Spoilers Ahead for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 4, “Day One”Most lovers of peak television will agree that The Last of Us is something special. Not only is it possibly the best video game adaptation, but it’s also one of the best modern TV series. Aside from a few rip-your-heart-out moments, the second season has kept up the high bar set by the first. But no show is perfect, and there are always elements to critique in good faith. But sadly, the negative reviews for The Last of Us’ most recent episode are not an example of this.
Season 2, Episode 4, “Day One,” has received mostly positive reviews from fans and critics. However, negative and one-star reviews have accumulated thanks to the love scene between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced). Sadly, review-bombing and derision as “woke” have become more and more common thanks to the endless online culture wars. These reviews don’t discuss anything substantive about the show or offer any fresh takes. It’s just “non-straight romance = bad.” It’s a shame, as “Day One” was one of the show’s strongest outings. Consider this your final spoiler warning.
What Happens in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Episode 4, “Day One”?
“Day One” opens with a flashback to 2018 (and an unexpected Josh Peck jump scare). We see how Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright, reprising his voice role from the games) defected from FEDRA to lead the Washington Liberation Front rebel group. Meanwhile, in 2029, Ellie and Dina explore the ruined Seattle in their quest to find and kill the WLF members who killed Joel. This includes a ride through the city’s famously queer-friendly Capitol Hill district. But being born well after the apocalypse, the two ironically have no idea what the rainbow flags and “Pride” murals represent. The episode also incorporates a fan-favorite musical moment from the game when Ellie plays “Take On Me.”
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Throughout the episode, we also cut back to present-day Isaac, who is fully in command of the WLF. He tortures a Seraphite/Scar for information on their next attack, only to kill him when he refuses to give up any information. It’s a phenomenal introduction to this ruthless militia leader, and a worthy reminder for those who remember him from the game. Getting back to Ellie and Dina, the episode dials the action up to a 10 by placing them directly between a WLF squad and a horde of infected underneath the WLF’s hideout. Dina’s realization when she sees Ellie’s bite wound is heartbreaking all over again, though Ellie is thankfully able to convince her bestie of her immunity.
When it’s clear that Ellie will live, Dina confesses that she is pregnant by her ex-boyfriend Jesse, and she and Ellie embrace in an emotional love scene. Take a wild guess as to what plot point was the source of the review bombs. Obviously, not everyone has to like The Last of Us. You can even think the critics are completely wrong in their praise. But negatively attacking an episode once again due to a queer love scene is so tired. And it’s not even the first time that it’s happened.
Why Is That ‘Last of Us’ Episode Getting Hate?
HBO
As of May 7, three days after the episode’s release, “Day One” has over 15,000 user ratings on IMDb. 3,300 (21.9%) drew the perfect 10. A further 5,500 (37.2%) landed at 7, 8, or 9. The scores of 2 through 6 netted an average of 400 to 600 each. But 3,100 (20.5%) of those ratings are one-stars. That’s almost equal to the number of tens.
Perhaps this episode is just an outlier. We don’t know for sure that the love scene is the reason for the bombs. To be fair, one negative review points out that the characters’ clothes shouldn’t be that clean in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, which is a solid point. But the second season premiere, which also features a kiss between Ellie and Dina, suffered a similar fate. Over 3,000 of its 29,000 rankings are one-star. That compares to the 1,800 cumulative scores at 2, 3, and 4.
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The seventh episode of Season 1, where Ellie flashes back to her young love with Riley, was hit with over 9,500 one-star ratings. Even the Bill and Frank episode, widely considered one of the greatest episodes in television history, counts 58,000 of its total 235,000 ratings as one-star.
Compare that to the second episode of this season, where Joel meets his end. It has its share of one-stars (3,200 out of 45,000), but at a much smaller percentage than the others. Wonder why that is. Can’t we all agree that artificially forcing a TV show’s ratings down for no other reason than featuring LGBTQ+ characters is just lazy and pointless? Criticize the writing, pacing, and story; that’s all fair game. Just base your critiques on substance and not irrelevant cultural clashes. It’s so predictable, especially now that a certain Apprentice host is back in office.
But is this article going to solve all the world’s problems? We can dream, but it won’t. People will keep review bombing the show as long as Ellie and Dina’s romance is featured. But the good news is that this is a minority of viewers. Aside from Internet trolls, the overwhelming majority of The Last of Us fans accept its diverse cast. They can maturely talk about the show, praising what it does well and calling it out if it falls short. So please don’t pay too much attention to the haters who have nothing better to do with their time than review-bomb. The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on Max.
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