looks like this will be where several of the video game sequel's unforgettable flashback sequences take place. So you just know that seeing the variety of new scenes between Pascal and Ramsey sent fans into orbit with dread-soaked anticipation.

• Let's get the tissues ready for next week 🥺🥺 - @im_mssiel
• Oh my days. The way the words "Hey, kiddo" has ruined me 💔😭 I don't even know how i will cope next week. HELP!! 😭 - @mrsg2004
• That ending killed me, next episode will be so hard to watch❤️❤️🥺🥺 -@ryan_hawks12
• NO BECAUSE I FEAR I WILL NOT MAKE IT NEXT WEEK - @thepadalorian
• You're going to pay for my therapy in the next episode 😭 [translated] - @cyndelkatrynne
• I was like “no please no”, then the episode ended and I was relieved, because I don’t want to cry two Sundays in a row, I’ll just cry next Sunday. - @poxa.math
• I hope more of the flashbacks are good ones with Ellie and not so much when they fight😭🫶 - @blink_4_pinkk
• now we just need the museum scene and life will be good again - @katelyn_lasater_

Gamers know what's up with that reference to the museum, and it is indeed the sequence I'm also looking forward to the most. But no reason to dwell on those hopes right now. Not when this commenter dared write a comment so cruel and foul!!!

• Just remember: Joel got what he deserved - @daniel_bo83

I guess we all know that comment was actually written by ABBY HERSELF. Okay not really, but that's the only context in which that would make sense to me as I choose to amorally pick hard sides here.

Join me for what will presumably be a viewing experience full of tears and snot when The Last of Us' penultimate Season 2 episode hits HBO on Sunday, May 18, at 9:00 p.m.

Spoilers below for anyone who isn’t watching The Last of Us’ latest episode on HBO or with a Max subscription, so be warned!

The Last of Us’ post-Joel era — which I can’t comfortably abbreviate as the comfort-implying “PJ era” — continues in Season 2, and Episode 5’s arrive means it’s once again time to celebrate this show’s unique concoction of stressful grief and darkly comedic horror. The end of the season is already so close, and with so much storytelling yet to deliver, but no time for moping through such sour sorrows while there are cold, vengeful dishes yet to serve.

I’ll be once again live-blogging my in-the-moment thoughts as The Last of Us’ "Feel Her Love" airs, and am welcoming any and all fans to read along, whether you’re watching on Sunday night or a few days later. (I also extend a 21-Click salute to returning readers, while the priors week’ efforts can be found below.) Could this week’s ep deliver a moment as faithful to the game as Ellie’s “Take on Me” performance? Will Jeffrey Wright shift from copper pans to cheese graters for his torturous duties? Let’s find out.

• The Last Of Us Season 2 Premiere Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 3 Watchalong
• The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 4 Watchalong

Welcome, Faithful Survivors!

Last week's preview for tonight's episode teased all kinds of mayhem, but I know I'm most ready to see how the live-action series brings SPORES into the mix.

Also, WTF, the episode is now live on Max, five minutes ahead of schedule!

A Predictably Depressing Introduction To Spores

It's our second appearance from Alanna Ubach’s WLF leader Hanrahan, and is thankfully a meatier one for the actress as opposed to last week's debut opposite Jeffrey Wright's Isaac.

We're also meeting Hettienne Park's Elise Park as she shares a troublesome story about the latest hiccup in humanity's survival against cordyceps, namely the discovery that bites are no longer the only way for the outbreak to get passed from one organism to the next. Somebody call Phil Collins, because it's in the air tonight, baby.

We're talking MOTHERFUCKING SPORES!

And yes, I do feel awkward about celebrating this concept in the face of the reveal that Elise was talking about sending her son to his doom. But...spores...hell yeah?

Dina Does Math Good, Ellie Does Math Bad

The "non-school-oriented" Ellie is clearly better at aiming for a target whose presence she's alerted to as opposed to trying to find that target herself through math and shit. Which means anytime Dina isn't around, Ellie probably won't be operating from the best foundation of planning.

Ellie Gets Too Close To Joel's Memory

The gorgeousness of the theater's setting, along with all of the instruments it offers, aren't quite enough to completely pull Ellie into the present and away from the memory of Joel, as evidenced by how quickly her emotions are rattled as soon as she starts playing the song so key to her relationship with Joel.

There's sadly no "if" when it comes to losing him these days.

Mysteriously Avoided Buildings Are Never Good Omens, Guys

I love seeing Dina and Ellie's strategizing about the WLF's communication, and what it means for both that group and the relatively tech-free Scars.

But anytime one stumbles upon an unknown that one quickly refers to as "The Big Fucking Something," it's not gonna be a treat to experience. So of course they're running into it headfirst.

WLF Soldiers Are Too Brutal

Are we to assume every one of these people deserved this fate? Not likely.

Dina's Big Backstory Change

Holy shit, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann just upped the ante when it comes to how much support Dina has for Ellie avenging Joel's death. Isabela Merced nails this expository sequence, revealing that she walked in on her family being murdered at just eight years old, and that her immediate impulse then was the same as it is now. She's in until the end.

I need more time to think about how this could be a gigantic branching point from where things go for Ellie and Dina's endgame in the source material. Because I'll just keep saying "holy shit" over and over again.

Love Is In The Air Before Spores

Is it just me, or does it seem ill-advised for Ellie and Dina to keep flashing their lights even within a building that they assume isn't populated by active threats? There are still windows and shit.

Still, not even unknown threats can stop these two from being ultra cute, and I love Dina accurately calling Ellie out for having a heavy trigger finger before dropping the L word into the scene.

• "You love me?" - Ellie

And now for whatever love-hating things await them.

The Big Fucking Something = Building Full Of Stalkers

Gotta love a deadly enemy that largely keeps its victims centrally located, so that others can explore other rooms in the building without realizing they're no more than 100 ft. away from various people's leaking intestines. But that's about as complimentary as I can get when it comes to those freaking fucking Stalkers.

Seriously, their higher-pitched moaning is enough to bring even make the most positive experience to a halt. Few scenes in this show have been as inherently horrifying as Dina realizing how surrounded they were. Although seeing one of them rip fencing apart like it was paper wasn't far behind.

Jesse's Heroic Return

Woo! Despite having played Part II multiple times, I still thought it was going to be WLF soldiers that saved Ellie and Dina from the Stalkers, but it was thankfully Jesse!

I'm shocked that Jesse revealed Tommy is also out there somewhere, as I honestly didn't expect the live-action character to leave Jackson. Which no doubt means that he's going to run into a heap of trouble, but fingers crossed it's just a stubbed toe or a paper cut.

The Scars Are Also Too Brutal

Just in case anyone thought the TV studio hangings were a one-off maneuver for the Scars, this episode proved that wrong with a scene that mirrored the source material quite successfully. The Scars brought a sordid end to one WLF foe that left the dude's guts all over the damned ground. I hope nobody just cleaned their shoes.

A Familiar Seraphite

After last week’s surprise cameo from Nickelodeon vet Josh Peck, The Last of Us once again appealed to viewers of a certain age with this appearance from Laine MacNeil, best known for playing Greg’s rival Patty in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film trilogy. At least MacNeil’s unnamed Seraphite survived her first scene.

Dogs And Their Sniffers!

One of the more interesting threats that one has to avoid while playing The Last of Us Part II are dogs, which can pick up on Ellie's scent. They didn't play too heavily into this episode, but I hope more is on the way.

Ellie Vs. Nora: The Chase

Ellie made the seemingly ill-advised move of striking out on her own as the trio were running away from the whistling Scars. But she did manage to evade guards and find Nora all by her lonesome. But instead of striking first and then asking questions, Ellie allowed herself to be shocked into inaction by Nora twisting from empathy to malice with this game-sourced line:

• "I'm sorry you saw it happen. No one should ever have to see something like that. At night sometimes I still hear his scream. It was a terrible thing the way he died. Yeah, the little bitch got what he deserved." - Nora

Ooooh, that line made me clench my fists and want to start swinging.

That chase was very close to the sequence in the game where players are only required to keep up with Nora as she dashed from room to room. But this is where things changed a bit, because SPORES!

Nora? More Like SPORE-A

Ellie and Nora's conversation was every bit as amazing as I hoped it would be. Tati Gabrielle's character did a formidable job of trying to drop an info-bomb on Ellie by telling her exactly why Abby murdered Joel, but it turns out our hero was already clued in on that information.

At least Nora learned that the rumors about a fabled immune girl were actually legit before she presumably died at the hands of a rage-fueled Ellie.

All The Sobbing For That Last-Second Joel Appearance

Ohhh, you sons of bitches behind the scenes of The Last of Us. I was so ready to throw my hands up in aggro-solidarity with Ellie after that moment cut to black. But no...

Instead of credits, we were given a quick jolt, or is it a Joel-t, of Pedro Pascal's beloved character in a long-distant memory of him walking into Ellie's room and uttering his signature greeting:

• "Hey, kiddo."

Ellie's couldn't-be-more-comforted smile in that moment was very nearly enough to make me forget about the myriad lows and woes that have taken place thus far. This is absolutely a "Christmas morning, but I get to open a couple of presents in bed before falling back asleep until noon" face. Or a "work was canceled because of cold weather and I'm under three blankets" face.

Or perhaps an "I'm talking to the person I owe my life to without any clue that my survival will guarantee his grisly death" face. Sigh.

"Feel Her Love" Rating: 3.5 Out Of 5 Spore-Filled Exhalations

For all that I was enthused about all things spores-related, and was indeed impressed by the horrific way those moments were depicted, I can't ignore the feeling that this episode didn't feel quite as vital or immediate as its Season 2 predecessors. Which isn't so much a knock on it as it is a glowing view of what we've seen so far.

By and large, though, "Feel Her Love" didn't introduce any major over-arching characters (either from the game or otherwise), and by logistically limiting the spores' impact on the outer world, even that arrival was more central to Ellie's story than the world at large. Plus, for as haunting as the Stalkers sequence was, that was just upping the ante for a threat we've already witnessed.

If anything, I think Dina's orphaned origin story may be the episode's most impactful scene, given the potential ramifications down the line. So while a surprising admission may not be the most valuable Last of Us takeaway for some fans, I'm hoping it pays off in a way that does indeed make this episode that much more important in hindsight.

Also, in case my voice cracked awkwardly earlier, or if there was background noise at any prior point in the live blog: HUZZAH FOR DOGS AND SPORES! And for Joel-inspired smiles.

I Cannot Handle This Joel-Filled Trailer For Episode 6

The penultimate Season 2 installment will apparently deliver on the numerous and extremely meaningful flashbacks that players experience in the video game sequel. So in a way, Pascal's arrival at the end of this week's installment was a stepping stone into Ellie's memories. Check it out below!

Joel and Ellie's non-combat-related flashbacks are some of the game series' most memorable and emotionally poignant scenes, despite coming after Joel's death. So I can only hope the live-action interpretations will be on the same weep-worthy wavelength. Until next week!

Considering The Last of Us excelled at bringing the first video game's story to live-action so faithfully, I never expected the source material's second volume to be adapted in full for Season 2. Part II takes a long time to get through, as the story goes farther and deeper than Joel and Ellie's solo story ever could. So it's not so surprising to hear that a huge plot point won't be explored during the 2025 TV schedule, but I am surprised to hear the reason.

Craig Mazin And Neil Druckmann Reveal Major Plotline That Won't Be Fully Explored In Season 2

The third episode of The Last of Us Season 2 introduced a roaming group of Seraphites, with a doomed father and daughter offering up faction-based exposition, while I'd talked in my Episode 4 live blog about the always excellent Jeffrey Wright reprising his game role of WLF leader Isaac. It's a character who doesn't pop up often in the game, and I'm definitely not the only viewer excited to see his story expand.

But as co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann revealed in the latest installment of HBO's The Last of Us Podcast, fans may not get to see the full scope of Isaac's WLF leadership, as the series is for now holding back on digging into the WLF's complicated and exceedingly violent war with the Seraphites. Mazin said:

Even knowing there are only three episodes left to go in Season 2, I'm still taken aback by Mazin's assertion there. Given the flashback to Isaac's official exit from FEDRA, bookended with him torturing that Scar with Williams Sonoma pans in the present, I definitely expected that game-based storyline to become more of a focus as Ellie and Dina are on the road far from the comforts of Jackson.

However, it appears we'll be waiting until the third cycle hits HBO to get those answers, with Neil Druckmann sharing:

Thankfully, the premium cabler's execs made the call and ordered up Season 3 ahead of the second season's hectic premiere, which plays into the overall idea that the creative team broke up The Last of Us Part II's story to play out across two different seasons, with the future beyond that still up in the air. But apparently that plan didn't come with the confidence that HBO would play along.

The Bonkers Reason The Co-Creators Held Back From Exploring The War In Season 2

I think anyone aware of The Last of Us' existence would agree that Season 1 was a hit, and that anticipation for Season 2 was immediately lofty, especially with the massive tragedy that went down in Episode 2. So when the co-creators revealed that they wouldn't be attempting to shoehorn the second game's entire storyline into a single season of TV, I assumed that meant they were bullish about earning follow-up seasons.

Apparently that was overly optimistic of me, as Craig Mazin suggests the reason they held off of digigng into the Wolves conflict with the Scars is because nobody was sure if the show would continue. As he put it:

I'm flabbergasted. In part because I don't even fully believe that anyone working on The Last of Us after Season 1 thought that the second season might be the final one. Especially if Mazin and Druckmann were up front with HBO's bosses about how they wanted to split the plot up. I guess if the network execs were being very prissy about the show's chances, while showing off an abundance of newer projects that wouldn't be killing off 75% of the characters introduced, then I could understand.

On the flip side, maybe Neil Druckmann was overly cautious about fan reactions to Joel's demise at the hands of Kaitlyn Dever's Abby, given the catastrophic blowback the game faced for that particular sequence. But it's already clear that the live-action drama didn't deal with anything so harsh, so that hypothetical caution was all for naught.

I suppose holding off on exploring the WLF's issues with the Scars will drive anticipation for Season 3, but I'm wondering how the show will continue depicting Isaac's leadership and the Seraphites as an antagonist group without going deeper into those stories. So I guess I'll find out one day, but for now, I'm too busy waiting on the next episode to arrive.

The Last of Us airs new episodes on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO or for those with Max subscriptions.

Award shows are already inherently debate-centric events, from the nominating process right through picking the winners. But over the years, such multi-headed conversations have stretched further back to address the categorical classifications themselves, sometimes with other film genres in mind, but increasingly more often with gender divisions as the centerpoint. It’s a topic that many Hollywood stars have discussed, including The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey, despite them not having the strongest feelings on the topic.

Ramsey, who portrays beloved video game survivor Ellie in HBO’s hit adaptation, was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series after The Last of Us’ first season, and though Succession’s Sarah Snook was the nominee joining the list of other 2024 Emmy winners, Ramsey was still honored to have earned the recognition. Appearing on The Louis Theroux Podcast, they first shut down any rumors of foul feelings, saying:

The discussion then fully turned to the concept of male and female awards categories, with host Louis Theroux opining whether overhauling the gender divide for just a single set of nominees would be detrimental on the whole specifically for female actresses who are already fighting for recognition. And that’s a part of the argument that Bella Ramsey also thinks is important, as they also don’t want to strive for equality only to end up with even more imbalanced nomination choices. In their words:

Therein lies arguably the biggest conundrum by way of gendered awards categories, in that it's unclear whether the better solution would be to consolidate and limit the number of awards given out, or to set up additional categories through which gender-neutral performers (and even crew members) can be celebrated distinctly.

But considering awards shows these days already have issues keeping telecasts limited to three-hour blocks, and adding a dozen or more new categories would just pressure producers, presenters and winners to make things even speedier. While that might be a good idea specifically for winners whose speeches are long-winded and rambling, it would also take more time away from the night's best speeches and more genuinely TV-worthy moments.

As such, even though there are thoughtful arguments to make on both sides of the awards aisle — with past comments made by House of the Dragon's Emma D'Arcy, as well as Killers of the Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone — it's doubtful anyone will arrive at a magical solution in the near future that pleases every single person equally. But one can hope.

Bella Ramsey Addresses Thoughts On Using They/Them Pronouns

Having shot to stardom as Lyanna Mormont on Game of Thrones, Bella Ramsey rose to possibly even greater heights upon landing The Last of Us, and thus found their private life and personal opinions coming up more and more in interviews and social media commentary. Ramsey addressed being gender-fluid back in 2023 ahead of the HBO horror-drama's debut, but doesn't seem to feel as strongly about embracing any particular pronoun at this point. As they put it:

Ramsey's The Last of Us, despite having a depleted post-apocalyptic population, is one of the more inclusive shows on TV at the moment. The latest episode specifically pointed out that this world was thrown into chaos before the Pride movement's nationwide expansion, with neither Ellie nor her romantic foil Dina (Isabela Merced) understanding all the rainbow murals in Seattle. And gamers know that a very important pair of characters are on the way that will offer their own complicated take on representation.

Whether or not any awards ceremonies make the call to change up categories in the future, I think everyone would agree that Isabela Merced has already proven herself worthy of all the nominations, regardless of gender, job duties, or even the central medium. Give her an Oscar and a Tony as well!

The Last of Us airs every Sunday night on HBO at 9:00 p.m. ET, with new episodes simultaneously available to stream with a Max subscription.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched The Last of Us’ latest episode on HBO or streamed it with a Max subscription, so be warned!

After setting up Ellie and Dina’s screen-perfect dance and kiss in The Last of Us’ Season 2 premiere, and then pitting them against the life-changing tragedy of Joel’s murder (with Dina swapped in for Tommy in the TV series), co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann thankfully cemented their romantic relationship with this cycle’s fourth installment. And yes, that came complete with a tweaked version of the video game’s sex scene that fans were disappointed didn’t happen when Eugene’s grow room was introduced.

Suffice to say, the HBO series’ fanbase was up in arms in the best ways possible during and after watching “Day One” play out (which I did while live-blogging the ep) with all manner of hot and bothered reactions to the live-action characters’ bonding and then some. And the fact that their late-night loving was prefaced by Dina’s pregnancy reveal only made it more meaningful. At least to me. Let’s see what others had to say about it all.

The Last Of Us Fans React To 'Dellie' And That Sex Scene

Despite giving audiences plenty of moments that come straight out of the video game, HBO's The Last of Us held off on Ellie and Dina consummating their romantic connection until the pair reached the all-important theater that serves as a key hub in the source material. But after all the stress of Ellie having to explain her immunity, and Dina coping with that reality, it felt like the perfect time for the characters to engage in whatever kind of relief was available. Which, at that point, was some lustful smooching as they rounded second base.

Not that this series went all hardcore with graphic nudity the way that Bella Ramsey's former HBO series Game of Thrones did for years on end. But that didn't stop fans from reacting in huge ways to it all, as seen below, starting with a cheeky post from Max.

• Pride month came early. #TheLastOfUs - @Max
• THE DELLIE MOMENT WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR #thelastofus - @kateofbish
• Finally Dina she’s all yours #TheLastOfUs - @LegendaryKay__
• ELLIE AND DINA BOOMBAYAH - @JinxLovesKpop
• put this on my fucking grave oh my goddd #thelastofus - @jamiesfleurs

Now, I'm not exactly sure how a televised sex scene could properly be put onto a fan's grave, at least at our current point in history where tombstones don't come equipped with media players. But I kinda like the idea of someone leaving a cell phone atop the grave with that scene playing in a loop. Probably best to leave the sound off.

Also, I kinda left out the more extreme posts where fans inserted themselves into the action instead of one of the characters, or where the sex was championed outside of the context of the characters' relationship. I obviously also avoided giving haters any attention, since they can all make time for themselves.

But outside the scope of carnal stress relief, viewers were also vocal about the ups and downs that took place during Dina and Ellie's trip to Seattle, from the aforementioned reveal to the TV station sequence to Ellie seemingly sacrificing herself. Along with a hefty dose of unbridled adoration for Isabela Merced in general.

• “Holy shit…I’m going to be a dad!” Ellie’s reaction on knowing Dina’s pregnant being more sympathetic, understanding and excited as opposed to the game was a heartwarming change that I enjoyed #Dellie - @bigdogXVI
• isabela merced has been crushing it as dina since episode 1, but episode 4 is HER episode. every nuanced look, every piece of dialogue, everything she has poured into this character has been amazing to watch. this was THE dina episode and she nailed it. i'm so happy #thelastofus - @noradominick
• #TheLastOfUs S2E4 is powerful and storytelling at its finest. Bella and Isabelas give their best performance thus far which is saying something. Issac was really intense and better in one scene alone than he was in the whole game. The subway was incredible, the action was intense. The TV station atmosphere was great but could have used more. Loved what they did with the Immune and pregnancy reveal. Very beautiful. A couple changes idk if I liked as much like Dina going off with Ellie on her journey at the end of the episode although yes it makes sense for the show and makes it compelling. - @WesleyW606
• I believe the casting of #TheLastOfUs has been outstanding all around. But Isabela as Dina has been breathtaking. She enhances every scene. Absolutely a joy to watch. - @DaBaba85
• i was surprised by how well the show handled dina finding out ellie is immune. ellie putting her arm in front of dina so she got bit instead was sooo good. #TheLastofUs - @razzelrocks

And I'd be remiss if I didn't also share a little love for Bella Ramsey and their applause worthy performance of A-ha's "Take On Me," a scene whose impact definitely rivaled that of the game.

