If we’ve learned anything from watching The Last Of Us, it’s that pockets of happiness are hard to find in a post-apocalyptic world, so cling on when you do. They’re always going to be fleeting, as evidenced once again by the latest episode of the series in which we learned about Ellie’s (played by Bella Ramsey) backstory and the devastating loss of her best friend – and first love – Riley (Storm Reid), as they have the “best night of their lives” in an abandoned mall.
In retrospect, we should have seen what was coming in episode seven. But even if we had guessed, it doesn’t make it any easier watching (and instantly connecting with) a new character, only to have them dead less than an hour later.
It’s become something of a formula for The Last Of Us: introduce character, fall in love with them, kill them, so much so that Sundays/Mondays have become so depressingly predictable that even the true fans are feeling beaten down by the relentlessness of it all.
First Tess! And Frank ‘n’ Bill! Then Henry and Sam! And now, Riley? Viewers on social media have, quite honestly, had it. Over on Twitter, one user commented: “The Last of Us just rips out whatever’s left of your heart from the previous week every Sunday night,” while another person quipped the J-Coolidge murdering-gays meme: “The Last Of Us creating the most beautiful devastating gay love stories week after week:”
It’s becoming a trend, as another viewer said: “Here I am again guys for episode 7 of the last of us (I cannot believe they would do this to me).” You better believe it, as someone else pointed out: “Whoever wrote The Last Of Us has got to be the most depressed person on the planet and found a way to take us down with them.” They’ve got a point.
Still, just three more episodes for us to be done over on. As one commentator on The Last Of Us Reddit page puts it after watching next week’s trailer: “Sees new character on episode preview screen. Internally prepares to be emotionally tormented.” No point quitting now, we’re just going to have to keep on being devastated until the finale.
The Last Of Us continues weekly on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.
