The suspense has been hovering for months: how many seasons will The Last of Us have on HBO? First mentioned in three or four seasons, the series could well end sooner than expected. Questioned by Deadline, the boss of HBO, Casey Bloysresponded cryptically but tellingly: “It would seem that this is the case, but for these kinds of decisions, we leave it to the showrunners to decide. So you can ask them the question.”
This voluntary vagueness occurs even though Craig Mazinmain showrunner, affirmed last May that a single season would not be enough to adapt the ending of Naughty Dog’s second game. He said: “I hope we have enough chances to come back and finish fourth. That’s the most likely result.”
A production weakened by departures and criticism
Between the departure of Neil Druckmanco-creator of the series, and the mixed reception of season 2, the creative future of the project has become fragile. Certain acclaimed episodes (notably episode 4, rated 9/10) were not enough to calm the virulent online critics.
The death of Joel (Pedro Pascal) on screen caused a wave of shock, including among spectators who had never played the games. As Mazin reported, he regularly receives the same complaint: “Why did you kill Pedro Pascal?”
He responded with irony and weariness: “It wasn’t us who killed him! He’s a man, he’s alive. He’s fine.” A way of reminding us that the series remains faithful to the original work, despite the difficulty of certain narrative decisions.
Bella Ramsey responds to season 2 haters
Another reaction noted: that of Bella Ramseyinterpreter of Ellie. Faced with the harsh criticism received online after the broadcast of season 2, she chose not to let it get to her: “There is nothing I can do about it. The series is broadcast. Nothing can be changed.”
Asked to comment on the most vociferous spectators, she responded with cutting calm: “If you hate that much, the game exists. You can just play it again.” A sentence that sums up the tension between audience expectations and fidelity to the original work.