• Bella's amazing vocals. Isabela's genuine infatuation. The gorgeous lighting. Baby, they nailed this scene. #TheLastOfUs - @MyersFTW
• Bella Ramsey did phenomenal doing Take On Me 🎸🥹 #TheLastofUs - @DomTheBombYT

So. Much. Love. And it's all deserved, at least in my book. Now let's check out what one-half of that beloved coupling had to say about it all.

Isabela Merced Explains Dina And Ellie's Relationship Equation And Reacts To Sex Scene

Isabela Merced has been talking proudly about The Last of Us’ second season for a long time now, and was seemingly referring to this particular episode when saying that fans would be tweeting heavily about a particular scene. And it sounds like she’s all-in on continuing to develop all the Dellie vibes. Speaking with THR, Merced shared her explanation for why Dina and Ellie are so compatible, saying:

According to Merced, Dina feels guilt about things going down exactly the way they did, and feels that her character could have changed something that might have led to an outcome where Joel wasn't murdered. Alas, such regrets don't have a home in the post-apocalypse.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the actress also has very high regard for her and Bella Ramsey's sex scene, and shared why she thought it was hot in and of itself. As she put it:

If it wasn't the most natural turn of events, that's probably because discoveries about immunity and pregnancy aren't the most natural ways to get one's libido revved up and rolling. Dina's pregnancy admission being followed by love and passion is a direct flip from how it played out in the game, with Ellie's reaction being far colder, to the point where she called Dina a burden for being a liability.

Learn where The Last of Us will go next when Episode 5 hits HBO on Sunday, May 11, with just three more eps left to hit the 2025 TV schedule.

Spoiler warning for anyone who isn't watching The Last of Us' latest episode on HBO or streaming with a Max subscription.

I havent' said it before, and there's only the most minimal chance I'll one day say it again, but Sunday nights are weirdly perfect for post-apocalyptic TV storytelling. (Oh hey there, The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2 premiere, airing at the same time as The Last of Us' "Day One.") There's just something natural about seeing a destroyed world ahead of the dregs of Monday morning. Doubly so if it involves mourning characters one just met yet love wholeheartedly.

On that super-fun note: welcome everyone to my latest Last of Us live blog, where I'll obviously be reacting to all of the events taking place during Episode 4, including Jeffrey Wright's long-awaited arrival as the intimidating Isaac. Enjoy, and thanks for joining along!

• The Last Of Us Season 2 Premiere Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 3 Watchalong

Welcome Note

I can't wait to see what Isaac has in store for his followers and his enemies in this episode. That's all I'll say for now, though, as not to ruin anything with my own hopes.

Isaac Is Here, A.K.A. FEDRA Soldiers Suck Just As Much In Live-Action

The Last of Us is great at bringing in characters whose deaths you hate to see coming, but hot damn, this lineup of FEDRA clowns deserves an instant shutdown, save for JEFFREY WRIGHT, MOTHERFUCKERS. Ahem, sorry. Love this dude.

The award-winning actor brought life to Isaac in the video game, and brings even more gravitas to the live-action role. Especially when he's making pompous asshats eat their words.

Something I wouldn't have seen coming in a million years: Josh Peck's totally unassuming Last of Us cameo.

Maybe Drake Bell will be a Scar or part of WLF.

Bye Bye FEDRA Dingleberries

Well it took all of no time for Isaac to show domination. Not only did he blow up a vehicle full of testosterone-stuffed FEDRA junkies, but he also aligned with "the fight," as it were.

So maybe he's a hero or something, since he did save that one very green soldier from dying with his compadres.

• "Now make your choice." - Isaac Like a Muhfucka

Not that I expect either of these guys to maintain their sanity over the next eleven years.

Dina And Ellie: Seattle Day One

It really rocks seeing the video game timeline so directly referred to, especially with Weston's Pharmacy in the background. And also especially when yeast infection jokes are involved. Wait, I didn't mean to say "especially" in that one.

Happy, Proud Rainbow Town

It's depressing to think about Ellie and Dina not knowing that rainbows were a symbol for LGBTQ+ equality, and would no doubt question those letters in relation to the WLF.

Ellie Talking About Astronauts

Gotta love Ellie following her tank hatch maneuvering with some talk about astronauts. Non-gamers aren't going to expect where Ellie's love of the Space Race comes into play, but it's a sequence I cannot wait to see in live-action.

In the meantime, we can just enjoy stellar quips like this:

• "Yeah, these guys were just assholes killed by other assholes." - Ellie

Ellie is as full of truths as that tank was full of burned-up assholes.

The Music Store - Ellie's Take On "Take On Me"

One of the most picture-perfect scenes early on in The Last of Us Part II comes when Ellie and Dina find the music store, and I'm oh so happy to say that Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced turned every emotion three-dimensional during the sequence.

I wasn't sure if Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann would stick with A-ha's '80s staple "Take On Me" for TV. All the more so given Ashley Johnson's soul-enriching delivery in the game:

All the props in the world to Ramsey for bringing the same vulnerability and non-performative performance as her digital counterpart. Very nice. Very moving. Very Ellie.

• "All those lessons from Joel." - Ellie
• "He tought you well." - Dina
• "He did." - Ellie

And then cue all the sobbing as she leaves that perfectly maintained guitar in that gorgeous setting, presumably never to be played again.

The Strange Benefits Of The Apocalypse

Isaac's interrogation goes everywhere that a prestige TV show, but I didn't necessarily expect to see Jeffrey Wright delivering a monologue about Williams Sonoma and the conduction strengths and weaknesses of copper pans vs. cast iron.

But I did expect to see him using those pans to inflict all kinds of pain on the nude and bloodied Seraphite. And yet he didn't, really, only burning the back of the Scar's hand before eventually shooting him through the head.

Isaac couldn't handle hearing his victim's logical arugment that for all the WLF soldiers that joined the Seraphites, the opposite never happened.

Ellie And Dina Find The Horrors At The TV Station

Watching The Last of Us characters being forced to enter buildings and areas through upper-story windows never gets old. If only Ellie had more trouble pushing one of those doors open.

No time to think about that, though, because there are all those hanging bodies to be horrified by. As well as the "Feel Her Love" message on the wall written in blood. Very gross.

Isabela Merced delivers what I predict will be an episode-best line with:

• "What the fuck is wrong with Seattle?" - Dina

Yeahhhhh. Adding onto the list of "video game moments I love to see in live-action," hearing the WLF soldier barking out at his troops to "fan the fuck out" and find the threats is so good. As well as hearing them call out that areas are clear. Doesn't need to be anything complicated to match right up with the source material.

Ellie Stabs A Dude In The Neck

One of the video game's most-used moves involves quietly walking up behind a threat and sticking a bladed shiv into their necks, causing ample blood spatter.

Seeing Ellie do it to one of the WLF soldiers here was another great nod to a game-specific action. Do such deadly wonders never cease?

The Dreaded Subway Tunnel Massacre

Despite being in a relatively large section of an abandoned subway, this particular Last of Us scene feels incredibly claustrophobic thanks to the flares and need for silence. And then, you know, because of all the horrifying monsters that come pouring in with a shocking amount of speed and agility.

I wish we could have seen more of the WLF soldiers being torn apart, but I guess I'll have to settle for my butthole tensing up while watching Ellie use presumably her final bullets on the runners bursting through the windows.

I also do not have the upper body strength to have pulled myself up the way that Ellie did, so I can't truly put myself in her shoes after that point, because my own would have been toast.

Major Change: How Dina Discovers Ellie's Immunity + The Theater

The video game also uses Ellie seemingly sacrificing herself to save Dina as the catalyst, but instead of giving audiences a scene filled with infection spores and a broken gas mask, viewers watched Ellie shoving her arm into one of the monsters' mouths so deflect it from biting Dina.

As far as changes go during an episode that mirrored the game so expertly, I give this one my bite-shaped stamp of approval.

Going right back around to game similarities, seeing the introduction of the theater play out in such a dramatic way rocks. It's a major location in the game, so I expect the same for the series. Hopefully they clean it up a bit.

Horrors Worse Than Cordyceps

Ellie waking up to no doubt filthy water dripping on her face is kind of scarier than bloaters. But only for that one second when you have no idea what it is.

Dina Pregancy News Naturally Leads To Sex And Morning Cuddling

After learning that Ellie isn't actually destined to become a carnivorous monster, Dina's emotional dam fully burst, and her first move was to drop the admission that she's pregnant. BLAMMO.

Obviously, two life-changing developments coming together in such short order meant that the characters involved had to do the same, if you catch the drift I just sloppily lobbed out there.

I don't even feel right talking sleazily about that scene at all, given the snuggles and candid conversation that takes place the following morning. From talking about Ellie's bite(s) and scar to Dina's frankness about Jesse and her pregnancy, I fully believe that these two characters exist and are in love.

Also, Isabela Merced came through and possibly topped her earlier quote highlight after Ellie questioned her urinating on a pregnancy test.

• "That's how it works. I don't just randomly piss on stuff." - Dina

Ellie learns things in the most interesting ways sometimes.

Ellie And Dina Are Now Truly Ride Or Die

What a change a day can make for two characters, amirite?

One day prior, neither Ellie nor Dina were aware that the latter was pregnant, and Dina was clueless about Ellie's freedom from worry about becoming infected. Sharing either of those truths with another person requires a vast amount of trust, and while there's no doubt in my mind that they would have ended up romantically together down the line anyway, that first day in Seattle was the gunpowder, the fuse, and the igniting flame.

As such, the context for their mission hits on a completely different level by the time the episode's final scene arrives. Dina now understands why Ellie is so eager to impulsively go after Abby, knowing that being bit won't equal instant doom. And they're both going forward on this mission with the awareness that Dina's pregnancy and overall survival will be at risk. That's heavy shit.

Sure, I'm excited to see how the hunt for live-action Nora goes down, and seeing that part of the storyline move forward. But during the week between episodes, I would much rather live inside the exponentially loving bubble shared by Ellie and Dina. It's just better in there.

"Day One" Rating: 4 Out Of 5 Positive Pregnancy Tests

The worst thing about watching each episode of The Last of Us is knowing the finale is getting that much closer. But when episodes are so packed with big moments like this first half-plus of Season 2 has been, no regrets. It was almost weird to not have any Jackson-set sequences in focus, though it was a natural move to skip those.

"Day One" definitively made Ellie and Dina as formidable a duo as Joel and Ellie were, albeit with completely different dynamics involved. I thought this live blog might be overrun with talking about Wright's arrival as Isaac, and while that was as effective as I'd hoped, my heart is choosing love over callousness this week. And if I can't get the face of that lumpy bruise shaped like Joel's face out of my head, I may never go back.

[INSERT BRILLIANT SEGUE]

Thanks everyone for reading along either while watching live or while catching up after the fact. Until next week, formulate your grossest predictions about what Ben Ahlers' character has been up to since becoming Isaac's lapdog.

Bella Ramsey since wrapping her tenure on season eight of Game of Thrones. After having to battle trolls as Lyanna Mormont, they now go up against zombies as Ellie in your 2025 TV schedule for HBO’s The Last of Us. While it’s been a long while since their recurring role in the George R.R. Martin adaptation, the British actor recalls the time they thought they were being terrorized by a fan, only to realize it was their GOT co-star Kit Harington.

The Last of Us may be a major project Bella Ramsey has going on right now (which can be streaming on your Max subscription), but it doesn’t mean their Game of Thrones past doesn’t catch up to them once in a while. Kit Harington asked while interviewing Ramsey for Interview Magazine if they saw each other since their time on the HBO series, and here was their answer:

I can imagine how scary that would be to have someone shout your name from a taxi. After all, the Nottingham native said they had a “weird” increase in fame after starring in The Last of Us, always getting recognized when going outside. Fortunately, the head poking out of a taxi was a familiar face.

Even though Bella Ramsey has The Last of Us going on, their role as Lyanna Mormont still meant a lot to them. During their interview, they cutely recalled how on the set of Game of Thrones, they would mouth Kit Harington's lines whenever he struggled with them. The Jon Snow actor jokingly responded that he felt from then on, there was a friendly “competition” between the two and that he needed to “up his game,” seeing the talent he was sharing the screen with. That sounds like a cute little sibling rivalry right there! While Ramsey said it was coming from an “innocent place,” I see where they’re coming from in knowing everyone’s lines after hearing them take after take.

Since Game of Thrones was Bella Ramsey’s first acting project, they previously acknowledged being “terrified” to play Lyanna Mormont in fear that their performance would affect how fans would feel about the spitfire head of House Mormont. Fortunately, the GOT character ended up being a true standout that made us wish we saw the feisty Lady in more episodes. They also said Kit Harington was incredibly helpful when he gave the Catherine Called Birdy star his “best advice” to be their truest self during live interviews. It must have been a tremendous feeling for them to receive great words of wisdom from experienced actors who’ve dealt with fame for a lot longer.

Bella Ramsey may have to deal with doses of fame due to their HBO TV roles, but it’s nice to know they’ve got a "sweet" fan in Game of Thrones co-star Kit Harington. Hopefully, down the line, the two can bring their great working chemistry to another project together. Make sure to watch new episodes of The Last of Us on HBO every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet returned to The Last of Us’ Jackson via HBO or Max subscription, so be warned and keep those weaponized tissues close.

Despite making a few story-specific changes from the source material, The Last of Us co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (and esteemed director Mark Mylod) delivered one of the most shocking and traumatic episodes of any TV series airing in 2025, culminating in the death of Pedro Pascal’s Joel Miller. And then somehow, another new episode emerged — read my live-blog watchalong coverage for “The Path” — taking viewers into the aftermath of the protagonist’s murder.

Watching an in-shock Ellie’s tear-filled terror during the cold open was just as affecting as Bella Ramsey’s emotional performance in the prior episode, and as a viewer, it was all too easy to mentally support the character’s goal of corralling a team to hunt down Abby and get justice for her crimes. (Yes, even knowing the potentially justifiable reasons behind her actions.) But at no point did I expect Tommy and Maria’s city council to approve her request, and the 8-3 vote against wasn’t too surprising.

Interestingly enough, however, the episode isn't strictly clear about exactly who provided the three votes in Ellie's favor. And while Gabriel Luna's Tommy can easily be assumed as one "Yes," the other two are slightly more difficult to nail down. In fact, during a post-screening Q&A for Episode 203 (via Variety), Luna and co-star Isabela Merced shared opposing assumptions about who was and wasn't involved.

When asked, Gabriel Luna shared his take that both Tommy and Maria voted in line with Ellie's wishes, and he isn't sure who offered up the third "Yes" vote. In Luna's mind, it didn't come from Young Mazino's Jesse, despite his fruitful advice to Ellie about how to get people to hear her argument. As the former Ghost Rider portrayer explained that assumption with:

A very interesting declaration, even though this episode in particular delivered a couple of around-the-town moments where Tommy is clearly viewing Jesse as a cross between a boss and a surrogate father. So that writing is pretty much on the wall already, and I can see why Luna thinks Jesse would vote with a mind towards the future, as opposed to the past.

Isabela Merced, whose character Dina is romantically involved with Jesse on a sporadic basis, argued against Gabriel Luna's point, saying it was plainly unclear where the third vote would have come from. And when the Tommy actor shared that Young Mazino told him he'd voted no, Merced amusingly clapped back with this slice of logic:

I do wonder whether or not Mazino's info tidbit actually matters within the context of the scene. Which is to say, Mazino could have literally written "no" on a piece of paper while filming the city council scene, only for it to not technically count towards the scripted 8-3 votings results.

In that respect, it's technically possible for all of the council members to have written whatever they wanted as their votes. Tommy could have written "I'm happy Joel's dead" for all we know. I mean, I'm sincerely hoping he didn't, but it's possible.

Honestly, I wouldn't have gone so far as to automatically assume that Maria would have voted approvingly for Ellie's plan. Since she would have known where Tommy's head was, I'd think she would have opted for the choice to keep the community safe, at least while reconstruction mode was still happening. (Which might be the unfair influence of the game's Maria.)

But however it goes, Ellie may have one or two city council members who are secretly on her side, and could potentially offer a helping hand when it's needed most and expected the least. Not that anyone else sitting behind that table looked anywhere near as capable as Tommy or Maria, but every bit of positivity counts.

Hopefully The Last of Us drops a subtle (or not) reveal for where the third vote came from when new episodes hit HBO and Max every Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Spoilers below for those who aren't watching The Last of Us' latest episode live on HBO or streaming it with a Max subscription.

In just the second episode of its sophomore season, HBO's The Last of Us delivered the kind of shocking and earth-shattering death that most shows would wait until a late-stage series finale to destroy its fanbase with. But in brutally killing off Pedro Pascal's Joel, co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann were just following the playbook that the latter helped create with his work on the award-winning video game The Last of Us Part II. Not that it helped quell the tears.

As a ginormous fan of the source material, I fully understand and support the reasons for maintaining the fidelity and timing of Joel's death, even as other changes were made to the timeline to justify Abby's left-field violence. And I'm as excited as I am nervous to see how the hit series follows up on such a gobsmacking tragedy, and will be live-blogging my thoughts on the stress-inducing episode's events. (In case you missed it, check out my live-blog from the Season 2 premiere.)

Some of my initial hopes for the episode:

• Joel's death revealed to be a dream.
• Joel's death revealed to be a hoax.
• Joel's death revealed to be a total mistake, and he was just in a weird, non-breathing, open-eyed coma.
• For Ellie to beat the shit out of something as a way to counteract some of her angst.
• More cute Ellie and Dina moments that are completely free from tragic deaths.

I guess I only expect those last two to be actual possibilities. But one can still hope for miracles even after fungi has taken over the planet.

All Those Corpses

Ugh, that's a gut-punch of an opening, with Joel's corpse being cleaned and tended to. It's unclear if that's the first time that Tommy has cast eyes on his brother's body, but the emotion on Gabriel Luna's face makes it a possibility. Though he could have just been looking to fuel his vitriol.

Breaking my heart with this line, Tommy!

• "Give Sarah my love."

Although my heartstrings certainly stretched tighter as the camera pulled out to reveal all the other bodies in that room that aren't Joel.

P.S. I really didn't like the caption "wet rag scraping lightly" popping up as Joel's arm is being washed.

Ellie's Screams Will Haunt Me

Well, if Tommy's grief was sad, then seeing all the PTSD on Ellie's face was downright traumatizing. I would not want to be at her therapy sessions for the next bit. Or ever.

OMG That Title Sequence Change

Shout out to The Last of Us for even using its opening title sequence to squeeze all the heartbreak out of us as possible. As is made evident in the final seconds, we no longer see two characters on the road to survival, but just one.

Someone hand me a tissue to wipe my...bloody nose. And don't question why the blood is all clear and tear-like.

Ellie & Gail 4Ever

Ha. Okay I stand corrected. I would LOVE to be at all of Ellie and Gail's therapy sessions, with Ellie so clearly bullshitting her way through them, and Gail allowing it so long as she can recognize authentic recovery in her patient.

Ellie's Sad, Sad Trip Home

Few things are as depressing as going through someone's home after they died, and I can only imagine how complex Ellie's feelings were as she was finally able to return "home," as it were, after leaving the hospital. From her room to his office and his unfinished owl carving, it was an exercise in unfinished potential.

Similarly, I can relate too well to the moment of Ellie crying while smelling and holding onto Joel's clothes. It's very easy to overdo a scene like that, but this was perfectly low-key and believable.

I also loved that the front of Joel's house was completely covered in flowers and kind notes from Jackson's citizens, which was extremely similiar to how it looked in the game.

I can only hope that Tommy doesn't regret leaving that gun for Ellie, and that she doesn't regret taking it so willingly.

Revenge Plans Are Made

Isabela Merced's Dina is never going to replace Joel as a counter for Bella Ramsey's Ellie, but she's quickly turning into someone I'm adoring every bit as much as I came to love her in the source material. She wisely waits to give Ellie all the intel she has on Abby's group until she was out and able to actually do something about it without risking her immediate health.

But Dina does have quite a lot of info, including most of their names and where they're heading, as well as the group that they're part of. Ellie's reaction to their logo is priceless.

• "WLF. Wolf. Fucking morons."

Tommy is in such an awkward position, unable to fully appease Ellie's wishes for vengeance despite any urges he may have, for the sake of the greater community. Bue he also has to be mature enough to explain that to Ellie in a way where she won't just go off pissed and half-cocked. But he nails it.

Introducing The Scars

One of the most unpredictable threats in The Last of Us Part II is the Seraphites group, which are coloquially dubbed the Scars because of their highly obvious facial features.

I'm not sure if we're supposed to know these characters from the game or not, but the distinct whistling as a way of primary communication is extremely recognizable. As is their fear of the Wolves.

The man tells the young girl about the prophet the group follows, offering a non-magical backstory for the image of the woman whose murals will no doubt become more commonplace in future episodes.

The Fateful City Councel Meeting

I love Jesse's advice to Ellie to write down her thoughts before pleading her case in front of Tommy, Maria and others, and I can only hope that his advice carries on well beyond this experience. Once Ellie learns to react wisely, instead of angrily, she'll likely avoid more danger than she'll attract.

Weirdly enough, it's Ellie's would-be enemy, the bigoted Seth, who stands up and speaks the most passionately in defense of going out and avenging Joel's death, in the face of previous speakers who voiced unwillingness to hold Joel's death to be more important than rebuilding the town.

