Part 2/10:
The second season was built upon the controversial narrative choices originally made in The Last of Us Part II, released five years ago. When that game came out, it was met with fierce backlash from a sizable portion of the franchise's fanbase. Critics and players alike criticized the story for its creative decisions, character arcs, and overall tone, which many felt betrayed the spirit of the original game.
This divisiveness was so pronounced that it essentially damaged the franchise's reputation in the gaming community. Fast-forward to the adaptation for TV, and the pattern repeated itself. The decision to bring such a contentious story to a mainstream audience proved to be a gamble that did not pay off, with ratings suffering dramatically.