‘The Last of Us’ Showrunners Want to Avoid Filler Episodes in Future Seasons

The Last of Us has been garnering considerable acclaim with its first three episodes. Its tender love story and heartening moments amidst a grim world have astonished viewers and critics alike, culminating in an emotional finale. The show is already deviating from the game by amplifying minor plot elements into grandiose narratives- demonstrating that it stands on its own as one of the finest productions around today!

HBO has just granted its approval for the long-awaited second season, and those familiar with the game will have a sense of what’s to come. The Last of Us Part II was one of Sony and Naughty Dog’s biggest successes in 2020, featuring an even more ambitious storyline than before.

The showrunners, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, have revealed that it will take more than one season to tell the story. Furthermore, Mazin has delved deeper into this matter with further information in an appearance on The Playlist’s Bingeworthy podcast:

“We pretty much cover the first game in this first season. The remaining material is quite a bit more involved and rather extensive in comparison to the first game. There’s really no way to tell the story of the second game in one season. And when you look at how we adapted The Last of Us in this season, you can already see where it’s not just the story that’s there; sometimes it’s these other stories we want to tell. We really want the freedom to do it right.”

Brace yourself, the show is not going to slow down anytime soon!

“The one thing I insist on is never boring people and never putting out filler episodes. They’ve got to stand on their own and be compelling – always! But I think that, as we continue, the rest of it can’t be told in just one season. That said, however long it takes to tell that story, that’s exactly as long as we will take and no more. This is not something that goes on forever. It has an end, and we write toward an end.”

If the developers of The Last of Us Part II wish to keep up with their game’s timeline, then fans may have a bit of a wait before they can get their hands on the third installment. Nevertheless, this gives them an opportunity to turn it into something else entirely – by creating seasons 4 and 5 for HBO’s series adaptation! Only time will tell what Naughty Dog has in store for us.

Despite what lies ahead, the fate of HBO’s The Last of Us appears promising. Unfortunately, however, we cannot make similar predictions for its heroic characters.

The Last of Us airs Sundays on HBO.