Ellie's speech is actually way better than I'd have expected from her, and I have to assume that Dina helped pen that sucker. But goddamn, it was effective. I'd vote Ellie into at least a mayorship just based on her pleas, even if I actually agree with those who voted against her.

And ugh, so many people voted against Ellie, with an 8-3 decision. Was Maria one of the three? I think Tommy and Jesse for sure, but I wonder...

Tommy And Gail Know Ellie's Full Of It

Seeing kids playing sports within Jackson is weirdly heartwarming, especially with Gail and Tommy knocking back a couple of beers as it happened. Smart move keeping all those kids locked up in basements during the big attack, even if watching these games would be boring as hell for random townspeople without kids.

I gotta say, Catherine O'Hara and Gabriel Luna make for great screen partners, and I'm happy that they seem to be on the same page when it comes to Ellie and other things. I'm unsure of what Gail's overarching impact on this story will be, but I have no regrets about this new character continuing to get story prominence.

Revenge Plans Are Finalized

Dina is a motherfluffing boss when it comes to organizing shit. She's got maps, supply lists, goals, connections and more. Unsure of how good her cookie-baking skills are, but nobody threw those away. And her thoughts on Ellie's shoe choice is also ideal:

• "Love the Converse. Respect your consistency."

Even when Ellie isn't happy about Dina's decisions, such as recruiting Seth to help them secure a horse, a scope-attached rifle and more, the gal only has everyone's best intentions in mind. She knows that Ellie forgiving Seth will only be helpful for her psyche, even if Ellie herself doesn't know it. Maybe that handshake will lead to clearer paths forward. Or maybe she just knows how hard to yank him towards trouble in the future.

Joel's Grave

It seems counter-intuitive to spend a lot of words talking about a scene where nothing is voiced outright, but I have to acknowledge how perfectly sad and meaningful it is to see Ellie make the trip to Joel's grave. And for Dina to hang back on the horse to give them their moment.

I could have just sobbed seeing that gravemarker.

• "Here Lies Joel, Beloved Brother and Father"

I can't believe we got a straightfoward namedrop for Sarah AND the saddest reference possible to him being a dad.

Dina And Ellie Bonding On Horseback And In A Tent

Pretty sure a lot of Last of Us fans beyond me giggled when Ellie so very clearly avoided talking about the first person she killed. Not so much because it was traumatic, but because it would have involved talking about her having a crush on another girl. Perhaps the cutest reason possible to avoid talking about a dead loved one.

Squeeeeee at Ellie and Dina talking about The Kiss! Even if it didn't go all that well for a while, with Ellie rating it a 6, and Dina talking about getting back together with Jesse, despite seeing him as being a sad person. A weird convo to have with a crush. And one that ended on a high note. Or, in this case, a "wasn't that high" note.

R.I.P. Unidentified But Seemingly Not Terrible Seraphite Group

Ellie and Dina's seemingly peaceful trip to avenge Joel's murder took an unexpected turn when the stumbled across not just one dead Seraphite, but the corpses of every single Scar that was seen earlier in the episode. Understandably, Ellie is most taken aback by the wide-eyed corpse of the kid.

Interestingly enough, she immediately surmises that Abby's group could be responsible for those deaths, and for killing kids in general, and seems to take comfort in that as further justifcation for being retaliatory. I'm not so sure she's correct, even if the Wolves as an overall faction are likely responsible.

Dina's Totally Non-Meaningful Puke

She blames throwing up on the smell of all the murdered bodies, but gamers know that's likely not the entire story. That's all I'll say here, though, just in case it was a red herring.

All Those Soldiers

The final shot of "The Path" mirrored the final seconds of the cold open. But instead of the camera panning away to show an increasing number of Jackson's victims, the camera rises to reveal the WLF is far more than just Abby's squad and a few others. Just the one group that's seen patrolling Seattle's streets sported dozens of soldiers on foot, and they followed two functioning tanks.

As it goes with many post-apocalyptic stories, the concept of vehicular fuel is an intriguing one, and the same goes for the TLoU universe. We're not used to seeing trains, planes or automobiles very much, but there's a certain amount of militaristic sense in making an exception out of a heavily armored and weaponized vehicle. It's not the fastest thing on the road, but it can make a bloody mess out of whatever's the fastest thing actually is.

No sign of Abby during this concluding sequence, but we do see Danny Ramirez's Manny in communication with others, so his ties to the villainous group are definitely intact.

"The Path" Rating: 4 Out Of 5 Dead Joels

Okay, that wasn't the classiest way to rank the episode, but I admittedly don't feel very classy after seeing where everyone's lives are at after the three-month time jump. And any time there's even the slightest bit of alteration from the video games, my paranoia gets hiked up as I worry about what late-stage changes might come.

I'm very thankful to everybody here for taking the time to read along with my reactions to the episode, and for hopefully agreeing with at least three out of every 100 opinions shared, if not slightly more.

And a mental high-five for everybody else out there who recognized the end-credits song as an instrumental version of rock band Finger Eleven's track "Therapy" from their self-titled 2003 album. Gonna have to look up where that song came from shortly.

Until next week, fellow survivors, keep your bricks and bottles handy, and no Chucks during wartime!

Spoilers ahead for Episode 2 of The Last of Us' second season, called "Through the Valley" and available streaming now with a Max subscription.

The Last of Us has wasted no time in Season 2 in raising the stakes, and it's almost hard to believe that Jackson being nearly destroyed is the least emotionally traumatizing element out of the second episode in the 2025 TV schedule. Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), an enemy that Joel (Pedro Pascal) accidentally made during his Firefly rampage at the end of Season 1, got her revenge by brutally murdering him in front of Ellie (Bella Ramsey). It was a shocking development for viewers...

That is, a shocking development for viewers who hadn't played the video game source material, read up on the plot between seasons, or – if they're like me – accidentally spoiled themselves several years ago via a YouTube comment section about some woman named Abby killing Pedro Pascal's character. Other not-so-subtle social media posts hinted that it would happen early in Season 2, and I was so thoroughly spoiled that I figured I was ready and resigned to watching Abby kill Joel. It would be a bummer, but not like what House of the Dragon put me through last year.

Then Bella Ramsey entered the scene, and their performance as Ellie was enough for the waterworks to start. Specifically, it was around the 52:00 mark, if you were streaming the episode via Max like I was. Ellie had been screaming for Joel to get up for almost as long as she'd been in the room with Abby and her crew, and of course that was sad. But the moment that got me was when Ellie's expression changed as soon as Joel did manage to open his eyes and even move like he wanted to get up.

And even though she was still so scared and had to know what was coming no matter how much she begged, Ellie looked so hopeful for such a brief moment that I discovered that I wasn't as ready or resigned as I thought for Abby to strike that final blow. I have to credit Bella Ramsey – who presumably will be the top-billed star of The Last of Us, if Pedro Pascal is no longer credited and nobody else is bumped up to co-lead status – with making what could have been just another bloody moment in a bloody show hit very hard.

Their performance had me crying when I had been confident that I wouldn't so much as need a tissue, and I mean that as the highest compliment to the Game of Thrones alum. That moment of final eye contact between Ellie and Joel of course wasn't the end of Ramsey acting their socks off in the episode, and if I were Abby, I'd certainly be wary of Ellie after she shrieked that she would kill her. Ellie went from sounding so young and wounded to almost frenzied with fury, and it landed.

I don't want to 100% commit and say that Bella Ramsey is going to win any awards for this episode, since they actually weren't in all that much of it until the very end. There's a lot of Season 2 left to go, and if Ellie still has mourning and (possible) avenging ahead, we could see a lot more strong performances from the star. I've just also learned my lessons about assuming that Ellie won't make me cry no matter spoiled I am on the story.

New episodes of The Last of Us will continue airing on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and begin streaming at the same time as Max. I'd be surprised if Episode 2 was the last time that we see Pedro Pascal as Joel in Season 2, and flashbacks are nothing new for this show, so hopefully we'll get some juicy Joel and Ellie scenes in the coming weeks, even if they won't involve the duo riding off into the sunset.

Major spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched The Last of Us’ second episode of Season 2 on HBO or with a Max subscription, so be warned!

Holy crapola. Just one week after we here at CinemaBlend championed The Last of Us’ Season 2 premiere for expanding the scope of Tommy and Maria’s Jackson, Wyoming settlement, and for delivering some awesome moments straight out of the video games, the show went and broke our hearts and our brains all in one fell swoop. Well, it was more like multiple swings of a golf club.

“Through the Valley” brought to live-action arguably the most devastating sequence from Naughty Dog’s video game sequel The Last of Us Part II, and Kaitlyn Dever’s vengeful Abby held nothing back as she manipulated Joel and Dina into joining the rest of her group, and subsequently beat Pedro Pascal’s character until he was a broken, bruised and bloodied pulp. And all while Bella Ramsey’s subdued Ellie watched through tear-filled eyes.

It’s shocking just how closely the sequence adheres to the source material, despite some alterations like Abby’s final blow. But easily the biggest change made was the decision to have Dina go out on patrol with Joel instead of Tommy, which will no doubt have major ramifications down the line that also play out differently from what gamers experienced. And after hearing the co-creators’ explanation, I’m convinced it was the right move. As Neil Druckmann put it:

One of my favorite details while watching (and writing about) The Last of Us' Season 2 premiere was how quickly the TV series addressed Joel and Dina's friendly relationship, something that was alluded to in the video game without a real way to explore those moments meaningfully. And even though they've technically only shared a couple of scenes in the series, it was enough to justify them heading out on patrol together.

As gamers are aware, it's Tommy who heads out into the snow with Joel, and it's Tommy who gets spared along with Ellie by Abby's group after their murderous goal has been accomplished. Within the context of that specific story, that was the wiser choice in a way that kept Tommy and Ellie connected through shared trauma.

Developing that kinship less of a necessity in the HBO series, where Maria is far more of an active character and can help anchor completely different storylines. In this case, it wouldn't have made sense narratively speaking for Tommy to have left Jackson right before a massive swarm of defrosted monsters attacked and breached the walls.

Having Dina There For Joel's Murder Will Make Her Bond With Ellie Even Stronger

While I can't imagine many people would readily call The Last of Us games romances, there's no denying the emotional resonance that Dina and Ellie evoke in the source material. The Season 2 premiere rather quickly proved Isabela Merced and Bella Ramsey capable of mirroring their digital selves without the need to alter any other scenes, but still.

Even if Dina was unconscious for the entirety of Joel's torture and eventual murder, her having ben kidnapped and drugged makes it just as much her trauma as Ellie's, and gives them another morally repugnant stepping stone in their burgeoning relationship. And that was part of why The Last of Us' co-creators made that character swap for the series. As Craig Mazin put it:

Obviously the game's take on Dina felt for Joel and for Ellie in the aftermath of Abby's atrocious act, but she often felt like a surrogate audience member getting the play-by-play from Ellie without always being an intrinsic part of the action. But here, Merced is given the chance to cement her character to Ellie's hyper-dark existence in a way that will no doubt make their shared future all the more tumultuous and hard to watch.

I’m not sure how the impending episode delving into Eugene and Gail’s backstory can be as depressing as Joel’s fatal bludgeoning, but I know I’ll be back in front of my TV whenever it airs. Be sure to tune in every Sunday night on HBO at 9:00 p.m. ET, with streaming available on Max as well, and keep a non-bashed-in eye open for other upcoming horror TV shows on the way.

How To Watch The Rehearsal Season 2 Online

Watch The Rehearsal Season 2: Synopsis

After a three-year wait, Nathan Fielder is finally dropping six new episodes of his genius docu-comedy, with the master puppeteer now putting his extensive simulation skills at the service of aviation industry. The follow-up looks to be an ambitious departure from its inaugural season. But fans should expect a similar mix of cringe comedy, social commentary, and U-turns into unexpectedly profound territory. Read on below for how to watch The Rehearsal Season 2 online and no matter where you happen to be streaming from.

The concept of HBO’s The Rehearsal seemed fairly simple when it initially debuted. Fielder proposed an elaborate role-playing service, aimed to appeal to doubt-riddled individuals thinking about making a nerve-wracking disclosure or major life change. Nathan would then “rehearse” the scenario with them to the nth degree. Like, an absurdly disproportionate amount: erecting duplicates of their homes to stage their mock encounters in, enlisting dozens of actors, and planning for every possible outcome.

Following the Season 1 opener, of a New Yorker’s benign confession that they’d been lying about their education, the show quickly expanded in scope and became fascinatingly self-reflexive, revealing multiple layers of unreality like a Russian nesting doll. When a woman called Angela later decides to role-play being a mom, Fielder finds himself switching from observer to participant and joining her as a co-parent. The series was audacious, provocative, and even affecting. Particularly when the 6-year-old hired to act as Fielder’s son becomes tearfully attached to him, unable to distinguish between reality and make-believe: resulting in one of many ethical quandaries that find Fielder repeatedly restaging his simulation to obtain a better outcome. Yes, The Rehearsal is very, very meta.

Even after seeing the trailer, it’s hard to know what to expect this time around (except that it’ll be unpredictable, bonkers, and generally brilliant). On the surface of it, Season 2 will find Fielder offer his role-playing methods to help improve air travel safety. But, with his deadpan delivery that he's "been studying commercial aviation disasters as a hobby,” it’s hard not to question his sincerity, which is exactly what multiple industry experts do at a packed conference, where they call out the Nathan For You star as a “prankster”.

So far, critics agree that Season 2 is better than its predecessor. Screen Rant conclude that it’s “more daring, profound, and subversively hilarious,” IndieWire has praised its balance of earnestness and “side-splitting comedy,” while Jonah Krueger of Consequence effuses that the show “defies all classification, expectation, and logic.” Based on these early notices, it should be something pretty special.

We couldn’t be more excited for this long-awaited follow-up. Streaming on Max in the US from Sunday, read our guide below for how to watch The Rehearsal Season 2 online and from anywhere in the world with a VPN.

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How To Watch The Rehearsal Season 2 online in the US

The mind-melting HBO comedy is back. US fans can watch The Rehearsal Season 2 when it debuts on Sunday, April 20, with new episodes available from 10:30pm ET/PT on streaming service Max, or at 10.40pm ET/PT on HBO’s linear channel, immediately after new episodes of The Righteous Gemstones.

Max is available as an add-on channel via Amazon Prime. If you're a new or returning subscriber, there’s a 30-day free Amazon Prime trial up for grabs ($14.99 a month thereafter). The Max add-on will cost $9.99 a month until you cancel.

Alternatively, if you want a more cable-like experience, you can get Max along with the Sling Blue plan and save $5 off your subscription every month alongside over 40 live channels, and plenty of on-demand content, too.

Otherwise Max subscriptions start from $9.99 a month. There are a number of membership options, so if you want to skip commercials and download shows to watch on the go, you can pick the $16.99 a month plan instead. Max has also introduced a more premium tier which throws in 4K streaming too at $20.99 a month.

Alternatively, you can save up to 20% by signing up to its annual rates ($99.99/$169.99/$209.99 a year respectively), or, to get even more bang for your buck, purchase Max as a part of a Disney Plus bundle, with prices starting from $16.99 a month.

How to watch The Rehearsal Season 2 from anywhere

If you're a US citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch The Rehearsal Season 2 online just as you would at home.

While services like Max block access from IP addresses outside of the US, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN that can change your IP address to make it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world.

For example, US citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a US-based server and access their subscription from anywhere in the world, just like they would back home.

How to use a VPN to unblock streaming services:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Max, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US or Australia.

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for The Rehearsal, head to Max.

How To Watch The Rehearsal Season 2 online in Canada

Located in the Great North? You’ll need a subscription to Crave to watch The Rehearsal Season 2 and stream the very latest episodes. The series will air weekly from Sunday, April 20 at 10.30pm ET/PT, via the HBO1 channel or through Crave’s on-demand platform.

There are three plans to choose from with Crave. Basic is its cheapest at CA$9.99 a month (+tax), but you're limited to a HD stream on one device. The Standard plan costs CA$14.99 a month (+tax) with top resolutions and the ability to watch across four devices, while the Premium option is ad-free, includes offline downloads and live channels, and costs CA$22 per month.

Can I watch The Rehearsal Season 2 online in the UK?

Nathan Fielder definitely didn’t plan for this! For now, The Rehearsal Season 2 isn’t being made available in the UK. However, when it does get the go-ahead, we’d expect it to become available on NOW, which is where you can currently stream the show’s initial six episodes.

A US viewer abroad in the UK? If you want to connect to a streaming service like Max while out of the country, simply download a VPN and get access to the same great content you’d watch back home.

How to watch The Rehearsal Season 2 online in Australia

Max was recently rolled out Down Under, which means that Aussies can watch The Rehearsal Season 2 online from Monday, April 21, as long as they sign-up for a Max subscription.

Right now, all plans are available at a discounted rate, fixed for the next 12 months when you subscribe before April 30, 2025. Rather than AU$11.99 a month, for example, the Basic with Ads plan is currently only AU$7.99. The Standard plan is AU$11.99 (down from AU$15.99), and you’ll pay less for the Premium option too – AU$17.99 instead of AU$21.99.

The promo includes annual memberships too. So, if you grab the Basic with Ads yearly plan before April 30, you’ll get twelve months of Max for just AU$79.99 and save AU$40 off the usual annual price (AU$119.99).

Away from home? Simply purchase a VPN to connect to your streaming service of choice and watch your favorite TV shows and movies from anywhere.

The Rehearsal Season 2 Trailer

The Rehearsal Season 2, Episode Release Schedule

• The Rehearsal Season 2 – Episode 1, “Gotta Have Fun”: Sunday, April 20
• The Rehearsal Season 2 – Episode 2, “Star Potential”: Sunday, April 27
• The Rehearsal Season 2 – Episode 3, “Pilot’s Code”: Sunday, May 4
• The Rehearsal Season 2 – Episode 4, “Kissme”: Sunday, May 11
• The Rehearsal Season 2 – Episode 5, “Washington”: Sunday, May 18
• The Rehearsal Season 2 – Episode 6, “My Controls”: Sunday, May 25

Spoilers below for the Season 2 premiere of The Last of Us, so anyone who hasn’t yet watched on HBO or with a Max subscription should be warned!

To be expected, The Last of Us’ Season 2 premiere set the stage for heart-shattering and brain-melting outcomes, many of which I covered as they happened in my live Last of Us watchalong coverage on Sunday night. In the days that have since passed, I haven’t stopped thinking about some of my favorite moments. As a Kaitlyn Dever fanatic, her debut as avenger-in-mourning Abby comes close to the top spot, but the sheer abundance of video game references really took the cake. (The cake is not a lie.)

As it went with the first season, The Last of Us’ various teams of set designers, propmasters and more have again excelled at bringing live-action magic to previously digitized locations, outfits and even horses like Ellie’s go-to steed Shimmer. It would probably take more than a few obsessive viewings of “Future Days” to identify even the majority of game references, much less all of them. But I don’t think anything else would make me giddier than the two gamer-friendly scenes discussed below.

Ellie Using The Old "Throw A Beer Bottle To Distract The Clicker" Tactic

For anyone who didn’t watch, I’m of course referring to the scene where Ellie and Dina’s patrol run takes then into Greenplace Market, which is the exact location they visited in the game. All the studio heads behind any upcoming video game adaptations should use this scene as a pace-setter for how faithful movies and TV shows should be.

Because more often than not, live-action adaptations are crafted with the idea of addressing the biggest and most memorable sequences, but without paying attention to so many of the smaller details that gamers are necessarily immersed in for hours on end. And while the first season of The Last of Us didn’t put its characters though many situations where stealthy elements were key, Mazin and Druckmann thankfully added this nod to one of the game’s go-to pick-up weapons and noisemakers: the glass bottle.

As a huge fan of the games, I know I’ve used bottles as weapons more times than I’d used certain guns, since they’re meant to be utilized as both noisemaking distractions and as neck-stabbing weapons. It’s a common enough trope in games where traversing areas silently is a good way to save both ammunition and one’s life.

Yet this is exactly the kind of game-specific detail that gets left out of a lot of high-profile adaptations, perhaps even because it’s such a recognized chestnut of the genre. But I legitimately cheered as soon as Ellie caught sight of the glass bottle on the ground, knowing that we would finally see that easter egg utilized. Granted, all she did was throw it to draw the Clicker’s attention, but I’m hoping we get to see Ellie (or another character) jam a broken bottle into one of the monsters’ oversized heads.

Of course, now we absolutely HAVE to see a similar scene in Episode 202 involving a brick, since that’s The Last of Us’ non-stabby counterpart to glass bottles.

Oh, and this sequence also features a direct reference to the four-legged employee of the month whose video game placement is key to opening a safe in the market.

This show rules.

Ellie And Dina's Adorably Flirty Dance

While the bottle bit was definitely more of a smaller-scale reference to The Last of Us video games, the premiere's entire final sequence was nearly a 1:1 copy of the same scene from the game. Not just in terms of visuals and dialogue, but also with its emotional impact.

But let's not take all the mirrored visuals and dialogue for granted. The second we got the shot seen above of Ellie looking around the party crowd with her back to the camera, my stomach flipped over how close it was, and my hands almost instinctly reached for a phantom PS5 controller.

