Summary
- The Last of Us season 2 will have 7 episodes, reflecting a carefully planned multi-season arc.
- Showrunner Craig Mazin's will focus on character development over rushing the plot.
- Viewers can remain hopeful for further seasons, with season 3 being hinted at.
The Last of Us season 2 has confirmed the episode count for the upcoming season. The Emmy-winning series The Last of Us first hit the small screen in early 2023, stunning audiences with its emotional adaptation of the post-apocalyptic video game of the same name. The Last of Us season 2 has been confirmed, with returning stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey and a new cast that includes Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, and Jeffrey Wright.
Per Deadline, the episode count has been confirmed for The Last of Us season 2 has been confirmed. The season will include seven episodes, making it shorter than TLOU season 1’s nine-episode run. Showrunner Craig Mazin explained that this decision came down to the fact that The Last of Us: Part II video game is far more content-rich than the first game, leading him and co-creator Neil Druckmann to have to think about how to expand the story over a multi-season arc rather than condense it to an overstuffed nine episodes. Check out the full quote from Mazin below:
The story material that we got from Part II of the game is way more than the story material that was in the first game, so part of what we had to do from the start was figure out how to tell that story across seasons. When you do that, you look for natural breakpoints, and as we laid it out, this season, the national breakpoint felt like it came after seven episodes.
Why The Last of Us Season 2 Episode Count Is Good News
The Show Could Run For Multiple Future Seasons
Though those invested in the long wait for The Last of Us season 2 may be disappointed at the truncated season 2, there are several reasons why this is good news for the series. The multi-season plan means Mazin is hopeful about The Last of Us season 3 or even 4’s renewal. In the same interview, Mazin mentioned that “season 3 will be significantly larger,” and also makes reference to season 4. While The Last of Us season 3, has not been confirmed, Mazin’s plan would suggest that it is likely.
This means that Mazin, Druckmann, and the rest of the Last of Us team will be able to take their time with season 2. The Last of Us season 1 found its greatest strengths when it slowed down and expounded upon stories alluded to in the game, such as the oft-praise episode “Long, Long Time,” which expanded the story of Bill and Frank. If Mazin and his team have found a good break point in the show, they will hopefully be better equipped to take their time with the story and focus on vital character beats rather than rushing the plot.
The most optimistic part of Mazin’s interview is that he has a carefully thought-out plan for future seasons. Rather than dilute the game’s content, The Last of Us will hopefully show respect for its source material by giving it a multi-season arc. The success of this plan will hinge on the renewal of the series, but with the way The Last of Us season 1 kicked off, that renewal seems likely.
