The Last of Us was a fan-favorite series from the moment it hit HBO (and it was a fan-favorite video game before that). Season 1 of the show, although there were some fan complaints about casting and other details, proved to be incredibly popular, and anticipation for season 2 was high. Granted, those who played the video game were already well aware of where the narrative was going.

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Namely, Joel was doomed to die in season 2, assuming the show followed the plot points of the video game, and the narrative perspective was inevitably going to switch from a story centered on Ellie and Joel to one focused on Abby—the very person who had bludgeoned Joel to death with a golf club. Those details were always going to mean some unhappiness within the fanbase; there was really no getting around that. However, The Last of Us has given itself an entirely different problem, compounding those issues, that may legitimately spell trouble for the show’s future.

The Last of Us Season 3’s Release Schedule Is Frustrating

Although there were false rumors going around that The Last of Us season 3 had been cancelled, that isn’t the case. Rather, the season is apparently on hiatus, at least for the remainder of June. Reportedly, this has nothing to do with issues with the show but instead is a result of the FIFA World Cup and how disruptive that international event will be to Vancouver, close to where The Last of Us was being filmed.

It’s unclear whether that hiatus will have any substantive impact on the release date, in part because there isn’t yet a confirmed release date for the new season, nor was there one before this hiatus began. Thus far, the only information audiences have is that the season will be released some time in 2027. Unfortunately, whether or not the actual date was affected by this hiatus, a 2027 release is frustrating because it will mean a two-year gap between seasons 2 and 3, and it means additional issues for a season that already had an uphill battle.

Season 3 Was Already Going to Have One Obvious Problem

In addition to a two-year gap between seasons 2 and 3 presenting problems, the show was already facing a major challenge with season 3. Namely, with his death in season 2, beloved character Joel (who is also played by equally if not even more beloved actor Pedro Pascal) is going to be more or less absent from the rest of the show. Sure, he might appear in flashback in season 3, but it’s very unlikely he will return in a substantial way.

Given that, there are already going to be a fair number of viewers who jump ship simply because they were watching for Pedro Pascal/Joel. No, it’s not fair, nor is it representative of the quality of the show, but it is an unfortunate reality that the show has to grapple with. Coinciding with that is the mixed reception of Abby as a character. While some viewers loved her, others weren’t thrilled with the casting or (and much more understandably) just can’t imagine the show focusing on her after what she did to Joel.

Yes, Abby has her own reasons for doing what she did, and her story is more complicated than audiences might currently believe. Even so, given how gruesome Joel’s death was, it makes sense that some viewers just won’t want to watch the show now. Between this issue and the later release date, season 3 (and therefore the show overall) could legitimately be in trouble.

Can Season 3 Still Recover?

While things might seem bleak for The Last of Us now, all hope is certainly not lost. For one, audiences have repeatedly proven that, although they will grumble about it, they will return to shows even after years-long gaps—just look at Bridgerton or Stranger Things. The same is likely to happen with The Last of Us; viewers will still watch, even if the long gap between seasons 2 and 3 is frustrating.

The same is true of the narrative, to an extent. There will almost certainly be those who legitimately don’t watch the show now that Pedro Pascal isn’t the lead. However, many viewers will simply be too curious about where the show goes next to actually skip out on season 3. For now, though, it’s a waiting game both in terms of when The Last of Us season 3 will be released and how audiences will respond to it.

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Source: ComicBook.com