For the most part, Ellie and Dina's flirty dance and kiss were spot-on iterations of the moments in the source material, albeit with additional flourishes from the two actors. Even though we'd spent less than an hour with these two characters by that time, it still so successfully connects their dots that the kiss feels entirely natural, despite Dina only hours prior hinting that she might jump back into dating Jesse. And all without adding a bunch of extra chemistry-building moments between Ramsey and Merced.

Of course, the aftermath of their kiss is also largely the same, albeit with Pedro Pascal's Joel getting more physical with Seth than it went down in the game. Suffice to say, the episode ended by giving Ellie another reason to be mad at Joel, but that specific reference to the games is not one I'll be celebrating. I just want them to be happy and cool with each other again. Sigh.

Here are some other excellent moments that came straight out of the pair of Last of Us video games.

• Ellie and Tommy sniping Clickers (even if the time-frame was changed for the TV show)
• The Savage Starlight poster on Ellie's wall is the same as the one from Part II
• Dina bringing up the movie Curtis and Viper, which is a series that Joel loves
• Eugene's weed connection (which will probably be explored in the next episode)
• Ellie detail-cleaning her gun, which happens each time the player upgrades a character weapon
• Ellie writing in her journal
• The banjo player at the party is musician Gustavo Santaolalla, who has crafted music for both the show and games, and was also in Part II himself, also playing a banjo

The Last of Us will continue giving fans epic moments from the video games in the weeks to come, as well as moments that were crafted specifically for the TV show. (Such as the second episode introducing Joe Pantaliano as Gail's husband Eugene, who only existed via photograph in the game.)

Spoilers below for the Season 2 premiere of The Last of Us, so be warned if you’re not currently watching on HBO or with a Max subscription.

After what feels like an entire post-apocalyptic epoch since Pedro Pascal’s Joel and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie last pummeled viewers into teary-eyed pulp, The Last of Us Season 2 is finally here to follow up on Joel’s existence-affecting decision to save Ellie from a terminal surgery in the freshman season’s finale. There’s a big time jump to contend with, among other timeline changes from the game series, as well as a host of new characters to start adoring before their eventual (usually heartbreaking) deaths.

• How To Watch The Last Of Us Season 2 Online And Stream The Award-Winning HBO Series From Anywhere

To celebrate the highly anticipated return of the current video game adaptation, I'm going all in on reacting to the episode live, because some comments shouldn't have to wait until the credits roll to share them. So make yourself a short stack of birthday pancakes, and join me in what will hopefully be a fun(gi) watchalong experience for "Future Days." Although the jokes probably won't be much better than "fun(gi)," if I'm being honest, and it'll probably be a depressing episode. Cheers!

Note that entries will appear from Most Recent to Oldest as the episode is still airing live, and the order will flip from Oldest to Most Recent once the watchalong has concluded.

Welcome, sports fans, to a show that is pretty lacking in all things sports-related. It's time for THE LAST OF US SEASON 2!!! I wish my house had this lighting scheme happening right now.

Not that I live in a house that big. But who cares, the show is starting, and I thank you all for joining the ride!

Jayzus H. Yikes. Kicking off with "The Lie" is such a brutal way to start this season. And without a hint of reassuring music.

But then...hell yeah, look at all those giraffes!

Our first look at Kaitlyn Dever's Abby is a menacing one, with the new group standing around a large batch of graves in the aftermath of Joel's hospital massacre.

Wow, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann did not mess around with shaking up the source material's structure. We get right to mentions of Isaac, as well as our first meets with Owen, Nora, and Mel. And there's a ton of malice dripping off of Abby as she makes this ominous threat:

Fuck yeah, The Last of Us, fans. We're in for some sad, sad chaos.

FIVE YEARS LATER: Ellie doesn't need a safe word, and she doesn't want anyone to pull punches. She might have a different request for Abby if they ever knowingly cross paths.

I give this here Caleb fella another 30 minutes before he bites the dust. And not the spores kind.

Hearing Joel call Dina "Kiddo" and then referring to his failures with his own daughter before seeing him talk to Ellie in the current timeline is...not something I want to think too hard about.

As far as "things to say before bringing up a super-awkward subject with Joel" goes, joking about licking live wires was a good line. We can definitely expect for Joel's electricity lesson to come into play at some point, hopefully in the most positive way possible.

Boo on Joel for not being proud to be in therapy. How many people have to die before that's normalized?

Ellie and Tommy's sniping lesson is taken straight out of the video game, from the location to the crosshairs P.O.V. Love that.

I sure hope Dina is better at hiding Joel's therapy sercret than Ellie was when she screamed out:

It seems like anyone in walking vicinity would be able to hear her. Even if they would assume she was lying or joking around.

I know we're probably not going to get a whole lot of Pedro Pascal as Joel in "Snappy Businessman" mode, but there's something very heartwarming about him joking about the existence of a Constructo-meter, especially since it happened right before he get all cute and cuddly with his adorable li'l nephew Benji.

So much cute family time right up top can't be good for anyone's health down the line.

There was a time where I admittedly theorized that Catherine O'Hara's therapist was a figment of Joel's traumatized imagination, but that's clearly not the case at all. And I also didn't predict that she'd be a boozy marijuana enthusiast. Or at least whatever is passing for marijuana in this universe.

It would have been wild to take on Joel in The Last of Us Part II where his inner thoughts kicked in and he just started griping about Ellie and Dina all the time.

When it comes to original characters created for the live-action adaptation, Gail is quite the complicated mix. She's in the unique place of knowing that Joel killed her husband, and has clearly forgiven him enough to the point where she's able to provide him with these sessions. And is clearly one of the few people who can call him out on his bullshit without fear or any other reluctant feelings.

But once she tried to extract the truth of out him after sharing her own harsh opinions, his openness disappeared. Naturally. I'm legitimately curious to see if she can get it out of him eventually, though, probably with weed and liquor involved.

I love seeing Dina and Ellie's burgeoning relationship on display, even if their eventual status will rock Young Mazino's Jesse when he finds out. Dina still says "for now" when referring to their broken-up nature. Silly gal.

Note to self: put this band on your/my radar:

• Britney and the Jug Boys

Other note to self: do note eat attempt to crowdsource a bear-becue restaurant. Although I'm strangely hungry for sausages right now.

It's a small touch, but seeing Ellie jump onto the front of a vehicle and climb on top of the back half to reach an open window is such a trademark of the video games. As is sneaking into a new location quietly, though the made-up hand signals is sadly not a game staple.

Ellie and Dina's recon supply run is full of great touches from the video game. I love that we get to see a beer bottle used as a distraction ahead of Ellie leaping on the Clicker's back and stabbing its nasty head a bunch.

And the tackboard of notices, along with the lineup of Employee of the Month photos is also right out of the game. No need to use any picture info to open a safe in the show, I guess.

Hell, Ellie even fell through a floor, which is also something that happens on more than one occasion in The Last of Us game. I can't recall her finding any Jennifer Aniston-emblazoned issues of People, however.

So yeah, The Last of Us' stalkers are 100% just as unpredictable and nerve-rattling as they are in the game. The noises alone are enough to made me want to mute the TV, and then seeing the plant tendrils coming out of the beast's face somehow DIDN'T MAKE ANYTHING BETTER.

Good on Ellie for being the one to name it, at least unofficially.

The stalker scene's video game connections were immediately followed by a scene that the games did not get to dig into: Tommy and Maria heading up Jackson's city council, as it were. Gotta love that there's someone on board who reacted to Ellie and Dina's stalker-related experience with a Lily Tomlin quote.

I want to be at the next meeting for sure.

Ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh. And a few more ughs before and after that.

Joel and Ellie's first big scene together after that "swear it" opening was just awkward and ended with him brusquely taking Ellie's guitar for a restringing. I think we all know SOMEONE who needs his bass string recoiled, or something.

But enough about Joel. It's the video game's extremely adorable and first dance between Ellie and Dina, and Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced could not have cuter chemistry.

The Kiss! The Kiss! The Kiss!

And then came the bigotry, with Robert John Burke's Seth ruining the fun by calling out the girls' PDA and called them a slur that I won't repeat.

It's all straight out of the game, the way Joel steps up and decks Seth without a second thought, and the way Ellie chastizes him for it.

The first big Season 2 threat is introduced in the form of the cordyceps tendrils seen within the pipeline running beneath Jackson. Along with a fire nearby. But I can't imagine that burning this particular threat will work, as it would likely only bring more monsters to the city. So, in other words, everybody here is probably boned.

If that seemingly safe situation can go belly-up, are there any cities in the country that could safely avoid all invasions of infected matter?

The second and more sentient threat of the season returned, with Abby and Owen catching sight of lights in the far distance, a surefire sign of bustling life to the vengence-seeking duo.

It's not like anyone could have warned Tommy and Maria to turn everything off just in case someone was looking from atop a high mountain, but I can't imagine Abby's arrival will be good news for anyone, and especially not Joel.

So, I obviously knew going into the Season 2 premiere that it was just over an hour long, and it's been just over an hour and I feel like we should still have roughly 45 minutes left to go in the episode.

All in all, I'd give "Future Days" a solid A. From the time-jump exposition to introducing a wide variety of new characters, the show's creative team piece a lot of moving parts together in ways that still hit some horror-driven high notes. I still can't quite believe that Joel's biggest scene was an angst-oozing therapy sesh, even though I kind of love that it was. But more so if we get to see him destroy a lot of things in the next episode.

Thanks to everyone for joining us for the premiere watchalong! Hope you enjoyed your time with both the episode and with me, your pal Nick. Until we meet again, I'll be stalkin' ya! (But not really.)

More To Read From The Last Of Us

1. After Bella Ramsey's Latest Last Of Us Comments About Joel And Ellie In Season 2, I Need To Soak Up Their Happiest Moments - 'So Look Forward to That'
2. Kaitlyn Dever Almost Played The Last Of Us' Ellie In A Movie, And I'm Shocked By How Many Spoilers She Learned Years Before Joining The Show
3. The Last Of Us EP Explains Why Season 2 Switches Up How Abby’s Backstory Is Introduced, And I Honestly Think It Makes Sense
4. Bella Ramsey Revealed The Hilarious Way They Prepare For The Last Of Us' Saddest Scenes, And I Don't Know If I'll Be Able To Watch Without Laughing Now

How The Last Of Us' Season 2 Premiere Did In The Ratings

Incredibly enough, The Last of Us' second outing managed to top the stats of the very first episode that hit HBO and Max back in January 2023. Across the whole of Sunday night, "Future Days" was watched by more than 5.3 million people when both HBO's replays and Max's viewer data are combined, according to THR.

That total beats out the already impressive 4.7 million viewer tally that "When You're Lost in the Darkness" earned during its first Sunday night, for a 13% increase. That still doesn't match the series-high 8.2 million-strong audience that had been amassed by the time the finale aired. But it does seem like the Season 2 opener may eventually crest the peaks that Season 1 achieved.

How To Watch The Last of Us Season 2

Watch The Last of Us Season 2: Synopsis

The follow up to HBO’s hit drama has arrived, reuniting Pedro Pascal with Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, two survivors of a deadly pandemic that turned half the US population into the infectious hosts of a parasitic fungus. Promising even more jaw-dropping action and collapse-of-civilization chaos, our guide below explains everything to know about how to watch The Last of Us Season 2 online and from anywhere.

Game developer Naughty Dog struck gold with 2013’s survival thriller The Last of Us, which became one of its most popular and groundbreaking titles. HBO then had the tricky task of adapting the beloved property for TV and winning the favor of the game’s ardent fans. They needn’t have worried. The Last of Us restored our faith in adaptations of great video games and fast became HBO’s most-watched debut ever.

It was nominated for Best TV Series – Drama at the Golden Globes, won eight Emmys, and was widely acclaimed by critics, who praised “its scale, depiction of dread and its believable vision of friendship in disaster” (Daily Telegraph), with many hailing it as an extraordinary televisual accomplishment.

Exec producers and showrunners Craig Mazon and Neil Druckmann have returned to the helm, and Season 2 looks sure to seize control of our brains quicker than we can yell, “Cordyceps!”. Adapted from The Last of Us Part II (2020), the series will pick up five years after Joel gunned down the Fireflies as they attempted to fatally operate on Ellie, believing her immunity might hold the cure for the terrifying infection decimating humanity.

Subsequently, the country is still a disease-ravaged hellscape. They find a vestige of normality in the community of Jackson, Wyoming, where Joel’s brother Tommy (Diego Luna) resides. Ellie even enjoys newfound romance with her best friend Dina (Isabela Merced, Madame Webb). Yet, outside the compound’s walls, the hordes of toadstool-headed infected are rapidly growing.

Dangerous new factions also emerge from the societal wreckage. Having usurped FEDRA, the Washington Liberation Front find themselves locked in a war with a religious cult called the Seraphites, while Abby (Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick), a soldier and former Firefly, arrives looking to exact revenge.

Plunging us back into this thrilling, post-apocalyptic world, The Last of Us promises greater spectacle, guest stars (Catherine O’Hara! Jeffrey Wright!) and more heart-wrenching drama than before. Don’t miss an episode with our following guide, detailing how you can watch The Last of Us Season 2 online, and from anywhere.

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How To Watch The Last of Us Season 2 online in the US

HBO’s infectiously good, Emmy-winning series is back! Those located in the US can watch The Last of Us Season 2 from Sunday, April 13. New episodes arrive weekly at 9pm ET/PT on HBO’s linear channel and on-demand through Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming service, Max.

Max is available as an add-on channel via Amazon Prime. If you're a new or returning subscriber, there’s a 30-day free Amazon Prime trial up for grabs ($14.99 a month thereafter). The Max add-on will cost $9.99 a month until you cancel.

Alternatively, if you want a more cable-like experience, you can get Max along with the Sling Blue plan and save $5 off your subscription every month alongside over 40 live channels, and plenty of on-demand content, too.

Otherwise Max subscriptions start from $9.99 a month. There are a number of membership options, so if you want to skip commercials and download shows to watch on the go, you can pick the $16.99 a month plan instead. Max has also introduced a more premium tier which throws in 4K streaming too at $20.99 a month.

Alternatively, you can save up to 20% by signing up to its annual rates ($99.99/$169.99/$209.99 a year respectively), or, to get even more bang for your buck, purchase Max as a part of a Disney Plus bundle, with prices starting from $16.99 a month.

How to watch The Last of Us Season 2 from anywhere

If you're a US citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch The Last of Us Season 2 online just as you would at home.

While services like Max block access from IP addresses outside of the US, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN that can change your IP address to make it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world.

For example, US citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a US-based server and access their subscription from anywhere in the world, just like they would back home.

How to use a VPN to unblock streaming services:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Max, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US or Australia.

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for The Last of Us, head to Max.

How to Watch The Last of Us Season 2 online in Canada

In Canada, fans of the show will want a subscription to Crave to watch The Last of Us Season 2. The latest season will debut on Sunday, April 13 at 9pm ET/PT via the HBO1 channel and through Crave’s on-demand platform, with new episodes available each week.

There are three plans to choose from with Crave. Basic is its cheapest at CA$9.99 a month (+tax), but you're limited to a HD stream on one device. The Standard plan costs CA$14.99 a month (+tax) with top resolutions and the ability to watch across four devices, while the Premium option is ad-free, includes offline downloads and live channels, and costs CA$22 per month.

How to watch The Last of Us Season 2 online in the UK

The nail-biting drama will be spreading quickly to the UK. Viewers across the pond can watch The Last of Us Season 2 on Monday, April 14 – first at 2am BST, and broadcast later the same day at 9pm BST. You’ll want either a Sky TV or NOW subscription.

Sky TV packages start from £15 a month. Alternatively, sign up to Sky’s streaming service, NOW. You’ll need the Entertainment pass, which currently provides two options: accept a 6-month minimum term membership at £6.99 a month, or pay £9.99 a month and cancel at any time.

A US viewer abroad in the UK? If you want to connect to a streaming service like Max while out of the country, simply download a VPN and get access to the same great content you’d watch back home.

How to watch The Last of Us Season 2 online in Australia

Max is now officially available in Australia. That means, rather than heading to Binge for The Last of Us Season 2, you’ll want to grab a Max subscription. The very first episode lands there on Monday, April 14, with new installments available to stream at the same time each week.

Right now, all plans are available at a discounted rate, fixed for the next 12 months when you subscribe before April 30, 2025. Rather than AU$11.99 a month, for example, the Basic with Ads plan is currently only AU$7.99. The Standard plan is AU$11.99 (down from AU$15.99), and you’ll pay less for the Premium option too – AU$17.99 instead of AU$21.99.

The promo includes annual memberships too. So, if you grab the Basic with Ads yearly plan before April 30, you’ll get twelve months of Max for just AU$79.99 and save AU$40 off the usual annual price (AU$119.99).

Away from home? Simply purchase a VPN to connect to your streaming service of choice and watch your favorite TV shows and movies from anywhere.

The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer

Who Is The Cast Of The Last of Us Season 2?

• Pedro Pascal as Joel
• Bella Ramsey as Ellie
• Gabriel Luna as Tommy
• Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
• Rutina Wesley as Maria
• Young Mazino as Jesse
• Isabela Merced as Dina
• Danny Ramirez as Manny
• Ariela Barer as Mel
• Tati Gabrielle as Nora
• Spencer Lord as Owen
• Catherine O'Hara as Gail
• Jeffrey Wright as Isaac Dixon
• Joe Pantoliano as Eugene
• Alanna Ubach as Hanrahan
• Ben Ahlers as Burton
• Hettienne Park as Elise Park
• Robert John Burke as Seth
• Noah Lamanna as Kat

The Last of Us Season 2, Episode Release Schedule

• The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 1: "Future Days" Sunday, April 13 Five years after the events in Salt Lake city, a now 19-year-old Ellie makes a discovery while on patrol with her best friend Dina. Back in Jackson Hole, Joel seeks help to mend his relationship with Ellie.
• The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 2: Sunday, April 20
• The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 3: Sunday, April 27
• The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 4: Sunday, May 4
• The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 5: Sunday, May 11
• The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 6: Sunday, May 18
• The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 7: Sunday, May 25

The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 1: "Future Days" Sunday, April 13

"Five years after the events in Salt Lake city, a now 19-year-old Ellie makes a discovery while on patrol with her best friend Dina. Back in Jackson Hole, Joel seeks help to mend his relationship with Ellie."

The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 2: Sunday, April 20

The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 3: Sunday, April 27

The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 4: Sunday, May 4

The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 5: Sunday, May 11

The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 6: Sunday, May 18

The Last of Us Season 2 – Episode 7: Sunday, May 25

How To Watch Hacks Season 4 Online

Watch Hacks Season 4: Synopsis

Don’t be fooled by the title: Hacks is the side-splitting product of some consummate showbiz pros. Starring the incomparable Jean Smart as legendary comic Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder as sterling comedy writer Ava, this Max Original series continues to yield lots of heart, laughs, and critical acclaim thanks to its creative team and central cast. Read further below for how to watch Hacks Season 4 online and stream new episodes weekly from anywhere with a VPN.

The Emmy-winning trio of Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky are back to chart the stormy next chapter in Ava and Deborah’s tumultuous professional relationship. Season 3 saw Deborah flung back into the limelight, the epitome of her newfound fame being when Tom Cruise adds her to his coconut cake list. Ava, meanwhile, was thriving in LA as a writer on a Peabody-winning TV show after being fired by Deborah and settling down with her Hollywood girlfriend Ruby (Lorenza Izzo).

But Deborah and Ava are soon working together again. With Ava’s help, and in spite of a supercut of Deborah's offensive old material resurfacing online, she’s given her dream job of hosting Late Night. But she denies her protégé the head writer job, feeling her every move is already under scrutiny simply because she’s a woman. To our surprise, Ava retaliated by playing her unscrupulous ace. She blackmails Deborah with the knowledge of her dalliance with the head of the media conglomerate that owns the TV network. Not a good look to her new employers.

A bristling Deborah relents and Ava takes the coveted post. But, needless to say, distrust and manipulation don’t make for a very amicable work environment, and Season 4 will find both of them giving their all to make their Late Night tenure a historic success.

Anchored by the impeccable chemistry of Smart and Einbinder, this season will also find Downs back as their manager, Jimmy, alongside the Emmy-nominated Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Mark Indelicato, Kaitlyn Olson, and Megan Stalter as Jimmy’s hilariously hopeless assistant Kayla. They’ll be joined by some fantastic new cast members, too, among them Julianne Nicholson (Mare of Easttown), Michaela Watkins (The Dropout), and Eric Balfour (Six Feet Under).

Early notices suggest this brilliantly written, expertly acted comedy has lost none of its spark, with The Wrap commenting that the show remains “just as funny and vicious as ever,” and Collider agreeing that it’s “still undeniably one of the best things on television.”

It’s going to be another sensational season. So, keep ready to find out how to watch Hacks Season 4 online, and catch every episode of the award-winning show from anywhere.

• Want more recommendations? Sign up to our How to Watch newsletter!

How to Watch Hacks Season 4 online in the US

The acclaimed comedy drama returns. US viewers can watch Hacks Season 4 exclusively on Max, the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer, from Thursday, April 10, with brand-new episodes available every week from 9pm ET / 6pm PT.

Cut the cord? Max subscriptions start from $9.99 a month. There are a number of membership options, so if you want to skip commercials and download shows to watch on the go, you can pick the $16.99 a month plan instead. Max has also introduced a more premium tier which throws in 4K streaming too at $20.99 a month.

