It's one of the most reactionary, disgusting shows I've ever seen. Doing apologia for a fascist, racist ideology that's actively committing genocide has to be a new low in television. There's been plenty of reactionary programming but stuff that directly pushes the line of the genociders by an unapologetic fascist writer is just a new low. Demons, these people are demons.

This isn't a little distant fascist metaphor or sympathy. This isn't Frank Miller type stuff. This is far worse and EVERYONE associated with this show is guilty and has the blood of Palestinians on them. Every one of them from actors to especially writers is as OR MORE (given the internet's ability to expose us to the truth and alternative viewpoints) guilty as the people who ran Der Sturmer the Nazi propaganda rag.

The checks these actors draw are written in Palestinian blood and may they NEVER be forgiven for it. Never forgotten for it.

My was going off like crazy within a couple of episodes of this second season. I wasn't trying to do critical analysis but I soon realized there was something insidious and incredibly reactionary, anti-intellectual, anti-human about the ideology the writers were shoveling at the audience. And I realized it wasn't some misanthropic writing device like the 28 Days/Weeks later universe where helping people fucks you over every time, it was obvious they were barely and badly disguising behind fiction a hard push of an ideology from the writers, a sincerely held ideology.

TLOU was only ever successful because it was the first prestige video game. The politics of both the show and the games are really bad. Their plots are unoriginal. The writing in both is dull. The gameplay is not great.

The only good things about the show and the games are the visuals and the acting.

The show (and likely the game, IDK I haven't played it) seemed to go all-in on zionism in season 2. I made it through episode 2 before I was like "The fuck?" and hearing the writer/director commentary left a bad taste in my mouth. They are doing "both sides are equally bad but one of them is worse, actually" with some "Why can't we all get along?"

These statements by them outside of the show with the show including those themes only benefits the oppressor. Isreal started the situation in Palestine decades ago with help from Europeans. There is only one solution: an end to Isreal and for Palestinians to take back what was stolen. Asking the Palestinians to forgive the Israelis for the ongoing genocide is absurd. Yet that's what TLoU wants you to do. It paints armed resistance against your oppressors as "extremist."

Honestly hope it gets canceled, but it sounds like it's going to get a million seasons. I do feel bad for the actors who likely signed up for something they thought sounded neat without knowing about the writer's and director's politics.

So I think Season 1 works. Basically you can just watch Last of Us season 1 and leave it at that and it just works. I also thought the relationship between Joel and Ellie carries the show and as you said Pascal is fun to watch.

Season 2 has some fun setpieces (like the zombie attack on the village) and moments of action but is an overall weaker piece of fiction. Its still prestige TV but it feels pretty mid despite the very high production values.

The depiction of the Seraphites (cultists) and WLF left a bad taste in my mouth. The WLF is clearly meant to be the "civilized" IDF stand in.

Im curious what they plan to do with Season 3 since that one is supposed to be focused on Abbey quite a bit.

Lol this how I learn that was the season finale. Bella Ramsey seems cool, her character is a bratty asshole that I can't stand. Which I guess is a testament to her acting. But yeah, the flashback with Pedro was my fav episode overall, I guess.

I don't care about the political readings at all I just think the show is not very good or interesting, so bored of grimdark post apocalypse shit