Catherine O'Hara is a Canadian-American actress and comedian whom most TV audiences will recognize from something, with roles in beloved movies like Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt's Creek. She joins The Last of Us season 2's cast as a character named Gail, whom video game players were curious about, given that she's original to the TV series. Episode 1 reveals a great deal about her character, and using additional information from The Last of Us Part II, there's plenty to ascertain about who she is and what her role is going to be in the season's events.
Catherine O'Hara Plays A Therapist Named Gail In The Last Of Us Season 2
Gail Is Joel's Therapist In Jackson In The Last Of Us Season 2
The Jackson commune, run by Tommy and Maria, is one of the few safe havens left in an infected-ridden America, and it's surprising to see just how civilized it is compared to most areas visited by Joel and Ellie in season 1. From what we see in season 2's premiere, Jackson has a tavern, an organized system of government, and a complicated societal structure managed by our protagonists. With that in mind, it's no surprise that Jackson has a therapist, a role that's fulfilled by Catherine O'Hara's character, Gail.
In a conversation with Dina, another new character in the TV adaptation who is drawn from the game, Joel reveals that he's seeing a therapist, where he's working on strategies to repair his relationship with Ellie. Later in the episode, we see Joel in his session with Gale, and it's an intense, abnormal therapy experience defined by brutal honesty and tainted by personal biases. He also pays for the service with a material exchange gained from his scavenging, and the pair drink while having their session. Beggars can't be choosers in an apocalyptic society, I suppose.
Joel tries to share what he can about his relationship with Ellie, but there are critical details he's sworn to secrecy. He can't reveal that Ellie is immune, and he also can't reveal that he murdered an entire ecosystem of Fireflies at a hospital. Gail may once have abided by doctor-patient confidentiality, but the stakes here affect everyone. Gail catches on to the fact that Joel is hiding something and, already losing her filter from being tipsy, she interrogates him, stating that there's nothing she can do if he isn't willing to reveal the full story.
Gail Is Not A Character In The Last Of Us Video Games
Gail Is Eugene's Wife, But She's Original To The Show
As mentioned, Gail isn't a character in The Last of Us Part II, continuing a trend from season 1 of expanding on the material from the games. For example, season 1 introduced the character Kathleen for the Kansas City plotline, creating a central antagonist for a multi-episode arc. They also heavily expanded on Frank and Bill, with the former barely being mentioned in the game. The involvement of these original characters embellished the TV show's first season, providing fresh dynamics to surprise game players and contributing to the prestige television aspect of the adaptation.
That said, Catherine O'Hara's Gail still has some connections to characters from the game. The Last of Us Part II includes multiple mentions of a character named Eugene, as does the season 2 premiere, and Gail is revealed to be Eugene's widow. In the game, Eugene had a wife named Claire but joined the Fireflies, leaving her and their daughter behind. It seems like the TV show's Gail married Eugene after meeting in Jackson, so she doesn't necessarily detract from his game story, though there are some interesting characteristics about Eugene that make it curious that he had a wife.
What Happened To Gail's Husband, Eugene
Joel Killed Eugene Before Season 2 Began
The Last of Us season 2 premiere suggests that Joel killed Eugene on one of their patrols, leading to Gail feeling a profound disdain for Joel. This is a major shift from Eugene in the video games, who we only discover in the early chapters after his death from a stroke. Dina and Ellie discover an abandoned library in the game, which they uncover that Eugene had been using as a private outpost, leading them to believe he isolated himself due to loneliness in his later years. If the show pursues a similar route, this could imply a rift in Gail and Eugene's marriage.
In Gail's outpost, Dina and Ellie found a number of curious things. Eugene was known for his fascination with tinkering with electronics, which is the main front for the library. However, underground, they discover a collection of pornographic films and a marijuana grow room. It's worth noting that The Last of Us outbreak happened in 2003 in the TV show, so his possession and growth of marijuana could be seen as considerably more taboo. This could be uncovered in episode 2 since The Sopranos star Joe Pantoliano is cast in the role, meaning there might be some flashbacks.
Gail's Hatred For Joel Explained
Gail Hates Joel For His Involvement In Her Husband's Death
The Last of Us TV series, like the video game, has commonly explored themes surrounding revenge, so it's no surprise to see Catherine O'Hara's character thematically linked in some capacity. In the therapy session with Joel, Gail reveals that she's helping him but that her harshness stems from hating him because of his involvement in her husband's death. Due to the nature of how Eugene died, she knows rationally that Joel doesn't deserve her hate, yet she feels that way anyway.
The likely purpose of incorporating Gail as a therapist is to examine the internal conflict that can be experienced from hatred.
The likely purpose of incorporating Gail as a therapist is to examine the internal conflict that can be experienced from hatred. In many cases in The Last of Us franchise, we see characters forced to choose between options that might provide happiness and others that could satisfy the primal urge for hatred and revenge. Gail's revelation shows that the latter path is immensely difficult to resist, even for someone with a strong emotional understanding, and that a person can simultaneously experience those dark feelings and the acknowledgment that surrendering to them is morally wrong.