Alternatively, you can save up to 20% by signing up to its annual rates ($99.99/$169.99/$209.99 a year respectively), or, to get even more bang for your buck, purchase Max as a part of a Disney Plus bundle, with prices starting from $16.99 a month.

Other Ways To Subscribe to Max

Max is available as an add-on channel via Amazon Prime. If you're a new or returning subscriber, there’s a 30-day free Amazon Prime trial up for grabs ($14.99 a month thereafter). The Max add-on will cost $9.99 a month until you cancel.

Alternatively, if you want a more cable-like experience, you can get Max along with the Sling Blue plan and save $5 off your subscription every month alongside over 40 live channels, and plenty of on-demand content, too.

How to watch Hacks online from anywhere

If you're a US citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch Hacks Season 4 online just as you would at home.

While services like Max block access from IP addresses outside of the US, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN that can change your IP address to make it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world.

For example, US citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a US-based server and access their subscription from anywhere in the world, just like they would back home.

How to use a VPN to unblock streaming services:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Max, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US or Australia.

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for Hacks Season 4 head to Max.

Watch Hacks Season 4 online in Canada

Based in the Great North? Canadians can watch Hacks Season 4 when they subscribe to Crave. The new season debuts from Thursday, April 10, with episodes available through the HBO1 channel at 9pm ET/PT, and through Crave’s on-demand platform.

There are three plans to choose from with Crave. Basic is its cheapest at CA$9.99 a month (+tax), but you're limited to a HD stream on one device. The Standard plan costs CA$14.99 a month (+tax) with top resolutions and the ability to watch across four devices, while the Premium option is ad-free, includes offline downloads and live channels, and costs CA$22 per month.

How to watch Hacks Season 4 online in the UK

Jean Smart is back as Deborah Vance, and UK viewers can watch Hacks Season 4 from Friday, April 11, on Sky TV or NOW, and in line with its US debut. Episodes will initially air on Sky Max at 2am BST every Friday morning, and be repeated at 9pm BST for the night owls among us.

Sky TV packages start from £15 a month. Alternatively, sign up to Sky’s streaming service, NOW. You’ll need the Entertainment pass, which currently provides two options: accept a 6-month minimum term membership at £6.99 a month, or pay £9.99 a month and cancel at any time.

A US viewer abroad in the UK? If you want to connect to a streaming service like Max while out of the country, simply download a VPN and get access to the same great content you’d watch back home.

How to watch Hacks Season 4 online in Australia

The Golden Globe-winning series is available to stream on Stan Down Under, and Aussies can watch all-new Hacks beginning from Friday, April 11. Scroll on below for the full episode release schedule.

A basic Stan membership costs AU$12 a month, although at AU$22 the top-tier Premium plan offers 4K Ultra HD Video quality, streaming on up to four devices, and the ability to download content to watch offline too. And, unlike a lot of OTT services, every subscription level is ad-free.

Away from home? Simply purchase a VPN to connect to your streaming service of choice and watch your favorite TV shows and movies from anywhere.

Hacks Season 4 Trailer

Who Is The Cast Of Hacks Season 4?

• Jean Smart as Deborah Vance
• Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels
• Carl Clemons-Hopkins as Marcus
• Megan Stalter as Kayla Schaefer
• Paul W. Downs as Jimmy LuSaque Jr.
• Mark Indelicato as Damien
• Helen Hunt as Winnie Landell
• Tony Goldwyn as Bob Lipka
• Kaitlin Olson as as Deborah "DJ" Vance Jr.
• Robby Hoffman as Randi
• Julianne Nicholson as TBC
• Michaela Watkins as TBC
• Bresha Webb as TBC
• Eric Balfour as TBC
• Danny Jolles as TBC
• Gavin Matts as TBC
• Grover Whitmore, III, as TBC
• Chelsea Holmes as TBC
• Jasmine Ashanti as TBC
• Matt Oberg as TBC
• Sandy Honig as TBC

Hacks Season 4, Episode Release Schedule

• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 1: Thursday, April 10
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 2: Thursday, April 10
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 3: Thursday, April 17
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 4: Thursday, April 24
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 5: Thursday, May 1
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 6: Thursday, May 8
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 7: Thursday, May 15
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 8: Thursday, May 15
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 9: Thursday, May 22
• Hacks Season 4 – Episode 10: Thursday, May 29

One of the most anticipated upcoming 2025 TV shows will soon arrive, and I can’t help but think that The Last of Us Season 2 will be one of the most soul-crushing viewing experiences of the year (hopefully on par with Severance’s brilliantly heartbreaking second-season finale). That feeling only grows the closer we get to its premiere, as the co-creators and cast members like Bella Ramsey tease more details about Joel and Ellie.

Ramsey spoke previously about the way they handled filming some of the saddest scenes yet to come, and while that ridiculous admission might help alleviate certain scenes’ emotional impact, the star’s latest comments about Ellie’s crumbling relationship with Joel have me back to thinking nothing will help spare audiences from the heartbreak to come. While speaking at Deadline’s Contenders TV panel for The Last of Us, Ramsey addressed where the fan-favorite pairing’s relationship is at following the five-year time jump, saying:

I've no doubts that we'll see plenty of flashbacks that clue viewers in on what events have taken place during that five-year stretch, but I'm already bummed thinking about exactly when Ellie will figure things out and when she'll rake Joel over the coals for lying to her about what went down at the Seattle hospital. "You swore!" is not the kind of thing one says to someone they're eager to forgive with minimal resentment attached.

The fact that Bella Ramsey talked about it being difficult to portray Ellie's coldness to Joel is really all the evidence I need to justify making a supercut montage of Joel and Ellie's fleeting moments of shared joy and compassion for one another in Season 1. Which would then likely inspire me to do the same thing with their more joyous scenes in The Last of Us' video games. They're more plentiful in the source material, understandably.

Bella Ramsey Addresses How Ellie Has Changed During The Time Jump

Even though her relationship with Joel sours immensely in the aftermath of Season 1's cataclysmic events, Ellie thankfully does find a new pillar of emotional joy in the form of Isabela Merced's Dina, who will serve as our young heroine's love interest following her relationship with Young Mazino's Jesse. (And will likely also be a big part of how spores are introduced in Season 2.) Despite that, Bella Ramsey spoke to how Ellie's rough survival story changed her overall, saying:

It's all the more depressing to think that she's become more world-weary and experience-worn like Joel even as the rift between them grows. And I'm going to be truly beyond upset if she ever loses the part of her personality that enjoys groaner puns and dad jokes, so at least that'll still be intact.

Bella Ramsey went through some important changes between seasons themself, and has spoken during the ramp-up for Season 2 about being diagnosed with autism and overcoming an eating disorder. So hopefully they were able to cycle through their fictional character's emotional trauma without anything plauging them when the cameras stopped rolling.

The Last of Us Season 2 is set to finally arrive when it premieres for those with HBO and Max subscriptions on Sunday, April 13, at 9:00 p.m.

Bella Ramsey has been in a lot of kickass productions during their acting career. Their breakout role was playing Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones and then being part of the cast of HBO’s The Last of Us with its second season as part of your 2025 TV schedule in April. Portraying a character who battles a giant or zombies is arguably a cakewalk compared to the real-life battles Ramsey went through recently. In between seasons of The Last of Us, the English actor got candid on how they embraced their autism diagnosis and overcame their eating disorder.

The 21-year-old TV star has been candid in the past about being gender fluid and loving the queer representation in The Last of Us regarding their character, Ellie, and LGBTQ+ plotlines. Before its second season started filming, Bella Ramsey starred in a whole other TV show, BBC’s Time. However, that’s not all The Worst Witch actor was going through during that break in between seasons of the zombie apocalypse series. They spoke with British Vogue about something they discovered about themselves while filming Season 1 that better explained their love of routines:

The autism diagnosis occurred while Bella Ramsey was shooting The Last of Us in Canada. A crew member with an autistic daughter assumed the television star was on the spectrum as well. After that, Ramsey “wondered” if the diagnosis fit them as they revealed they felt out of place among their peers in school. Plus, they also admitted to dealing with sensory issues and being hyper-aware of other people’s body language and expressions, traits found among those with autism. Another pet peeve of Ramsey’s was having to wear heavy clothing when filming in the cold Canadian wilderness.

After the crew member’s assumption, Bella Ramsey made sure to receive a formal psychiatric assessment which ultimately led to an official autism diagnosis. Even though autism comes with its set of challenges, Ramsey revealed that the diagnosis was “freeing” for them with a clearer explanation for their behaviors. Not to mention, very beneficial for those with an acting career:

The Catherine Called Birdy star has a point that acting does come with a routine. You know when to come in, prep time, rehearsals, filming, and more. Plus, it must mean a lot of clarity to have an explanation that comes with unique behaviors and elements that feel overwhelming. Bella Ramsey continued to say that the autism label was “helpful” to them in understanding themselves, looking seemingly relaxed talking about it. I can understand it must feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of their shoulders to embrace what they have.

Other than an autism diagnosis, Bella Ramsey was also struggling with anorexia “for a couple of years” after filming for Season 1 of The Last of Us wrapped. While seeking treatment, their counselor gave them a great idea on how to overcome their eating disorder through screenwriting:

Some things are indeed hard to put into words. Luckily, we have art to give audiences a visual of an artist's feelings. Film and television can be impactful ways for stars to explain to audiences what an eating disorder feels like to break the myths and encourage a conversation. Brittany Snow depicted eating disorders in her directorial debut Parachute which reflected on her own personal battles. The same was said for Pretty Little Liars’ Troian Bellisario who starred, wrote, and co-produced Feed about a girl who develops an eating disorder after the death of her twin, mirroring how own real-life experiences.

Bella Ramsey’s script they’ve written and hope to direct is called Toast and Jam with eating the delectable meal being a routine they followed every night. The Primetime Emmy nominee credited the yummy habit for driving out the guilt they felt for eating and helping them overcome their eating disorder.

Just when you thought getting back to filming The Last of Us would be a challenge, Bella Ramsey went through the revelation of an autism diagnosis and battling their eating disorder. Fortunately for the talented performer, they navigated their journeys gracefully. Ramsey is certainly not far off from the badass they play in TV shows for facing challenges head-on and talking openly to erase the stigma of both autism and eating disorders.

Season 2 of The Last of Us premieres on HBO on April 13th. Until then, you can refresh yourself by watching the first season on your Max subscription.

I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: acting as an art form is a complete mystery to me. The mental gymnastics that actors do to not only to get the perfect take, but also to get through the tear-jerking scenes is insane. It might be heartbreaking for us to watch, but to live it just to get it on the screen is something else. And if you have to do a reshoot that’ll take a lot more out of you. For shows like HBO Max’s Emmy winning The Last of Us, every episode of season one was a gut punch. But if you’ve played the second game, the second season is going to be just like it if not worse at some parts. How do the actors get through it all?

Bella Ramsey revealed the way they prepped, and I’ll be crying, but it might be from laughter. Variety shared a look into the filming and production of Season 2 with cast and creators, going into some of the changes that have been made for the new season. For those who have played the second game, the story is a doozy, but I won't share spoilers. Bella Ramsey who plays Ellie (who uses both “she/her” and “they/them” pronouns) shared how they cope with some of the heavier scenes they have to act in.

As they prepped for what they called “the darkest scene this season” Ramsey listened to a very specific song over and over again: The Buckwheat Boyz YouTube classic “Peanut Butter Jelly Time.” If you’re a kid who grew up on classic YouTube memes like me, I instantly heard it and saw that animated banana in my head. Ramsey described the filming, stating:

If you’ve played the original game, then you probably already know what scene Ramsey is talking about. For those of us who haven’t played Naughty Dog's original game, then it’ll be a tear-jerking surprise. Hopefully we can take it seriously and not hear “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” as well.

Adaptations of books and games walk a very thin tightrope. Those who have watched or played the original source material know all the heart-wrenching moments to come, but you have to mindful for the people who are experiencing the story for the first time. The creators of this show have already stated they have made changes to the story, especially for key character like Abby.

For those who haven’t played the game and are avoiding spoilers, TLOU 2 focuses on a new character named Abby. Writers and show creators have already stated that they’re giving more attention to backstory, so we’re getting more humans than we are Infected. The show has done well with balancing already, but Season 2 will be a big testament to that because of Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever, who is already at a disadvantage because she’s already disliked before even stepping on screen.

This is something Dever and the show creators are already aware of, seeing as Dever herself has had some extra security while filming because of how much genuine hate the character has received. This is also probably because since The Last of Us' release, actors like Ramsey have received a ‘weird’ increase in popularity. The audience loves these characters, and if you know the second game, it’s going to be a rough one.

The Last of Us Season 2 premieres April 13 on the 2025 TV schedule, so the hype is very much real. While I wish it was tomorrow, I will be eagerly waiting its release and I cannot wait to see what the show has in store for us. From what we’ve seen so far and what we know already, I’m excited to see how they have adapted the story and where we go from here.

Major spoilers for The Last of Us Part II video game narrative, so those who haven’t played yet should tread carefully and listen for errant clicking sounds.

One of HBO’s biggest hits in recent years, and by proxy a top streaming pick on Max, The Last of Us was quickly thrown into the conversation for best video game adaptations ever. The show’s quality doesn’t appear to be dipping in TLOU Season 2, with many more desolate and monster-filled locations to explore throughout the 2025 TV schedule. But the latest footage does potentially hint at major changes being made to the core characters’ timelines, which would give TV viewers a VERY different experience from what gamers grappled with.

Just such a change was speculated about previously, when an earlier Season 2 trailer showed new addition Kaitlyn Dever kneeling by a makeshift grave, though like many other game fanatics, I wasn’t convinced showrunner Craig Mazin and source material director Neil Druckmann would actively make such a consequential adjustment, even if I can grasp the logic behind wanting the live-action series’ audience to react in far less polarized ways than gamers did to the controversial narrative reveals. Let’s look at the key moment from the latest footage that seem to point to such changes.

The Footage Kicks Off With Abby At THAT Location

Considering fans spent the first season following and caring massively for Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey's Joel and Ellie, and are no doubt wondering what their current status is, it is highly curious (at least from an outsider perspective) for this release-window reveal footage to kick off with the second season's biggest new cast member in a familiar-ish location that majorly ties into the character's highly important backstory.

To rip the Band-Aid off here: a seemingly younger version of Kaitlyn Dever's Abby is wearing her Firefly pendant necklace while walking carefully through the halls of what I can only assume is the hospital where all manner of carnage went down in the Season 1 finale, in which Joel more or less doomed humanity by refusing to allow doctors to sacrifice Ellie to study her immunity.

As gamers are aware, someone who was killed during all that chaos was a very important person in Abby's life, and that death sets the character on a years-long path to vengeance that brutally shakes up the lives of other more familiar survivors. However, this entire story point doesn't comes to light until deep into the second game's narrative, after a key point in which Abby seemingly proves herself to be a Grade A villain, completely upending expectations and viewpoints.

If The Last of Us Season 2 is already hinting at this moment happening, with the key alarm sounds instantly heightening my blood pressure, then it possibly means Mazin and Druckmann will shift these flashback scenes to appear earlier for the live-action series, potentially to give viewers more empathy from Abby from the outset. That'd be understandable, since I really don't want Kaitlyn Dever to suffer the wrath of his fanbase, but it would also shatter an element that makes playing Part II such an unforgettable experience.

Most Other Moments Line Up With The First Half Of The Game's Timeline

While we'll be waiting a while to figure out whether or not any such timeline alterations were implemented, i'm happy to see familiar moments that definitely came from the first half of the game. From Ellie and Dina's dancing and their harrowing subway trip to what appears to be a Seraphite dragging a sickle during the woodsy sequence with Ellie and a very unfortunate WLF member. Perhaps most telling? Not a whole lot of Joel footage.

One of the biggest questions fans have had is whether or not the TV show's creative team will actually pull off the video game's biggest shocker in Season 2, or if they'll hold off until the third season to extend the drawing power of Pedro Pascal. Either way, my eyes and tear ducts will be glued to my screens.

The Last of Us Season 2 will be available to watch on HBO and stream with a Max subscription in April, though an exact premiere date is yet to be revealed.

Fans are eagerly awaiting The Last of Us Season 2, and I honestly can’t blame them. The acclaimed HBO show is currently in production on the new episodes and, as a result, set photos have been leaking for months now. Most recently, images of Bella Ramsey, who plays the role of Ellie, were posted to the web and garnered reactions from users. One notable devotee who spotted the pics was none other than actor O’Shea Jackson Jr.. The son of Ice Cube not only shared thoughts on Ramsey’s look for the second season, but he also revealed a request he has for the drama series.

Honestly, the more I learn about the Straight Outta Compton star’s taste in movies, TV and videos, the more I realize how much I vibe with this guy. On social media, he’s not only posted about his love for Kingdom Hearts, but he’s also hyped up Star Wars (a franchise he’s since become a part of). So I guess I shouldn’t have been all that surprised to see the 33-year-old star hyping up The Last of Us. After seeing the set pics of Bella Ramsey’s slightly older Ellie on X, the Den of Thieves star expressed his approval. At the same time though, he added a note about a certain character that’s being introduced in the new season:

The character he’s referring to is Abby Anderson, who was introduced during the events of 2020’s The Last of Us Part II as the main antagonist. Because the new season is adapting that game, Anderson is set to be included in the upcoming episodes. Much to many fans’ delight, Kaitlyn Dever was cast as Abby, and I’m confident that she’ll bring a lot to the role. O’Shea Jackson Jr. did make a good point, though, in that Abby was also physically imposing. Dever is someone who can certainly commit to a role, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she hit the gym while prepping for this gig.

Moving away from the Abby element of this discussion, I also have to agree with the Godzilla: King of the Monsters alum that Ellie’s updated look works as well. Bella Ramsey – who was nominated for an Emmy for their Season 1 performance – pretty much looks spot on. I continue to be amazed by how the costume designers are able to almost seamlessly adapt the looks from the game for a live-action production. Of course, flawless aesthetics like those (including locations revealed in BTS photos) are only part of the reason why fans should be excited for what’s to come.

Season 2 is bringing in a considerable amount of talent to fill out its already impressive ensemble to join Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal. In addition to Kaitlyn Dever, Isabel Merced has also been cast as Dina, a love interest for Ellie. Merced has teased her “chemistry” with Ramsey, and that makes me hopeful that the two actors will click when they’re on screen together. Beef cast member Young Mazino and Top Gun: Maverick alum Danny Ramirez are also set to play Jesse and Manny, respectively. Also, not only is Jeffrey Wright reprising his role as Isaac Dixon from the game, but Catherine O’Hara has been cast in a mystery role as well.

There’s obviously still a lot of the second season that we’ve yet to see, but the few glimpses that have been released (or have been leaked) are making me optimistic. I’m both excited and nervous to follow Ellie on this new chapter and think that Kaitlyn Dever is going to deliver a performance for the ages. On a side note, here’s hoping that O’Shea Jackson Jr. live-tweets the series when it finally comes back in 2025.

Fans can check out a number of other shows while The Last of Us is on hiatus. Of course, if you also desire, you can stream the entire first season now using a Max subscription.

One of the reasons many of us love following celebrities so much is because they go places and have experiences that many of us simply never will. That includes going to awards shows and getting all gussied up in some of the fanciest, most expensive clothes and accessories around. With the bulk of this year’s award season now over, let’s take a look at 32 great pairs of shoes that stars sported recently as they walked the red carpet.

Annette Bening 

Looks for any award show can vary wildly, but we do typically see ladies in high heels of some sort. Actress Annette Benning did step out in heels, but she chose some of a chunky platform sandal variety that likely added some literal stability to her chic, flowy outfit.

Ryan Gosling

Sure, men’s fashion doesn’t usually lend itself to wild shoewear choices on the red carpet, but that’s OK. Barbie cast member/Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling went with a great pair of shiny black shoes to accent his black (and slightly sparkly) tux and red socks, and they work perfectly.

Danielle Brooks

You’re going to see that black, overall, was a popular shoe color choice for 2024’s award shows, and The Color Purple Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks made a good pick to go with her very glamorous Dolce Gabbana gown. The sandals feature a shapely high heel and pearl accents that kick the look up a couple of notches.

Cynthia Erivo

Not only did Cynthia Erivo and her co-star Ariana Grande decide to represent their Wicked characters via their fashion choices for the Academy Awards, but Erivo took her green Elphaba theme to the hilt with her platform shoes with striated shades of emerald.

Billie Eilish

One cannot deny the importance of comfort when talking shoes, and award winning singer/songwriter Billie Eilish definitely deserves props for choosing a round-toe mary jane style that even allowed her to wear full-on shocks to the Oscars.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh has had no shortage of amazing fashion moments, and it appears that they won’t let up anytime soon. The star looked wonderful at the Oscars, and walked tall in a super chunky, mirrored platform sandal to complete her look.

Colman Domingo

As the star of the lauded civil rights drama, Rustin, Colman Domingo made numerous appearances on red carpets recently, but his decision to head to the Academy Awards in custom Louis Vuitton cowboy boots (in black with gold accents) has absolutely put him near the top of everyone’s fashionable celeb list.

Emily Blunt

Never mind the Oscar dress with the floating shoulders, most would likely say that Emily Blunt’s silver heels with a little half-bow across her toes managed to actually steal the show from her gorgeously constructed cream and silver gown.

Mahershala Ali

Again, men don’t always think to step up their shoe game for red carpets, but Mahershala Ali certainly did. His graphic black and white loafers with a slight heel absolutely helped him stand out in a sea of men with black footwear.

Ava DuVernay

Director Ava DuVernay looked lovely in her powder blue ensemble, and her silver shoes with a little bit of a platform went nicely with the buckled straps of her off-the-shoulder dress.

Carly Pearce

People came out in their finest for the CMT Awards, and country singer Carly Pearce was no different. The black and silver gem-studded stunners she wore on her feet obviously made a fabulous statement. Look at that crazy high stiletto heel!

Celine Song

Just because you’re in black flats, it doesn’t have to mean that your choice of shoe has to be boring. Wearing a flowy, lower-calf length skirt to walk the Oscar red carpet, filmmaker Celine Song was able to show off her chunky footwear and look like the very picture of effortless cool.

Wendy Thembelihle Juel

The South African/Danish model may have put on a fitted, shimmering pink dress for her time at the Academy Awards, but she also chose black as the perfect color for her shoes. Her sandals gave the gown an extra oomph with a pretty crystal (or diamond) bow across each set of toes that helped to make them the real focal point of her glamorous look.

Erika Alexander

To celebrate the Oscar nods received by American Fiction, star Erika Alexander stepped out in a truly original dress. And, her shoes were different as well, seeing as how it’s relatively rare to see ladies on the red carpet in white heels.

Alex Borstein

Black can be very basic, but not, apparently, if you’re The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Alex Borstein. The talent stepped out to the Critics Choice Awards in delicately laced black pumps that appear to be see-through, which also had a scalloped edge to compliment her sheer dress.

Ke Huy Quan

Ke Huy Quan is clearly enjoying his revitalized time in the spotlight, and the Oscar winner knows how to get all dressed up for the red carpet. Here, he wears a classic pair of glossy black, tie-up dress shoes, and they pair perfectly with his deep red and black tuxedo.

Simu Liu

The People’s Choice Awards saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie star Simu Liu hit the carpet in a fantastic oxblood-colored suit. And, not only did his shoes match, but he switched things up from typical men’s shoes and donned suede footwear for the occasion. Love it!

Andrew Scott

It can be so, so nice to buck convention and head to a fancy event in an ensemble that evokes a high/low effect, which is exactly what All of Us Strangers and Ripley star Andrew Scott did when he attended the Golden Globe Awards in January 2024. Instead of going for a full, all-white tuxedo, he went with the jacket, wide-leg pants and a thin t-shirt, which were beautifully accompanied by full-coverage shoes in the same creamy shade with an ultra-low black heel.

Oprah Winfrey

If you paid any attention to the many events that media mogul extraordinaire Oprah Winfrey went to in order to celebrate and promote the release of the musical The Color Purple, well, you’ll know that the many shades of that very hue were her choice for all of them. This included her time at the Golden Globes, where she capped her lovely, custom Louis Vuitton dress (which appears to be a shimmery, optical illusion-like crushed velvet) with grape-colored Manolo Blahnik shoes. So sophisticated, right?

Rachel Brosnahan

Talk about working a look! The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star (who’s soon to be our new Lois Lane in Superman: Legacy) went all red for the Golden Globes and was a total stunner. She stepped out in a custom Sergio Hudson off-the-shoulder gown, which featured a slinky line of buttons from top to toe that opened about halfway down. Brosnahan is also in satiny, custom-made Christian Louboutin sandals with a thin ankle strap that perfectly sets off her whole outfit.

Selena Gomez

Only Murders in the Building superstar Selena Gomez has been on top since her teens, so she knows how to work a red carpet! Her Globes look featured one of the more intriguing gowns of the night; a glossy, deep red stunner with black accents and a full, hi-low hem that gave everyone a perfect look at her cool shoes in a lipstick shade of red that appeared to feature some holographic effects. Selena can do no wrong!

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (who really should be given her own Fast & Furious movie) hasn’t portrayed a queen more than once for nothing. She went to the Globes in a lavender ensemble that featured a bodice that gathered at her side and a sweeping skirt, topped with a two-tone cape (Yes, honey!) and extremely chunky, platform sandals in a shade of silver that perfectly matched her hair. Does glam get any better?

Jessica Williams

Speaking of royalty, Shrinking and Road House star Jessica Williams looked like an absolute princess as a nominee when she attended the Primetime Emmy Awards in January 2024. Williams wore a very ladylike custom-made off-the-shoulder Rodarte gown that was mostly black, with a hi-low hem that exposed fluffy layers of white tulle underneath. Her shoes are black and closed-toe but with netting near the top and three rather large crystal flowers, which only add to the regal look.

Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey stepped out to the Emmys in a very clean, professional style that’s far different from what we usually see when it comes to suits at awards shows. The star, who’s currently working on The Last of Us Season 2 for HBO) is wearing four different colors (the forest green suit, a deep purple button-down shirt, a red turtleneck and deep burgundy shoes), but somehow it all works together to make a clean look. Speaking of the shoes, thick black soles and the silver medallion on each help to both make a statement and ground the whole outfit.

Joan Collins

Timeless style is called “timeless” for very good reasons, and that’s because anyone at any age can look good wearing it in any year! Dynasty legend Joan Collins presented at the Emmy Awards, and put on her finest pleated Jenny Packham gown in a silvery sky blue dotted with crystals. To complete her outfit, the longtime star chose a closed-toe shoe in a similar color with a little embellishment right on the top just made to peek out from under her long, caped dress.

Jeffrey Wright

It looks as though colors like red, maroon, and oxblood were kinda popular recently, doesn’t it? American Fiction lead Jeffrey Wright showed up for February 2024’s Screen Actors Guild Awards (where he was nominated for his role and as part of the cast as a whole) in a perfectly tailored tuxedo of the latter color that looked quite sharp. Even better? His sturdy shoes in a similar shade added just enough interest with different colors on the bottom.

Keith David

Shades of aubergine pretty much always help people stand out at events, and that’s even more true when you’re dressed in it head to toe and look as happy as Keith David did at the SAG awards. Also attending for American Fiction’s cast nomination, the star was, indeed, donning the color for his lovely suit with a nice sheen, tie and shirt in slightly different but still within the color family hue and, his shoes. David went with a simple shoe, but in a suede fabric that helps then stand out just a teensy bit.

Tyler James Williams

Again, head-to-toe in one color can work wonders for netting the wearer a truly memorable look, and Abbott Elementary’s Tyler James Williams definitely got the memo. He showed up and showed out for his SAG Awards appearance in a natty baby blue suit with a matching, sheer t-shirt underneath, and complimented the ‘fit with some extremely classy white shoes.

Lauren Daigle

Contemporary Christian music singer Lauren Daigle was able to celebrate her Grammy Award nominations at the ceremony in a standout of frilly navy blue and black tulle gown punctuated with multicolored accents by Shahar Avnet. But, the true winner of this ensemble might just be her shoes: white and blue polka-dotted John Fluevog sandals with a platform and a very cool sculpted heel.

CeeLo Green

Remember, wearing colors in one family from head to toe is gold…especially if you actually decide to wear different shades of actual gold! Former The Voice coach CeeLo Green headed to the Grammys with his lady friend looking like a statuette (as did she; her hair and lips are even gold), and if there was ever a time to do such a thing it’s at a major award show. Green capped off his very comfortable-looking outfit with simply styled gold shoes, because if you’re wearing all gold how many embellishments do you really need, anyway?

Fantasia Barrino

American Idol alum Fantasia Barrino was all set to perform at the 66th Grammy Awards, but first, she had to hit the red carpet. And, it would be fair to say that her style for the night was also a hit, as she stepped out in a nude gown with black accents and paired the whole thing with black platform sandals that had alluring crisscrossing straps for days. 

Kingsley Ben-Adir

The star of Bob Marley: One Love, Kingsley Ben-Adir, also took a turn on the Grammy red carpet, and while his Gucci jacket and shirt in a nearly lime green color with black slacks are nearly casual in flair, anything but can be said about his footwear. The man gave some seriously good shoe in black loafers covered in silver studs, and these just might be the best shoes on the list!

As you can see, this awards season saw a lot of fabulous and daring shoe styles on the red carpet, and we are all the better for it!

Spring 2025 is still a distant dot on the horizon, but that’s when we can expect to see one of the biggest shows of the year debuting, as HBO is reportedly planning on an April or May debut for The Last of Us Season 2. That leaves fans with a lot of time to speculate about which source material moments and locations will show up in the highly acclaimed video game adaptation, but some new looks behind the scenes of the horror drama seem to confirm some memorable (and dangerous) settings that will make the jump from digital to live-action.

While nothing seen in the set photos and videos is guaranteed to make it to the small screen when The Last of Us returns with new episodes, we can for the moment anticipate seeing a pair of recognizable businesses that Bella Ramsey’s Ellie will presumably poke around in a time or two. But before that, let’s do some poking ourselves.

Weston's Pharmacy

It appears as if one of the video game series’ more prominent business chains will make an appearance, as everybody watching The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO or via a Max subscription will likely see some shit go down in and around at least one brick and mortar location of Weston’s Pharmacy. Here’s hoping it hasn’t been completely ransacked by looters just yet.

In a video and images shared by @CaptCanuck66 on X, a variety of crew members can be seen walking around a dedicated Vancouver filming spot within the picturesque Oceanic Plaza at the center of the financial district. Bella Ramsey can also be seen on horseback in the area, so it seems very likely that their character Ellie will at least zip through the area, though I’d expect at least one fright-filled sequence to go down within the pharmacy itself.

As gamers will no doubt remember, Weston’s appears several times as the characters travel west, specifically within Left Behind and The Last of Us 2. In the DLC, Ellie has to find the key to the pharmacy inside the mall to get supplies for the incapacitated Joel. And in the full-length sequel, one of the supply-filled safes is located inside a Weston’s. I can only hope that something more hair-raising will take place in the TV version.

Also, I’ll never stop being impressed by how much the Last of Us team can make real-world buildings look so much like the games through plant overgrowth. So even if Weston’s is only easter egg signage in the background without anyone actually going inside, I’m cool with that. But the same can’t be said for this next one.

KMAB Channel 13

The Last of Us Season 2 is apparently bringing the horrors inside the KMAB Channel 13 TV station to life (or death, as it were) during the show’s Seattle-set arc. Though to offer an immediate caveat, the picture tweets shared by @jeronandor aren’t of any actual locations, so we can’t say with full certainty that it’ll appear in The Last of Us Season 2. Still, it seems pretty easy to make assumptions.

The fan captured shots of a trailer transporting an already burned up and dilapidated KMAB news van, as well as another unmarked car in a similarly rundown state. It looks very much like the van that players come across in the grassy area behind the news station itself, where supplies can be found in the back. That area also features a FEDRA vehicle, though not the same as the other car being transported.

Considering that moment takes place just outside the KMAB building, it seems unlikely that Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann would only bring the van in without utilizing that key moment from the game itself. I won’t get into spoilers here for anyone who hasn’t played, but suffice to say deaths play into it, and I’m betting the creative team will spice things up with a tweaked detail or two to keep familiar gamers surprised.

As a huge fan of the source material, I’m more excited by Kaitlyn Dever’s casting as Abby than I am about most things coming to television in 2025, and I cannot wait for HBO to drop an official first look at the sympathetic antagonist. New Last of Us cast member Isabella Merced is doing her own part to spark hype for the upcoming season, teasing a moment that will “be on everyone’s Twitter feed,” in reference to her character Dina’s relationship with Ramsey’s Ellie, and presumably not THE video game moment that will spark potential riots in live-action.

Check out all the upcoming horror TV shows that will be popping up as we await The Last of Us Season 2 hitting HBO in 2025.

HBO’s live-action adaptation of the hit video game The Last Of Us became a cultural phenomenon when it debuted in January 2023. So much so that I, a horror-adverse person, decided to give the show a try and immediately fell in love with the post-apocalyptic world and Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey’s phenomenal performances.  It was such a hit, that the network renewed TLoU for a second season before the first had even finished airing. New faces are being added to the cast, including Isabela Merced, who teased her chemistry with co-star Bella Ramsey. And now, I'm even more pumped for what lies ahead!

The rising actress and video game fan is set to star as Dina, Ellie’s partner who plays a pivotal role in Ellie’s arc in Season 2 — well, at least, if the show doesn’t change too much from the video game. During the red carpet premiere of Madame Web, Isabela Merced stopped to chat with ET and was asked about how filming is going on the hit HBO drama. The actress shared her enthusiasm for joining the project, saying: 

While production might still be in the early stages of Season 2 of The Last of Us, it’s definitely reassuring to hear the Sweet Girl actress have such high praise for her relationship with Bella Ramsey. Both of them are incredibly talented actors on their own, and I'd imagine that together, they'll be truly electric. This is truly another reason why we should be excited for what's to come.

The young actress is definitely stepping into a major production that's filled with massive stars who've already proven to have great chemistry with her co-star. Not to mention she has to follow the epic and heartbreaking  romance that Ellie has with Riley (Storm Reid). But it sounds like Isabela Merced is up to the challenge. 

And she’s not the only new face joining the wildly successful show. Kaitlyn Dever was recently cast as Abby -- Season 2’s villain who is certainly going to bring new tension and stakes to the already highly stressful series. Beef star Young Mazino will also be entering the post-apocalyptic world in the role of Jesse. 

With all this new talent, Season 2 is sure to be as dramatic with plenty of crazy moments just like the premiere season. There’s no doubt that the series will continue to push boundaries and continue to represent groundbreaking LGBTQ+ stories like Bill and Frank's, especially with the introduction of Dina. 

The stakes are going to be much higher this season, and the story is expected to make some interesting changes from the video games. This information comes straight from creator Craig Mazin, who has spoke to Deadline about how he plans to split the events of the second video game installment into several seasons. This is good news for fans and also has many wondering if Pedro Pascal’s character, Joel, will be saved from his tragic fate when the new season eventually releases. 

Unfortunately, production on The Last Of Us Season 2 has only just begun, so it’s going to be some time before we bear witness to Isabela Merced and Bella Ramsey’s chemistry. In the meantime, you can catch up on the first season with a Max subscription. And you can also see Merced in Madame Web, which is one of the first big superhero films on the 2024 movie release schedule. 

We might not have an official release date just yet for The Last Of Us Season 2 — like many productions, filming was delayed due to the 2023 WGA strike and SAG-AFTRA strike — but we do have some fresh casting intel, with series star Bella Ramsey offering up their reaction to this season's newest acting additions, specifically Kaitlyn Dever. That's because, in an interview, the young actor revealed the amusing story about how they met the Booksmart actress, and why they had to keep it on the down low.  

Ramsey — who plays strong-willed teen Ellie in HBO's adaptation of the beloved video game franchise, opposite Pedro Pascal's hardened survivor Joel — recently revealed in an interview with GamesRadar+ how they first met Kaitlyn Dever. The actress is taking on the much-anticipated role of Abby in the drama's second season, and the Ellie actress had this to say about how they met:

Obviously, the two had to keep their interactions on the down low. At the time, Kaitlyn Dever hadn't been officially cast as Abby yet. It sounds like the last thing Ramsey wanted to do was accidentally spill the casting beans. So, they quietly exchanged numbers. However, now they can praise each other as much as they want!

Described as “a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved,” Dever's Abby is meant to have an antagonistic relationship with Ramsey's Ellie, a dynamic that thankfully did not play out between the performers in real life.

Instead, Ramsey disclosed that working with Dever — an actress who, ironically, was dream-cast by fans to portray the character of Ellie in the post-apocalyptic drama, though producers reportedly wanted a younger actor, per The Hollywood Reporter— was an "excellent" experience: 

The 20-year-old star also praised their other new castmate Isabel Merced — who previously starred with Dever in 2022's Rosaline and will play Ellie's Season 2 love interest Dina, who HBO calls "a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit." They also showed some love for Beef alum Young Mazino, who will portray Jesse, "a pillar of his community who puts everyone else's needs before his own, sometimes at terrible cost."

As for the new additions to The Last Of Us cast, Ramsey said they're "incredibly happy" having a "whole new bunch of people come and join the family." However, they also previously told Comicbook.com's The Last of Pods podcast that they didn't want to go into filming Season 2 "comparing it to the experience of the first season": 

Given how well-received Season 1 of the HBO drama was — it won eight Primetime Emmy Awards out of 24 nominations — and how excited fans are to see Kaitlyn Dever in The Last Of Us universe, we don't think Bella has anything to worry about, especially now that they don't have to keep the fact that they know each other a secret. 

CinemaBlend will keep you posted on everything related to the 2024 TV schedule and when you'll be able to see Ellie and Abby face off onscreen in The Last Of Us Season 2. In the meantime, you can catch up with the series through a Max subscription. 

When celebrities attend awards shows, they can count on getting all glammed up, walking the red carpet and possibly receiving an award. Sometimes, however, the honorees in the crowd also find themselves the subject of comments from those on stage that don’t always paint them in the most positive light. We’ve seen this a couple of times recently, when Jo Koy joked about Taylor Swift in his much-maligned Golden Globes monologue, and Ariana DeBose also spoke out about a comment made about her at the Critics Choice Awards. Now Jamie Lee Curtis has responded to the latter with an F-bomb-laden post in defense of the Wish star.

At the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Bella Ramsey and Anthony Ramos listed the “famous voices” nominated for Best Song, before The Last of Us star joked that Ariana DeBose was among “the actors who also think that they’re singers,” along with Jack Black and Ryan Gosling. The backlash was immediate, and Jamie Lee Curtis was certainly caught off-guard as well, posting on Instagram:  

Those are some pretty strong words, and I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of three F-bombs from the iconic actress. It should be pointed out that Jamie Lee Curtis was very likely NOT lodging this reaction at Bella Ramsey — who was merely reading from the teleprompter — and that Curtis’ bone to pick was most certainly with the Critics Choice Awards’ writers. 

The Halloween star called Ariana DeBose a “queen,” and after the seemingly disrespectful comment, her fans were quick to list DeBose’s accomplishments, which include an Academy Award for West Side Story and a Tony nomination for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. She was also a member of the original cast of Hamilton on Broadway and hosted the Tony Awards in 2022 and 2023.

It certainly seemed strange to throw her name into the mix with Jack Black and Ryan Gosling, since they seem to fit the description of “actors who sing” more so than Ariana DeBose. She didn’t seem too pleased with the joke either, as she appeared confused when the camera panned to show her reaction during the broadcast. She later addressed the issue herself on Instagram Stories, with a post that read, “No, I didn’t find it funny. Lol.”

She may have felt disrespected in that moment, but it must feel pretty good to have icons like Jamie Lee Curtis having your back.

You can see Ariana DeBose in Disney’s Wish, which is currently available to preorder on Amazon. You can also see her Oscar-winning performance in 2021’s West Side Story, and her role in Hamilton which are both available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.  

As if a full-blown apocalypse wasn't already a big enough threat for the morally ambiguous protagonists heading up HBO's The Last of Us, the hugely popular first outing will give way to a second round that has the potential to be twice as much of a harrowing and emotional gut-punch, thank to the impending introduction of video game villain-turned-quasi-hero Abby. And now we finally know who will be taking on that complex and controversial role. 

The Last of Us Season 2 has officially cast Last Man Standing vet and No One Will Save You star Kaitlyn Dever to play Abby, a choice that I'd previously championed when the actress' name was attached to rumors for the role. Because it's clearly the perfect choice for whatever reasons you may or may not be able to come up with at a moment's notice. Dever is Abby, and that's just how it goes. 

While the casting first broke without unofficial confirmation, HBO confirmed Dever joined the show through the Max X page by tweeting the below message:

Granted, that isn't a full-blown agreement that the Book Smart co-star will indeed be portraying Abby when Season 2 kicks off filming, but I can't imagine how big of a pisser it would be for showrunner Craig Mazin to bring Kaitlyn Dever is as anyone but Abby. Or if she played some quickly eliminated rando whose name also happened to be Abby. Let's hope everyone involved is smarter than all that, though.

Part of what makes Kaitlyn Dever such a perfect choice for the video game adaptation is she was a key part of the casting hopes and rumors back when The Last of Us first sparked live-action conversations, with the plans initially being more movie-focused. By the time the HBO series was happening, she'd aged out of the teen role, which inevitably went to Game of Thrones vet Bella Ramsey, who certainly made their mark on the role in Season 1. 

So no regrets there, but I could not be more pleased that the panging for Dever to join the Last of Us universe is no longer a worry, and I can now just start to build up excitement for what she'll bring to the badass role. 

Dever also adds another layer of critical gold to an already stacked cast. Speaking of, Season 1 faves Nick Offerman and Storm Reid took home two of the HBO series' first Emmys, winning their respective Outstanding Guest Star categories during the Creative Emmy Awards ceremony. The series won out in 8 categories overall that evening, also for sound editing, opening titles and more, which is promising for its chances when the Primetime Emmys air on January 15.

The Last of Us Season 2 is set to film throughout much of 2024, and will hopefully debut on HBO (and for those with Max subscriptions) as early into 2025 as humanly or clicker-ly possible. Until then, check out all the other awesome upcoming horror TV shows that will keep us busy until Abby's sneer comes into our lives.

If you’re looking for a great family movie on Netflix or want to check out a modern stop-motion animation film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, the long-awaited sequel to the 2001 film starring Mel Gibson as a rooster who helps a group of hens escape a terrible yet delicious fate, is going to do just the trick. While Gibson isn’t back this time around (he’s been replaced by a great choice), several of the other voice actors from the original are back for another round of action.

Stick around as we break down the Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget cast, including those returning stars and new additions to the ensemble. There’s much to go over, so let’s get this show on the road… 

Thandiwe Newton (Ginger)

Kicking things off is Thandiwe Newton, who takes on the role of Ginger, a.k.a., “The Wing Leader,” in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, taking over for Julia Sawalha from the original animated film. An actress we’d like to see return to the Mission: Impossible franchise, Newtown has been in a little bit of everything over the years including great sci-fi series like Westworld and a list of movies that includes For Colored Girls, The Pursuit of Happyness, and Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Zachary Levi (Rocky)

Taking over for Mel Gibson in the Chicken Run sequel is Zachary Levi, who provides the voice of Rocky, the rooster who helped Ginger and company escape last time. No stranger to the world of animation, Levi has voiced characters in Tangled, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, and several episodes of Robot Chicken. All of that is on top of starring roles in Shazam!, American Underdog, and two of the Thor movies.

Bella Ramsey (Molly)

Bella Ramsey, who received a Golden Globe nomination for their role in The Last of Us, also appears in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, in which they portray Rocky and Ginger’s young daughter, Molly. In addition to playing Ellie on the smash HBO video game adaptation and Lady Mormont, a Game of Thrones character who wasn't present that much, Ramsey has voiced characters in movies like Hilda and the Mountain King, Turtle Journey, and Princess Enemy.

Romesh Ranganathan (Nick)

Romesh Ranganathan joins in on the fun of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget as Nick, one of the rats who helps the chicks' plan. A prolific stand-up comedian, Ranganathan recorded a handful of specials over the years in addition to making dozens of appearances on various talk and late-night shows. He previously voiced Romesh the Mouse in the 2021 Amazon original movie, Cinderella.

Daniel Mays (Fetcher)

Daniel Mays shows up in the Chicken Run sequel as Fetcher, another rodent friend of the core group of chickens who helps with their big plan. Over the years, Mays has appeared in movies like Atonement, The Adventures of Tintin, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and 1917 to name a few.

Peter Serafinowicz (Reginald Smith)

Peter Serafinowicz portrays one of the humans in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, a businessman named Reginald Smith. One of the actors who appeared in Star Wars and Marvel movies (The Phanom Menace and Guardians of the Galaxy), Serafinowicz has been quite the busy actor over the years, also appearing in films like Hot Fuzz, John Wick: Chapter 2, and Sing.

Miranda Richardson (Mrs. Tweedy)

Miranda Richardson is back again as the villainous Mrs. Tweedy, the big bad from the original Chicken Run who wants nothing more than revenge. A two-time Academy Award nominee (Damage and Tom & Viv), Richardson has given one tremendous performance after another over the years, including in movies like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Stronger, and The Hours.

Nick Mohammed (Dr. Fry)

Nich Mohammed, who is best known for his portrayal of Nate Shelley on Ted Lasso, voices Dr. Fry, Mrs. Tweedy’s new husband, in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. When he’s not playing the lovable-then-detestable-and-then-lovable-again character on the popular Apple TV+ original series, Mohammed has popped up in movies like Christopher Robin (he voiced Piglet) and The Martian, as well as a long list of TV shows.

Imelda Staunton (Bunty)

Imelda Staunton, who previously appeared in Chicken Run, is back for the sequel, once again providing the voice of Bunty. The release of the 2023 Netflix film comes just one day after Staunton’s final set of episodes on The Crown debuted on the platform, making December a big month for the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix actress.

Jane Horrocks (Babs)

Jane Horrocks is back again as Babs, the hen with a love for knitting, in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. Between movies like The Witches, Corpse Bride, and Swimming with Men, the Absolutely Fabulous actress has been quite busy throughout her decades-long career.

David Bradley (Fowler)

David Bradley portrays Fowler the rooster in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, a role that was originally played by the late Benjamin Whitrow in the 2000 animated film. Though some may have forgotten he was in the MCU, no one can forget Bradley’s portrayal of the diabolical Walder Frey on Game of Thrones or Argus Filch in the Harry Potter movies.

Josie Sedgwick-Davies (Frizzle)

Josie Sedgwick-Davies is another new addition to the Chicken Run family with her portrayal of Frizzle. Unlike most of the actors in the cast, this is Sedgwick-Davies’ first movie.

Lynn Ferguson (Mac)

Lynn Ferguson shows up in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget as Mac, Ginger’s trusty assistant from the first movie. Over the years, Ferguson has appeared on shows like No Angels, Blessed, and The Bill, to name a few, but she is more known for her stand-up comedy and writing duties on The Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Well, hopefully, this helps you make sense of the Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget cast and why they all sound so familiar. The movie, along with the original Chicken Run, is currently available to anyone with a Netflix subscription, which will also give you access to some incredible original 2024 movies and TV shows in the very near future.

Stream Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget on Netflix.

Throughout its eight-season run on HBO, Game of Thrones introduced us to some of TV’s most beloved characters, some of which made it to the very end. Others, however, like some fan favorites who were killed off, had no such luck. In fact, several of the show’s most notable and well-known heroes and villains weren’t actually around as long as we may think. That being said, here are 32 Game of Thrones characters who weren't in as many episodes as you'd think.

Lyanna Mormont (9 Episodes)

One of the breakout characters from the final few seasons of Game of Thrones, Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) quickly became one of the best things about the epic fantasy series. And while the young Lady of Bear Island gave us unforgettable moments, she was only around for nine episodes, according to Ramsey’s IMDb profile.

Oberyn Martell (7 Episodes)

Prince Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) became an instant hit upon his arrival in Game of Thrones' fourth season. However, the “Red Viper” was only around for seven episodes before his head-crushing finale, per his IMDb page.

Hodor (23 Episodes)

Winterfell servant and later protector of Bran Stark, Hodor (Kristian Nairn) was one of the most beloved supporting characters during the early days of Game of Thrones. However, he was only around for a portion of the show’s 73 episodes (remember, Bran’s story was missing from Season 5). According to Nairn’s IMDb profile, Hodor was only in 23 episodes, including his touching and heartbreaking death.

Robert Baratheon (7 Episodes)

King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) played a major role in the first few episodes of Game of Thrones, but he really wasn’t around all that long before a “hunting accident” led to his quick demise. However, despite only being in seven episodes, per Addy’s IMDb filmography, the character’s death would impact the rest of the series.

The Night King (10 Episodes) 

Despite being presented as one of the major antagonists of Game of Thrones, the Night King only showed up in 10 episodes throughout the show’s run. Played by Richard Burke in Seasons 4 and 5, and Vladimir Furdik in the final three installments, this was a “less is more” situation.

Talisa Stark (11 Episodes)

Talisa Stark (Oona Chaplin) was a major supporting character in the second and third seasons of Game of Thrones, but she never made it past the Red Wedding, where she suffered one of the show’s most gruesome deaths. All in all, the character was in 11 episodes, per Chaplin’s IMDb profile.

Khal Drogo (10 Episodes)

While Jason Momoa will always be tied to Game of Thrones for his awesome portrayal of Khal Drogo, the character suffered a cruel fate in Season 1. The husband of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), lasted only 10 episodes, per Momoa’s IMDb page, with the last being a special appearance in Season 2.

Walder Frey (6 Episodes)

Walder Frey (David Bradley) will forever be remembered as one of the sickest and cruelest Game of Thrones characters because of the Red Wedding, which is impressive considering the character only appeared in six episodes. According to Bradley’s IMDb profile, Frey last appeared in the Season 7 opener, “Dragonstone.”

Ramsay Bolton (20 Episodes)

Ramsay Bolton’s (Iwan Rheon) reign of terror felt like it lasted dozens of episodes before his finale scene where Sansa let the hounds loose on him. However, the ruthless figure only showed up in 20 episodes, including the iconic “Battle of the Bastards,” per the actor’s IMDb page.

Stannis Baratheon (24 Episodes)

One of the more consequential and arguably unfortunate characters on Game of Thrones was Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), who would stop at nothing to claim the Iron Throne. While it feels like he was around for a long time, Stannis was only in 24 episodes over four seasons, per Dillane’s IMDb filmography.

Three-Eyed Raven (12 Episodes)

The Three-Eyed Raven (played by Struan Rodger and later, Max von Sydow) helped Bran Stark tremendously on his path throughout Game of Thrones, but those appearances were few and far between, as the character only showed up in 12 episodes before his death. 

Tywin Lannister (27 Episodes)

Twenty-seven episodes may seem like a lot of screen time for a character, but it honestly feels like Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) was around a lot longer than four seasons. But as seen in Dance’s IMDb profile, the iron-fisted family patriarch only had a couple of dozen episodes to “repay his debts.”

Lysa Arryn (5 Episodes)

Lysa Arryn (Kate Dickie), the sister of Catelyn Stark and wife of Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, was one of the most detestable Game of Thrones characters, even though she was only in five episodes. According to Dickie’s IMDb page, her last episode was “Mockingbird” in Season 4.

Yara Greyjoy (16 Episodes)

Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) was introduced in Game of Thrones Season 2, and she quickly became a tour de force on the show. However, the sister of Theon Grejoy and eventual Lady of the Iron Islands only appeared in 16 episodes, per Whelan’s IMDb profile.

Viserys Targaryen (5 Episodes)

Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd) has always felt like a Game of Thrones character who was around for a long time, but the scheming brother of Dany Targaryen only made it five episodes before meeting his end, per Lloyd’s IMDb profile.

Olenna Tyrell (18 Episodes) 

Olenna Tyrell (Dame Diana Rigg) went out like a boss in the Season 7 episode “The Queen’s Justice,” giving fans a fulfilling moment. However, it didn’t take the head of House Tyrell long to build up support, as she only popped up in 18 episodes, according to Rigg’s IMDb page.

Euron Greyjoy  (9 Episodes)

Here’s something wild to think about, the Iron Islands’ Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbaek) only appeared in nine episodes of Game of Thrones, which just doesn’t seem right. However, according to Asbaek’s IMDb profile, the ruthless seafaring member of the Grejoy family, and one-time ally of Queen Cersei, had a quality-over-quantity situation during his brief yet unforgettable run.

The High Sparrow (12 Episodes)

Coming into the fold a little after the halfway point through the series, the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) appeared in parts of only two seasons before falling victim to Cersei along with her other enemies. However, it feels like the leader of the Sparrows was around a lot longer than the 12 episodes listed on Pryce’s IMDb page, especially considering the arc where he made Cersei’s life a living nightmare.

Benjen Stark (8 Episodes)

The youngest of Ned Stark’s siblings, Benjen (Joseph Mawle) played a massive role behind the scenes of the Game of Thrones epic, and he was a character that came through in a big way later on. However, this meant he was rarely seen, only showing up in eight episodes, two of which saw him portrayed by Mawle, per the actor’s IMDb profile.

Maester Aemon Targaryen (11 Episodes)

It may seem like Maester Aemon Targaryen appeared in a lot of episodes of Game of Thrones, but in reality, he only popped up 11 times throughout the show’s run, per actor Peter Vaughan's IMDb profile. This isn’t to say he wasn’t impactful, as the maester of Castle Black was incredibly impactful over the years.

Renly Baratheon (8 Episodes)

Portrayed by Gethin Anthony throughout the first two seasons of Game of Thrones, Renly Baratheon surprisingly only appeared in eight episodes, which honestly messes with our heads a bit. But sure enough, check out his IMDb page, and you’ll see the young brother of Robert and Stannis Baratheon only showed up a few times before he was killed off.

Jeor Mormont (12 Episodes)

Jeor Mormont (James Cosmo), the 997th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch was undeniably a miserable old man, but the character did have a rather fulfilling arc before everything was said and done. And though it seemed like it took years for it to unfold, Mormont’s story took place over 12 episodes, per the actor’s IMDb filmography.

Yoren (7 Episodes)

Yoren (Francis Magee) played a pivotal role in the early episodes of Game of Thrones, mostly as Arya Stark’s protector after her father’s execution. Though his actions set up a lot of what was to come later in the show, Yoren didn’t make it out of the second season, and he was killed after only seven episodes, per Magee’s IMDb page.

Ygritte (17 Episodes)

It’s hard to imagine Jon Snow’s story over the course of Game of Thrones without the impact of Ygritte (Rose Leslie), she was that important. However, the quick-witted and fearsome wildling wasn’t really around all that long, with Leslie only portraying the ill-fated warrior in 17 episodes, per her IMDb profile.

Unella (8 Episodes)

Before Hannah Waddingham went on to win Emmys and receive heaps of praise for her portrayal of Rebecca Welton in the Ted Lasso cast, she had a brief run on Game of Thrones. And we mean brief! According to her IMDb page, Waddigham played Unella, one of the Septa of the Faith of the Seven and the High Sparrow’s devoted follower in only eight episodes. Honestly, it feels like she was around a whole lot longer than that.

Jaqen H'ghar (18 Episodes)

Jaquen H’ghar (Tom Wlaschiha) had more of an impact on Arya Stark than just about anyone else on Game of Thrones. But what’s crazy to think about is the fact the Faceless Man of Braavos only showed up in 18 episodes, per Wlaschiha’s IMDb profile.

Syrio Forel (3 Episodes)

Syrio Forel (Miltos Yerolemou) was the master swordsman who trained Arya Stark just before her life was turned upside down in the first season of Game of Thrones. Though we never actually saw Syrio die at the hand of Meryn Trant following the Lannisters’ betrayal of House Stark, it is suggested later on in the series that the Bravos sword-fighter never made it out of King's Landing, ending his run at three episodes.

Brynden 'Blackfish' Tully (7 Episodes)

Brynden “Blackfish” Tully (Clive Russell) played a large part in the middle seasons of Game of Thrones, and you wouldn’t be alone in thinking that he had an episode count in the double digits. However, the uncle of Catelyn, Lysa, and Edmure Tully had no such luck, and he had a rather brief run with only seven episodes. According to Russell’s IMDb page, Tully last appeared in the Season 6 episode titled “No One.”

Robin Arryn (9 Episodes)

Robin Arryn (Lino Facioli), a character whose appearance changed greatly over the course of Game of Thrones, was also one of the strangest of the bunch. The son of Lysa Arryn and cousin of the Stark children, appeared in parts of five seasons, including the first and last, but only showed up nine times total. 

Ros (14 Episodes)

Ros (Esme Bianco) was one of the most beautiful characters during the first three seasons of Game of Thrones, as well as one who crossed paths with iconic figures like Tyrion Lannister, Theon Greyjoy, Jon Snow, and several others during her time on the show. However, though she was a prominent supporting character, Ros only appeared in a total of 14 episodes, the final being the Season 3 episode titled “The Climb,” per the actress’ IMDb profile.

Yohn Royce (13 Episodes)

It felt like Yohn Royce (Rupert Vansittart), Lord of Runestone and man of varying loyalties, was always there in one way or another, but he actually wasn’t in that many episodes of Game of Thrones. In fact, he only popped up in 13 episodes throughout the final five seasons of the popular HBO fantasy series, according to Vansittart’s IMDb profile.

Shireen Baratheon (10 Episodes)

Shireen Baratheon (Kerry Ingram), whose tragic and traumatic death in Game of Thrones Season 5 is still burned in our memory years later, was only on the show for 10 episodes. And while it’s easy to think the daughter of Stannis Baratheon was around more than that, Ingram’s filmography on IMDb has her down for not even a dozen episodes.

Though these characters were only a part of the Game of Thrones cast for a small number of episodes, they all had an impact during their lives as well as long after they crossed over into the afterlife.

Many already loved Bella Ramsey for playing arguably the best Game of Thrones character, Lyanna Mormont. However, the powerhouse talent truly shined when they starred in another A+ HBO TV show, The Last of Us. Ramsey played 14-year-old Ellie, a young woman who’s immune to the infection that led to the post-apocalyptic world she lives in. Given all of the praise and Emmy attention this young actor has been getting, Ramsey's profile has risen, and they reacted to the “weird” increase in fame they've experienced as of late.

The Last of Us earned HBO's second-biggest series premiere ratings and has been nominated for numerous awards. So it was pretty much a given that increases in fame would be the result for the stars. While on the carpet of the Gotham Awards, Bella Ramsey spoke to ET about the somewhat rise in their celebrity status that came from just starring in one season of the video game adaptation series, and they were quite honest about it:

I can understand those sentiments, as it's likely hard to predict a project's eventual impact at the time you sign on. This all may be "bizarre" for the rising star, but it's definitely deserved. When Bella Ramsey started their career as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, they were afraid of being typecast. From there, Ramsey moved on to another medieval production, which was the dramatization of Lady Jane Grey's life in Starz’s Becoming Elizabeth, so one can see why they feared being limited to one genre. TLoU is definitely a far cry from those pieces, and really allowed 20-year-old to flex their acting muscles and try new material.

Based on past comments they've made, the Catherine Called Birdy star is content with the work. But of course, there are side effects to that, such as being widely recognized when they're out and about. The actor had the following to say when discussing that aspect of their life:

It's good to hear that people are "nice" when approaching Bella Ramsey, as fan encounters can certainly vary. I can only imagine how much their fame will soar once The Last of Us Season 2 comes out. As production was delayed due to the Hollywood strikes, HBO reportedly locked down season two’s start, and filming is set to start on January 7, 2024. And apparently, one script was completed before the WGA Strike began. We may have to wait a bit longer to see Ellie and Joel on screen again, but it's great that the ball is indeed rolling now.

Bella Ramsey’s surge in fame will likely continue, should they continue to dazzle audiences with their impeccable work. But if anything, it sounds like they're managing to adjust to the changes accordingly. Let's hope Ramsey continues to shine -- and continues to have "nice" interactions with admirers as their notoriety increases.

You can can the actor and the rest of the cast in The Last of Us Season 1 using a Max subscription. The show may not be back for a while, but in the meantime, look at the 2024 TV schedule for info on new and returning shows that are set to arrive.

The Last of Us Season 2 was in the very early stages of coming together when the WGA strike kicked off, with showrunner Craig Mazin revealing he’d finished one script when everything shut down. Now that we’re in a post-strike world, the HBO hit is gearing up for production on its second round of heartbreaking episodes, and a new casting rumor points to an A+ actress being eyed for the role of the polarizing video game antagonist Abby Anderson: Kaitlyn mother-fluffing Dever.

The new rumor comes from The Insneider, which reports that Last Man Standing vet and No One Will Save You star Kaitlyn Dever is quite possibly the talent that Mazin brought up in August when he claimed to have found TLoU’s Abby. The actress is said to be in talks to take on the part, with negotiations unable to get worked out whenever the SAG-AFTRA strike was still ongoing. And I’m not sure I’ve ever wished so hard for a casting rumor to be true. 

Why Kaitlyn Dever Would Make Perfect Sense To Play Abby

First off, it’s a matter of talent, with Dever serving up winning performances in everything she signs on for, from Justified to Book Smart to The Front Runner and everything in between. Plus, she’s certainly capable of delivering grounded and emotional performances in projects that tap into dark, disturbing, and poignant subject matter. 

Look no further than Dever’s powerful work in the Netflix limited series Unbelievable to see how excellent she is at playing a stunted and scarred character caught up in a complicated situation. But let’s not forget her equally excellent portrayals in Hulu’s Dopesick or the streaming service’s horror anthology Monsterland. 

Not that she can’t also tap into more light-hearted and/or comedic roles. Last year saw her taking on the lead role in the Romeo & Juliet riff Rosaline and the George Clooney/Julia Roberts rom-com Ticket to Paradise. Her A+ work in this year’s alien invasion thriller No One Will Save You will soon be followed by Taika Waititi’s sports comedy Next Goal Wins. While Abby isn’t necessarily known for her stand-up comedy routines, she’s a human being, after all, and is far from being the kind of monster that TV antagonists usually shape out to be. 

Abby’s story from The Last Of Us Part II is full of spoilers that shouldn’t be discussed here, but suffice to say she’s a rounded character that deserves to be played by someone who excels at being both warm and menacing, sympathetic and murderous. And even if she’s not six feet tall and bulletproof, Dever can deliver the goods. 

Kaitlyn Dever Was Nearly Cast As Ellie 

Back when The Last of Us was in the early stages of development, Kaitlyn Dever was essentially the go-to actress that fans brought up when dream-casting the role of the scrappy teen survivor Ellie, regardless of age factors. She seemingly had a foot in the door by way of working with game director and TV show co-creator Neil Druckmann on the 2016 hit Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and said that she would have loved to do it around that time. 

Alas, the role eventually went to Game of Thrones vet Bella Ramsey, who knocked it out of the park with their performance opposite Pedro Pascal’s Joel. As such, it’s hard to have any long-lasting regrets about Dever missing out on the role. But as far as any unresolved feelings go, maybe those can be squashed by Dever joining the show as Abby.

Here’s hoping Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann made the choice that we’re all hoping they’d make by bringing Kaitlyn Dever into Season 2, even if it’s not as Abby. (Though that would mean they’d need to create another super-important co-antagonist, which may be too much trouble.) While waiting to see where things go from here, all of Season 1 can be streamed in full with a Max subscription, and check out all the upcoming horror TV shows that are also on the way.

Award shows like the Emmys, Oscars and Tonys are incredible platforms to recognize actors for their work. But, with a growing number of critically-acclaimed actors who identify as nonbinary in contention for acting awards, such as The Last of Us’ Bella Ramsey and The Crown’s Emma Corrin, Hollywood has been having an ongoing discussion about whether gender-neutral award categories are the future.

More and more award shows have been switching to gender neutral acting categories as of late, including the MTV Movie and TV Awards, Gotham Awards and the Independent Spirit Awards. Those shows have opted for “Best Lead Performance” or “Best Actor in a Movie” depending on the award show, as to include everyone rather than splitting them by gender. Let’s take a look at the actors who have spoken out about gender-neutral awards in recent years. 

Bella Ramsey 

One of the big contenders at the upcoming Emmys is Bella Ramsey for their incredible performance in HBO’s The Last of Us. The young nonbinary star received their first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. The decision to submit as an actress admittedly made Ramsey feel “uncomfortable” as she told Vanity Fair. When asked about their thoughts on gender-neutral awards, Ramsey said this: 

Ramsey has previously shared that their gender has “always been very fluid” with people referring to them as “she” and “he” throughout their life and coming to the conclusion that “they” pronouns feel like the “most truthful” way for them to express their identity. Ramsey doesn’t know what the right answer is for award shows, but their voice provides us with some context around this subject.

Emma Corrin

Another actor who has been vocal about their hopes for gender neutral awards is Emma Corrin, who was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2021 for portraying Princess Diana in The Crown. The nonbinary star, who also uses they/them pronouns, said this to BBC News in November 2022 regarding making acting awards more inclusive: 

Corrin believes this industry change is bigger than making them feel more comfortable when they are nominated for awards. The Crown actor feels that more inclusion in Hollywood itself is where it all starts. 

Jameela Jamil 

Following the recent push from actors like Ramsey and Corrin to be better represented at award shows, The Good Place’s Jameela Jamil shared her thoughts on Instagram earlier this summer about the topic, too. In her words: 

Jamil brought up the valid concern of if more award shows stop gendering the acting awards, it may become unequal for women, or perhaps even minorities in general, who are already shut out of awards races as is. Ramsey actually responded to Jamil’s idea, saying they feel “weird about their being a whole new category.” Apparently, the online conversation allowed Jamil and Ramsey to have some friendly discussions in the DMs on the subject. 

Asia Kate Dillon 

Hopes for gender-neutral award categories goes back further than the past year. Orange is the New Black’s Asia Kate Dillon actually wrote a letter to the Television Academy back in 2017 calling for the elimination of gendered categories. As Dillon wrote (via Them): 

When award season comes around, there’s always talk of there being too many categories, so it could assist with that issues, but the change would actually make things worse if predominantly male actors are nominated in a combined category. Though, just as Dillon shares, why is it necessary to split the performance awards by gender in the first place? 

Emma D’Arcy

Another actor who identifies as nonbinary and is getting major award buzz as of late is Emma D’Arcy, for their performance in House of the Dragon. Similar to their colleagues, D’Arcy was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama at the 2023 Golden Globes. D’Arcy shared a lot of grace and excitement about being nominated at all with these words: 

When you think about it, Hollywood has never had this conversation on a wider scale, simply because this many nonbinary actors have never been nominated basically at once and given a platform to share their thoughts on award categories. The fact that the industry is having this conversation a lot more lately shows growth in of itself, even if an answer has yet to be found. 

Liv Hewson 

Though, not every non-binary actor is content with just being nominated at all. Yellowjackets star Liv Hewson decided not to submit themselves to the Emmys because of feeling alienated by the gendered categories. In their words: 

Hewson made a point that when it comes to technical categories like Best Director, Best Cinematography, and so forth, those awards are not gendered. So, why are they for actors? 

Jamie Lee Curtis 

Academy award winner Jamie Lee Curtis has not only been in Hollywood for all her life, she has a trans daughter, who she is always showing support for. When Curtis was asked about her thoughts on gender-neutral acting categories in early 2023 by the NY Times, while on the award trail, the Halloween actress made her own points: 

It’s no wonder this is such a debate! Is the answer splitting the categories by the gender of the character? Splitting up the categories more by genre to give more actors a shot? The answer is not yet clear. 

Hugh Jackman 

As each of these actors’ perspectives offer food for thought about the future of gender-neutral award categories, we’ll end things off with some words from Hugh Jackman, who showed his allyship for making the change last year (via Metro). Here are his thoughts: 

Perhaps, as the question gets to more and more major stars like Jackman, the conversation will lead to more balance in inclusion during awards season? We imagine this subject will continue to be a hot topic in Hollywood for years to come, especially as talented nonbinary stars like Bella Ramsey, Emma D’Arcy and so forth continue to offer up award-worthy performances. 

HBO’s The Last of Us made waves while it was airing, and it’s not just because of how crazy accurate it is to the beloved video game franchise. There’s also been a lot of praise for the cast and the show's two leads, Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, who play Ellie and Joel. While she perfectly fits the character, mannerisms included, she also represents the queer community, with a storyline focusing on Ellie and Storm Reid’s Riley, Ellie’s friend and crush who gets infected. Overall, this storyline was heartbreaking, moving and important for both Ellie and fans, and now the actress behind the main character is talking about the importance of queer representation on TLOU.

In an interview with L’officiel, Bella Ramsey discussed Ellie and Riley's important storyline and how connected she was to it. Their friendship was a special one, and being the person she is, all Ellie cared about was Riley. In the episode “Left Behind,” it was clear that there was something more between them, as was the case in the game. Many loved this storyline, and now Ramsey is opening up about what she adored about it, saying it didn’t matter whether Ellie was gay or not or who cared because that’s just the world we live in. The actress said:

While The Last of Us is ultimately a story about the apocalypse and survival, they've done a beautiful job working in heartfelt and tender storylines, like Ellie and Riley's story told through flashbacks as well as Bill and Frank's episode. These were also great ways to include queer representation and normalize it through vital arcs throughout the series.

The other queer relationship highlighted in the show came from Nick Offerman’s Bill and Murray Bartlett's Frank in Episode 3, “Long, Long Time.” As survivors of the outbreak, the two grew close and started dating, and through years of love, happiness, loss, and pain, ultimately ending in the two dying. Not wanting to live without Frank, who had a terminal illness, Bill takes the pills as well, and they die together. Bella Ramsey praised this episode as well as her own with Reid and the representation they both bring. She also noted how organic it all felt, even in the middle of an apocalypse:

While some fans were mad about The Last of Us' LGBTQ+ storyline, queer representation, in whatever capacity, is so important, and so many viewers of the HBO series loved and praised these two episodes. Being able to do these flashback episodes while also tying into the present in the midst of an apocalypse has been a great way to dig deeper into other characters, and I hope that continues.

With a second season of TLOU announced, it’s going to be interesting to see what other The Last of Us storylines from Part II will be brought into the mix. Both Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will be returning for Season 2, and the Ellie actor will notably be playing an older version of her iconic character, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

You can stream the entire first season of The Last of Us with an HBO Max subscription.

Bella Ramey has been in the acting game for a few years now, but 2023 has truly been their year, thanks in great part to HBO’s The Last of Us. The young actor played the fan-favorite role of Ellie on the acclaimed video game adaptation and, quite frankly, they gave one of the best performances of the year so far. Fans, as you’d expect, are already eager to see more of Ramsey in the role and, luckily, the series was renewed for a second season. It unfortunately appears that it’s going to be a while before those new episodes are with us, though. Yet on the bright side, Ramsey has a whole other show on the way, which they’ll wrap on before TLoU even resumes production. 

Time – a drama series produced by the BBC – has tapped Bella Ramsey as one of the leads of its second season. While specifics on the plot are scarce, Deadline reports that this new batch of episodes will be set to the backdrop of a women’s prison and see Ramsey play the role of Kelsey. In addition, the 19-year-old star will get to perform alongside veteran actress Jodie Whittaker, who’s probably best known to fans for her stint on Doctor Who. Also part of the cast are Downton Abbey alum Siobhan Finneran (who appeared in the show’s first season) and Tamara Lawrance of The Silent Twins. Upon their casting, Ramsey released a statement, and it sounds like they’re excited to get to work:

Production is reportedly set to kick off in Liverpool and, while a specific start date was not given, the report indicates that filming will begin soon. And based on Bella Ramsey’s statement, the shoot shouldn’t last all that long. This is a solid Last of Us follow-up for them, as it’ll give the performer an opportunity to further flex their dramatic acting muscles. Should the season match the emotional complexity of the characters in Season 1, Ramsey should have a very layered role on their hands, too.

Created by Jimmy McGovern, Time tells stories involving individuals linked to the United Kingdom’s criminal justice system. The first season saw Game of Thrones alum Sean Bean play an incarcerated man navigating his dangerous and unpredictable new reality in prison all while dealing with guilt stemming from his crime. He eventually meets an upstanding officer (Stephen Graham) who attempts to protect him but must weigh the cost and benefits of doing so. The crime drama received critical acclaim, earning Best Mini-Series and Best Actor (for Bean) at the BAFTA TV Awards. 

Bella Ramsey definitely is stepping into a production with a high level of notoriety (though it’s not like they don’t know what that feels like). There’s not a doubt in my mind that the Catherine Called Birdy star will rise to the occasion. After seeing their Emmy-worthy work in The Last of Us and performances in other projects, I’d say they can do just about anything. Also, I think what most excites me about Ramsey’s latest endeavor is the prospect of them rubbing shoulders with Jodie Whittaker, who’s a force in her own right.

As sweet as all of this is though, I’d be lying if I said I’m not still thinking about the future of The Last of Us, which delivered a truly compelling finale. When discussing a possible timeframe, Bella Ramsey said “it'll probably be the end of 2024, early 2025.” That’s a lot of waiting, but it’ll all be worth it if Season 2 is as good as the first. Plus, we’re now incredibly fortunate because we’ll get to see more of Ramsey beforehand.

The first season of Time can be streamed by anyone with a BritBox subscription, and, if you’d like to check out The Last of Us, watch it using an HBO Max subscription. Do yourself a favor and take a look at CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule for release details on the year’s biggest premieres.

Interestingly, Bella Ramsey has a couple of things in common with her fellow The Last of Us cast member, Pedro Pascal — the Joel to her Ellie on HBO’s series adaptation of the popular, acclaimed video game. Both of them have been a part of the Game of Thrones cast — he as Oberyn Martell and she as Lyanna Mormont — and neither of them have joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, I would not be surprised if her opportunity to star in any upcoming superhero movies is just right around the corner, and not just because she is such a tour de force acting talent.

While the character that Ramsey plays on The Last of Us is a 14-year-old girl, the British actor is almost 20 in real life. It is her ability to portray a young adult so believably that convinces me she has a great shot at an MCU introduction in the near future, considering how the next slate of Marvel movies are bringing in a new generation of younger Avengers — such as Xochitl Gomez’s American Chavez and Kathryn Newton’s Cassie “Stinger” Lang — to take over things. For if and when that opportunity arises, we thought we would give Kevin Feige and company a few ideas for Marvel characters that she would be a great fit for — starting with this nearly unstoppable fan favorite.

Squirrel Girl

What makes Ellie such a special character on The Last of Us is not just her mysterious immunity to the mutated Cordyceps variant, but her remarkable resilience in the face of danger. Of course, her ability to survive the traumatic and deadly circumstances thrown her way are certainly not for a lack of trying, which is why I think it would be only fair to cut Ramsey a little break and cast her as someone who, seemingly, does not have to try very hard at all to survive against even the most threatening adversaries.

Doreen Gray is a mutant better known as Squirrel Girl for possessing many of the same abilities as the furry little creature that inspired her name — such as tree climbing, night vision, squirrel telepathy, and a big, bushy tail. However, she is not to be trifled with, having rarely ever lost a fight — laying waste to the likes of Thanos and Ego. If cast, I believe that Ramsey would do a great job portraying her as both a badass and positive free-spirit. 

Gwenpool

Speaking of being both a badass and a positive free-spirit, that is a pretty good description for Gwenpool — who is not a cross between Spider-Man character Gwen Stacy and Deadpool, in case you were wondering. She is a typical teenager whose vast knowledge of the Marvel Multiverse finally pays off in a big way when she is magically transported into the comic book world and decides to try out the superhero lifestyle herself.

I mentioned earlier how Bella Ramsey has the uncanny ability to portray a teenager and that is just one reason why she would get my vote to don the old pink and whites as Gwendolyn Poole. I believe that her expert mastery of snark as Ellie on The Last of Us suggests that she would hold her own flawlessly opposite the also famously snarky Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool — a team-up that I am desperate to see happen on screen someday.

Kitty Pryde

The only caveat that would come with her being cast as Gwenpool is that, to maintain accuracy to the source material, she would be required to die her hair blonde. In that case, I figured we should keep in more characters who are also brunettes. However, I promise that is not the only reason I thought of Kitty Pryde as a good candidate for the actor to play when the MCU’s forthcoming X-Men movies reboot becomes a reality.

Also known by her fellow mutant crimefighting colleagues as Shadowcat, for her ability to phase through solid objects, Pryde can also camouflage her skin and even travel through different planes of existence (which was, sort of, adapted to film when she was able to send Wolverine’s mind back to the 1970s in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past). That time travel movie favorite was actually the last time that we saw the character on the big screen, and I believe that utilizing Ramsey’s charming personality and growing action star status would make for a grand return.

Troll

One of the lesser known credits on Bella Ramsey’s resume so far is voicing the title role of the Netflix original animated fantasy TV show, Hilda, which is based on Luke Pearson’s books that follow an 11-year-old who embarks on a series of wondrous adventures in the enchanted town beyond her forest home. In 2021, the platform released a feature-length spin-off called Hilda and the Mountain King, in which our young hero wakes up to find that she has been magical turned into a troll. That gave me an interesting idea for what her MCU debut could be.

“Troll” is the alias of Gunna Sijurvald, not because her costume happens to resemble the prolific figure of Norse mythology, but because half of her lineage is derived from the Troll race (who also raised her for most of her life), with the other half being Asgardian on her mother’s side. She would make her first appearance alongside a team of reformed supervillains called the Thunderbolts whom, as we know, are getting their own movie in 2024. We will just have to see if there are plans to introduce this character in that movie and if Ramsey can take the job.

Emily Bright

If there are not any plans to bring Troll into the MCU anytime soon, I have another idea that also just happens to be inspired by an entirely different family-friendly fantasy series exclusive to Netflix that Ramsey starred on. Based on the novels by Jill Murphy, The Worst Witch follows a young girl named Mildred Hubble (Ramsey), who is given the chance to learn the art of witchcraft at the mountaintop school, Cackle’s Academy. Who says that the actor’s magical mentorship needs to stop at this obscure show that sounds an awful like a certain blockbuster YA novel franchise?

While they MCU pretty much already gave Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) a young mentee in the form of America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I believe there is still room for Emily Bright, who became a student of the Sorcerer Supreme’s Strange Academy in the comics fairly recently. I believe that she would be a fun addition to this magic-wielding world within the MCU, especially if Ramsey were to take on the role.

On the other hand, with all of the darker roles that Bella Ramsey has taken on more recently, maybe something from the upcoming DC movies slate would be better suited for her?

The Last of Us has officially finished its first season on HBO and, like so many people, I’m still thinking about it. Going in, I had faith in co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (who co-created the franchise), but I never could’ve imagined they’d deliver something so brilliant. The post-apocalyptic drama is easily the greatest video game adaptation of all time and, when it’s all said it done, it may be named one of TV’s finest programs ever. Considering the praise these first nine episodes have received, it’s safe to assume that the show will be in the mix at the Primetime Emmys. And there are a few specific awards I’d love to see it win.

Unlike the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a lot friendlier towards genre-leaning fare. So the chances of TLoU scoring an honor or two are solid. This is still a golden age for TV, however, and the series will face some fierce competition. Nevertheless, there are plenty of Emmys that it should seriously be considered for, so let’s discuss those honors, shall we:

Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series

At this point, I think most would agree that The Last Of Us includes a roster of exceptional actors. It goes without saying that co-leads Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey excel as Joel and Ellie, respectively, but the supporting cast is also downright impeccable. From Nico Parker (Sarah) and Anna Torv (Tess) to Gabriel Luna (Tommy) and Nick Offerman (Bill), everyone harnesses the essence of their characters while putting their own spin on them. Veteran casting director Victoria Thomas deserves a lot of credit for assembling such a talented group. She’s already won a casting Emmy for her work on fellow acclaimed HBO original Watchmen, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she does it again with TLoU.

Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Period Or Fantasy Program (One Hour Or More)

An aspect of the series that constantly amazed me during the first season was the production design. The sets created by John Paino and his team are nothing short of amazing. The group managed to seamlessly recreate locations from the game like moss-covered cityscapes and fungus-infested dwellings (which house infected). The hotel from the second episode is incredibly impressive. and Episode 7's mall (which included stores like Victoria's Secret and an arcade) is one of the most expansive and detailed sets I’ve ever seen. You can’t help but appreciate how Paino and co. zeroed in on the details, and their efforts certainly deserve to be honored.

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup

Before any footage of this show was released, I was curious as to whether or not the makeup team would be able to bring The Last of Us’ infected beings to life. Needless to say, they absolutely succeeded in that regard. The creatures were beautifully (and terrifyingly) crafted, and look exactly like their video game counterparts. The makeup on the runners is cool enough, but the practical work that went into making the clickers is jaw-dropping. The high quality of work here shouldn’t be too surprising, as Craig Mazin recruited prosthetics whiz Barrie Gower – who won Emmys for his work on Game of Thrones and Stranger Things. Gower and his collaborators really outdid themselves here, and I’d be shocked if he doesn’t get another win at the big show.

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series

I mean, what can you even say about Craig Mazin and Neil Druckman’s writing? We’re clearly dealing with two master scribes here. But somehow, the man who wrote Chernobyl and the guy who penned the 2013 game on which this series is based outdid themselves. If I’m being honest, just about any one of the nine episodes that make up Season 1 could be nominated for Outstanding Writing. The premiere, "When You're Lost in the Darkness" is incredibly strong – as are installments like “Endure and Survive” and “Left Behind.” The two that I think have the best chances of getting nods (and winning), though, are the warm “Long, Long Time” and the chilling “When We Are in Need.” The former, which we’ll talk more about later, may be the one to do it, but I’d be pleased if Mazin takes home a gold statue for either one.

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

2023 is still young, yet viewers have already seen some amazing performances by actresses, including several on this show alone like Anna Torv and Merle Dandridge. But when it comes to Outstanding Guest Actress, I have to single out Melanie Lynskey. The Yellowjackets star got a surprising role on Last of Us, that of vengeful revolutionary Kathleen Coghlan. Lynskey appeared in only two episodes, but her performance is certainly one for the ages. On the one hand, she’s totally sincere and, on the other, she’s just terrifying. The New Zealand-born actress has been getting some meaty roles as of late and hasn’t wasted a moment she’s on screen. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is awards-worthy work, and I sincerely hope Lynskey grabs her fair share of them.

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series

While HBO’s newest hit has had plenty of talented male actors pop up on the show so far, the two names that immediately come to mind for this Emmy are Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. The two stars took center stage in what many consider to be the show’s best episode thus far – “Long, Long Time.” In it, Offerman plays grizzled survivalist Bill and Murray portrays thoughtful artist Frank, and the installment chronicles their years-long romance. Bill and Frank’s story was greatly altered for the series and, as a result, it allowed the two performers to beautifully showcase their talents. If I had to choose one star to grab the award, I might give the edge to Offerman, who’s underrated as a dramatic actor. Though Bartlett, who won an Emmy for The White Lotus, could easily take it as well.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Time and time again, Pedro Pascal has proven his skills as an actor, but he’s a sheer force in the role of Joel Miller. Like in The Mandalorian, Pascal finds himself playing a reluctant father figure, though Joel proves to be much rawer than Din Djarin. The fan-favorite actor plays the more aggressive aspects of Miller to perfection while also lovingly displaying his warmth. Pascal never misses a beat, as his character evolves over the course of the season. He’s a shoo-in for an Emmy nod, there’s no question about that. I’m just hoping he’s actually able to win the gold.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

And then there’s Bella Ramsey… Those who’ve seen Game of Thrones or Catherine Called Birdy know how skilled Ramsey is as a performer. However, as Ellie, they give career-best work. It’s honestly scary just how much Ramsey channels the beloved video game character. The star naturally conveys Ellie’s youthful curiosity and sense of wonder – as well as that corny and endearing sense of humor. Of course, there’s the teen’s pent-up rage she possesses, which stems from having to grow up in a world ravaged by a fungal infection. The episode that could undoubtedly earn Ramsey an award is “When We Are In Need,” which gives the young actor some heavy material to work with. And honestly, if they don’t get the award for her work, then I’ll be left shocked and a bit saddened. 

Outstanding Drama Series

After reading all of my praises of this show thus far, you probably assumed that I would peg it for Outstanding Drama Series – and it absolutely needs to be in the conversation. Sure, it’s a near-flawless video game adaptation that does justice to its source material. But what’s even more important is that it’s just a well-done TV show in general. Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have a masterpiece on their hands and to see it win this major Emmy would be incredible. 

This year’s Primetime Emmys are still a ways off, but these awards are still worth speculating about now. In the months leading up to the awards, you can rewatch every episode of The Last of Us using an HBO Max subscription. Anyone in need of another show to watch now that it’s over can also take a look at CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule.